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Topi
Féliciations, France.

At least now I can shave!

thanks Topi for your good sport spirit cos I know you supported England.

I agree with you about the Senegalese fans and their exemplary and jovial behaviour which is not the case of moroccan fans who behaved like pigs in France when they defeated Spain.
They destroyed shops in Paris on the Champs-Elysées, burned some cars, agressed some people in many french towns.

They booed every time Portuguese had the ball and we know that they will boo the french anthem and french players.
I hope we will beat them !

Us England fans, we're used to losing so we're good sports about it!

-



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-12-11 13:30 by Stoneage.

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Topi
Us England fans, we're used to losing so we're good sports about it!

Hi Topi, I know what it is to feel that way.
My loving story with the World Cup started in 1974, it was also the first time we could watch it in color, great memories.
The dutch team was magic they should have won.
Back to my country, we have during decades experienced curses mainly vs Germany.
The semi-final in 1982 was tragical, every french recall it.
The final in 2006 has been also a missed opportunity.
And 2010 was the ice on the cake, we won the gold medal of shame that year.
There was a time (Platini era) where we played one of the best football ever, but we never won in the end.
Football could be very ungrateful sometimes.

HMN

Oh, I loved Platini. Remember him well from 1986.

I liked goalkeeper Joel Bats too!

You can't win all the time...
English clubs defeated very often French clubs.
Liverpool is one of the greatest team ever.

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bv
Some of these games seems more like "Rugby Aussie Rules" rather than football. It is all about the referee, where the line of free kicks and yellow cards is. During the Croatia vs Brazil game yesterday, there was a lot of holding, obstruction, killing of "real football", but it seemed like the referee did not bother, so the game was just killed by brutal play. A shame really.

Hey, leave our Aussie Rules outta this!! We don’t play like sooks.

Rod

I was excited and ready for the match then suddenly the entire England team took a knee and France looked around wondering what the hell is going on. I tuned out and didn't watch the game and went outside and raked leaves. That display was totally unnecessary. Karma got them anyways.

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bitusa2012

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bv
Some of these games seems more like "Rugby Aussie Rules" rather than football. It is all about the referee, where the line of free kicks and yellow cards is. During the Croatia vs Brazil game yesterday, there was a lot of holding, obstruction, killing of "real football", but it seemed like the referee did not bother, so the game was just killed by brutal play. A shame really.

Hey, leave our Aussie Rules outta this!! We don’t play like sooks.

It's all about character and sportsmanship. Congratulations from Germany to France and England. What a game, what a joy That's the way it should be !

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The Sicilian
I was excited and ready for the match then suddenly the entire England team took a knee and France looked around wondering what the hell is going on. I tuned out and didn't watch the game and went outside and raked leaves. That display was totally unnecessary. Karma got them anyways.

Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

I've got over it now, on France winning against England, and they deserved it.

There is no particular team I would love to win in the World Cup Final, but I will be watching both semi final games, and the Final as hopefully all three games will be well worth watching.

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Toru A

I bloody knew it! Baseball cap, too!

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Topi

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The Sicilian
I was excited and ready for the match then suddenly the entire England team took a knee and France looked around wondering what the hell is going on. I tuned out and didn't watch the game and went outside and raked leaves. That display was totally unnecessary. Karma got them anyways.

Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

That's the only team I noticed taking a knee, what other teams did it?

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The Sicilian

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Topi

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The Sicilian
I was excited and ready for the match then suddenly the entire England team took a knee and France looked around wondering what the hell is going on. I tuned out and didn't watch the game and went outside and raked leaves. That display was totally unnecessary. Karma got them anyways.

Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

That's the only team I noticed taking a knee, what other teams did it?

I just assumed England have done that all the way through the tournament, by the time I get a stream that’s good I’ve missed the first 3-5 minutes of the game. Players take a knee before every premier league game, have done for a year or so now.


IF Kane had scored that penalty, I think England would have beaten France in normal or extra time. They had a lot of momentum and France were making some rash tackles. They were on the ropes.

Oliver Giroud to me is an unbelievable player, never understood why Arsenal sold him back when. He’s a wily striker who isn’t afraid to stick his head in where a boot would be flying. He’s a worker also, not just a poacher.

Nice to see the English media not attack Kane. They’ve been notorious over the years for blaming individuals for their defeats. It’s been different this time from what I’ve seen and read.

Garett Southgate unquestionably for me has rehabilitated the relationship the English team and fans/media have. He’s a real gentleman.

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Doxa
Looks damn exciting. Very interesting quarter finals, all of them.

It looks like the power of Brazil is a bit over-rated. I've seen that many times before. The first half against Koreans was truely amazing, but I don't think the team is really tested, especially their defence, in this tournament so far. Today they will. Croatia is a tough team, damn hard to beat, and I don't think anyone will want to go penalties against them. I wouldn't be that surprised if, like I predicted some pages ago, the tournament of Brazil ends here... (a football romantic and a fan of o jogo bonito in me wouldn't like that to happen, though).

