World Cup

[Shane Does Art]

PORTUGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!PORTUGAAAAAAAAL!!!!!!!!!!

[TFoA]

Awesome game, Portugal deserved it, Ricardo was amazing on the PKs, he guessed right every single time.

And about the whole Rooney thing, if you stomp someone's crotch, you should get thrown out, that is just wrong and against Man Law.

[SDX]

Absolutely Gutted. enf of.

[RichardWitham]

i hope christiano ronaldo gets foot cancer.

[DEAD!]

Awesome game, Portugal deserved it, Ricardo was amazing on the PKs, he guessed right every single time.

And about the whole Rooney thing, if you stomp someone's crotch, you should get thrown out, that is just wrong and against Man Law.

... lol that's was your Man Law in that thread wasn't it?

I have developed an extreme dislike for Cristiano Ronaldo. Words can't describe ...

where as before you just had a dislike for Cristiano Ronaldo

[spyboy1]

They've GOT to find a better solution than deciding these games on penalty kicks.

What do you suggest? a coin flip?

Simple. Keep playing.

The game is meant to be played 11-on-11. It should be decided 11-on-11.

Well, you can't let them play for 10 hours, because that's what would happen. I say bring out the hockey boards and let 'em go five on five at mid field!

[Saintsfan]

It also appears that whoever the host nation is, outside of the 1994 in USA, their team makes the finals or wins. That's very odd. However I don't see South Africa pulling that off next World Cup.

Not technically speaking correct.

France won as hosts in 1998, but before that the last hosts to win were Argentina in 1978.

Hosts winning the world cup

1930 Uruguay

1934 Italy

1966 England

1974 West Germany

1978 Argentina

1998 France

Only Sweden have lost a world cup final as hosts, although Brazil were runners up as hosts in 1950, though the final round that year was a round robin. The decider was in fact the last game, Brazil v Uruguay.

[DEAD!]

Brazil 0-1 France

[Shane Does Art]

Why does everyone hate Christiano Ronaldo? If it's cause of the diving okay but doesnt everyguy do that? There's no doubt he has a crap-load of talent...I just don't understand, unless these comments are coming from England fans

[DEAD!]

Why does everyone hate Christiano Ronaldo? If it's cause of the diving okay but doesnt everyguy do that? There's no doubt he has a crap-load of talent...I just don't understand, unless these comments are coming from England fans

... now if we can only imagine what would happen when Rooney and Ronaldo get back to Man U....

[Juddley]

Why does everyone hate Christiano Ronaldo? If it's cause of the diving okay but doesnt everyguy do that? There's no doubt he has a crap-load of talent...I just don't understand, unless these comments are coming from England fans

... now if we can only imagine what would happen when Rooney and Ronaldo get back to Man U....

I'm sure Rooney and Ronaldo will make it all better with a big open-mouth kiss.

ugh

[Saintsfan]

Why does everyone hate Christiano Ronaldo? If it's cause of the diving okay but doesnt everyguy do that? There's no doubt he has a crap-load of talent...I just don't understand, unless these comments are coming from England fans

... now if we can only imagine what would happen when Rooney and Ronaldo get back to Man U....

I'm sure Rooney and Ronaldo will make it all better with a big open-mouth kiss.

ugh

I think that what some people refer to as a 'Glasgow kiss' is more likely

[gosioux76]

Why does everyone hate Christiano Ronaldo? If it's cause of the diving okay but doesnt everyguy do that? There's no doubt he has a crap-load of talent...I just don't understand, unless these comments are coming from England fans

I don't see the "crap load of talent" you speak of. I see a player who's really fast, who likes to do fancy footwork that rarely, if ever, produces results. He's a show-off with greasy hair.

And beyond the diving, did you see his facial expressions after every foul he incited? Like after the Rooney red card? He winked at his bench, as if he was saying, "I did my part."

That's why I hate Cristiano Ronaldo. Always have.

