Official Euro 2008 Thread

[mibir]

Italy all the way, unfortunately multiple injuries may hinder a good performance. And if you want to talk about diving lets talk about Portugal and their beloved Cristiano Ronaldo. Besides you all act like no one on the French team has ever dived in the history of the game. As far as Materazzi, he's garbage, but it isn't fair to hate the whole team for one man's actions. Unfortunately hating on the Italian team seems like the "In" thing to do now but I will stay loyal. Forza Azzurri!

[TheBarrett]

Originally Posted by mibir

Italy all the way, unfortunately multiple injuries may hinder a good performance. And if you want to talk about diving lets talk about Portugal and their beloved Cristiano Ronaldo. Besides you all act like no one on the French team has ever dived in the history of the game. As far as Materazzi, he's garbage, but it isn't fair to hate the whole team for one man's actions. Unfortunately hating on the Italian team seems like the "In" thing to do now but I will stay loyal. Forza Azzurri!

Ronaldo is absolutely brilliant, considering he does currently play for my second favorite club teams in all of Football, easily one of the best midfielders out there, he's got some shoes to fill wearing the number 7 in his club!

He's my eye to watch on for Portugal indefinitely!

[Ali]

Originally Posted by mibir

Italy all the way, unfortunately multiple injuries may hinder a good performance. And if you want to talk about diving lets talk about Portugal and their beloved Cristiano Ronaldo. Besides you all act like no one on the French team has ever dived in the history of the game. As far as Materazzi, he's garbage, but it isn't fair to hate the whole team for one man's actions. Unfortunately hating on the Italian team seems like the "In" thing to do now but I will stay loyal. Forza Azzurri!

Uh, I can think of only one instance where a Frenchman has divided in ’06 WC, while there has been multiple incidence where Italian players has dived. Want examples, how about in the 2002 Worldcup when Francesco Toti dived against South Korea resulting in him getting a second yellow, resulting in a red card and him getting kicked out of the game. Ask any Australian and they will tell you that in the 2006 World Cup, Grosso dived and got a penalty costing Australia the game. Also, Petite dived against France in Euro qualifiers resulting him in getting a Yellow. There are also other dirty players on the team other than Materazzi like Del Rossi who elbowed intentionally our American player Brain McBride at ’06 World Cup causeing him to bleed very badly and later having surgery. That little scoundrel thought he could get away with elbowing McBride but he got caught and was ejected from the game.

There is a also a history of cheating in the Italian League, like when Juventus was stripped of their Serie A title in ’06 and demoted from Serie A and AC Milan was deducted points for cheating as well, and this is coming from one of the two best teams in Serie A. Fact is there is a history of cheating, diving and playing dirty coming from the Italian side thats why there is hate towards Italy. That’s not to say all the players are like that, I haven’t seen Cannavaro play dirty.

I ilke a lot of the French public were unhappy with the manner that people like Materazzi behaved in the ’06 World Cup Final, really, is it necessary to say all those dirty things to Zidane about his mom especially on the day when Zidane’s mom got very ill and went to the hospital. France clearly got robbed in ‘06. That is why the French public hates the Italians and were booing their national anthem during Euro ’08 qualifiers when Italy played France in Paris.

Here is a clip which shows some of what a dirty player Materazzi is, he doesn't even make an attempt to go after the ball, all he does is goes after a player to intentionally hurt him. He is the dirtiest player in World Football.

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As for Christiano Ronaldo, I will give you that he certainly imbelishes when he falls down, but like TheBarrett said he is a brilliant player, watching him play is very entertaining, he has some serious skills with the ball. If you saw him in todays game there were sometimes 2-3 Turkish players marking him because he is that good and he almost scored in an insane free-kick.

[Ali]

Originally Posted by TheBarrett

I hope to god France wins it as well. However I am quite upset England did not make in in the UEFA Euro 2008, which is a huge upset for me!

I guess it's a bit awkard for England not to make Euro 2008. Their games are very entertaining like when they played France and Portugual in Euro 2004 and England fans are probably the loudest ever, there is a different atmosphere with England fans. All I can say to England fans is good luck in 2010.

[TheBarrett]

Originally Posted by Ali

Uh, I can think of only one instance where a Frenchman has divided in ’06 WC, while there has been multiple incidence where Italian players has dived. Want examples, how about in the 2002 Worldcup when Francesco Toti dived against South Korea resulting in him getting a second yellow, resulting in a red card and him getting kicked out of the game. Ask any Australian and they will tell you that in the 2006 World Cup, Grosso dived and got a penalty costing Australia the game. Also, Petite dived against France in Euro qualifiers resulting him in getting a Yellow. There are also other dirty players on the team other than Materazzi like Del Rossi who elbowed intentionally our American player Brain McBride at ’06 World Cup causeing him to bleed very badly and later having surgery. That little scoundrel thought he could get away with elbowing McBride but he got caught and was ejected from the game.

