The Global Game

The World Cup Around the World

"The business of buying and selling tickets turned ugly on one occasion, as the locals literally fought over themselves to make money off the Japanese without tickets. Rival touts became involved in a punch- up, shocking the Japanese standing nearby." "Yomiuri Shimbun", Tokyo, with Japan's fans in Nantes

"Koreans sat up into the early morning hours in front of TV sets to watch their football players suffer a humiliating defeat to the Dutch. Their initial feeling of disappointment was slowly replaced by anger." "Korea Herald," Seoul

"Spain's long journey to disaster could be halted by a victory over Bulgaria. But it's possible that won't be enough... this smells like the end of an epoch." "El Pais", Madrid, on Spain's below-par tournament

"Would it be too much to ask for a little US Open drama? The 1998 version is about as tense as a turnip festival. If it keeps up those following America's national golf championship are going to be remote controlling their way to the nearest NASCAR race by mid-morning today. Worse yet, they could be fighting their way to the dial to find the US v Iran World Cup match." "Oakland Tribune", San Francisco, on sporting life in the USA

Compiled by Rupert Metcalf, Elizabeth Nash and Andy Farrell