Football fans worldwide may have thought the World Cup ended in July. Not true, I found out today. Strolling through Nantes this afternoon I came across the actual final match, and it wasn’t country vs country. It was boys vs girls. Reviewing this picture you may realize that the boys were outnumbered and, well, technically you’d be correct. But I graciously stepped in to play and then partnered with my teammate to, as members of the Shaw family back in Seattle know so well, kick some girl backsides.

I really don’t know what the two girls in the center of the photo have to smile about, other than the fact the match was over and within minutes they knew they’d be cooling off in a nearby pool. I think the expressions on the faces of the players on either end, who just happen to be siblings, better reflect the outcome of the game.

It may interest you to know that this match took place on a field in the infield of the Nantes racetrack. Your ace photographer was able to snap the official match photo with the racetrack grandstand in the background. Clearly, the large crowd that had turned out to witness this match had made a quick exit. Given the hurt the boys put on the girls, I have a hunch many spectators had exited early.