World Cup 2010: The Curse Of Nike Strikes Again

As in previous tournaments, The Curse Of Nike has once more had its way with global football superstars. If you saw their expensive "Nike: The Future" ad leading up to this tournament, you'd have spotted Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribery, Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The buck-toothed Brazilian wasn't even selected for Brazil's squad, Ribery fell out with Nicolas Anelka and sulked on the left-wing for the ill-starred France squad who jetted home early in cattle-class following their Bolshevist rising, while erstwhile Manchester United colleagues Rooney and Ronaldo had their World Cup misery mercifully ended in the Round of 16. Indeed, Rooney could be said to have not been there in the first place.

I heard that David Blaine is upset that his record of 42 days of doing nothing in the box has been eclipsed by the enigmatic Scouser, who clearly has his mind occupied with something other than the round ball game. Perhaps it's the court case his former agents won against him and his WAG bride, which may see him landed with a seven-figure bill for compo. Perhaps there's something else gnawing away at him, hovering over him like a Sword Of Damocles. I'm sure the world will be told once he "writes" a book about his "World Cup Hell". Or not.

Now we're at the quarter-final stage, Boggle's tips for the last four are Spain and Argentina and, from the top half of the draw, upsets with Nederland and Ghana progressing. I'll be digging out my vintage Nederland tee shirt. Or, since it's made by Nike, maybe I'll just forget it. I wouldn't want to schpill my pint.