Fan-Tabulous!

HE has the speed of Michael Johnson and the feet of Fred Astaire. And he has a list of dedications ready for each of the goals that he scores in World Cup '98. After having scored his first goal against Morocco, which he dedicated to his mother Sonia, Ronaldo says he will dedicate the second to his girlfriend Susana Werner; the third to his father Nelio, and so on. Ronaldo's ambition is to surpass Frenchman Just Fontaine's 1958 record of 13 goals. Though in these days of tight defences, the figure looks high, the Brazilian striker might be on his way. If not on the football fields of France, at least in the hearts of fans....

Forget the refereeing that some say often seems racist. Forget the frauds who sold thousands of non-existent tickets. Forget the streetside slugfests of drunken fanatics. Forget the bickering of players. Forget the political protests. Forget the asides and look back at the past 10 days, and this is what stands out: the genius of one man and his two feet. Okay, after the initial flurry, there's been a bit of a drought—53 goals in 20 matches. Ronaldo himself has scored just once. But look at the big, broad picture, and you will find yourself agreeing with Michel Platini's surmise: France '98 has seen qualitatively superior football than most World Cups.

Ronaldo. Ronaldo. Ronaldo. Older strikers like Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Roberto Baggio (Italy), Alan Shearer (England), Marcelo Salas (Chile) and Dennis Bergkamp (The Netherlands) might be tired of the hype of the One-Goal Wonder when Salas has scored thrice (twice in one match); as have Italian Christian Vieri and Frenchman Thierry Henry. But for sheer legwork that can take your breath away, there's been nobody to match Ronaldo in 'Fete du Football'—not yet. "He is just beginning," exulted a Brazilian official after Ronaldo's game against Morocco. Added coach Mario Zagallo: "Who knows? One day, he may be remembered as the greatest footballer ever."

Still, there are many who believe the dark horse of the Cup could be England's 18-year-old wonder, Michael Owen. That is, if coach Glenn Hoddle decides to play him more. Owen is the all-time leading scorer in England's football leagues, having scored 97 goals in one season to surpass the previous record by an astonishing 27. Says Geoff Hurst, the newly-knighted player of the '66 English side which won the Cup: "His pace is electric and he frightens defenders." Adds Pele: "Owen is ready for the starting line-up. If he is good enough he is old enough."

If you're old enough, you aren't good enough, felt Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla, and said it on air. And is paying the price for it. The player was dismissed because he opened his mouth to a Colombian Radio journalist after coach Hernan Dario Gomez substituted him five minutes from the end of Colombia's disappointing 0-1 defeat against Romania. Asprilla said he was unhappy being substituted and felt that others who couldn't be touched were playing worse than he.Asprilla's obvious reference was to captain Carlos Valderamma, 36, who is playing in semi-retirement.

There are rumours that somebody no less than the President of Colombia has been calling coach Gomez to say: "Colombia needs Asprilla. Sort it out." When last heard, Asprilla had apologised to the coach, who was saying he wasn't averse to his return.

Aside from the bursts of genius and the spurts of anger, though, the one common strand through the games in the initial rounds has been the almost consistently erratic refereeing. First, Nigerian referee Lucian Bouchardeau's controversial late-penalty decision threw Italy a lifeline in its match with Chile which it was set to lose 1-2. Then, Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert was given a two-match suspension (against the usual one-match tick-off) after he was sent off for thumping his elbow in the chest of Belgium's Lorenzo Staelens, unable to resist a personal insult. "I've heard worse things. I'm used to being called a nigger. This guy called me a rapist," Kluivert said. Gang-rape charges against Kluivert have never come up in court.

The row over refereeing elicited a sharp reaction from new FIFA president Sepp Blatter who called upon the umpires to "toughen up", saying, "there have been tackles from behind that deserved red cards." Sure enough, in the Denmark v South Africa, France v Saudi Arabia matches, five red cards were brandished. Among the victims: French ace striker Zinedine Zidane (No.10). As the criticism mounted from fans, tournament organisers sought to paint the referees as only human. "Some (referees) don't always have the feeling for the game. And don't know when to play the advantage," said Platini.

FOR fans on the whole—for several of whom the month-long soccer carnival is a welcome but expensive escape from the grim realities back home—France '98 has been a time like no other. Busting a lifetime's savings to make it here to cheer their team; scrounging around to stay longer than they can afford; and generally having the time of their lives. The fruit of several months' planning.

