Electrical failures in places created almost a riotous situation; but thanks to precautionary security deployments and extra care taken by power authorities not to flounder on the electrical front, things went generally well. There was no major denial of soccer watching.

It was evident from the beginning of the World Cup that Brazil and Argentina were the two most popular teams with very large followings of Bangladeshi fans. So intense was the commitment of the fans that on the other night two staunch supporters of Argentina, one at the old town of the city and the other in Noakhali died following heart attacks while witnessing the match over TV. They couldn't simply take the shock of the defeat of Argentina. The defeat of Brazil that followed is yet to witness similar death by shock but one can be almost certain that the heartache it evoked must have been very gnawing among the supporters in Bangladesh. As for the deceased we extend our sincerest condolence to their bereaved families.

There is absolutely no reason why we cannot better the standard of the game in Bangladesh given the robust enthusiasm for soccer across the country. We should be able to carve out a position at the regional and Asian levels of the game. We should also remember that football happens to be a game of high entertainment in the lives of our people and symbol of unity at community levels and beyond particularly at this stage of social unrest.

In the meantime we wait anxiously for the remainder of the games to see as to which European team lifts the FIFA World Cup, most coveted trophy in the world of football often called "the game of the century."