World Cup 2014

All WC finals I've seen in my lifetime have been shit.

'94 - pens
'98 - Brazil again not in it
'02 - Ballack gone and Kahn couldn't keep Bra out forever
'06 - stalemate after Italy equalized. But who cares bcz of Zidane headbutt

I only like the 2010 one. Great contrast, loved the Dutch tactics - made the Spanish sweat (and nearly won them the cup) and really earn their win in ET.

messi 4 goal final pls

Argentina were just not a good team in any way, shape or form in 1990. I'm not sure who was in the German team but I'm sure they were part of what I like to think of as the Obnoxious Generation of German footballers... you blew it, Englanders.

saw this great photo of Matthaus yesterday or Tuesday where he's puffing his chest out and looks like Lord Flashheart

'90 final was obv dogshit but (also as a first-timer) there was enough drama/intrigue/malevolence in the tournament in general that I wasn't fussed I don't think

iirc we'd even rearranged a holiday at my insistence solely in order that I could see it (that being the reason I'd missed the 1986 one). So there's a faint smear of guilt through subjecting innocents to it too.

Though actually 1994 might have been equally bad, all I can remember was Viola's cameo and Pagliuca kissing the post. At least 1990 was shorter and something eventually happened in it.

'94 was dire too.

The thing that struck me from reading old Rothmans annuals when I was a kid was that both sides always scored in the WC final. Then 1990 ruined that sequence and only once since have both sides scored. I think it would be best for all concerned if Germany were 2-0 up inside 10min.

has anyone else mentioned that one of the brazilian sports dailies is called "Lance!"?

Abolish offsides

at this point i don't know if you are being ironic or if you just don't realize that is more or less the same as saying "why don't they just pick the ball up with their hands and carry it?!"

I would be okay with that

has anyone else mentioned that one of the brazilian sports dailies is called "Lance!"?

Actually just thinking out loud here

But if you subbed in one of your sub keepers for one of your non-goalkeeper players

Could that player then use his hands too

Because he would be wearing his special kit and the special gloves

I believe that's what gives them the power to pick up the ball - it's not the skin of their hand making contact but the material of the glove

Call it a 'technicality' or 'loophole' but that's the way teams have been getting away with having a keeper on the pitch for years

So why not expand it to two?? Or... Even three

Wait not that version, this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx6oMcpw9Ik

Enough with Brazilian tunes, let's have some Rammstein or something.

if frontrunning was the dominant factor in deciding which teams chinese fans support you would expect spain fans and... definitely not arsenal fans

Well Germany was also in the '02 final, presumably a banner year for chinese World Cup pique for obvious reasons

yeah they're unambiguously a superpower both atm and historically, but there's nothing unique about that. also germany were powered into the 02 final purely by oliver kahn bellowing, find it v hard to believe ppl fell in love with that side

They are unambiguous laker/Kobe lovers too so take that fwiw

Think there's probably residual admiration for Germany too pouring over from admiration for German brands too

Probably a racial component too, Germany happens to be the 'right kind if white' but IDK if it'd be articulated in that way

Idk, I can ask my cousin - she's a big fan of Germany

Uh, right in what way?

something about the teutonic stereotype mb? you could probably make some case for germany being the most imperial major side. all the stuff about being impressed by their discipline... hard to know what that means really.

perhaps it's precisely the lack of charismatic individuals that is appealing, but I like the idea of chinese fans en masse looking past roberto carlos/ronaldinho/lucio/ronaldo/cafu & falling for hamann, frings, kahn et al in a big way

Can someone give me a good reason for wanting Argentina to win this, 'cuz I can't think of any.

Messi, Aguero, Higuain, di Maria

(xp) Well Kahn was, uh, quite individual, remember when he had a sort of midlife crisis and left his wife for some Eastern European gal and went totally off the rails... also rivalry with Lehmann brought the LOLs.

If the face of English football for the past x years had been someone other than Rooney perhaps you'd also find yourself with a billion fans on the other side of the globe

yeah they rly should have promoted john terry instead

xxp I picked those three bc I think they have quite a bit of character, idk anything about metzelder or whoever

checks thread

http://nypost.com/2014/07/10/popes-probably-wont-watch-world-cup-final-together/

http://screamer.deadspin.com/argentinas-javier-mascherano-says-he-tore-his-anus-agai-1603023083

I thought it was the Brazilians who got their asses torn up har har...

"the Dutch had spent the entire 2nd half trying to find an opening in Argentine's fierce defense line"

(or something)

uh, guess we all just missed the fact that Vlaar's penalty NEARLY WENT IN ON THE FUCKING REBOUND

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43-EtYWhhAc

that was van gaal's plan all along. it only just failed.

master tactician

Already been debunked. Vlaar touches it for a second time, nudging it towards the goal with his shoulder/chest.

and his weiner

Guys, I have determined that the winner of the whopping World Cup wager was an ilxor and that ilxor was - wait for it -Wiggy Woo.

It doesn't cross the line anyway

https://vine.co/v/MxBLtbXX5P0

No rebounds or second touches or etc etc with penalty shootout pens, though; one hit, one chance to save, that's it.

it actually rolls back a bit at the end but only because the white line is depressed slightly.

Clearly hits his shoulder too:

http://instagram.com/p/qRv0V9pI7_

Anyway, I've got money on Argentina via one of our sweepstakes, and need them to win to get back my stake (it's an auction thing; I paid £10 each for Brazil & Argentina; had they both got to the final I'd have made about £15 profit; though if Argentina finish second and Brazil finish third I think I just about recoup too), but I really like this Germany side, and frankly want to see Adrian Chiles have a hate-aneurysm if they win.

However, I also want to see Messi's dramatic narrative play out by him scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final, and then blah blah 'greatest ever' 'better than Maradona' etc etc. he's already got more international goals than Maradona in the same number of games (or possible 1 more; but he's got about 9 goals more).

I'm aware it didn't cross the line but I didn't see the shoulder. I know you're not allowed a second touch

I really like this Germany side, and frankly want to see Adrian Chiles have a hate-aneurysm if they win.

Might have to switch to ITV coverage to watch that..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBF9MUsNUkQ

talk of penalty crossing the line reminded me of this poor sod

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/jobhosle/penalty.gif

Don't remember that? Must've counted then, as it's just gone in off the keeper, I guess?