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Fidel Castro finally made a short speech last night - and claimed that unless Uruguay get to the World Cup Final the entire tournament will be instantly forgotten.
The former Cuban revolutionary and President is famed for public addresses that go on for hours.
But as many fans around the world are hoping for Holland to beat Uruguay in tonight's semi-final in the Green Point Stadium so that "Hand of God" villain Luis Suarez is not rewarded for his blatant act of cheating against Ghana, Castro insisted victory for the South Americans is vital for the good of the whole event.
Castro said: "The vast majority of football fans do not even know what continent Uruguay is in but it seems to me that the referees are biased against the South American sides.
"It happened when Brazil lost to Holland, when all the decision went against them and they were sent down to 10 men at a crucial time, which should never have been done.
"But a final now, between two European countries, will be as colourless and unhistorical as any since the sport was born in the world."
Castro's bizarre rewriting of history came as Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made his own rambling and weird defence of Ajax striker Suarez for his last-gasp handball in the quarter-final - and blamed the British media for stirring up trouble.
Tabarez said: "Perhaps you should ask Suarez. I'd like you to ask him that. Like any other person, he always replies when he's asked a question.
"But I'm embarrassed by what has been asked by the British press. That is shameful. They have been speculating by a football action foreseen in the laws of the game.
"It happens in football and it was an instinctive act. Suarez couldn't foresee what happened afterwards, that Ghana would miss the penalty.
"So don't talk to me about a lack of modesty. The Uruguayan people bring out our personal strength when we have to. We are very proud, and we're upset with this topic.
"We're proud of our performances and what we've contributed to the development of football at this World Cup. Uruguay went through almost three matches without a yellow card at all, so please don't tell me we're cheats."
In Suarez' absence, the onus will be even more on stand-in captain Diego Forlan, with Holland well aware the former Manchester United man is the biggest threat to their hopes.
Everton defender John Heitinga, a former team-mate at Atletico Madrid, said: "Diego is a God, both at Madrid and Uruguay, and this World Cup proves that.
"Diego is good with both feet and therefore impossible for a defender to predict what he's going to do. It is imperative not to allow him time to shoot even from distance, because he possesses one of the best shots on the planet.
"He's also a great bloke. I've kept in touch with him since I left Atletico and once I knew that our two countries would play each other in the semi-final, I sent him a text and told him 'It is going to be one hell of a match Diego!"
Forlan will be partnered by Palermo frontman Edinson Cavani, who said: "We know we need to play a perfect game.
"Since we qualified in the play-off against Costa Rica we have played with humility and drive. We know we have the weapons to fight this game."
And Tabarez, forced to make four changes through injury and suspension from the team that played Ghana, insisted his team can upset the established order and reach their first final since 1950.
The coach added: "Nobody really believed this could happen but we're in a celebration and a party to which we hadn't been invited. It feels a bit like that.
"There are only three million people in our country. Some of our rivals have more footballers than we have more people in Uruguay, and that shows what we have achieved.
"We began to dream and now we have an opportunity to make our dream come true.
"World Cups are full of results that nobody really expects. I don't see why it should be so surprising that one of our dreams comes true. This is an extraordinarily motivating experience."
Source : www.mirrorfootball.co.uk
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