[TFoA]

Well, with Brazil out, the favorite has to be Germany. It'll be either them or the fantastic actors that represent Italy & Portugal.

[CZzyzx41]

GERMANY - ARGENTINA:

Argentina is usually known as being the divers. really you could give that term to any latin club including Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. Everyone might do it but that's not what football should be. Cheating. That's all it is.

That being said, Germany put on a diving spectacle the likes of which I hadn't seen from a European side since...well...Portugal v Netherlands frankly. I was rooting for Germany but that was really dirty and I certainly didn't want to win the match on some frivolous freekick gotten from a dive.

Still, Argentina's display after the match was disgusting. Pushing, shoving, kicking, fighting, whining...They deserve Argentina and the very worst that country has to offer them.

Now I want someone to tell me how Maxi Rodriguez's yellow card was NOT a penalty kick. Maxi is charging towards goal, Lahm comes in, and brings his leg halfway up Maxi's leg catching him from behind. It's obvious to me that this is not a dive. It would have been impossible for Maxi to jump over Lahm's leg and keep his feet. It's at least a foul on Lahm and penalty kick for Argentina. Instead, the ref gives Maxi the yellow card? For what? Not leaping 3 feet in the air in a split second to avoid Lahm's leg?!

Still, I'm glad Germany won in the end. Argentina plays really beautiful football (when they aren't diving) so I wouldnt' have minded them getting through but considering I'm half English and half German, born in the US...I just couldn't root against Deutchsland.

ENGLAND - PORTUGAL:

Cristiano Ronaldo....Freddy Adu with a pretty-boy face. Still, that was one beauty of a penalty kick. The Portugese player I can't stand is Figo. If I never see him play football again (and I will later this week unfortunately) it'll be too soon.

As for Rooney. So long as he plays in an English kit, I love him. The moment that kit comes off, he's a ... Well let us just say to say I dislike the guy with a passion is to be WAY too kind. Dude need to go play for Madrid where all the prima donna whining, playboy pansies go.

That being said, c'mon. RED? I liken that play to walking backwards, stumbling over a chair and in trying to regain your balance you accidently step on your cats tail. Rooney stumbled backwards over Carvalhos legs and in trying to keep his balance his foot landed on Carvalhos groin. It's not like he was facing carvalho and purposely brought his knee up and slammed his foot down on the crotch.

FRANCE - BRAZIL:

I really like Henry even if I don't care for the French. That goal was beautiful but I have to ask. How do you leave one of the worlds 5 best strikers all alone on the pitch like that?

Ronaldo. I can't find anything I like about him. He's a good football player. There is nothing else good about him at all. His shot on goal gets deflected so he shoves a French player to the pitch. He gets taken out of one match and throws a temper tantrum on the bench. He cheats every chance he gets. I'm very happy with this result. Always betting on Brazil to win but always rooting for them to lose.

ITALY - UKRAINE:

Nothing to say here. Ukraine played well in their first World Cup appearance but a big loss to Spain showed their weakness and they were demolished by a better Italian squad.

SO...here's to a France - Germany final. OR we could have a real dive fest. Italy vs. Portugal. Where players spend more time on their backs and knees than on their feet. Hmmm sounds like some women I know. I think they're called El Tricolores and I believe they call Mexico City home.

[Roger Clemente]

Well, seeing as it's no longer June, the hearts in Brazil and no longer entertained.

(50 points to whoever gets the reference.)

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[TFoA]

GERMANY - ARGENTINA:

Argentina is usually known as being the divers. really you could give that term to any latin club including Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. Everyone might do it but that's not what football should be. Cheating. That's all it is.

That being said, Germany put on a diving spectacle the likes of which I hadn't seen from a European side since...well...Portugal v Netherlands frankly. I was rooting for Germany but that was really dirty and I certainly didn't want to win the match on some frivolous freekick gotten from a dive.

