WORLD CUP ALMANAC. Day 8

It´s almost like the World Cup has paused for breath. The weather has cooled and for those amongst who have been here a week now, the frenetic, voracious pace has calmed a little too. Well there´s none of us getting any younger you know. We are shortly to embark from Cologne (stunning cathedral, sausage by the metre, local brew is smooth, pale Kolsch - Travelogue ed.) headed back to our beloved Gelsenkirchen to see the Argies play Serbia & Montenegro.

The chance to see one of the possible tournament winners is today´s main event as well as the oppportunity to get amongst some proper South American fans. There is, however, the now imminent risk that our rancid Ireland jerseys may see us ejected forthwith from the Arena, possibly through the retractable roof.

On that subject, above is a snap of the aforementioned jerseys in fresher times, taken last Saturday in Dortmund.