World Cup 2006 Blog

Me too. Come on Germany. I have lived here for the last three years and the people have gone to enormous lengths to make this a great World Cup. Pity about England. Again.

Andreas:

Watch the games review and then tell me how many fouls each team commited on the England game. This whole paranoia that we cheated over the english is getting ridiculous.

I will be backing Germany to win the Cup. I was hoping for an England v Germany final but sadly that was not to be... I think the Germans have put on a fantastic tournament and are themselves playing the most exciting football. They deserve to win it this year. Good luck.
PS I hope France hammer Portugal & Ronaldo gets sent off, he does not deserve to play in any more games.

Stuart.

Be relaxed. C Ronaldo has been having thigh pains and will probably miss france game. Almos as he had missed England game. Thats right, the innocent dutch gave him a leg braker and he got what he deserved. It almost gave England a righteous god sent victory right?

Figo is also "Righteously" out of the game as he was kicked in the face in the Mexico game and elbowed in the face against the dutch. I guess you guys are so blind to complain about rooneys expulsion that you are far too blind to see if anyone has to complain about man hunting in the game is Portugal, but then as we dont have amateur press that is not given such extraordinary conspiracy theories as it is given arround here.

Germany should win and if not they still mastered a great world cup. They have won the Tournament already, whatever is ahead of them.

I am amazed about their football too, let alone the people and the way they welcomed the English. Thanks Germany, you couldn't have done more for us.
I had some great laughs with them and I felt ashamed for the preconceptions I had about the country that is culturally closest to us. Next time I see a red top newsreporter I will roll up the paper and smack it over his or her head.

And by the way, maybe it's about time to consign Jeremy Clarkson to the BBC Chronicles, for all his xenophobic and German-bashing remarks. The Germans have done their bit, maybe the BBC follows suit.

Germany should win and if not they still mastered a great world cup. They have won the Tournament already, whatever is ahead of them.

I am amazed about their football too, let alone the people and the way they welcomed the English. Thanks Germany, you couldn't have done more for us.
I had some great laughs with them and I felt ashamed for the preconceptions I had about the country that is culturally closest to us. Next time I see a red top newsreporter I will roll up the paper and smack it over his or her head.

And by the way, maybe it's about time to consign Jeremy Clarkson to the BBC Chronicles, for all his xenophobic and German-bashing remarks. The Germans have done their bit, maybe the BBC follows suit.

All I can say to EnglandFan is - get a life and enjoy it in Germany. I've lived here for over 30 years and OK there was a bit of banter this morning so what, England lost on penalties - Again. Go out and enjoy the German games, the fans are fantastic and the country is really showing flag. I think is it Wunderbar and I really do hope they win, they have deserved it. I'm going to the Frankfurt arena tomorrow night to watch the Germany vs. Italy game on the big screen with 30.000 others, should be good fun and if the German loose they will be happy that they got to the semis. Why do the Brits always have to wine.

I have backed Germany from day one and placed a bet on them a week before the world cup began at 8/1 which I thought was fantastic odds considering the history of German football and the fact they are playing at home. I was also impressed by Klinsmann’s dedication to playing attractive attacking football and not relying on the old guard to see then through come on Deutschland

I too hope Germany win the World Cup especially given Alan Hansen comments about them at the start of the World Cup which look very foolish indeed now.

Germany or France for me.

After the French performance against Brazil on Saturday I have to say they deserve to go through to the final. However I have a dreadful feeling that the Portuguese who let's face it cannot compete with a France team on this form, might sneak it again in a penalty shoot-out.

I would like the Germans to beat the Italians but again, with so much at stake I fear another 0-0 with the Italians going through on pens.

Fingers crossed for some early goals and outright victories in the semis and final. A world cup winner who had to rely on more than one penalty shoot-out isn't in my book a real winner.

I think the Germans have captured the hearts of many as the tournament has progressed, and surely the image of the world cup has to be that of Kahn and Lehmann putting all their previous acrimony (and there was a lot) behind them before that penalty shootout. That image was enough to make most fans hearts melt!

I don't know whether Germany are going to win it, but they deserve to for their refreshing approach. The French are the favourites for me at the moment, they have paced the tournament perfectly!

Good on you Mr Atherton, as an (English born) Anglo-Greek Uni student studyig German and Linguistics, I too am lending my supports to the host nation. I myself am very attached to the Germans and want them to win, that said I would not put them above the two nations whose blood is in my veins (England and Greece).

All I can say is "Auf gehts Deutschland schiesst ein Tor und winnen sie das Weltmeisterschaft aber nächste Mal, hüten sie sich vor die Engländer."

(Come on Germany, score a goal and win the World Cup, but next time, beware of the English)

Oh, by the way, I don't like seeing Germany refered to as our "arch-enemies", because the Germans don't see us as "arch-enemies". In fact they see us as friends so please be nice to the Germans and if you can't be nice to the Germans, then get a time machine and travel back to 1943!

I fully agree. I saw PT vs Angola in Cologne and the Germans put on a great show. The weirdest bit was seeing a house in the old town with a German and English flag flying side-by-side; I couldn't have imagined that before the tournament.

Also, I remember my favourite chant from Euro 2004 was a bunch of Germans seeing a Liverpool flag and singing, in English, "we fu@k you England we do, ..." - I congratulated some Germans on their inventiveness and had a really good time with them.

re:pilotasso's query that there may be some prejudice aginst some cultures. Could it be that we naturally detest teams that simulate, dive and behave outrageously in order to get players carded, and I'm not only talking about Rooney here. Italy's and Portugal's games have been riddled with such incidents which is why nobody here is backing them. It's about fair play, heard of that?

Im another English fan supporting Germany for the world cup now. For the way they have run the competition, the way they have made all fans welcome, and for the sheer fact that having spent some time in Germany, I really like the place!

Come on the Germs! ;)

i want france to win because i am french , so far i enjoyed the German too and want to meet them in the final , lving in england for the last 6 years i felt for you when you lost on penalties but i wish i could have seen a better football played by england .

Hello England!!!

I am German and during the WorldCup and I have seen the match England-Ecuador in the stadium and I was talking to a lot of guys from England and I have to say that I haven't realized any of the prejudices that Germans have about the English (drinking to much, being aggressive...). NO, you have been wonderful football supporters and friends and I hope this will continue for a long long time. I hope the ones who came over felt the same way about prejudices towards the Germans. At the end of the day we all meet nice people everywhere and stupid old stories actually don't matter anymore, innit.

I was wishing to meet England in the final but - ??? - what is going wrong with all those penalties you miss? It's not funny anymore.

So, I hope you keep this WorldCup and Germany in good memory and we will party together during vacation and in two years in Austria and Switzerland!!!

Go on England!!!

well, it was a good world cup for England. Should celebrate a drow with Trinidad and Tobago, think that's a success for England.

Hello English Fans,

I´m German and had the luck to sit in the English Fan Block during the Quarter Final versus Portugal. I came withe a German Fan Shirt and I left with an English one! I never saw such a great Party that you´ve made in the beginning. O.K. after the match there was noc more Party, but before and during the Game it was great! I found very friendly and enthusiastic English friends, except of the amounts of Beer you´ve been drinking, there was none of the typicall Stereotypes came true! I would like to thank the English Fans that came to Germany and brought us their Spirit! "Time to make Friends" -I´ve made friends: English Fans! Don´t be sad about the End, we will do it this Time and see you in 2 Years in Switzerland/Austria to the EM!
So long.... Greetings from Cologne.

Who'd have thought a Germany side would have been the shining example of good attacking football and showing the world how to play the game? They have gone out with the atitiude of 'we want to win', rather than the 'we don't want to lose' mentality of so many teams, England included. It has been a delight.

I really hope they do win. The tournament has been a fantastic success, and the players and country fully deserve a big celebration 'Julyfest'!

