Topic: FIFA world cup in South Africa

[Pugnate]

The football world cup is around the corner. I know most of you aren't fans, but I can't wait. I've been an Argentina supporter since the 1986 world cup when I was only 6 years old heh. They have some great players, though their leader, their coach Maradona, while a genius player in his time, is a bit crazy as a coach.

Anyway they have one of the greatest footballers in the world in Lionel Messi, who will hopefully help them with the cup.

I want you guys to see this:

The craziest thing about the finish of that goal is that he is left footed.

edit:

Official website of the worldcup:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/

[beo]

argentina? i spit on you.

[Pugnate]

haha I was waiting for that...

[angrykeebler]

M girlfriend is Greek and South Korea's very first match is against Greece.

So I'm cheering for Greece, I guess.

[Pugnate]

Damn, you are going to have some good looking kids.

Well... hopefully.

Greece play a very defense brand of football. I don't enjoy watching them. Anyway, Greece and Korea are in the same group as Argentina and Nigeria.

[ren]

I always cheer for England but that's hasn't worked out since 1966.

[Cobra951]

So you cheered them to victory in '66?  And here you've been telling us you're a kid. 

[Pugnate]

haha...

England look really really strong right now under their new coach. They are basically the same team as last time... but a decent coach makes a big difference.

There is a big chance that Beo might kill himself drinking come the world cup final.

OK so he might do that regardless.

[ren]

I've been working for years to shed that kid image, it's been fruitless so far so I'm resorting to outright lies.

Hey Pug, who does Pakistan usually align themselves behind a single country for the cup?

[Pugnate]

Not sure... I see a lot of Premier League fans here so I am thinking England... despite the whole colonizing thing and all.

[Ghandi]

I want you guys to see this:

The craziest thing about the finish of that goal is that he is left footed.

That's one of the best goals I've ever seen - an absolutely insane level of skill.

When do things start?

I've been working for years to shed that kid image, it's been fruitless so far so I'm resorting to outright lies.

I hope your plan isn't to say you were pretending to be a 13 year old boy. Because that's just creepy.

[Cools!]

I can't wait! Though this time around I don't really have a favorite team. Maybe I'll go with England this time around.

[beo]

you are now all supporting england by default. cool?

[angrykeebler]

This Nike ad for the World Cup is really really awesome

[ren]

hahaha, they have this song playing in the background. That video never fails to make me laugh. The guy is ridiculous.

[Pugnate]

That's one of the best goals I've ever seen - an absolutely insane level of skill.

When do things start?

Yea Messi is all about dribbling and ball control.

The other great player is Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal. His best goals come from great distances.

That clip has two of his top goals.

And please don't support England.

[angrykeebler]

I wish Ireland had made it into the tournament so I could throw my support behind them JUST TO SPITE BEO

[Pugnate]

When it comes to football, Argentina are the next best thing...

If you notice the 1998 incident, I saw it live...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina_and_England_football_rivalry

Keep in mind Argentina and England fought a war over the Falkland Islands in '82.

[Pugnate]

BTW..

You guys should be supporting your US of A.

They are in the same group as England, so that should be a great match heh.

Also, the USA team is not bad. Less than a year ago, they reached the final of a pretty big tournament with Brazil. They almost beat Brazil too. USA lead 2-0 before Brazil scored three goals to beat them 3-2. But everyone was surprised by how well the US had played.

Official website of the worldcup:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/

[beo]

I wish Ireland had made it into the tournament so I could throw my support behind them JUST TO SPITE BEO

ireland, really? who gives a fuck about ireland?

[angrykeebler]

ireland, really? who gives a fuck about ireland?

I just thought you guys hated them. You know, cause of the...uhh bombs and stuff...i listen to Flogging Molly sometimes

[PyroMenace]

BTW..

You guys should be supporting your US of A.

They are in the same group as England, so that should be a great match heh.

Also, the USA team is not bad. Less than a year ago, they reached the final of a pretty big tournament with Brazil. They almost beat Brazil too. USA lead 2-0 before Brazil scored three goals to beat them 3-2. But everyone was surprised by how well the US had played.

Official website of the worldcup:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/

I think we shouldn't even have a soccer team, because we all watch football instead.

[Pugnate]

But....this....is... football.

[ren]

As much as I'd love for England to take it, the aftermath if America kicked them out would be amazing.

[Pugnate]

haha yea if the USA managed to somehow beat England, people would seriously freak.

I love supporting the underdogs. I think it would be sweet if the US of A somehow beat England, however unlikely. England have Gerrard and Lampard, two of the midfielders in the world, and Rooney, one of the best strikers in the world.