There is this mini-group here from Ajengunle in the Nigerian capital Lagos, which witnesses over 2,200 murders annually, the majority committed by the sinister "area boys" who run the areas where the writ of the military dictatorship is weak. For two weeks, Gouda Fall and Mirayo Mamadou work for the government while Diaw Harady is in some way associated with the country's football federation. Says Fall: "We are going to reach the quarter finals for sure. We have 4,000 francs each. The moment the money runs out we are flying back."

Then there are the Japanese. Having made it to the Cup on their own steam before they co-host the event with South Korea in AD 2002, a large number of Japanese students have made it to France. Masaharu Hasigawa, 22, a law student in Tokyo, pitched in as a part-time cameraman for six months to gather the resources for flying out. "It was tough. Studying as well as working. The work didn't pay all that well but to come here I had to do it."

Along with him came Tazunu Taniuchi, 18, Nobvaki Ilwai and Hideto Soito, 22. Taniuchi brought about $6,000 with him. The others have $3,000 on an average. All of them though have no match tickets between them. Says Soito: "Sometimes we feel what's the point of having flown so far if we can't see the Japan matches in the stadiums. But, at least we are here. And we will cheer our teams from outside the stadium."

 Lack of tickets is a sore point with all the fans. Says Milton Alves Masuada of Brazil: "We were promised tickets by our travel agency before we left Brazil. We managed just one of the three group matches." Adds his mate Jerno Gomes: "100 Brazilians were duped by a Spanish tour agency who promised them tickets for all Brazil matches before coming. We are a third world country and cannot buy tickets in black at huge prices the way the Scotland fans are buying them. "

 Around 15,000 Scots have come to France, the majority of them in their 20s. Says Stephen Harvey, 21, a cable guy from Aberdeen: "I didn't spend money on anything for the last six months. I saved and saved and bought two tickets on the blackmarket." Harvey's travelling mate Brian Girthie, 21, wasn't all that lucky. He didn't have enough money. But, promises Girthie: "If Scotland makes it to the quarters I'll make sure I get a ticket even if I've to take a loan."

There weren't youngsters alone. Meet M. Addison and J. Deakin from Glasgow. While Addison owns a 100-year-old company called Thomson's Coffee, Deakin runs Apex Industrial, a manufacturer of industrial consumables. Says Addison: "We are importers and roasters of Mysore coffee and Darjeeling tea. Too bad India isn't here. This isn't hockey, is it?" Addison, of course, is too out of date to know of India's hockey fortunes.

There was even Congo. Kisolokele-Kis, an agent of a band called Wenge from Congo. Also a music shop manager, Kisolokele brought his band of five to France at expenses of around $12,000 in total. Says he: "We are playing in subways and other places to make some money." The Wenge plan to look around for some musical breaks as well. "A concert, maybe," says Kisolokele.

While that may be a bit too far-fetched, the dreams of Mexican painter Leonardo Castaneda might be more realistic. The painter, 30, landed in Paris with $1,000 and is making some extra money doing portraits at the Champs Elysees. "I want to see as many Mexican games as possible." Castaneda is a veteran of the last three World Cups.

Making a beeline from South America are a lot of Colombians as well. Maro Ramirez, a civil lawyer from Bogota, is here with his brother Andres, an engineering student, and sister Vinita, who's pursuing an arts degree. Spending $10,000 on the whole trip Ramirez just hopes the ageing Carlos Valderamma, who made a name for himself with his flowing locks and individual style of play in the last World Cup, will be his usual self.

It isn't just a game, however, for the likes of Ben Bhouda Atef. A 20-year-old Tunisian settled in France and holding two passports, Atef spends his time between France and Tunisia. Says he: "I might live in France part of the time but my origin is Tunisia. In a France-Tunisia match I support Tunisia. The French are too racist for me to support them." Some of the cup visitors, however, are veterans of more than five World Cups. Vilas Sardesai of the Dempo football club in Goa is one such. Making London his base, Sardesai is travelling to French cities for matches he has managed to get tickets of. A contingent of former Indian players is expected later on in the tournament, courtesy the West Bengal government.

There are people of Indian origin, however, who are making it to the cup from the UK. One such is Ravinder Wallia, 34, who works in the home office, in the interior ministry. Member of the Scottish travel club, Wallia's seeing all of Scotland's three games. Supporter of UK's Arsenal club, for which he has a season ticket, Wallia's also played small time football. But, though he stays in London, Wallia doesn't support the English team. "You know why," he says. "You are an Indian."