Holding out for a Germany vs France final.

I've been really impressed by klose up front for Germany and I never get tired of seeing Henry play.

Whoever gets though, I hope we see a game full of attack and not on another bore draw win on penalties effort.

Well, I'm right behind Germany,too, as I've got them in the sweepstake at work!

I would have put up with runners-up to England, but now it's got to be a German victory and a nice celebration curry with a few Weissbiers!

hahaaha! Chris 9973, you made me snort juice out my nose when I read that;
"what is going wrong with all those penalities you miss? It's not funny anymore."

Bloody right its not funny anymore! Unfortunatley, our boys dont have ice running through their veins like your lot.. we get far too stressed by penalities and I think we've started to believe the voodoo about us being doomed to go out of tournaments whenever penalties come up. Still, was fun while it lasted, and Ill be cheering Germany on at the final. Might even buy a German flag! ...if there are any left in the shops!

Germany here, too.
I'm not surprised to hear me say it, cos the Germans are bloody nice people.

Italy-Germany will be a good game, if the italians play.
Portugal-France will be a whitewash hopefully, with that nasty cocky little boy ronaldo sent off, see how he likes it. gotta say too, France-Brazil was a HELL of a game, well done. Italy to demolish portugal in the play off too!

Last anonymous message was mine, forgot to write the name, sorry.

Roll-up-roll-up guys and gals, it's that time of the year again.

Yes, it's seek-a-scapegoat season in jolly old blighty.....and this year, it's...wait for it...portugal and poor christian ronaldo! Well surprise, surprise, me old cilla.

Face your footballing shortcomings and deal with them instead of bleating on and on about the aforementioned.

I really hope that poor christian ronaldo, a multi-talented footballer, whose like we seldom see, does move to Real very soon. Otherwise, he's going to have a very long and miserable winter in blighty....and what for....being a winner.

It looks like it'll be a Germany France final, and although I think Germany will win it, I hope that France will.

Zidane is one of the best players the tournament has seen this year and as he's retiring at the end of this World Cup, it would be great if he could end on a high note.

A team is more than one player and France have shown that to be true. Who would have thought after their poor start, that they'd send Spain and Brasil home?

I hope Germany go and win the WORLD CUP as they are the ONLY team left in the last four that have not in my opinion CHEATED.Italy robbed Austrailia (poor ref)France robbed Spain who knows what would have happened without henry's dive(poor ref)Portugal robbed England Was it a stamp or trying to find footing after being fouled by 2 seperate portugal players and why was ronaldo not carded for trying to influence a ref's decision a rule clearly stated in FIFA's guidelines.Germany got there on Merit well done them.Maybe after the tournament Sepp Blatter may grow balls and impose hefty million pound plus fines to those players seeking to gain unfair advantage by play acting its about time individual fines and country fines topped the million pound mark each and stamp out this BAFTA award winning behaviour FOR those gifted enough to play the beautiful game.

i couldn't agree more. The germans have organised a fantastic world cup and appear to have a relatively honest team when compared to Italy and Portugal. I hope they win in front of their home fans. Come on the Germans!

Pilotasso,
Rooney was right to be sent off, but I feel the ref was going for yellow until that whiny child with the leg spasms wheedled at the official.
the wink at the end from that boy, and alleged aggressive behaviour intended to snap the already wound up rooney was just outright dirty play.

dont take our attitudes in vain again. I wont tolerate cheating (brandishing imaginary cards and diving are the worst) from you, or especially us.

and the sending off would never have happened if Wayne was given the foul from a few seconds before, but he didnt dive, so didnt get it. but whats done is done.

Spookily I have these exact same feelings. The German team have played the best football of the tournament, played fair and surprisingly seem to have rid themselves of the uglier elements of the game.
As far as Portugal are concerned, good luck to them, if they want to win by all costs, fair play, but I have a sneaking suspicion karma will come and get them.
A Thierry Henry swallow dive in the penalty area in the 89th minute anyone?
Karma.

Steve:

France robbed spain?

where did you park your flying saucer?

Portugall robbed the English? You mean penalsties? oops so did the geramans.

Get some glasses will ya? ;)

To be honest, I still cannot believe what I'm reading here. Thanks to all those English people in here who are going to support the German team from now on. Personally, I felt really sorry for the English team on saturday, even more so after they clearly played their best match in the tournament.

After several decades of rampant German-bashing in parts of the British media, it's really a positive novelty to hear a couple of different comments now. So thank you michael for saying from an English point of view "Germany is "the country culturally closest to us". That's exactly what I always thought - from a German point of view.

Anyhow: Let Jeremy Clarkson stay. Top Gear is my favourite on BBC World.

I really hope Germany go on to win. I also hope that France see off Portugal as I agree that they have spoiled things with their diving and play-acting (just as Porto did in UEFA and Champions League finals). However, I'm very happy that England are out as they simply never played to the standard required of World Champions.

Maybe its time somebody who hasn't won the cup before win it. That's Portugal.

ive been supporting germany since the start. i think they are a brilliant team and they really deserve it :D

Another reason I like the Germans...

Watched an episode of the TV show "Grand Designs" a while back, and this lovely little old couple about to retire was getting a house built.

They had the plot of land, and they had this special pre-fab flat pack deal brought over from Germany by a German construction crew. All glass and wood, and customized just for them. A beaut, in theory! These German lads had the house, up, wired and ready to decorate in a week! It was unbelievable! German organization.. you have to love it!

Of course the one sole problem they had with the entire build was that a crane they needed to unpack their trucks didn't turn up on time... It was being driven by the one English fellah working on the build! typical.. Fortunatly the Germans had that eventaulity covered, and STILL got the build done with a day to spare. Germans. Genius!

SuperJim:

The wink of C Ronaldo if proven to be a provocation torwards Rooney would have cost him his stay in the portugals team.
Are you surprised by this statement?
Bi phill has excluded excelent players out of the team for less. In the dutch game had not Portugal been dragged into a silly nerves war some of the players would have been sent home.

The wink has been stated in Portuguese press as taken seriously out of context on the part of the British press, wich by the way, missed the pats on the back on the dutch players after C Ronaldo was given a limp on the previous game.

I hate to point this out but Italy thrashed Germany 4-1 in a friendly not so long ago. This idea Germany are certain to beat Italy is ridiculous. The game will be extremely tight, as they always are when Italy and Germany play in the later stages of a major tournament. Germany will feel they have to attack Italy being the hosts and this will suit the Italians. Luca Toni has got the monkey of his back and there is no doubt that if Italy can supply him on the break he can win the game for the Azzurri. This game will be won or lost by the smallest of margins, and I remind everyone that Germany has never beaten Italy in the World Cup, Italy has beaten Germany twice, both times written off by many people.

France will win comfortably against Portugal, who looked very ordinary against England, though France are being overhyped because they beat Brazil (strange I say this as I put £10 on France at 11/1 at the start of the competition).

Winner of Italy - Germany will win the 2006 World Cup.

Now that England have gone out on penalties (again! :-() I would like nothing more than to see the greatest player of his generation to lift the World Cup - The great Zinedine Zidane who I think in the last two games has turned France into a force to be reckoned with again. It is because of his two man of the match performances and the team playing beautiful silky football, that I want them to go all the way. Nothing against Italy, Germany or Portugal (Of course!!)

England who?

I moved to Frankfurt from London almost 2 years ago now - and am loving the atmosphere that this world cup has brought to the town and to the country. It is awe inspiring to see the positive effect it has had on the national consciousness.

Shockingly I've been supporting Germany since the start for one simple fact: the party is going to rock when they win.

Berlin, Berlin, wir fahren nach Berlin!!!!! Jawohl!

