The Official Football (Soccer) Thread (v. It's starting again!)

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

My heart is with my neighbouring country tonight.  They have quite the mountain to climb though and it's not helping them to play in a arena smacked with Brits. 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Wow have to say Denmark are giving them quite the fight.

[MirrorMask]

While we await to know who's gonna pull through between Hamlet and Richard III, some funny stuff from last evening:

- Spain's captain at the end, before the penalties, chose the "wrong" side for the penalties and even if he had the chance to pick the spanish side, he chose the italian side instead, with Italy's captain and the linesman trolling him for that;
- Bonucci went to cheer in front of italian fans, and a steward blocked him to forbid him to go back to the pitch because she assumed he was a fan trying a pitch invasion;
- Someone actually snuck in among the group hugs, and Verratti is on camera noticing him and saying with a puzzled look "...who the fuck are you?" before the guy was escorted out.

The lulz was strong last evening 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Feel bad for Simon Kjaers self-goal, that will haunt him. Well fought by Denmark, they deserve all the cred.

So England and Italy in the finale. 

[Zoom E]

NOT THIS TIME 

And now we wait for Denmark 

Guess it will be England rather than Denmark who give Italy a thrashing 

Okay, I’m not so confident in my trash-talking given Italy’s long history of winning and England’s long history of not winning, but we’ll see what transpires.

[Elite]

Feel bad for Simon Kjaers self-goal, that will haunt him.

Nah, if he wasn't there, Sterling would have scored it instead.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Feel bad for Simon Kjaers self-goal, that will haunt him.

Nah, if he wasn't there, Sterling would have scored it instead.

Yea but I don't think that's a comfort for him since it's still a self-goal in a semi. That will haunt him eitherway.

[MirrorMask]

Kjaer will be remembered for having heroically stood by Eriksen's side, not for an own goal caused by the frenzy of an action. Slovakia's goalkeeper own goal was far worse and far more laughable, this stuff happens.

EDIT: it was Slovakia, not Spain, Spain was the team that benefitted from the own goal.

[Kotowboy]

I'm so happy we don't show the football at work (Holiday park restaurant) so at around 7:30pm at work last night we were absolutely dead as literally everyone was somewhere else watching it and we

had a really nice chilled final couple of hours with zero customers

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Kjaer will be remembered for having heroically stood by Eriksen's side, not for an own goal caused by the frenzy of an action. Spain's goalkeeper own goal was far worse and far more laughable, this stuff happens.

You see it from an outsiders perspective, i'm just guessing his own thoughts. There's no blame on him at all, that was simply an unfourtunate goal and that's very clear and I agree that people outside also see that and don't judge him for it. However i'm still certain it stings for him since they did end up losing but of course it dosen't matter in the end and I don't know him. I don't think he sees himself as a hero only a concerned friend and teammate from his pov but you're right, the general public will remember him as a hero.

[nobloodyname]

...and it's not helping them to play in a arena smacked with Brits. 

English yes, Brits almost certainly not

Have to say I had tears in my eyes when the final whistle went on Wednesday. Can't wait for the final although it's hard to see us winning against Italy.

[MirrorMask]

Yeah, "it's coming home"? more like "Sta tornando a casa" 

At least I hope, just like I hope for some other iconic moments from the commentators... I grew up as a kid hearing replays of the ending of the World Cup 1982, won by Italy in Spain, where the commentator at the end exclaimed "It's over! champions of the world, champions of the world, champions of the world!" three times (since it was the third title), something that was replayed a long time.

Then in 2006 - it was exactly 15 years ago - when Italy won against France in Germany, after the decisive penalty the commentator said "...and it's a goal!!! it's over, it's over, it's over, it's over!!! THE SKY IS BLUE OVER BERLIN, we're champions of the world!!!"

"The sky is blue over Berlin" entered immediately in Italy's pop culture and everyone knows what it means. I hope for some other catchy and iconic sentence should things go our way 

[nobloodyname]

Yeah, "it's coming home"? more like "Sta tornando a casa" 

It's so funny how that song has travelled around the world and has been misinterpreted - even by many of us English folk these days According to the writers, it was never about England winning, rather football returning in the form of a tournament to its spiritual place of birth giving us the opportunity to create memories other than our only triumph "30 years ago".

You're so right about commentators and great moments. They can have such an amazing impact on your memory of a moment. "They think it's all over... it is now!", is probably the most famous line by an English commentator. That was Kenneth Wolstenholme in 1966 but many of my personal favourites were spoken by Barry Davies including this beauty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oydMFd40p7w

Barry Davies actually commentated on The World Stare Out Championship, too. No, really he did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LySnsvxtM

[MirrorMask]

Meanwhile, as you can see in the link, Boris Johnson has changed his Facebook profile with a photo of the english jersey (he got the number 10) and the cover as well, declaring that "it's coming home".







I may or may have not made some mistakes using the link function.


 

[ariich]

The thing around "it's coming home" is that the people who say it are split between those who do us seriously and those who do so completely ironically. As a result it's become a really kind of funny cultural thing.

[soupytwist]

Should I take this thread is currently on page 66 as an omen.😀

[Elite]

You don't have to if we push it to 67

[XJDenton]

Topic will now be locked at 66 pages.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I hope it dosen't end up being penalties.

Edit: Well shit

[ariich]

Gah, in a normal match I enjoy the drama and excitement of penalties, but it's a sucky and too-random way to settle a final. Then again, both sides were pretty evenly matched and so I guess it needs to be settled one way or another.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Gah, in a normal match I enjoy the drama and excitement of penalties, but it's a sucky and too-random way to settle a final. Then again, both sides were pretty evenly matched and so I guess it needs to be settled one way or another.

Yea I hate penalties, it's so random.

