Official Germany 2006 thread

[minionofmidas]

Now Gheorge Hagi, another player I've admired, had a career ending in disgrace. He got sent off with a second yellow in a Euros quarterfinal for a "dive" where, while he certainly technically *dived*, he did get kicked by a defender without a chance to get at the ball. Right inside the penalty area, too. I suppose that's why they ain't handing out yellows for diving quite so quickly ever since.
Anyways, that's what I call a disgraceful career ending. Not Zidane's.

Always remember: Pelé was the King, but Maradona was the Hand of Zizou. We should be grateful to have shared a time & space with him. Peace.

[Nation]

I do not condone Zidane's act, but it was still great -- almost beautiful, to see someone being so human. The final minutes of his career, and rather than some lame ceremony after the game  honoring his accomplishments, we see a man going out in a fit of humanity; headbutting another player resulting in a red card.

He nailed him, too.

[Јas]

Only thing I'm wondering is what Materazzi said to Zidane before that "little incident" occured; not that anything said would excuse what he did, but I do worry if...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/france/5164094.stm

Italy´s standard "only do what is necessary" tactic played out for them and they won this thing.

Agreed and it annoys me no end...
At least the French brought the game to them for long periods, including when they were down to 10 men.

[MissCatholic]

Italy deserved to win. Cannavaro was a rock. gattuso was man of the match. Buffon is the best goalie in the world and Zambrotta what a player!

[Tory]

The newspapers in Europe are reporting this morning that this is what was said:

Materazzi spoke in Italian - a language understood by Zidane due to his time spent with Juventus F.C. - and first told him: "Hold on, wait, that one's not for a n like you." As the players walked forward, Materazzi allegedly said: "We all know you are the son of a terrorist whore." Then, just before the headbutt, he was seen saying: "So just f**k off."

Zidane's mother had been put in the hospital on the morning of the match because she is apparently pretty seriously ill. The funniest part of all is the quote by Materazzi where he says he doesnt even know what a terrorist is.

[Jake]

Further proving Zidane's freedom fighting.

[Nation]

Wow, if that's what was really said -- than more power to Zidane!

[Nation]

Just saw this:


http://www.worldpress.org/link.cfm?http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/

Lip-reader reveals what riled Zidane

Tuesday July 11, 2006
The Guardian

An Italian lip-reader last night claimed to have deciphered the words Marco Materazzi said to Zinédine Zidane that provoked the French captain into butting him in the chest during Sunday's World Cup final, the great midfielder's final act before a red card ended his career in top-level football.

According to the BBC, Materazzi said, "I wish an ugly death to you and all your family," and then told Zidane to "go  yourself".

Article continues
A Paris-based anti-racism group, SOS-Racism, earlier said that "several very well informed sources" had suggested Zidane was called a "dirty terrorist".

But though video evidence is being used to judge Materazzi, it was not used by match officials to condemn Zidane. Fifa yesterday released a statement insisting that "the fourth referee saw the incident with his own eyes and told the referee and the assistant directly through their headsets".

The controversy did not stop Zidane from winning the Golden Ball as the World Cup's best player, ahead of the final's other captain, Italy's Fabio Cannavaro. The Frenchman earned 2,012 points in a poll of journalists covering the event, with Cannavaro on 1,977 and the Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo third with 715.

[Tory]

I guess we won't know until Zidane talks. I got my quotes from the Times and the Daily Mail. It's really just a matter of what the lip readers say.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=395046&in_page_id=1770

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28783-2263995,00.html

[MissCatholic]

No excuses zidane. you did wrong. children all around the world were watching. it must be condemned.

[Platypus]

The Uruguayans are claiming they are the third best team in the world now, cos they only lost to Australia on penalties and Australia didn't really lose to Italy. You'd be surprised at the level of sympathy for the Aussies here, even though there is a very large Italian immigrant community. I think that sympathy is mainly sympathy for themselves, though.

BTW, Germany 2006 was only good up to the quarter-finals.

[Platypus]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060711/ap_on_sp_so_ne/soc_wcup_official_shot_1;_ylt=AmwlwI8I6witajmE6WoIejkV6w8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA2ZGZwam4yBHNlYwNmYw--

This guy didn't like the ending either.

[Nation]

No excuses zidane. you did wrong. children all around the world were watching. it must be condemned.

You'd rather the children watch how to cheat and fake injuries by watching the Italians? Go away, you hack.

[JohnFKennedy]

The Guardian's ten suggestions o what Materazzi may have said:

1. I've got a piece of steak stuck in my windpipe - could you help me get it out
2. Your wife likes it when I do this
3. You can't win this Zinédine. If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.
4. Camus' absurdist duality is merely an extension of misguided western philosophical traditions, and therefore no more helpful in understanding life and death than the ideas that predated it.
5. I saw your mum round the back of the Olympiastadion
6. Oi, slaphead, let me do that thing Benny Hill used to do to the little old fella.
7. In italy, when someone tweaks your nipple, it is the secret signal to start throwing the match
8. I am very interested in the late Cretacious period - could you show me how the Homalocephale defended itself from enemies?
9. Luis Figo told me your middle name is Yaz.
10. Eh, la, I played for Everton - who did you ever play for? Do one, mate

[Michael Z]

8. I am very interested in the late Cretacious period - could you show me how the Homalocephale defended itself from enemies?

It was definitely that one.

[minionofmidas]

There were 64 games in the tournament, of which 14 (22%) were tied. (Games won after overtime are not considered tied. Games decided in a penalty shootout are considered tied.)

Of the other 50,
40 were won by the side with more shots on goal, 8 by the side with fewer shots on goal. 2 were tied in that respect.
36 were won by the side with more shots overall, 12 by the side with fewer shots overall. 2 were tied in that respect.
28 were won by the side with more ball possession, 17 by the side with less ball possession. 5 were tied (at least after rounding to whole percentages) in that respect.
28 were won by the side with more corners, 19 by the side with fewer corners. 3 were tied in that respect.

Oddly enough, of the 14 drawn games, 2 were also tied in shots on goal, but none were tied in any of the other respects.

[Keystone Phil]

Wow, I agree with MissCatholic for once. Weird...

There is no excuse for what Zidane did. He is slime. You should have heard the things I was saying about him/the French that night. I hate them beyond belief. But my dream came true. I despise France so much which makes the win all the better. I'll remember that night as long as I live.


By the way, his mother probably is a whore.