I live here and I agree. From a footballing point of view and without bias, Klinsmann has achieved what no-one here in Germany could have believed before the World Cup - a side with no defence and playing average football before, is now playing as a team. Klose and Podolski have been outstanding. Come on Germany keep the feeling going. It is great to be here in this superb atmosphere that Franz and you (the German people) have created.

@dipanna

It's funny i said winner of Argentina-Germany will win the cup, so your statement will still be true by default.

Germany to win, beating Portugal in the final (revenge) They've been a great team throughout the tournament, with inspiring football and no divers. England'll be back in 4 years time to win the world cup this time hopefully!

Good Luck Germany!

Thanks Michael,

I fully agree with your comment. I am a German living in London and I love it because I think you are right, we are culturally very close. Hope the friendship, that was always there on a private basis, improves further through the positive reactions that even the English press shows in the meantime.

By the way, even from the point of view of fanatic German football fans (like me), there was only one archrival for Germany: Holland.

In fact, we always support England when Germany is not playing. I also fly St. George along the German flag.

So come on England, see you next time, hopefully in the final!

Enough of this pathetic comments about not wanting Italy or Purtugal to win it because they promote diving and cheating in the game!!! Fair play? Yes we have heard of it, but has Rooney? Should Alan Shearer really say that if he were Rooney he would punch Ronaldo when the two meet each other at United? Now let me ask a question to you, have you heard of "Sour Grapes"?

You English only have yourselves and the pressure you put on the poor players to blame for your exit, not the Italians or the Portuguese. Now go ahead and support Germany, after all it's the Argentinian's fault if they ended up punching and kicking each other after the game, isn't it?

As for the Australians, you have a long long way to go before you start understanding the rules of football, which is not a version of rugby played with the feet, by the way.

Me too. They've been great. So great that we've recorded a song for them - Mid-table, appropriately enough, is the English version. Translates into German as Durchsnitt. Have a listen at www.myspace.com/fracturedinfo

I agree with Paul......this time around Germany have consistently provided exciting attacking football with their trademark "never say die" attitude back.
They have done with their limited resources what England did not manage to do with a much better calibre of players.

They have also played it fair...haven't dived like Klinsman used to, and scored some wonderful goals

i think all nuetrals should want france to win, as football lovers we should always want zizou to bow out of the game in style.

I hope France win it. Not because I like the country or the people because I don't.

I want them to win it so Zidane lifts the trophy. He has been the one player that has consistently amazed me as I've grown up, and I think it would be a fitting tribute to see a man I consider to be one of the very best there has ever been lift the trophy in his last match before he retires.

He may not have been at his best over the past couple of seasons, but he has come alive for this tournament and I really respect him.

Best of luck ZZ.

Pound for pound, I believe the French team has what it takes to beat clinical Germany.

I just hope that their goalkeeper in this World Cup won't commit the same atrocity their goalkeeper did in the match between France and Germany in the 1982 World Cup. Although people don't talk about how Germans can be surgical in their approach even to sports, we must remind them to play fair because, clinical doesn't have to be "surgical".

I will support Les Bleus all the way - Zinedine Zidane cannot be outclassed or outgunned by any German football crack today.

In any case, I have no illusion that France can beat Germany hands down so I say, "Allez Les Bleus, Allez!"

England did play well. So did Portugal in a farly palyed game.

Rooney was well sent off. Anyone who says he wasn´t ... gat a life!

Ronaldo can´t be blamed. Only Rooney can.

Best thing Ronaldo can do is move away from Manchester. You guys just don´t deserve him.

I read here that Italy cheated Australia.

How so? Because the ref gave a penalty that was a 50/50 ?

Let's remember that the Aussie's didn't have one shot on goal, were very boring, didn't take advantage when in mumerical superiority, and the italian defender was sent off very unfairly. (Fifa acknowledged this)

Italy are in the best shape physicaly out of the 4, have the best forwards and the best defenders.

So I'm very suprised that no-one considers them eventual winners.

I personally think that France will win it has things seem to be falling their way.

I hope that Zidane will lift the World Cup after his last match on the 9th of July. I think that France are now the best football team in the world. they have showed it on the pitch. They combine gifted and creative players in a very effective way and yet their team spirit is their main strength.
But I respect the other 3 teams left: they all great competitors and produced great football at times.
I have found some players and coaches of the loosing sides very arrogant before and after the games. The way you play is what should do the talking. It's time to learn from Zidane: competitiveness, class and modesty.

I am English, and of course supported England, but after watching France on Saturday, it really helped me get over England. "Zihou" was amazing, and as good as I've seen him, and the whole team played with a great togetherness, intelligence, beauty and class. For me, this how the beautiful game should be played. They look like they've still got another gear to go up into, so hoping for more wonderful things to come against Portugal.

P.S. - also glad it's going to be shown on the BBC, well done BBC for fantastic coverage so far.

I want France to win the world cup, purely for ZiZou. His performance during the Brazil game is the finest single perofrmance of any player I have ever seen in a World Cup Finals game, EVER.

That man deserves awinners medal for that 90 minutes alone.

As a host nation reaching this stage is enough for Germany.But for them to go and win it will take everything from the competition.We should remeber that germany beat argentina far worst way than the portugise did to england with the help of the REF that blows the for every germany player who goes to ground.It even remided me the 1990 finals.I realy want the french to go and win it for the sake of the greate Zidane.

Strange - I was saying the same thing once I'd started to recover from the trauma of England going out.

I want Germany to win partly because of the warm welcome they gave us when we went out to follow England, and partly because of the the way the team has played so far.

Also being a Spurs fan it's good to see Jurgen doing well after all the critics he had.

i want Germany to win for as they have actually played good football and not cheated in any game.

With Ronaldo's assist in getting Rooney sent off, there is no way I would support Portugal.I hope its notFrance because Henry cheated particularly on getting France's second goal againgst Spain. I don't like Henry anyway because he is an arrogrant jumped up over rated fool. (and plays for Arsenal which is good enough reason to dislike him) Italy I do like but still i go for Germany.

Ideally France beat Portugal so we can laugh at Ronaldo's tears, then Germany (or Italy) beat France

I agree, we went to Germany to watch England's group matches and found the German people to be so friendly. We watched the first Germany game in Frankfurt, in the large fan arena on the edge of the river. The support for germany, as you'd imagine was huge and very lively. All the Germans there were so friendly, shaking our hands, saying they would be supporting England in our games, and hoping for a Germany Vs England final. This was not what I expected from the German fans, and has completely changed my feelings about the Germans and the German football team. C'mon Germany!

RE Ginko & Pilotasso

I've been out to the world cup and im rooting for Germany. Its amazing how you belive what is wrote in the press, My view of Germany and german people is completly different. I would like to thank all of the nation for the best 18 days of my life.

As for the obviously short sighted ginko and pilotasso, you obviously dont understand football is a CONTACT sport. You are proud of your players representing the your nation, throwing themself on the ground at the nearest gust of wind? I ask you this, if anybody is genunily hurt when do you see them rolling over 3 times, amazingly the pop up to their feet as soon as they see a card? FIFA needs to cut this out before the next world cup. Yes Rooney deserved a straight red for what he did but, did you not see the 2 players getting a piggy back off him before hand. He did not cheat (unlike yourselfs) he played as a true footballer stayed on his feet, due to pure strength which is a skill no portugeese player has ever had!I belive this fustration for not getting the foul lead to his card. If the portugal players can write their own rules then why should he not?

I think you all forgot about the semi-final Germany have still to play, and it is vs Italy; not so sure the Germans will win...

While all the bile against Xtiano Ronaldo? Oh sorry, I almost forgot, wasn’t he the one who put a gun to Wayne Rooney's head forcing him to attempt the castration of a fellow professional on a football field

Is that the only reason behind the visceral dislike against Ronaldo or has it got something to do with the towering self belief and authority with which he took his penalty compared to the craven failure of nerve of "two of Europe’s best midfielders" Steven Gerard and his fellow bottler Frank Lampard. I'll never forget the look of pure terror on both of their faces (and also Carragher) when they shuffled up to take the biggest spot kick of their lives.