[Elite]

What a rubbish penalty series

[ariich]

What a rubbish penalty series

Yeah seriously, that was a terrible shoot-out.

Ah well.

[XJDenton]

Unfortunate ending notwithstanding, England can be proud of how they played tonight I feel.

In any case, well done Italy.

[Cruithne]

Gah, in a normal match I enjoy the drama and excitement of penalties, but it's a sucky and too-random way to settle a final.

It's better than flipping a coin.

https://www.givemesport.com/1702409-euro-1968-how-a-coin-toss-powered-italy-to-their-only-euro-title

(obviously that article's now out of date...)

[MirrorMask]

I like the suggestion that penalties should be taken BEFORE extra time, and using them as tiebreaker only if the match still ends up in parity.

Having said that, WE'RE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!!! THE DREAM BECAME REALITY!!! After the utter disaster of the missed qualification for Russia 2018, Roberto Mancini created a wonderful group that managed to pull through even without a top player among the attackers (but Chiesa was really coming into his own this tournament). THe strength of the group, the desire to delete a bad page of sport history for the national team... I always felt that they could pull it off and it was so, so satisfying to see Italy FINALLY on top of the continent, I have seen the World Cup in 2006 but they never won the european championship after 1968 (and it was just semifinals and the final anyway, it wasn't a proper tournament) and after two defeats (2000 and 2012) I'm glad to see them finally winning it.

I also always felt that the english team was due to their own Maracanazo.... can we call it Wembleydoom?  the atmosphere around the team was too much, too much flaunted confidence bordering arrogance, everyone preparing to win without ever taking in consideration the chance of defeat.... I don't want to be too harsh but in this sport you have to know how to win and how to lose, and England show they aren't quite there yet on both things. And those poor guys who missed the penalties being personally attacked.... I hope they recover from this!

Anyway, the dream is true!!! everyone in Italy went crazy, and also in Scotland, Argentina and Ireland I assume  finally I scratched a sporting itch off my back that was lasting since 21 years and that fateful Trezeguet golden goal....

[Nekov]

Anyway, the dream is true!!! everyone in Italy went crazy, and also in Scotland, Argentina and Ireland I assume  finally I scratched a sporting itch off my back that was lasting since 21 years and that fateful Trezeguet golden goal....

Yeah, I can attest to this. Our weekend was pretty good overall. Copa America on Saturday, England losing on Sunday. Maradona is surely having a blast wherever he is 

[XJDenton]

Never quite understood finding joy in another team (that isn't the direct opposition) losing....

[Nekov]

Never quite understood finding joy in another team (that isn't the direct opposition) losing....

Well, in this particular case, it has to do with a cultural matter. As you may know, the English are not well liked down here, and it translates into football. It's silly honestly and the anger should be directed at politics and not the average citizen, or football player in this case. But people are irrational. Every English person I've met has been super nice, even Rich.

[XJDenton]

Ah yeah, Football as a proxy for international tensions is definitely understandable. God knows our government does their best to Stoke the fires.

[ariich]

Thanks Diego, love you too!

[soupytwist]

Having said that, WE'RE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!!! THE DREAM BECAME REALITY!!!

Congratulations, hope you had a great night Mirror.  Must admit even though I was depressed by the result, as someone who grew up on Italian football in the 90's and followed Samp seeing Vialli embracing Mancini (where was Lombardo?) made me smile.  Also Chiellini is an absolute loveable bastard!!

As for England, the wait goes on.  We fell back into our old habits of taking an early lead then trying to defend from that point on.  We need to learn to continue to push, not be afraid of starting/using our attacking options (Grealish, Rashford, Sancho & Saka).  Only managing 2 shots on target sums it up.

But all the football aside England continue to be problematic, the 'fans' trying to break into Wembley, the awful racists social media attacks on the players who missed their penalties.  This is sadly the undercurrent of English culture right now, we our a disgrace (even though it's very much the minority, it's still way, way to much).

[MirrorMask]

Yeah, Mancini and Vialli hugging made my eyes a bit wet. Their team, Sampdoria, was never a big one, they won a miracle italian championship in 1991 and then they reached the European Cup final in 1992, it was their one shot at glory, and an outstanding free kick from Koeman took it away and gave the Cup to Barcelona.

Now, 30 years later, in the "same" stadium (well, new one, same name), they brought all of Italy on top of the world. A well deserved payback for Mancini and especially Vialli who had serious health issues and definitively knows that the most important battles are not the ones fought on a football field.

I feel too for the english player attacked; I have to say that the player themselves - the ones on the pitch and of course Southgate - were all cautious and respectful of Italy, it's everyone else around them who got too smug and too arrogant, with an absolute certainty of victory that I knew would bit them in the ass. I have no animosity for the ones who actually played the final and Southgate, but everyone else around them...... well, it was nice to take it all away from them and lift the cup in their faces in their own stadium. With additional regards from Scotland whose newspaper depicted Mancini as Braveheart and called him after the victory "Roberto the Bruce" 

[soupytwist]

I don't blame other countries for not wanting us to win to be honest.  Even though I live in a rural village in Norfolk after the semi-final win vs the Danish we still had a bunch of drunks crawling out of the pub shouting and kicking all the bins over in our street - I can only imagine the level of idiocy in the big cities.

I'm I right in think Mancini wasn't a hugely popular choice when he was appointed? 

'Football's coming Rome' Bonucci.  I laughed!

[MirrorMask]

Bonucci's best line was "You still have a lot of pasta to eat" 

Mancini was a good choice, he was a big name and after the disaster of the "low budget" choice of Ventura (Ventura who, you will say?.... yeha, precisely), he was welcomed. Maybe no one could have foreseen how good it would have went, but everyone was happy enough with him. After the failed Russia 2018 qualification, having a big name leading the national team was already a good beginning.