2006 SOCCER WORLD CUP -- 3rd place match GERMANY vs. PORTUGAL -- FINAL: France vs. Italy!!!!!!

FIFAworldcup.com ^ | 7-7-06 | FIFAworldcup.com

[soccer_maniac]

The World Cup Final will be held Sunday in Berlin at 2 p.m. ET (ABC).

Germany will face Portugal to play for third place on Saturday in Stuttgart at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN).

[jveritas]

I greatly hope that Italy wins. So far they played better than the French. If Italy plays with the same brilliance they played against Germany in the semi-final they will beat France.

[AGreatPer]

I really want to see the winner of Saturday's game cheering, "We're #3". Such a stupid match.

[jveritas]

You notice that the only times when the French get successful militarily (rare occasion) or in footbal is when they are lead by people who were not born in France.

The Italian Napoleaon Bonaparte is the one who made France a part of history otherwise they would have been a foot note.

The Algerian Zidan is the one who got them the world cup in 1998, and he is getting them to final this year together with Terry Henri who was not born in France either.

The best division in the French military is the "La Legion Etrangere", the "Foreign Legion" which is mostly made by non French mercenaries.

[Marcaurelio]

I've been watching reruns of the last 10-15 minutes of the match and Italy had relative control of the field. The first goal especially was pure brilliance from playmaker (known as regista in Italy) Pirlo.

I'm rooting for Italy as I have Italian roots, although I must say France has two magnificent players in Zidane and Ribery. Italy needs a good forward (punta) and hope Toni seats this one out.

[Tolik]

You said it!

Saved me a post

:^)

[jveritas]

You do not think that Toni will play well this coming Sunday?

[Marcaurelio]

I could not help it but notice it myself.

I hope, if and when the USA can threaten to win the Cup, all of their players are home grown. There is nothing I'd love to see more than the USA win the cup with 11 American-born kids. Youth soccer needs more sponsors with deep pockets.

[jveritas]

Amen.

[Tolik]

The Mastercard All Star Team is as follows:

Goalkeepers
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Jens Lehmann (Germany), Ricardo (Portugal)

Defenders
Roberto Ayala (Argentina), John Terry (England), Lilian Thuram (France), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal)

Midfielders
Ze Roberto (Brazil), Patrick Vieira (France), Zinedine Zidane (France), Michael Ballack (Germany), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Francesco Totti (Italy), Luis Figo (Portugal), Maniche (Portugal)

Forwards
Hernan Crespo (Argentina), Thierry Henry (France), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Luca Toni (Italy)

[Marcaurelio]

I don't think he'll play at all. Were I in Lippi's shoes, I wouldn't risk giving him a chance. He's too unpredictable. Some days he play well and scores, while other days he's continually caught in off-side and not into the match.

I'd replace Toni with two forwards, such as Gilardino and Iaquinta with Totti right behind them feeding them the balls.

[jveritas]

So Lucas Toni is no Paulo Rossi :)

[Mike Darancette]

Go Italia.

[RayChuang88]

I can see Italy try to do one thing: score early and often. They don't want to end up in ANOTHER penalty kick shootout, given their 0-3 record in recent World Cups during the knockout rounds. Italian fans still haven't forgiven Roberto Baggio (one of the best Italian players ever) for kicking that ball high during one such shootout, which lost the game against Brazil in the final of the 1994 World Cup.

[jocon307]

ITALY! ROOT FOR ITALY! VIVA ITALIA!

[Stallone]

Italy has an embarrassment of riches up front.

Gilardino is a spectacular threat, Toni is coming off a red--hot goal scoring season (European Golden Shoe with 31 goals) and indeed scored twice in the same game in World Cup play, Inzaghi and Iaquinta have each scored.

How to choose?

[Eurotwit]

Go Italy.

Filipo Inzaghi knows how to celebrate a goal.


Forza Azzurri!

[romanesq]

Coalition members start your celebration parties.
Early your pizza early!

[romanesq]

You are of course joking.

[romanesq]

Thought it was only me that noticed the non-singing of the French players during the anthem. They seem more enthusiastic when the anthem of the other country is playing.

Talk to some French though and they will tell you point blank, "They're not French." On that, I'm not kidding.

Liberty, Fraternity, blah, blah, blah. Famous French words followed by the undeeds. It's not lost on these people.

One must thank God for America. We always work toward our creed. And I'm grateful for that.

[romanesq]

I don't agree with you about Baggio. At all. I was there in the stands behind the goal in 1994 for the final between Italy vs. Brazil.

Many people don't know that Baggio was injured and it was unknown the day before the match whether he would even be able to play. He led Italy to the final but in the end, he really shouldn't have played hurt as he was. It didn't help him on the PK.

But Baggio is a national treasure, now and forever. Italy fans look back and say, okay 0-0.

This Italy team will not be denied. Even with the world's best defender out due to injury, they will triumph. They are playing much better than France.