Martin Walker of United Press International writes that The 2006 World Cup will be remembered for the dominance of the defensive game, which brought about the lowest goals per game average since Italy in 1990. It will also be remembered, somewhat infamously, for setting records for the number of fouls and the number of send-offs by a group of referees who at times produced out-right bizarre performances. It will not be, thankfully, remembered for fan violence; the Germans did a wonderful job keeping that in check, Walker says, “efficient policing made for a better World Cup.” Immigrants added much to strengthen several national squads. France, with its 6 million North and West African immigrants, fielded 16 non-whites in its 23-man team. Germany strikers Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose are both Polish immigrants, while several Australian players came from Croatia. Mauro Camoranesi, an Argentine, has played very well for Italy this tournament, while perhaps more was needed from Brazilian-born playmaker Deco, to help his adopted Portugal get past France. Mexico, Japan and Tunisia also included Brazilian-born players. This tournament will also be remembered as the encore of the sublime Zinedine Zidane, the French-born son of North African immigrants, a Muslim who made France the adopted team of many Arab and African countries. It will also be remembered for the tragedy in Somalia, where those who count watching soccer as a mortal sin opened fire on a group of teenagers who had filed into a cinema to watch the Italy-Germany semifinal. Both the cinema owner and a young girl were shot dead. The event had been banned by an Islamic militia that took charge of the country. The tragic coda, of course, belongs to Bill Shankly, the late Liverpool manager, who famously said “Some people say the football is a matter of life and death — they’re wrong. It’s much more important that that.”