World Cup (maybe slightly off-topic? No, not really...)

[Olaf Solstrand]

Fernando:
> (Tomorrow Brazil X Germany into the Word Cup!!! Oh my! I can't
> believe we're into the final! ;-)

Is that so hard to believe? Brazil is the best soccer team in the world!

Actually, when I think of it, it was a Mickey Mouse story which made me realize 
that! I don't really recall the story code, but it was probably an I-story, 
published in Norway in Donald Pocket 88. In this story Zapotec and Marlin 
(sorry that I didn't bother to double-check the English names - but I'm sure 
99,9% of you know who I'm talking about!) use the time machine to send Mickey 
and Goofy back to the 1970 World Cup in Mexico to find out why some Italian guy 
played only 6 minutes or something of the final, and the story was filled with 
lots of exciting information about Brazil and Italy. I don't remember why I did 
that, but I decided to support Brazil - as they were Goofy's favorite, as they 
_won_ the 1970 World Cup and because the entire story had lots of positive 
feedback on some guy named Pélé (I was 8yo or something the first time I read 
this, so... Later, I discovered that this Pélé guy existed in real life and was 
the greatest legend in soccer history - well, according to me he is. Btw, This 
Pélé guy wasn't the only real existing person. The same for that Columbus guy 
and lots of other characters. And still my parents said that you can't learn 
anything from reading comics?)

However - I've never really been interested in soccer. But - most because of 
this story, I guess, I'm a Brazil fan. I was chearing for Brazil in the World 
Cup final 8 years ago. I was chearing for Brazil in the World Cup final 4 years 
ago (by this time I started to realize that Pélé wasn't active anymore). And - 
I will chear for Brazil in the World Cup final 2002. I may not watch the game. 
But deep inside my heart, I wish for Brazil to win - regardless of the 
importance of the game (local match or World Cup final). Regardless of the team 
they're playing against (well - eccept for when they play against Norway, of 
course. Luckily, Norway has never had any problems beating Brazil in soccer). 
I'm no soccer fan. But I'm still a Brazil fan. And Mickey Mouse gave that to me.

About that story - I simply cannot hold it, so I write a spoiler at the bottom 
of this mail.

Olaf





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SPOILER: In 1970, everything turns out wrong for Mickey and Goofy - they're 
supposed to land on a desert road which turns out to be an Interstate etc. 
Merlin blames Zapotec for this, as he did all the research. When they come to 
the stadium, they find out that Pélé is on the tribune. Goofy says something 
like "Shouldn't he be warming up for the game?" and another journalist 
answers "Are you pulling my leg? The last time Pélé played here was the World 
Cup final in 1970, 16 years ago!" Then, it turns out that Merlin had sent them 
to the _wrong_ final - He sent them to the _1986_ World Cup, which _also_ took 
place in Mexico. I think of it as a _great_ idea for a story!
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