A WORLD UNITED BY SOCCER AND BEER.

Byline: -- Scott French

MUNICH, Germany

It was the night before the World Cup kicked off, and Munich was in a partying mood. The Marienplatz was packed, the Costa Ricans, all wearing red jerseys, drinking beer in one corner, a group of Italian girls camped out near the Altes Rathaus, Poles and Czechs and Mexicans and Americans scattered through the square, Germans, of course, everywhere.

And there, among them, is Bora Milutinovic -- ``Bora,'' as always will suffice -- who is mobbed like a rock star, cries of ``Bora! Bora!'' coming from all sides, and everyone, it seems (but mostly the Costa Ricans and Mexicans), wants a piece.

``Who is he?'' a young woman, clutching a digital camera, asks with excitement. Bora is one of two men to coach five nations at the World Cup -- Mexico in 1986, Costa Rica in 1990, United States in 1994, Nigeria in 1998 and China in 2002 -- and he's a hero to fans of all of them.

Bora patiently poses, his smile broadening, graciously accepting the good wishes, the hugs, the rapturous response. Bora, it has been said, is everywhere, and I've seen it, running into him in Mendoza, Argentina, and Amsterdam, Mexico City and Paris.

A few blocks away, the Hofbrauhaus, Munich's most-famed beerhall, is in full swing. The oom-pah band, all garbed in lederhosen, plays furiously, but who can hear? The world's greatest party, fueled by giant mugs of frosty German beer, is raging. The Americans are near the door, and their chants of ``U ... U'' are countered by the Germans, who belt out song after song. There are Brazilians and more Costa Ricans, Koreans, Mexicans and Australians -- and there's a guy from Ivory Coast.

At my table are two English ``coppers.'' One has a ticket for the Germany-Costa Rica opener, but he'd like to trade it for England-Paraguay. (A poor trade, it turns out -- the opener is a sizzler, and England's game a bore.) His name is Steve, and he's a Queens Heart Rangers fan, but I never catch his buddy's name -- it is too loud, and although we are six inches apart and screaming, it is impossible to make out the words. All I learn is that he supports Chelsea and has very strong beliefs about something, I just never make out what.

The barmaid slams 11 massive steins of beer onto the wooden table, and they quickly disappear. Now the song is one of the soccer-specific versions of the Pet Shop Boys' ubiquitous ``Go West'' -- the sport's unofficial theme song -- and then the ``U'' chant erupts again. The Germans answer with ``Deutschland!'' and a man wearing a Japan jersey and colorful headdress joins in with both. The oom-pah band has given up.

The world's in here, and the possibilities seem limitless. And Steve's buddy, the Chelsea fan, is wiping away a tear. ``My heart,'' he says, pounding his chest with his fist. ``It's out to here.''

I know what he means.

Etc.

U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu could team with German phenom Robert Huth on UEFA Cup finalist Middlesbrough's backline. Huth, who had been a reserve at Chelsea, signed last week with the English club, and Onyewu, who starred for Belgium's Standard Liege, is negotiating. ... Five UCLA players, one former Bruin and USC star Amy Rodriguez are on the U.S. roster for the Aug. 17-Sept. 3 FIFA U-20 women's world championship in Russia. Coach Tim Schulz selected UCLA goalkeeper Val Henderson, defender Erin Hardy, midfielders Danesha Adams and Christina DiMartino and incoming forward Lauren Cheney -- the nation's No. 1 recruit -- for his 21-player roster. Goalkeeper Kelsey Davis, who attended (but did not player soccer at) Thousand Oaks High, also was chosen. Davis, the No. 2 netminder on the U.S. team two years ago, transferred from UCLA to reigning NCAA champion Portland after failing to beat out Henderson for the Bruins' starting goalkeeper job. ... FIFA president Sepp Blatter faces a battle in trying to implement his plan to limit Europe's top leagues to 18 teams starting in the 2007-08 season, a plan designed to add international match days to the calendar. Delegates voted 194-5 in favor at last week's FIFA Congress, but league officials have vowed to fight it. The 20-team English Premier League plans to ignore the edict, claiming FIFA doesn't have the authority to force such action.

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