The 2010 World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg South Africa in 13 days when the
32 best teams in the world vie for the sport's most coveted title. Belize is not among them, it's nowhere near actually - currently this country's national team is ranked in the lower hundred's. But, what if? What if Belize could someday scale those heights to play on soccer's greatest stage? Well, you may say it's a long way off but for video gamers it's only a few gaming console clicks away. We got a look and imagined the possibilities.
Jules Vasquez, Reporting
This is EA Sports FIFA 10 World Cup. An American game but it features Belize along with 198 other National Team and not just as a place holders.
There are detailed profiles of all the players that played on the national in the last qualifying match.
A few clicks on the console and there they are, Belize's boys on a video game: Goalkeeper Shane Orio - rated for acceleration, aggression, balance, agility all the required skills same for Ian Gyanair, Travis Lenna, Elroy Smith, Ryan Simpson, Edward Linares, Harrison Roches and Deon Mcauley. They're all there - some of the likenesses distinctly more accurate than others - like this one for Albert Ali Thurton who doesn't look anything like this in fact he's Black and the guy in the profile is Hispanic. But apart from those notable inconsistencies it's more or less accurate, after all this is only a video game.
And more than a game, it's a living fantasy, the dream we all dream of: Belize versus Brazil in the World Cup Final, Durban Stadium on a sunny day in South Africa. There are the Belize fans headgear and all and the teams march out, the anthem plays, the fans dance - it's so realistic - it almost inspires cold seed - until you realize it's very unreal, but, what the heck, play ball!
Complete with game call - even for the Belizean names and Travis Lennen arguing with the referee and Shane Orio blocking a penalty kick by no less than the world class striker KaKa. But even in the fantasy of a video game - reality comes crashing in and in the second half of this virtual match Kaka strikes with his peerless accuracy and then again, Adriano - and the game is all but over the score two to nil - the fans dejected the Belize team sends in Jaro James but too late - even in video game world, our boys are outmatched in speed and our shots on goal go nowhere - the team ends dejected while the Brazilians s celebrate, three to nil.. If only...
And while that game was in Durban South Africa, back at home on Belize's virtual home stadium in Belmopan - which is to say imaginary - we set it up to play the Jamaican national team - and yes the stadium looks nothing like ours - but there are our boys and that anthem and don't those mountains in the back, don't they look like the Hummingbird Highway?
Whatever the case in this came Serrano scored. Indeed, when it hits the back of the net, it doesn't matter, play on.
We could not reach the FFB President to find out if Belize collects nay royalties on the game....
Email
Print