I’m one of the lucky Australians who’s managed to escape the 4.30am kick-offs to a more ‘sleep-friendly’ timezone in Germany during the past month’s World Cup. That’s been brilliant for me, but being here has also allowed me to witness the German mood evolve first-hand to the strange state it holds ahead of the curious event that is the ‘third place playoff’.
As several writers have discussed on The Roar previously, Die Mannschaft have taken the 2010 World Cup by storm with their bright, youthful and attacking brand of football in South Africa. It’s been a pleasure to behold.
Enjoying it amongst the masses in German bars and public viewing centres has been an experience to remember. Especially after big victories over England and Argentina.
Following the 4-0 Argentina rout, I think I began to truly understand World Cup fever as Germany geared up for the semi-final with Spain. Even though Spain have dominated international football over the past two-to-three years, I got the feeling the Germans genuinely believed they could win the game with their exciting brand of football and go onto lift the trophy.
Indeed, the sense of anticipation about this game was intense.
And so was the experience of sitting on a corner-side Cologne bar amongst German fans watching Carles Puyol power in a second-half header to condemn Die Mannschaft to consecutive World Cup semi-final exits. Ouch!
But the World Cup isn’t over just yet for Die Mannschaft and the German fans.
There’s one more game to get through… the traditional third place playoff which will take place tonight in Port Elizabeth, although I can tell you first-hand the widespread sense of excitement in Germany has really died down… along with the ’54, 74, 90, 2010′ songs.
Looking at the tradition of it, the third place playoff was introduced by FIFA in 1934 in Italy, the second ever World Cup, where it was who else but Germany who claimed bronze.
Interestingly, that World Cup was played in a straight knockout format, which is a lot different to how the tournament runs these days.
Nevertheless, the third place playoff has been played at every World Cup since (bar the 1950 World Cup which employed an odd group format to decide the winner).
Now, though, some people are suggesting FIFA banish the concept of the third place playoff.
As my experience in Germany right now tells me, it is a strange occurrence. The fans don’t know what to make of it. Some Germans who I’ve spoken to said they won’t even watch it!
I, for one though, would never turn down another opportunity to watch a World Cup game and suitably can’t wait (and I’m sure there’s many others who’d echo that sentiment), but there’s no doubting the third place playoff is a strange event.
It’s one of the very few World Cup matches in the history of the tournament which has absolutely no potential bearing on the eventual winner.
The presence of that element, however unrealistic it may be sometimes, always adds a lot of value and intensity to World Cup matches.
When it’s not there in a third place playoff, the event loses a lot of it’s attraction.
The playoff is quite cruel on the players too, who only a few days earlier had their World Cup dreams crushed, to be forced to take the field again for a game which may mean little to them.
Then again, Uruguay may not see it like that, along similar lines to Turkey and South Korea in 2002, or Croatia in 1998.
In this instance, Miroslav Klose may be itching to take to the field as he’s one goal shy of equalling Ronaldo’s record of most World Cup goals overall.
And perhaps it’s here where there’s the most contentious point of all, with whether or not Klose’s goal/s in the match should count. Maybe that’s a debate for another day.
For me, though, while the intensity of a World Cup match isn’t always present in the third-place playoff, there’s little harm in the game and it provides a good little curtain-raiser for the final.
Plus there’s no shame in taking home the bronze.
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