There is a also a history of cheating in the Italian League, like when Juventus was stripped of their Serie A title in ’06 and demoted from Serie A and AC Milan was deducted points for cheating as well, and this is coming from one of the two best teams in Serie A. Fact is there is a history of cheating, diving and playing dirty coming from the Italian side thats why there is hate towards Italy. That’s not to say all the players are like that, I haven’t seen Cannavaro play dirty.

I ilke a lot of the French public were unhappy with the manner that people like Materazzi behaved in the ’06 World Cup Final, really, is it necessary to say all those dirty things to Zidane about his mom especially on the day when Zidane’s mom got very ill and went to the hospital. France clearly got robbed in ‘06. That is why the French public hates the Italians and were booing their national anthem during Euro ’08 qualifiers when Italy played France in Paris.

As for Christiano Ronaldo, I will give you that he certainly imbelishes when he falls down, but like TheBarrett said he is a brilliant player, watching him play is very entertaining, he has some serious skills with the ball. If you saw him in todays game there were sometimes 2-3 Turkish players marking him because he is that good and he almost scored in an insane free-kick.

I preferably didn't see the point of Materazzi ripping on Zidane and his mother and sister like that, I really never have seen any tensions between the two before this incident. Which further leads me to conclude that perhaps Materazzi was TOLD to say these things to Zidane, knowing full well of Zidane's short-temper, just to anger him and do something which will earn him a red card.

How I wonder how the '06 World Cup would have ended if Zidane kept his cool and stayed in the game. I'm not a full hater towards Italy, there are some clubs and players which I absolutely like and follow, but they wouldn't be my choice, i'd prefer France or Portugal, perhaps Spain, over them as well. (England if they had qualified for UEFA 2008, but no...)

[mibir]

Originally Posted by Ali

Uh, I can think of only one instance where a Frenchman has divided in ’06 WC, while there has been multiple incidence where Italian players has dived. Want examples, how about in the 2002 Worldcup when Francesco Toti dived against South Korea resulting in him getting a second yellow, resulting in a red card and him getting kicked out of the game.

Watch some replays of this and tell me that Song doesn't trip Totti. It wasn't a dive. I will say that it shouldn't have been a penalty either, Song got the ball then took out Totti so play should have just continued as normal. Not to mention the VERY questionable refereeing against the Italians when they played South Korea, and really throughout the entire 2002 World Cup.

Ask any Australian and they will tell you that in the 2006 World Cup, Grosso dived and got a penalty costing Australia the game.

Yeah, this was a dive. I'm sorry it happened, but like I've said, not one team is completely free of the guilt of diving.

Also, Petite dived against France in Euro qualifiers resulting him in getting a Yellow.

I didn't see this so I suppose I can't comment, I'll take your word for it though.

There is a also a history of cheating in the Italian League, like when Juventus was stripped of their Serie A title in ’06 and demoted from Serie A and AC Milan was deducted points for cheating as well, and this is coming from one of the two best teams in Serie A. Fact is there is a history of cheating, diving and playing dirty coming from the Italian side thats why there is hate towards Italy. That’s not to say all the players are like that, I haven’t seen Cannavaro play dirty.

Once again, very unfortunate. Although I'm not sure I'd deem what happened in the past few years enough to say there is a "History of Cheating".

I ilke a lot of the French public were unhappy with the manner that people like Materazzi behaved in the ’06 World Cup Final, really, is it necessary to say all those dirty things to Zidane about his mom especially on the day when Zidane’s mom got very ill and went to the hospital. France clearly got robbed in ‘06. That is why the French public hates the Italians and were booing their national anthem during Euro ’08 qualifiers when Italy played France in Paris.

I've said it already, Materazzi is scum. Granted I still think Zidane should have been sent off, I don't care what Materazzi said, that was idiotic on Zidane's part.

As for Christiano Ronaldo, I will give you that he certainly imbelishes when he falls down, but like TheBarrett said he is a brilliant player, watching him play is very entertaining, he has some serious skills with the ball. If you saw him in todays game there were sometimes 2-3 Turkish players marking him because he is that good and he almost scored in an insane free-kick.

Ronaldo is an amazing player, I was simply pointing out the fact that he dives a lot. This is also proves my point of how people love to hate on the Italians. Ronaldo dives more than the Italian team put together yet, it's ignored because he's such a brilliant player.

Originally Posted by TheBarrett

I preferably didn't see the point of Materazzi ripping on Zidane and his mother and sister like that, I really never have seen any tensions between the two before this incident. Which further leads me to conclude that perhaps Materazzi was TOLD to say these things to Zidane, knowing full well of Zidane's short-temper, just to anger him and do something which will earn him a red card.

Please don't tell me you honestly believe Materazzi was TOLD to insult Zidane because someone knew that Zidane would headbutt his chest and be red carded for it.

[Fish]

[chazkimies]

germany has always been my team of choice since world cup 2002!

[Ricardo]

I repeat...anyone but France...I hope hope we get to beat them

[dreamer]

I'm not much of a soccer fan/expert but I watch the international tournaments (WC and Euro). I think we can win it but it's not very likely, the team was in much better shape in 2006 (we placed third after losing to Italy). If France wins that would be ok with me, too.