The Brits are an interesting lot. They can’t have just one football team for the entire United Kingdom. Instead, England, Scotland and Wales all have their own "national" teams. Sometimes they seem to have forgotten that World War II is over – especially when it comes to Germany.

Case in point: Remember the "Fawlty Towers" episode called "The Germans"? Hey, that’s pretty typical for some British newpapers! Boris Becker was called "Boom Boom Becker" for his unanswered smashing serves when he won the Wimbledon tennis tournament for the first time as a teenager. Joseph Ratzinger was called the "tank cardinal" when he was elected pope. And a British beer named "Spitfire" was once promoted with the slogan: "Just like the Luftwaffe. Downed all over Kent." If the Germans were to promote a luxury cruise with "Like the Brits at Dunkirk. Just get away from it all" there might be an international uproar. But that’s another story. 🙂

The English have peacefully "invaded" Germany for the World Cup, including the fan decked out in an old military helmet sporting the words "Attack, attack!" The "Waldstadion" in Frankfurt only accommodates about 50,000 fans, which wasn’t enough to provide stadium seating for the thousands of British fans who came for yesterday’s game against Paraguay. So several thousand of them watched from bleachers and bridges in Frankfurt’s "Main Arena" as the game was broadcast on video screens set up on platforms floating in the Main River. They didn’t have to wait long to celebrate when England took the lead in the early minutes of the game. No one seemed to mind that the goal was actually "scored" by one of Paraguay’s defenders. Maybe this year’s World Cup final will be a rematch of the 1966 championship when England met Germany in Wembley stadium. Wouldn’t that be a field day for the British press? 🙂