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I can't say that I was surprised by the result...I expected a draw, but I also thought that England would have more ball possession and shots on goal (and assumed that they would be slight favourites once it became clear that spot kicks would decide the game). Amazing penalty by Pirlo (reminds...

Ukraine played much better than in the match vs. France and it’s unfortunate that the goal was disallowed (though I guess it was the right decision given the offside). If Ukraine had advanced, they would have been without Tymoshchuk for the ¼ final (he received his second yellow card in the...

Welcome to the forum! :) I expected a draw... However, it was a deserved win for France…Ukraine never managed to hit top gear and Pyatov actually kept them in the game for a while, making a number of key saves. France were very skillful in exploiting the defensive weaknesses of the Ukrainians...

Interesting, “Gypsy” could sometimes be used as a term of endearment in Eastern Europe (people in the same family may have slightly different hair textures and skin colours, so it’s a way to tease the siblings), though at times it may also be taken the wrong way, especially if those engaged in...

Thanks for this clip! I watched the second half. Forlan was again the motor for the team and played really well. He was substituted shortly after his penalty miss, but I hope it was only for tactical reasons (it's unfair to blame him, as Penny made a brilliant save and it's one of the very rare...

It has been an excellent tournament so far (the games involving the two host nations have offered a lot of excitement). There hasn’t really been a single team looking out of place. Big thumbs up for Poland and Ukraine, as they have really put on a show and there aren’t any major...

The final was a rather tense affair, an excellent match for the neutral…it’s almost a miracle that Chelsea won their first Champions League title (and the first one for a London-based club) in such a dramatic fashion…the headline in a Bulgarian newspaper read “The Gods must be crazy, Chelsea is...

Russia tied Uruguay in a friendly match that was played on the 25th of May. Excellent test for both teams. Forlan played the full 90 minutes. Suarez and Kerzhakov took their goals very well, while Coates remained an unused substitute. I hope that this will be a confidence boost for Forlan, as he...

@MilanClass, very interesting, it’s good that you developed a passion for soccer while being there during an actual tournament and seeing it all first hand…I think that Americans are sometimes unfairly criticized for “not getting the game”. The 1994 World Cup was well-organized and the...

I think that Friedrich had developed a fine partnership with Westermann (another player who has fallen out of favour with Loew following his injury prior to the 2010 World Cup). I am guessing the German coach wants to rely on younger defenders, but I personally don’t buy this argument – quality...

When did you start watching soccer? Which is your favourite era in football? Do you still practice (as part of a school or university team, purely for fun/non-competitive, etc.) the sport? What are your experiences (have you witnessed any racial tensions or altercations/ other problems arising...

Looking forward to the tournament, first time it will be held in this part of the world and I hope that it will be a resounding success! I am sure that there will be plenty of action-packed games and the atmosphere should be unique. All the squads have now been announced (with the exception of...

Thanks for sharing the link to the eurorivals website, Frederic! White goal scorers are prolific. However, relatively few top strikers are from the same country, in which the football association is based. It’s nice that Eurorivals also includes photos of the top 50 goal poachers. There is...

Very nice thread, Porthos! One thing that I have noticed is that most fans who are “against modern football” attach a different meaning to this notion – for instance, they claim to be opposed to teams like Manchester City that are loaded with cash/propped up by billionaires, but regard clubs...

Very dangerous tackle and it also looked intentional…should have definitely resulted in a red card. Here is a video showing all the major flashpoints - at least four players could have been sent off (and it seems as if some matches in Turkey need military presence in order for security to be...

I wanted to comment on the UEFA Cup final…One of the most enjoyable matches I have ever watched! Both teams were committed to playing attacking football and it was a true spectacle and a perfect endorsement for the game. Brilliant goals by Falcao, he is a rising star and appears to be a decent...

Great choice, Rebajlo! Lewandowski is in top shape, as just a week ago he scored a hat-trick against Bayern Munich to help Dortmund win the DFB-Pokal. Polish fans have every reason to be full of hope for the upcoming European Championship. I have recently been watching Premier League...

Thanks for providing the link to this poll! Most of Uruguay’s best players are on the list, but I am also surprised by Forlan’s ranking. That’s what I have been wondering myself… is he perceived as reserved and not combative enough? (which could be the reason he is not as popular with the...

Here is the group stage draw, some excellent matches to come! Teams can select three over-age players (older than 23 years). Group A: Great Britain, Senegal, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay. Group B: South Korea, Mexico, Gabon, Switzerland Group C: Brazil, Egypt, Belarus, New Zealand Group D...

I hope it’s not the end of an era…Josep Guardiola seemed really crestfallen and apparently he wants to quit (feels like needs a change of environment and it looks like he won’t be coaching the Catalans during the 2012/2013 season). I can’t say that the Spanish side had that many dangerous shots...

Bolivia had a great generation in the mid and late 1990s...they were one of my favourite national sides from South America at the time (I guess there was a certain mystique about them, as they were a small country that managed to hold its own against the big guns and was able to punch above its...

He is doing quite well and has helped reinvigorate Zenit's season - they are now almost certain to win the title, as they have an 11-point lead over CSKA Moscow. Arshavin has been a starter in most matches, but the St. Petersburg team are well-stocked in midfield (Denisov, Zyrianov, Bystrov...

Indeed, I recall a 1998 World Cup qualifier between Bolivia and Colombia that was played in La Paz. Erwin Sanchez (nicknamed the Bolivian Platini) headbutted the referee and was sent off. However, shortly after that a Colombian player was also red carded for an innocuous faul (the referee felt...