Three lions?, more like 3 mice.

Want to get Ronaldo out of the premiership? Then who will teach English players how to play penalties?

I've read many of the posts and my jaw just dopped - for example:

"Portugal - too greasy and spend too much time rolling around. (Call me evil but I also want to see Ronaldo in tears)"

"I expect our neighbors France to send those slimy little Portugese back down to their little strip of the Atlantic coast where they came from..."

… Italy or Portugal promote diving and cheating in the game.

And the British press talks about the Portuguese loss of temper!?

Boy, if these aren’t a bunch of soar looses I don’t know what is. Have you guys been watching the same games as the rest of the world? Check the statistics overall Portugal even has less fouls than the England!!!

Then I find it funny, that a number of posters have appealed to fair play. Give me a break!!! Most of these guys need a wake up call and a cup of stong coffee to open up their eyes! What part of Rooneys fair play have you been talking about - His crushing his opponents groin or was it his shoving of Ronaldo? – Ohh I’m sorry, he didn’t crush his opponent’s groin he was “finding footing” as someone said, and it wasn’t a shove it was a pat! Come on...

I find it incredible that Ronaldo is being crucified by the Brits, when in fact they should be honoured to have him play in their country. After the comments I’ve seen, you don’t deserve players like him – in truth he would be much better off playing in Spain.

mcwilliam-bourke – congratulation on your post – very lucid!

Saturday was the first time I - being a German - was in favour of an English team. I found Ronaldo´s play acting (diving) in that game and against the Dutch disgusting. And England just played better than the Portuguese.

The Italians will be a tough nut to crack for the German team. In fact I cannot remember that we´ve beaten them in a major tournament at all in the last 40 years...

So I fear (but do not hope) that it will be Italy vs France in the finals.

But I am looking forward to seeing at least two more games with Zidane - he just plays so magically.

well seen as they couldn't muster a goal against a poor england (I'm english, but also a realist) I can't see portugal beating france... No sour grapes, but there's no smoke without fire.. rooney was wrong to kick out, but he had been fouled.. and whenever do you see english players asking for opponents to be carded.. what irritates me, as why outstanding players like ronaldo and deco resort to such tactics.. remember deco in the uefa cup final against celtic.??

germany italy could be a classic.. germany are scoring freely, and italy are coming together nicely.. I am looking forward to that game very much.. If germany win, I see them beating france in the final.. Italy..?? well, that would be a great final vs france but could go either way..

as for england - we deserved to go out because we didn't perform - forget the penalties..

Hi England,

I'm feeling very sorry you dropped out against Portugal on Saturday. I was sure you'd get your revenge against big Phil this time and kept my fingers crossed all the way long. When I met some English fans that morning in the tram, we agreed England would win 2-1, but, unfortunately, it was again not meant to be.

I don't know why England is so bad at taking penalties, it was really painful to watch. Hope you'll break this curse one day!

Best wishes from Cologne :)

Apart from ginko n pilotasso/anonymous, I am so very surprised to see unanimity breaking out on this blog and as far as i can see its because of the way germany and france have PLAYED. Yes, us england supporters are a bit bitter about our exit, but others have also seen what we saw and i think that the national reputations of portugal and italy have suffered as a result..win the battle to lose the war. IT's sickening to everybody except your own supporters to see those trapaceiros (cheaters) diving and rolling over and over (do they get dizzy doing that?). Thats why we want France to trash u all!

Germany deserve to win it. They have been the best team in the competition (note use of the word TEAM i.e. not a collection of over-rated selfish individuals) and have played the most positive football. And all this when nobody gave them a hope before the tournament started. The country has also laid on what is arguably the best World Cup for travelling fans that there has ever been. COME ON GERMANY! You deserve it.

re the idiots defending Cristiano Ronaldo

Wayne Rooney in that 30 seconds before he got sent off showed more sporting spirit and determination than any of your face clutching, imaginary card waving, fight the officials after losing, roll around on the floor feigning injury countrymen ever will.

The thing is, if Wayne Rooney stamped on your balls, you wouldnt get up again. ever.

So I hope some of this invective goes the way of Ricardo Carvalho, next season, when Chelsea roll into town, the injury feigning cheat.

speaking as a united fan, I offer to personally pack Cristiano Ronaldos bags for him.

Wow it is so nice witnessing this new born honeymoon between the English and the Germans….
I quite like this and I hope even the most populist among the English tabloids will accept from now on that maybe WWII can be forgotten about when talking about Germany.

Now what has Italy done to get stick by some of the bloggers?
Italy deservedly came through the toughest group, had a tough game against Australia (decided by a controversial penalty, but also influenced by an absurd direct red card against Materazzi) and deservedly won against Ukraine.

Italy might not be flashy, inspiring or whatever, but it should anyway command respect (for the achievements in this and all the past WC) and I hope this will be your opinion on Tuesday evening may Italy win or lose.

Well, as a pure football fan, I'm glad we're out of the World Cup. We were mediocre at best and in no way would we have deserved to win the competition.

As a pure England fan, I'm gutted beyond words. Almost a full 48 hours since we made our usual exit, I still feel physically sick. This was supposed to be our year! Truly, truly gutted.

This is made all the worse by the fact that only last week, I got my hands on one of six semi-final tickets (all acquired through legal and official sources, I might add). Now I'm destined to watch Portugal and France. A spectacle, nonetheless, but not one I would've hoped to be watching. I had my heart set on a classic England vs. Brazil semi, but, alas, t'is not to be.

Now, who do I hope wins? Without any shadow of a doubt, GERMANY! They appear to have been excellent hosts for the competition, and I really like the country and the people, having visited a number of times in the past. So... and I never thought I'd hear myself say this... COME ON GERMANY!!

Wow it is so nice witnessing this new born honeymoon between the English and the Germans….
I quite like this and I hope even the most populist among the English tabloids will accept from now on that maybe WWII can be forgotten about when talking about Germany.

Now what has Italy done to get stick by some of the bloggers?
Italy deservedly came through the toughest group, had a tough game against Australia (decided by a controversial penalty, but also influenced by an absurd direct red card against Materazzi) and deservedly won against Ukraine.

Italy might not be flashy, inspiring or whatever, but it should command respect (for the achievements in this and all the past WC) and I hope this will be your opinion on Tuesday evening may Italy win or lose.

Of course Germany. Not because I live here and have been made very welcome. Not because my wife is German and my children half German. Certainly not because I work for a German company. But because Germany are an attacking team, that try to score goals first and worry about the defence afterwards. And because Juergen Klinsmann was courageous enough to change the system. Don't forget - football is fun and is about putting the ball in the back of the net. I'm as saddened as anyone that England weren't capable of this.

I want Germany to win, they have all the qualities to win the world cup, all the qualities England lack.
They play as a team. (How many shots did Lampard have, not one was converted)
They are well organised.(Rooney up front on his own was a disaster)
Evidence shows they have practiced penalties. (Carragher said after the match he wasn't aware he had to wait for the whistle, not organised at all)
They have bottle. (Englands player under most pressure who delivered was Owen Hargreaves who plays in the Bundesliga)
Come on Germany, take note England

Pilotasso,
i don't think its bad losers posting on this board, its just we don't like the way you play. Figo kicked in the face??????it was a tap and it was accidental, which as far i as could see was the same as wayne Rooneys challenge whilst trying to get to his feet and being fouled. OK he got a probably deserved red card as the poor defender will be talking like he's on helium for the next few weeks, but in reality, what we want is the game to be played in the right spirit. Its a game for highly paid athletes, who are supposed to be men!!!! Bear in mind our second sport in the UK is Rugby, where men don't moan about a small collision, or clutch their faces whenever a shoelace hits their shinpads. The game is supposed to be fast paced, and physical, the reason that england fans might start supporting the germans is because Portugal and especially Italy take the spirit out of the game. I thought there was a fifa directive to book players who run over brandishing invisible cards, why then do the likes of Portugal and Italy get away with it week in week out. They feign injury, until a card is produced under pressure and then jump up as if nothing had happenned. If the england/portugal game had been refereed by the man in the middle from the Argentina/Germany game, you probably would have had half a team left in the end.
OK you got some rough stuff from the Dutch but thats what frustration does to players who think you play like a bunch of pre-school girls. YOU BRING IT UPON YOURSELVES!!!.

