There are two distinct views of the draw for the 1998 World Cup, taking place around 6.0 p.m. in the Stade Velodrome here today. It is either an epic production with a cast of thousands or, quite literally, just a load of balls.
Sepp Blatter, the general secretary of FIFA, will supervise the distribution of the latter around the eight opening groups with that genial expertise which has become his hallmark. In the space of half an hour, the little plastic footballs containing the names and draw numbers of the finalists will turn speculation into reality.
All that is known so far are the identities of the eight seeded nations - France, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Romania and Holland - along with the placing of Brazil, as holders, at the head of Group A and France, the hosts, atop Group C.
The rest, allowing for continental distinctions, will be down to the winds of fate, although breezes of the meteorological rather than the metaphorical kind are causing the organisers more concern.
This will be the first World Cup draw to be conducted in the open air and should the wind continue to whistle through the stadium as it was yesterday, the prospect of the whole thing becoming a paper chase might well be enough to drive the ceremony into the nearby Palais de Congres.
The organisers remain optimistic. "No matter how hard the wind may be blowing now it is still all systems go for the draw," said the FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper yesterday. Forecasters are predicting gusts of up to 40mph during the day dying out towards evening.
So far the only victim of Marseille's chill winds has been Blatter himself. He was starting to lose his voice yesterday. "The wind has swept it away," he croaked, "and I'm trying to find it by tomorrow."
Sitting next to Joao Havelange, president of FIFA for the last 23 years and due to retire next summer, could not have improved Blatter's larynx. No newcomer to the art of trumpet-blowing, Havelange announced yesterday he would leave the game's world body richer by $4 billion - FIFA that is, not Havelange.
The president also repeated his support for the notion of South Africa hosting the 2006 World Cup. "South Africa is a number one country with gold and diamond mines," he said. "It is no problems with communications, hotels and pitches."
By the time pots, balls and celebrities have been assembled this evening, a degree of draw fatigue may well have set in among the 38,000 spectators, most of them youngsters invited by the organisers to turn the event into what Michel Platini has described as "a big party which will bring the occasion to the people and not leave it for 1,500 VIPs".
The centrepiece of the pre-draw entertainment will be an exhibition match between a team representing the 15 European finalists and a side drawn from each of the other 17 from the rest of the world. It is a nice idea and the presence of Ronaldo (Brazil), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Zine dine Zidane (France), Alen Boksic (Croatia) and Nwanko Kanu (Nigeria), not to mention England's Paul Ince, will reflect a fair cross-section of the global game.
Yet, with Norway represented by Chelsea's reserve goalkeeper Frode Grodas, and Gordon Durie a late replacement for Darren Jackson as the Scottish delegate, it is clear that a decorative kick about a third of the way through the busy European season is not everybody's idea of fun.