Roony featured heavily in that Nike video Keebs posted.

[Pugnate]

Pretty entertaining read:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/05/30/football.world.cup.controversies/index.html?hpt=C2

6. Chile v Italy, 1962

Probably the most violent game of football in World Cup history is universally known as the "Battle of Santiago."

In the aftermath of a powerful earthquake just two years earlier, Chile had made a success of hosting the tournament. However, two Italian journalists unwisely decided to write a disparaging article about capital city Santiago, which fanned the flames before the match.

The 90 minutes that followed saw English referee Ken Aston completely lose control of proceedings. Police had to intervene three times as both sides exchanged punches and kicks with alarming regularity. Add in some spitting for good measure, and it's easy to picture the scene.

Bizarrely, the host nation finished the match with all 11 men on the field, while Italy had two players dismissed. The final score, which seemed to be completely lost in a haze of violence, was 2-0 to Chile.

Gotta love the Italians..

2. Andres Escobar, 1994

Colombia were viewed as one of the favorites for overall victory in the United States, but a disappointing 3-1 defeat by Romania in their opening group game meant the pressure was on for the next match against the host nation, in front of nearly 100,000 people in Pasadena.

With the scores level after 34 minutes, Atletico Nacional full-back Escobar deflected a cross from John Harkes into his own net. The U.S. eventually won the match 2-1 and the highly-fancied Colombians were heading home despite beating Switzerland in their final group match.

Just 10 days after his error, Escobar was shot 12 times outside a bar in his home city of Medellin. Speculation abounded about the motives, with reports that Escobar's own-goal had cost local betting syndicates a small fortune.

A local teacher was found guilty of his murder, and served just 11 years in jail. Escobar was only 27 years of age, and a nation mourned his death.

I remember that vividly from when I was a kid.

Reading about it again now makes me sad. The stuff we kill each other over.

[alina8528]

South Africa, where the Fifa Football World Cup is to kick off 11 June, has introduced cleaner transportation, while Brazil is planning ecological stadiums for the championship it will host in 2014. But these and other initiatives clash with the countries' overall environmental performance. The first Fifa (International Federation of Association Football) World Cup to take place on the African continent will leave a carbon footprint more than eight times greater than the 2006 World Cup in Germany, according to a study conducted in February 2009 at the request of the South African government and the Norwegian embassy in that country.

[Pugnate]

Argentina play Nigeria in 30 min and USA vs England in 6 hours or so.

USA vs Eng should be pretty awesome.

[ren]

South Korea played really well, much better than I was expecting. I was really hoping for Greece to be embarrassed, no disappointment there.

Now Argentina better win and then England, but just barely.

[Cobra951]

I'm trying to watch Nigeria vs Argentina, but WTF is that incessant dizzying whine?  It's not the crowd.  Sounds like truck tires on metal bridge x 1000.

Edit:  Oh, hell.  It is stupid humanity making that ugly racket.  Just saw the yellow horns in a segment on ESPN.

Edit 2:  Vuvuzela?  New word (and hated thing) for me.

[ren]

That whine was annoying. I was able to tune it out after a while but it completely removed the regular football sounds and chants that every fan is accustomed to.

The Nigerian goalie played a fantastic game. He completely shut out Messi, although Messi did his part by missing the net more than enough times.

[Quemaqua]

I had a cheeseburger and a Heineken at Taxi's the other day and they had a couple games going.  I sat right under one of the TVs that had that noise going.  I managed to completely ignore it and read my book for 45 minutes.  I'm seriously dead to the world lately.

[beo]

i'm heading in to watch the game shortly. not sure how confident to feel - the american team seems to be getting better at an exponential rate and i have no idea how our current line-up will perform. the odds are definitely in our favour, but i totally wouldn't rule out a surprise from the USA.

guess we'll see...

[ren]

Fuck, I know. I can't shake the feeling the Americans will win. This game should be a good one.

[nickclone]

I don't care about soccer, but I'm watching this. I wish I knew how the scoring works.

[beo]

The team with the most goals wins.

[nickclone]

Whats with the overall plus and negative points?

[beo]

Our goal keeper is a massive twat.

[angrykeebler]

THOSE FUCKING HORNS NEED TO FUCKING STOP JESUS FUCKING CHRIST THEY ARE SO FUCKING ANNOYING  IS EVERY FUCKING AFRICAN IN THE STADIUM PLAYING THESE FUCKING THINGS



*cough*

[nickclone]

Luckily the Eng goalie slipped up.