Come on germany, and show these ponces how football is supposed to be played, England were rubbish, at least Germany play it in the spirit we expect it to played!!!

I have to agree, if you had of told me during the 1990 World Cup when I was squirming watching Klinsman diving about the place playing in possibly the most boring cup final ever, that he would become a Tottenham hero, then years later have me cheering on the most exciting German team ever, and the only semi-final team playing glorious football (Zidane excepted) in the 2006 World Cup I would have checked you into the nuthouse round the corner. Never would have believed it.

Please come off it, Elias! You don't really MEAN the ref was biased in Argentina vs Germany? Even the argentine media didn't say that (but rather asked Pekerman why Riquelme had to leave so early).

And please come off it, Anne of Paris! What is clinical about the way the Germans play? And thank you very much for reminding us of Toni Schumacher vs Battiston in 1982. Goodness, that was 24 years ago and besides, Schumacher apologized and Battiston accepted.

I'm somewhat relieved German-bashing did not vanish altogether... The beast is still alive. All it did was move to another place.

I have to say that I am amazed with the comments I have read so far ...
So Portugal is to be blamed for Rooney's violent agression ?? I can accept that England defended really well with 10 men, that they played well against Portugal and that Portugal was unable to take full benefit of numerical superiority ...
That Portugal reached the semi-finals with irregular exhibitions and that those players have potential for so much more ... But england played really bad througout the whole tournament, scored few goals ( I can remember Crouch scoring while pushing an opponent )and did nothing to deserve the positive reviews of any fan ...
At least Portugal has a great goalkeeper that decides games, and scored brilliant goals against Iran, Mexico and Holland ...
Much more than you can say about your squad.
If Cristiano Ronaldo is now someone to hate ... shouldn't you focus your anger and lack of sportsmanship on Rooney for being such a violent bully, and for Ericsson being such a conservative and defensive coach ... Learn to admire Ronaldo, Mourinho, Ricardo Carvalho, and other great Portuguese that brought some quality to your football.

I'm German and of course I want my team to win. But the French display of wit and courage in their great game against Brazil made me fan of France, too. A final between Germany and France would be sooo great and while I'd cheer for Germany I'd be happy enough for Zizou+10 to win the Cup. To me them both are the most convincing teams in this tournament.

until fifa stamps down (no pun intended) on all this non-football cheating (diving, feigning injury, pleading for an opponent to be carded etc) it will carry on..

it disgusts me to see a player down, supposedly hurt, who gets up when the opponent gets a card.. and any player mimicking the brandishing of a card should be given an instant yellow.. it would soon stop this unwelcome practice..

the difference between England and Germany: Klinsmann is up there screaming and shouting at the players, driving them on, Eriksson would merely smooth his bald spot.
Germany deserve to win: I live in Münster and when England went out on Saturday I resolved to become German. Fickle maybe, but fun. If you can't beat em', join em' !

Hi.i am vishwanath from INDIA.i am a die-hard germany fan(and liverpool fan)rite from the day i started watching football.I luv the die-hard spirit of the germans.The never-say-die attitude.
Infact i am fan of england as well(after germany) and all these years it was really sad to see germany and england going at each other.
But it is refreshing to see people on this link changing their opinions positively.
See i am from india, a nation colonised by england.So to show animosity i shd. have always opposed them.
But i always believe in forgetting and forgiving anything bad tht. happened.Lets focus on the present and future.
I appeal to the english to stop the raucous abt. germany's hitleresque past.why dont u remember tht. germany is not abt. hitler??

I want germany to win this WC.
But i also want great friendship btwn. Germany and england.

3 cheers for a glorious future for England and germany.

Without a shadow of a doubt Germany should win.......I used to be one of those people who slated everything german......until I fell for one. I've been out there so many times now, and can happily say I have never felt more welcome in a country and by a people that wasn't my own.Germany have shown tenacity, grit, guts and flare. There coach has shown tactics you would expect from an army general of old. As for ronaldo yes he's a little toe-rag but let's not forget who the numty was who pushed him, two foot from the ref!!!!! We did excellently to hold an undefeated (in 16-19 matches) side, with 10 men for an hour, but the blame must rest squarely on our shoulders.....we weren't "robbed", we just fluffed it up as usual.

The one and only time Germany played a really good team, they were'nt impressive at all. In fact, Argentina easily deserved victory. I did'nt see a lot of the famous "free flowing football" the Germans were supposedly playing before that game, neither.
And then, I've had it with the home team winning the WC. The French squad of '98 might have won the tournament had it been played in another country - we'll never know, but they were very very strong. But this German team? Never ever.
I won't support them (they've got 70.000 supporters in the stadium already, not counting the stadium speaker who deemed it necessary to ask for support for the German team). So GO you Français, Italiani & Portugueses!

To me i was a bit disappointed when england was out, Portugal do not even deserve to enter quarter finals! They are just playing unfair games, diving like fools and referees running into thier traps for a reason no one knows? I think they should be humiliated out of the tournament with an outstanding defeat. Germany is my team to support, they deserve it just as much as england does

really France, I wish they were out a long time ago... not that i do not like them but they are not just what Id want to see hold the cup this time?

Kinda happy they knocked brazil out though, cos Brazil took too much for granted, wish Argentina was still in, they deserved better i think, Italy have just been lucky...

But really Germany all the way!

Rich:

The kick in the face I mentioned hapened in mexico game and he bled.

Have to agree. After spending a week with German friends in both Dortmund and Saarland i have to say my perception of the German people has totally changed.
I was totally overwhelmed by the hospitality shown to me by the German people their openness, enthusiasm and willingness to make sure i was having a great time.
I watched the Poland vs Germany game in a Dortmund bar just half a mile from the stadium 40% Polish, 59% German and me. As the goal went in i jumped, cheered, hugged and danced in the shower of beer as if i was born again German.
Klinsman has a touchline enthusiasm that reminds me of that shown by Martin O'Neil when manager of Leicester (they were the days) he appears to kick every ball and experience every tackle.
A shame our celebrity footballers didn't have a similar type (12th man) on the bench instead of the withdrawn and clueless looking Sven.

Come on GERMANY!

I am staggered by the depth of bad feeling towards the portuguese in this blog ,the various comments about diving are just ridiculous have you forgotten that England only beat Argentina in the last world cup because Michael Owen dived to win a penalty?
In the Holland game the Portuguese were more sinned against than sinning Boulahrouz and Van Bommel both tried to put Ronaldo out of the match in the first 15 mins with outrageous tackles and Van Bommel, Van Persie, Kuyt and Robben were diving all over the place throughout the entire game but still you persist with this nonsense that northern europeans are somehow more honest than southern europeans.
I think your problem is that contrary to all the evidence you still persist in the misaprehention that England is a major force in world football and you can't accept that you were beaten by a nation you consider to be inferior.

Well, Pilatosso,

I've read your posts: the ones you've signed, and the ones where you've been too full of your own self-righteousness to remember to fill in your (almost very apt) pseudonym.
Pilotasso by name,
Pile o'toss by nature.

