EN World World Cup blog

[Klaus]

According to italian reporters, Materazzo (the player headbutted by Zidane, who provoked the penalty kick for France and scored for Italy -- busy man) said really bad things about Zidane's sister and told Zidane to -- erm... -- go love himself, IYKWIMAITYD. How foolish of Zidane to fall for that. Materazzo was clearly trying to mess up with Zidane's focus, but hit the jackpot when Zidane totally lost it.

Trivia Time:

1970 - Brazil wins their 3rd title.

1994 - Brazil finally wins its 4th title, 24 years later.

1982 - Italy wins their 3rd title.

2006 - Italy finally wins its 4th title, 24 years later.



Fun conspiracy theory:
Ever since the World Cup began (Uruguay 1930), South-Americans and Europeans have taken turns as winners. Never has a continent distanced itself from the other. This Cup maintains that tradition. If the conspiracy is correct, a South-American team will win South Africa 2010, and an European will win the 2014 Cup (odds point at being set in Brazil).

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I found the penalty shootout to decide the winner of the World Cup a bit of a lousy way to end things. I think for the final they should replay the match if the scores are tied after extra time. Either that or just keep playing until there is a winner.

It's not as if there is another match played next week that would get in the way of a replay. If the score is a draw the second time around then I don't know what you would do. I just think that there should have been a more fitting ending to it all.

As for GlassJaw's comments about the headbutt, I can remember seeing more than a handful of baseball all-in brawls. People in glass houses and all that.

Having said that I find the diving for free-kicks and penalties and pantomiming of injuries in soccer to be the most disgraceful part of the sport. You would think that they play on stilts with the frequency that players seem to fall over.

Olaf the Stout

 

[drothgery]

Fun conspiracy theory:
Ever since the World Cup began (Uruguay 1930), South-Americans and Europeans have taken turns as winners. Never has a continent distanced itself from the other. This Cup maintains that tradition. If the conspiracy is correct, a South-American team will win South Africa 2010, and an European will win the 2014 Cup (odds point at being set in Brazil).

Y'know, sooner or later the Asians, Africans, Australians, or we North Americans will throw a wrench into this pattern.

 

[Ruavel]

Y'know, sooner or later the Asians, Africans, Australians, or we North Americans will throw a wrench into this pattern.

That'd be nice, but my guess is it's going to be later rather than sooner...

 

[Jdvn1]

Y'know, sooner or later the Asians, Africans, Australians, or we North Americans will throw a wrench into this pattern.

Hahaha... oh, you're serious?

 

[johnsemlak]

Fun conspiracy theory:
Ever since the World Cup began (Uruguay 1930), South-Americans and Europeans have taken turns as winners. Never has a continent distanced itself from the other. This Cup maintains that tradition. If the conspiracy is correct, a South-American team will win South Africa 2010, and an European will win the 2014 Cup (odds point at being set in Brazil).

A European team has never won a WC held outside of Europe, so, well, there's that. I'd say Brazil will have a tremendous chance at winning in their home country in 2014, unless the team that year is terriible by Brazil standards.

I wonder how well African teams will do in 2010?

 

[Ruavel]

I wonder how will African teams will do in 2010?

Hopefully they can get more than one team past the first stage... would be nice to see Asia do the same as well, actually...

 

[Jdvn1]

A European team has never won a WC held outside of Europe, so, well, there's that.

Oh, that creates a conspiracy conflict in 2014.

 

[STARP_Social_Officer]

If France had won, they would have 2 victories, with Brazil's 5, Germany's 3, Italy's 3, Argentina's 2, Uruguay's 2 and England's 1. That would have left England the only country to have won the world cup once. How weird is that? Makes you think. Sounds like a conspiracy to me. Those pesky Russians are at it again. Why isn't bacon as crispy as it used to be...

 

[barsoomcore]

I'm still in shock over Zidane's insanity. WHAT happened to him? Of all people, of all games... What a terrible way to end a great career.

Barthes proves again that putting him in net was maybe not the best move ever.

Italy was spectacular. Even when they were unable to get any offence going, or even control the midfield, they gave up almost no good chances on net. Buffon only had to make one tough save, that header by Zidane.

Well, that and the penalty kicks he missed.

But Cannavaro runs a MEAN defence. Never panicking, never NOT knowing what's going on. Very impressive.

Did anyone else notice that the Italian offence died the moment they took Totti off the field? I think that was a mistake. He wasn't very visible, but I think he was key in the first half of the game, just being solid and keeping the play forward.