A fallow season

These are the semifinalists:

France
Belgium
England
Croatia

As you can see, three of them are located within a stone’s throw of one another. Coincidence? Geographic determinism?

The latter probably has a lot to do with it. But this isn’t the occasion for explaining why.

Coincidence probably has a lot to do with it, too. It’s coincidental that Belgium has so many talented players just at this time. Also, if geography determined everything, the Netherlands would’ve qualified for the World Cup; but, as it happens, this is a fallow season for the Dutch.

Actually, this is a fallow season for just about everyone. In my view, the quality of international soccer in the last four years has been pretty low, and we’re witnessing the denouement of this state of affairs.

As one of Telemundo’s announcers said during the quarterfinal between England and Sweden: “One of these teams will be a World Cup semifinalist.”

He paused. “Is my meaning clear?”

“As clear as the day,” said his partner.

As Clint Eastwood has said: Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.