So, tell me, have the Portguese football team, or any of their players, or any of the staff, ever done anything wrong ever in their entire lives? I heard Figo got a parking ticket when he was 17, but that's probably just evil propaganda from the British press as usual. Scholari is a paragon of virtue after all, isn't he?

Figo received an elbow in the face against the Netherlands. And this is something FIFA is cracking down on so, fair enough, the Dutchman was sent off. And what about Figo's headbutt a little earlier? Of course, I'm sure he was provoked and it was entirely the BBC camerman's fault.

I'd like to quote you on this, from Post 6:
"'A week and a half ago there were English chants "there were 4 bombers in the air..." on german streets.
Now you support them? Just shows some people how they kid themselves."

That's interesting. Because one group of fans sang anti-German songs it means the whole English nation is not allowed to support Germany now? If you can make such sweeping generalisations, am I not entitled to think that all Portguese are whining, cheating, greasy, girly-looking, shirt-lifting divers whose greatest achievement in football was to lose to England in 1966?
Fair enough.

There's only one person kidding themself on this Blog, and that's you with your unswerving belief that the Portuguese team an innocent of all crimes. When you look at your team from a more neutral view - hey, try asking some Germans what they think of the Portuguese football team - you'll see that your players aren't angels, but they are a bunch of choir-boys.

P.S. Come on Germany!!

A tough one this:

Germany - Traditional mortal rivals, however, they play fair and well and have been model hosts

Italy - On the one hand a bunch of corrupt, psychotic cheats, on the other hand they could do with something to cheer about

France - Again traditional rivals, however, they are now playing a fine brand of flair football, shades of rather cynical acting on occasion

Portugal - Diving, cynical, violent cheats

Putting that altogether it's basically a choice of whether to cheer on Ruud Van Nistelrooy & Wayne Rooney going medieval on Cristian Ronaldo's ass to either a fine French red or German beer

Wow, with so much english support ... I just hope we don´t loose to Italy in penalties ;-)) Well, at least we would have even more in common then.

Thanks Vishwanath for his comment No 81.
In my opinion you expressed the true meaning of such a tournament. Anyone who sees football as an excuse to trade insults and to indulge in animosities is fundamentally wrong in his ideas about sport in general, it's great value in international relationships and therefore, simply speaking: PEACE on earth.
Thank god we have this opportunity to even see Iran and the US in one big celebration of nations.

As a German, working for an English company here in Germany, I´m VERY, VERY delighted to see so many people here, that changed their minds regarding the "new Germany". I think 60 years after WW II its finally time to get rid of stupid prejudices against each other.
There has been a lot of friendly, funny and beer-drinking party over here during the worldcup. All nations together as one big crowd. And even if we should lose against Italy that can´t be taken from us.
To get YOUR support means a lot in our eyes!

I love this thread!

I am a Scot and lived in Germany for three years. I have always raved about Germany as a great country with wonderful kind and colourful people but had the feeling that my ravings fell on deaf ears.

I have supported the German team from the start (along with England I must add) because of their spirit and their simple approach - they want to play football and they want to win for their fans. That's it. Klinsmann is fantastic and has given his team such an unfaltering self-belief (even in the face of much criticism) which I think will take them to the final.

That being said, what I find most heart warming about this World Cup is the reception the rest of the world has received in Germany and how the rest of the world has embraced it and partied with the Germans. Its great to see that their efforts in hosting this World Cup have paid off and that so many people now have such a positive view of Germany and its people - its about time. Being a Scot, I am of course fiercely patriotic and am delighted that the Germans are now once again daring to wave their flag and have those same feelings of pride and love for their country.

Somebody said above that if the German's were knocked out now they would still have won the tournament, I couldn't agree more - but I am pretty sure, that is never going to happen :o)

Wir gehen, wir gehen, wir gehen nach Berlin!!

I am German and surprised too about the way the German team played so far and the German public celebrates this world cup.

First time in my life a kind of proudness rises up. It is very unusual to show national signs in Germany.

Above all I really dislike teams doing the diver in the crunch time to get a penalty. This is the reason why Italy doesn't deserve to win.
You will not see such behaviour with German players (except of some Ballack actions). Klose would rather try to make the goal than to rise up his hands and to scream like being shot in the penalty area.

The FIFA should give red cards to those actors after the game therefore this unfair stuff disappears from the football fields.

I would be very appreciated if the English support the German team in the next games.
Germany is not only culturally close to England but also in their style to play the game.

I still remember the '96 semi final as one of the greatest matches I ever saw.

And as a last note: In my home town LEIPZIG there are many people wearing the 3 lions shirt.

SCHLAND! SCHLAND!

As a German, working for an English company here in Germany, I´m VERY, VERY delighted to see so many people here, that changed their minds regarding the "new Germany". I think 60 years after WW II its finally time to get rid of stupid prejudices against each other.
There has been a lot of friendly, funny and beer-drinking party over here during the worldcup. All nations together as one big crowd. And even if we should lose against Italy that can´t be taken from us.
To get YOUR support means a lot in our eyes!

Next time we´ll meet in a friendly, it should end with penalties (regardless from the "real result"). Just for training reasons to finally get this curse from your shoes.

I've lived in Germany for 18 years and have children who are half German but I have never been quite able to find the enthusiasm to support their football team until this World Cup. Taking them up on their motto "the world as guests with friends", I donned my England shirt and went to celebrate the victory over Argentina at the fan party in Ulm. What happened to me there left me shocked and disappointed. I was verbally abused and pushed down some steps by a group of partying German youths. I only just managed to keep my balance which prevented me from being injured. All I can say now is "Come on Italy"!

I want Portugal to win. At least we'll have lost to the champions.

Thanks Vishwanath for his comment No 81.
In my opinion you expressed the true meaning of such a tournament. Anyone who sees football as an excuse to trade insults and to indulge in animosities is fundamentally wrong in his ideas about sport in general, it's great value in international relationships and therefore, simply speaking: PEACE on earth.
Thank god we have this opportunity to even see Iran and the US in one big celebration of nations.

Thank you!!!
At last someone is saying what I've been saying from the start of this World Cup! Germany have been the most consistent team so far. And they've been tested against decent opposition. Argentina and Brazil were left wanting when they came up against quality teams. Italy haven't been tested yet, France have just woken up, no comment re: Portugal!
They'll never be more motivated, I can't recall them looking so good! So with the demise of my beloved adopted England I say "Come On Germany!"

I'm going for Germany vs. France in the final too, for many of the reasons given above. Look, very few English fans are trying to suggest that Rooney didn't deserve to get sent off. Of course he did. But what annoys so many is that if he'd just dived when the first challenge came in, then he'd have won a free kick and the outcome MAY (possibly) have been different.

To be honest, neither Holland nor Portugal deserved to go through from that game, it was absolutely appalling. Blame the referee if you will, but he had to work with what he was given and the tackles (and the dives) from both sides brought the game into disrepute far more than the refereeing.

So, what do the England players do? Do they see that simulation and diving is the way to prosper, and so start doing it themselves? What is the alternative?

I have to say I hate it every bit as much on the odd occasion that I've Steven Gerrard or Michael Owen or whoever dive in an England shirt. It's not "who's the best football team", it's "who can con the referee the best", and as soon as that happens I'm afraid I lose interest in the game.

Thanks Vishwanath for his comment No 81.
In my opinion you expressed the true meaning of such a tournament. Anyone who sees football as an excuse to trade insults and to indulge in animosities is fundamentally wrong in his ideas about sport in general, it's great value in international relationships and therefore, simply speaking: PEACE on earth.
Thank god we have this opportunity to even see Iran and the US in one big celebration of nations.

