Souvenirs, novelties, partytricks

We all know how overboard the marketing firms go during the World Cup. It's not possible to advertise anything without showing a football somewhere, even if the two are completely unrelated. Football even replaces women as the most exploited object during the month long festival.

But in the host nation things are a step beyond what you imagine. Everyone know that the Deutsche Telekom tower in Berlin was decorated like a football a month before the tournament, but can you imagine a world where everything is football? Picture it like Homer Simpson when he goes to the land of chocolate (funnily enough, also in Germnay) and you are not far off. You get football themed resteaurants, shop windows, ice creams, McDonalds toys,tv screens in every cafe and bar, flag waving fans of every country and armies of fans in team shirts. If you hate football it must make you want to kill yourself. After all, Michael Ballack is there recommending every product, Franz Beckenbauer is advertising himself and Rudi Voller seems everywhere in person.

But hats off to the person who invented the 'urinal football pitch'. A useless item that made its inventor rich judging by the sheer number in the bars in Munich (and yes, I too was in a lot of bars). It is a green mat lined like a pitch (presmably scented) with more holes than Stamford Beach and a little goal with a ball hanging off a string. There's endless penalty glory as you knock the ball into the back of the net again and again. Its fantastic fun. The only shame is that (most) ladies wont be able to play.