Curiously Unemotional

So, then, a thoroughly-deserved sixth triumph for Argentina at the U-20 level in Toronto yesterday as they beat the Czech Republic 2-1. The Czechs - an excellent side on the counter-attack and well-organized defensively but for one horrendous gaffe in the 62nd minute - did themselves proud but were no match for the Argentines, whose captain and tournament golden boot Sergio Aguero really needs to be playing somewhere better than Atletico Madrid.

(Question: how is it that Argentina can continually win at this age and continually choke at higher levels? Is bottling not taught at the U-20 level? When the Czechs scored yesterday, Argentina went charging back into battle - at the Copa America last week, once Brazil scored, that was more or less it for the Argentines. Curious.)

And yet despite the fact that it was a decent game and a close-run contest, this was a notably unemotional final. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that there were virtually no Czech supporters in the stands (or, rather, that those cheering for the Czechs were actually simply anti-Argentines - in this case a primarily Chilean group, making it possibly the most Hispanic group of fans the Czechs will ever get). Or maybe it was the winning goal itself, a quick shot from a short corner that caught the fans as well as the Czech keeper napping, and hence robbed the decisive moment of any emotional build-up.

Or maybe, like me, the crowd appreciated the great spectacle of the tournament and the artistry of the Argentines, but fundamentally can't stand the interruption in what Nick Hornby once called "the relentless responsibility and pain of club football".

It's been a great three weeks. But we want our TFC.