Before England can WIN it must first learn how to be good LOSERS!!!! Its as simple as that. Rooney is a highly talented / "potential" world class player, but his consistent lack of discpline reflects very poorly on the rest of the team. Its simply not credible that Ronaldo asked for a RED card!!! Plus a referee of Olizondo's experience is not easily influenced by the "heat of the moment" as a player would. England were NEVER NEVER tested throughout this tournament. They played valiantly w/ one man down but in the end they simply didn't live up to the HYPE, which the English media are very good at. GO the the www.guardian.co.uk and read the intelligent commentary from Bobby Robson and others.

Just clicked into this website purely by chance, I was looking for Ronaldo's address (joking)..Just want to say that although an avid Arsenal supporter my loyalties should be with Henry and Co. However, I have been impressed with the Germans even though the back four started off a bit shakey. Jens Lehman in my book, has gone right up in my estimations. The performance in the champions league and his penalty save again in the last game was superb. Like you said, I simply cannot believe I'm supporting the Germans but hey,there you have it.

I was lucky enough to be at the Germany, Argentina 1/4 final on Friday. I'm English through and through but you can't help admire how 'Klinsi' has got his squad and now his countrymen believing in themselves again. And, of course, they simply don't lose on penalties!
I also noted the sarcastic comments aimed towards Maradona and how he should go home.(ha ha)
The Germans have organised a great competition and the spirit has beeen just right. I have no problem rooting for them and only hope that England can learn some useful lessons.

The Germans play spectacular football. Fast and exciting! They are a good team. They deserve to be champions.

For those that haven't seen it, watch the clip until the end. What exactly is Ronaldo up to before the game has even started? Will FIFA investigate this? Most likely not because Rooney is not prone to falling over and rolling around. Admittedly not really a headbutt, but certainly not in the spirit of the game. Poor old David Beckham if Ronaldo goes to Madrid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylMqeyMgsxs

OK.. so it seems Rooney deserved to get booked. Did her deserve to get a red card though, when compared to Figo's head-butt in the previous match? Ronaldo's head-butt in the England match?
The ref was a victim of the pressure I'm afraid... no 'one' person was to blame. Not even Christiano Ronaldo, though he clearly 'DID' try to get Wayne sent off. Only a blind man would say otherwise.
Portuguese players fell left right and centre, claiming free-kicks and then getting straight back on their feet and looking confused when the ref refused to buckle. The only reason why England, on paper, committed more fouls than Portugal was that out of every ten dives/collapses by a Portuguese player, maybe 2 succeeded in getting a free kick. As for the English, who stayed on their feet (which, incidentally Rooney was trying to do when the incident happened) the corresponding number of free kicks would logically not have materialised.
Germany France final? Can't decide who I'd like to win. Germany for consistant ability and strength. France for nostagic restoration of pride and a swansong for Zidane (and a great auto-biography!)

Wow! This blog realy makes me quite dizzy. We have to be very carefully, that we don't start giving us eachother the 12 points at the ESC in future :-)

It seems to me that the English are bad losers - first most of them said "it's fine by me if England play boring football so long as they win" now they complain about the Portuguese (who played with a quarter of their team on the bench on Saturday, and it was their worst game so far) and support the Germans because they 'play attacking football' (we should probably be sad no South American teams are in the semis). Shouldn't the English want the Portuguese to win? So they can say they lost to the eventual winners? But I guess it goes back to age-old inter-European racism - with Der Spiegel publishing an article calling the Italians greasy and lazy, what can you expect. Can't imagine cheering Germans after that.

Rooney kicks ricardo carvalho in the balls and you want to blame Cristiano Ronaldo for the red card.... Come on... get over it! I Saw maniche trying to fool the refree ONCE, and was the only player that did it during the whole Worldcup

We played to score.. you guys were trying to win in the penaltys.

YES!! We are a litle Country, very very very small... But we sent you off twice...
We where in the Eurocup finals, we are in the quarter finals now...

WE MADE 9 FAULTS DURING THE GAME!! Did you guys count your player's faults?

You have a great team! Great players. But you are not the kings of the world! Don't be so arrogant before the matches, specialy your PRESS, always making up stories...

God Luck, i'm shure you can handle this and be in Euro2008!!

A. Pinto, Portugal

EnglandFan: You say please, please anybody but Germany, had it been England who'd won... my great-great grandchildren would probably still be hearing the pain of that great England team who conquered the 2006 World Cup in Germany. It's 40 years since the last time England won, and we still hear of Geoff Hurst and his heroics in 1966.

So come on Germany, play with all that attacking flair and give your loyal and patriotic fans something to cheer even louder about!
Show the world that attacking football is not only good to watch, but also wins you prizes!

I don’t think it is to difficult to recognize that Portugal is a team with a lot of potential and that being a small country it is amazing how to find so many great players.

When will we find some really fair play people who will say sincerely: "Congratulations Portugal, good luck against all the other big countries and prove that it is in the field that football is played."

Anyway, Thanks for receiving me so well in UK and that proves that there are a lot of good people in here and that football is to small comparing with real life. :)

Miguel

Well,
as usual stereotypes are hard to get rid of...
So Germany has apparently played some very exciting football by simply never looking like winning against Argentina, ending up with hardly 30% of ball possession and generally controlling the game. Had this been done by Italy, everybody would have just called it "catenaccio".
Italians don't generally brag about, we are quietly and humbly going forward and this is exactly our strength. We know we have had a couple of bad games but then again you have to remember that this is the last part of the tournament and we are coming from 2 outstanding years of good football.
Germany has never beaten Italy in an official game (last game in Florence 4-1 to Italy, not bad for an over defensive team...) and I believe in tradition.
So please keep up your stereotypes, we are just content to win...

Definitely supporting Good Old Germany now, although the French did impress. Just hope the Italians lose, otherwise we will never hear the end of their overexaggerated self-congratulation at being the "best team in the world", even though they failed to really impress and had a more-than-easy path the the semi-final. They were celebrating their quarter-final win as in the streets if they had just won their first World Cup ever..... Oh and Pilotasso, please don't make any more posts, the defence of your team is getting slightly tedious.

dipanna, your reference to the 4-1 defeat to germany in the friendly before the tournament holds no credence. before you were looking at a german team who had no self belief and no support, and who have now turned around and played the best football of the current tournament and rightly deserve thier place in the semi-finals.
having german roots im relishing the sight of italy going home, because they are overly arrogant (what were your papers saying about australia? and look how you struggled to win) and thier football has been a catalogue of diving and blatant fowling when the game is clearly not going thier way. italy do not deserve the win at all.

Germany has played the most terrifyingly boring football ever! I thought I was going to go in a coma during Germany-Poland, and also the game against Argentina was painful to watch.
Italy and France on the other hand are really starting to gel as a team, and both played exciting games, especially France-Brazil and France-Spain. I bet on an Italy-France final, with the Italians as favourites.

The problem about you, english men, is that you do not have anything between your legs!
Because if you did, you would definetely understand what happened in the game you were sent home and why Ronaldo did what he did.

You know, fair play is also about knowing how to loose!

ive lived in germany for the last ten years and made some really close freinds here,they were all gutted that england went out on penalties the atmosphere is fantastic when germany play and i now hope germany win it,but i still believe that we will win in 2008 in austria so come on germany in 2006 but never stop believing,footballs coming home in 2008.

Being German, first thanks for the warm comments here. I also would have wanted England to get to the next round, because I think the Portugal-Netherlands game was a disgrace to this sport by both teams. Well, now France has to do the job. I would love to see a final France-Germany, because I would love to see this young and energetic team play such an experienced and clever player as Zizou. And then it doesn't really matter who wins, as long as it's just a great game to watch. Italy? Well, in theory I have nothing against them winning either, but with the huge scandal going on in their league... Anyway, 4 more games, 4 times fun. I hope you'll all enjoy it!