Still, Argentina's display after the match was disgusting. Pushing, shoving, kicking, fighting, whining...They deserve Argentina and the very worst that country has to offer them.

Now I want someone to tell me how Maxi Rodriguez's yellow card was NOT a penalty kick. Maxi is charging towards goal, Lahm comes in, and brings his leg halfway up Maxi's leg catching him from behind. It's obvious to me that this is not a dive. It would have been impossible for Maxi to jump over Lahm's leg and keep his feet. It's at least a foul on Lahm and penalty kick for Argentina. Instead, the ref gives Maxi the yellow card? For what? Not leaping 3 feet in the air in a split second to avoid Lahm's leg?!

Still, I'm glad Germany won in the end. Argentina plays really beautiful football (when they aren't diving) so I wouldnt' have minded them getting through but considering I'm half English and half German, born in the US...I just couldn't root against Deutchsland.

ENGLAND - PORTUGAL:

Cristiano Ronaldo....Freddy Adu with a pretty-boy face. Still, that was one beauty of a penalty kick. The Portugese player I can't stand is Figo. If I never see him play football again (and I will later this week unfortunately) it'll be too soon.

As for Rooney. So long as he plays in an English kit, I love him. The moment that kit comes off, he's a ... Well let us just say to say I dislike the guy with a passion is to be WAY too kind. Dude need to go play for Madrid where all the prima donna whining, playboy pansies go.

That being said, c'mon. RED? I liken that play to walking backwards, stumbling over a chair and in trying to regain your balance you accidently step on your cats tail. Rooney stumbled backwards over Carvalhos legs and in trying to keep his balance his foot landed on Carvalhos groin. It's not like he was facing carvalho and purposely brought his knee up and slammed his foot down on the crotch.

FRANCE - BRAZIL:

I really like Henry even if I don't care for the French. That goal was beautiful but I have to ask. How do you leave one of the worlds 5 best strikers all alone on the pitch like that?

Ronaldo. I can't find anything I like about him. He's a good football player. There is nothing else good about him at all. His shot on goal gets deflected so he shoves a French player to the pitch. He gets taken out of one match and throws a temper tantrum on the bench. He cheats every chance he gets. I'm very happy with this result. Always betting on Brazil to win but always rooting for them to lose.

ITALY - UKRAINE:

Nothing to say here. Ukraine played well in their first World Cup appearance but a big loss to Spain showed their weakness and they were demolished by a better Italian squad.

SO...here's to a France - Germany final. OR we could have a real dive fest. Italy vs. Portugal. Where players spend more time on their backs and knees than on their feet. Hmmm sounds like some women I know. I think they're called El Tricolores and I believe they call Mexico City home.

I'm rooting for France to win, just because they're the only team left that doesn't do super diving. I think Germany's gonna win it, but France is who I want to win.

With that being said, if Italy-Germany get into the final, I will cry. Divefest 2006.

Here's my prediction...

Italy's Totti gets hit in the shoulder...and grabs his knee.

Totti: OW!!!

Referee: Foul!

5 minutes later...

Germany's Ballack gets hit in the knee while in the box. Clutches his stomach.

Ballack: OW!!!

Referee: <gives red card>

Germany hits PK to win 1-0.

[Fred T. Jane]

Well, you can't let them play for 10 hours, because that's what would happen. I say bring out the hockey boards and let 'em go five on five at mid field!

...or you could make it 9-on-9 with unlimited subs (all players subbed during the previous 120 minuted become eligible to play too) and golden goal after the 30 minute OT period. I can see a side throw out a 2-2-5 at the opening of this sudden death OT.

[gosioux76]

I'm backing France. Being a Gooner, I obviously love Henry. But I'm also a huge Zidane fan, despite the fact he played at Real Madrid. I'd love to see Zidane go out on top -- it would be fitting.

Plus, my wife bought me a blue 2006 Zidane national team jersey. It would be cool if it were worn in the final.

[cappital92]

ITALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!