- Doxa

You were right!

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The Sicilian
I think the dark horse in the tournament is Morocco. If Morocco plays defense like they did against Spain, Portugal is in trouble.

Well anticipated!

Is Mick Jagger a jinx? I thought someone once said that England loses when he shows up.

Every time. Jagger jinxed it, not the kneeling.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-12-12 08:32 by Topi.

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The Sicilian

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Topi


Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

That's the only team I noticed taking a knee, what other teams did it?

England did it in each match. I wanna say at least one of their opponents did as well (USA?)

Anyhow. What's the problem in taking a knee? It's spread across sports as a statement against racism and discrimination. Started out with QB Colin Kaepernick, as I recall.

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Topi

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The Sicilian

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Topi


Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

That's the only team I noticed taking a knee, what other teams did it?

England did it in each match. I wanna say at least one of their opponents did as well (USA?)

Anyhow. What's the problem in taking a knee? It's spread across sports as a statement against racism and discrimination. Started out with QB Colin Kaepernick, as I recall.

In the US, it's highly political, Republicans say it shows you hate America and many were complaining when WNBA player Brittany Griner was just released in a swap with Russia since she took a knee previously. Players who take the knee say it's supporting Black Lives Matter.
I remember reading online last year when the US women's soccer team lost in the semi finals to Canada, many Americans were glad they lost since the majority of them took the knee.
I've seen our Canadian women's team take a knee, not many here complained.

Back to the World Cup, I usually cheer for underdog teams so I'll cheer for Morocco and Croatia!

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Big Al

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Toru A

I bloody knew it! Baseball cap, too!

Is this photo from Brazil 2014 actually?

Very likely.

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Topi

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Big Al

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Toru A

I bloody knew it! Baseball cap, too!

Is this photo from Brazil 2014 actually?

Def not from Saturday- the stadium was a massive tent like thing [hukoomi.gov.qa], that looks more like Brazil World Cup

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Paddy

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The Sicilian

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Topi

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The Sicilian
I was excited and ready for the match then suddenly the entire England team took a knee and France looked around wondering what the hell is going on. I tuned out and didn't watch the game and went outside and raked leaves. That display was totally unnecessary. Karma got them anyways.

Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

That's the only team I noticed taking a knee, what other teams did it?

I just assumed England have done that all the way through the tournament, by the time I get a stream that’s good I’ve missed the first 3-5 minutes of the game. Players take a knee before every premier league game, have done for a year or so now.


IF Kane had scored that penalty, I think England would have beaten France in normal or extra time. They had a lot of momentum and France were making some rash tackles. They were on the ropes.

Oliver Giroud to me is an unbelievable player, never understood why Arsenal sold him back when. He’s a wily striker who isn’t afraid to stick his head in where a boot would be flying. He’s a worker also, not just a poacher.

Nice to see the English media not attack Kane. They’ve been notorious over the years for blaming individuals for their defeats. It’s been different this time from what I’ve seen and read.

Garett Southgate unquestionably for me has rehabilitated the relationship the English team and fans/media have. He’s a real gentleman.

Spot on, momentum was with England at that point - terrible time to miss a pen but hey ho: I hope Southgate stays on, national team was a joke when he took over and some v exciting talent that’ll be even better in euro 24

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yorkshirestone

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Topi

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Big Al

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Toru A

I bloody knew it! Baseball cap, too!

Is this photo from Brazil 2014 actually?

Def not from Saturday- the stadium was a massive tent like thing [hukoomi.gov.qa], that looks more like Brazil World Cup

It's still on Mick though!

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Topi

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The Sicilian

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Topi


Not the only match that had players kneel before kickoff. Did you rake leaves during all of them?

That's the only team I noticed taking a knee, what other teams did it?

England did it in each match. I wanna say at least one of their opponents did as well (USA?)

Anyhow. What's the problem in taking a knee? It's spread across sports as a statement against racism and discrimination. Started out with QB Colin Kaepernick, as I recall.

Because maybe some soldiers lost knees, other body parts and lives fighting in useless wars defending the flag and some people look at it that way.Butplease no political stuff.With all do respect to the French team, it would be cool if Messi won a World Cup, or an African country did, or the little underdog country of Croatia won

My apologies.

Anyhow, what can I do except root for the underdogs here? C'mon, Croatia and Morocco!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-12-12 17:01 by Topi.

Some numbers to be updated...



HMN

HMN's post

On footnote no. 4) Russia

Was there ever a football team Soviet Union or even CIS?

My dull remembrance is that the former Soviet Union used to have three teams, viz. Russia, White Russia (now Belarus) and Ukraine. Or am I mistaken.

Can someone football expert clarify?

Cheers

d.f