It's amazing what football makes people say and forget.
Nobody ever talked about Portugal but now they've sent England home they're the enemy. Please, give me a break! If you played that well, why the hell didn't you win the game?
Vacation in Portugal where everybody treats you well, it's ok. But loosing from Portugal is a problem... Germany is now great. Where have you been? Queen Victoria would die again if she was alive. Nice people, the germans? Of course, they don't speak a word od english and you don't speak a word of german...perfect combination! Everybody loves each other. Learn how to lose, live with it.

Excuse me Paul, but wasn't it only last week that you commented on how the celebrations of horn honking by the Italian fans was annoying??!! Why are the Italian fans annoying but the German fans fantastic??!!

I have, and will be supporting Italy all the way.

Forza Azzurri!!!

What nonsense! When I lived in Germany I found the Germans went out of their way to tell me what they liked about the UK. In fact, at times I felt obliged to put them right regarding a few things...

Germany deserves to win. From being totally overlooked at the outset, the team has shown what self-belief can do for a side - scoring a winner in the dying minutes of the match against Poland and fighting for the equaliser against Argentina. I just wish that sports journalists in the UK were as fair as the German press in their coverage of the Cup.

I haven't been in Munich but I agree that the Germans have indeed played the most entertaining football. I had been looking forward to an England v. Germany final, but it wasn't to be!

Well -- I for one am rooting for France. Why? Well, first, because of Zizou -- a complete artist of the game, who is of Algerian descent to boot (me being from there); second, because it is the oldest team in the cup, and I will always root for the underdog; and three, it may end up being the first African team to win the cup -- yes African! Except for Fabien the goalie and Frank, the rest of the starters are of African origin! See: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/team/squad.html?team=FRA

Go France!

To Keith:

I'm sorry to hear about your experience in Ulm. Ulm is very provincial and I don't like this town even as a German. This is really an exception and don't speak for the rest of us. There have also been some fights between fans (too much alcohol I think) and german and english fans were arrested.
Idiots are anywhere, doesn't matter which country. But the most had a very good time together. If you want I will invite you and your family to my house for a BBQ a good beer or something else you like.

Markus (Karlsruhe)

Nah i dont want this...Germany football dont deserve win. They didnt play the "jogo bonito"...i prefer latin teams like Argentina, Brazil and Spain but how this isnt possible...if Portugal win is would better because they sent the worst team to home...bye bye England...im very happy England is out again...bye holligans

I'm German and have read only the first 35 comments yet but I'm positive surprised about the comments from England about Germany.

We wanted to host the world cup as good as possible and I'm convinced we did.

I talked to some english fans at the fanfest in nurnberg, drank some beer etc and we had a good time. Thats what the WorldCup is all about. Meet fans from all over the world and have fun.

Let's keep a sporty rivalry between our countries but without hate, violence and things which happened more than 60 years ago.

Last but not least: the one and only english player who scored in the penalty shutout against Portugal plays in ........... Germany :-)

I'd like to say I'm up for Germany, because my wife's German, and they've played some exciting football. But despite having lived here for 10 years, my heart's not in it. Maybe it's just how we're brought up in England, maybe it's the constant snide comments on German TV throughout the whole tournament(exception: Otto Rehagel, who at least thought Rooney shouldn't have been sent off). I don't think I could bear it if they actually won and we had to put up with the smug grins for another four years (or more). Come on Italy! Oh, and since I'm here, I'm going to have to swallow a prejudice and wish France good luck against a certain nation of cheating somethingorothers.

I think Germany deserves it after all the disappointments of the last years. So GO GERMANY!

I agree Germany's style of Football has being great.

But, the performance of France against Spain and Brazil has being brilliant!!

If they continue to play that way in the next 2 games, then Vive Le France!! The Germans will Fall just like back in WWII.

Full doors down:

The 1966 game is long gone. Here in Portugal it is remenbered as Eusebio's historical game. We are all +ast that, the same we are past the elemination to france in 2000.

What I was trying to tell you and all of those who think we cheated past the english (and the dutch) is that, although regretable, falling and rolling on the floor after a contact to impress the referee was not invented by the portuguese. Portugal players did it, I reckon that but we are not the only ones doing it and this is being vastly blown out of proportions to the point people think it had any impact in the Englands game. With the rooneys incident none of the portuguese players throwed himself to the floor to try to get him out.

Even the british commentators found the Portugal-Mexico enjoyable, what has changed their opionions since then? the fact that we became their potential oponents?

And about the Figos headbutt. He lost his head true, but he also didnt made contact with the ducth player wich in turn was very skillfull in diving to the floor to pretend there was.
( didnt you see the background between their heads? No perspective views in england?)
He yelled, regretable, be he had at least the right to express his aprehension for being hunted down on the pitch (Kicked in the face against mexico and elbowed in the face Against the dutch)
For your information he had never seen a red card for 3 years, was he such a criminal?

It seems that in the commentators view Figos overrated headbut is less excusable than Rooneys Stamp.

Also, the difference in treatment of both teams in both of our countries is very different.
All english players are treated with respect, even Rooney. Portuguese are widely labeled as cheaters in england.
In a way we even didnt do so with the dutch and believe me we had reasons for complaints.

And whats this paranoia that Portugal deserved to loose if England didnt have a consistent perfomance in ALL games and failed to score the penalities?

Did we dive enough to justify englands failiure? I would like to see this relativistic theory to be explained to me.

A message from Paris.

Portugal try to win by ANY means possible by rolling around on the floor screaming like little babies having their toys taken away, pretending that they have been fouled to gain an advantage against their fellow professional when in reality there has been minimal contact.

Maniche, Carvalho et all will be remembered for being in a team full of cheats, and the lasting legacy of the Portugal team will not be of any form of success, skill or admiration.

I sincerely hope France give Portugal the hammering they deserve, not only on behalf of my country but also for the brave and honourable English team whom Portugal fail to score against in normal time despite having a player extra for almost 70 minutes.

Germany have certainly done a lot
better than most thought possible and
have to be congratulated for it.
But it's stretching it a bit to say they have been the most entertaining side - surely at least spain, argentina and now france deserve more
credit.
After seeing the great man playing so
wonderfully again, I want france to win and then zinedine zidane will be up there where he belongs - right beside pele.

Just wanted to say that it's nice to see Pilatasso has hopefully disappeared from this discussion. I haven't read such a load of old rubbish since The Special One's last press conference for Chelsea.
I'm backing the Germans to win now, they've put on a great show (despite Sepp Blatters best efforts) and have played excellent footy unlike our boys and seem to be riding on the crest of a wave, I hope for their sakes they have not hit their peak too early. Bring on 2008, we've got to break our duck soon.

whats this jogo bonito you talking about bahamud? ronaldo diving aginst france, argentine simulation and rolling about? Spain did play honorably and well. Jogo bonito, my ass! This blog is all about who we want to go on and win the cup and why, "i prefer latin teams" is admirably honest but don't please drag up that Nike marketing ploy as a reason, because you'll be laughed off the board! and to those portuguese and their 1 or 2 apologists (also portuguese masquerading as impartial observers?), we are good losers but we REALLY object to the manner of exit, underhand doesn't even begin to describe it, so i repeat to all portuguese everywhere, your team are trapaceiros and portugals reputation ...sorry..what reputation?

Molineux:

Although Im over past unglorious eleminations of portugal I can still remenber the whining the french players did wich caused the France-Portugal game in the Euro200 to be interrupted for 10 minutes, after wich the referee changed his mind.

So go elsewhere to make such generalizations.

On the other hand Im expecting a good match nex wednesday. If the french play well as I expect them to, so will Portugal.

My honest opionion is that france has good chances now that our players given away their strength i such wearing games the last 2 have been.

Cheers!

four doors down
I think you are missing the point nobody is trying to say that the Portuguese players never dive or try to influence referees but what you cannot see is that English and other northern european players do exactly the same

hey...
German?
Portugal is the best, Ronaldo the best player, don't you see in MU???
In 2004 i see the game with 2 English fans, no problems with us...
Fair Play please...