come on italy!

[shoot_ffs]

hope they do the business tonight, can't bear to think of henry smugging it over us anymore than he already does. Think italy will have enough guts and determination and should run rings round the aging french midfield. Break a leg henry.

[gbspur72]

Too right mate, felt really uncomfortable backing the frogs against Portugal but now they are out COME ON ITALY!!!!!!!!
Look forward to seeing Terry Henry moaning about the ref and blaming his team mates at the end of the game(again)!

[Chinaman]

I hope the French Bantam, second to our Cockerel wins, just for Zidane. The heart is for France, but the head dictates otherwise. Italy to win 2-0.

[highlander]

yeah i also would like france to win. not because i like them, in truth ive got no time for then but Zizu deserve's to win this tournament. i do not want italy to win, considering they are the godfathers (no pun intended) of the dirty trick plays. viva la france

[shoot_ffs]

i don't think italy have been too bad with the diving, ok the pen against australia maybe but hell i'd have gone over for that one. Anything to beat the aussies lol.

[highlander]

i don't think italy have been too bad with the diving, ok the pen against australia maybe but hell i'd have gone over for that one. Anything to beat the aussies lol.
De Rossi's elbow on Brian McBride was a disgrace. its things like that which give Italy such a bad rep

[mjbmedia]

De Rossi's elbow on Brian McBride was a disgrace. its things like that which give Italy such a bad rep
true, but the way Lippi dealt with it after helped regain the face they lost. He came out to the media and lambasted De Rossi for his actions before hed even spoken to the player, ie let the player rot for what he done, hope De Rossi doesnt play tonight, im sure he wont as they didnt use him to get there, if he does then i take it back lmao.
Theyve both cheated to get there, Henry V Spain ensured free kick and Puyol booked so hecouldnt be challenged for the rest of the match , Italy elbow v US and dive v Aussies , so france are one ahead but then theyve got Henry so now theyre five behind.

[marcusto]

I saw a week back in ZOO magazine that Italy were the worse at diving during the WC 2006... have I been watching the wrong tournament, because Portugal, Brazil and Holland have been far worse than Italy... the only incidents I can think of are the Grosso dive for the pen and De Rossi elbow(Lippi absolutly slated him during a Press confrence)... Yet the likes of Mark Van Bommel and Ronaldo have been jumping diving all over the place...

Is this because they been branded cheats in the past so they have to worst in the competition....

Also what I find annoying is the apparent defensive game..... lol yet they scored like 11 goals this WC....

In all fairness they have been the best team this WC along with France and have should attacking flowing footy to boot... which is quite good for a team which is very defense minded!

FORZA AZZURRI

[highlander]

hope De Rossi doesnt play tonight, im sure he wont as they didnt use him to get there.

im pretty sure De Rossi didnt play because he was banned for 4 games i think it was. he doesnt deserve to play and in my opinion Rino Gattuso is far better

[spurs61]

FORZA ITALIA!

I'm cheering the Azzuri. In truth it would be a shame to see Zidane bow as a losing finalist but I think the Italians have played some lovely football and have finally demonstrated what an ambitious and attacking Italian team, especially during extra time in the semi.

[Chinaman]

Viva Zizou! Viva la France!

[mjbmedia]

im pretty sure De Rossi didnt play because he was banned for 4 games i think it was. he doesnt deserve to play
yeh exactly my point, they didnt need him to get to the final so they shouldnt pick him now.

[highlander]

yeh exactly my point, they didnt need him to get to the final so they shouldnt pick him now.
oh i see, yeah he isnt needed and i cant see why you'd pick him over a trogen like Gattuso

[shoot_ffs]

i fail to see what all the hype is about ZZ this world cup, he's been distinctly average in a pretty good team.

[highlander]

i fail to see what all the hype is about ZZ this world cup, he's been distinctly average in a pretty good team.
no chance, have you seen him play, he's got them to the final pretty much single-handedly.

[suBerb]

i fail to see what all the hype is about ZZ this world cup, he's been distinctly average in a pretty good team.


exactly....

[gbspur72]

Full respect to Zidane he's a legend but i can't stand seeing that arrogant **** Henry lifting the cup,he'll be even more unbearable next season.
FORZA ITALIA!

[shoot_ffs]

dirty cheating frogs, come on italy you can beat these scumbags.

[highlander]

its a shame that after a great performance Zizu acted in that way, marring the whole event. a terrible way to end a great career

[gbspur72]

its a shame that after a great performance Zizu acted in that way, marring the whole event. a terrible way to end a great career
Agreed mate, however great to see Henry a big time loser for the 2nd time in 2 months. Better get used to it chum C.O.Y.S.

[shoot_ffs]

i take it all back, zidane is great lol. i love it when a plan falls apart. Well done italy, they're one of the few teams i've enjoyed watching this tourny, even if the manager messed things up tonight.

[Shuggie13]

After the Germany match they were the team for me. It was a typical Italian world cup, moments of genius, total defending, drama, tantrums, sending-offs, failed geniuses like Del Piero & Totti having their moments and of course Everton reject Matarazzi being one of their best players, he was total pants in the Premiership.

[nuttyhotspurs]

zidane wot a numpty. its hilarious when you hear papers , pundits and everyone goin on and on and on and on about a player and they he goes and does something like that and blows it! hes already won one anyway so good luck to the italians they deserved on there defensive displays alone. 2 goals in the whole tournament, one own goal and a pen.

[JJ]

I've not witnessed a team sit back and play for extra time and penalties for almost an entire half for many a year, and to do it in the world cup final is pathetic. Even after France lost Zidane, their captain/hero/playmaker/talisman, whatever you want to call him, they were the only side who seemed to attempt to go and win the match. Even with 1 man extra, the Italians barely had more than Toni in France's half.

The Italians, although clearly full of talented players, won the match in no better fashion than the Greeks won the Euros.

[shoot_ffs]

i think lippi just messed up his tactics for the second half, switching their midfileders over was bizarre. they couldn't link up with toni and forgot to try an get corners. i don't think it was a deliberate plan. Also france played with much more zip in the second hald, putting the ball out wide and then passing it back to ZZ and viera when they were in the italian half rather than their own. The italian subs didn't work either.

[Welsh Spur]

Italy's victory is a disgrace to football.

I am ashamed that in modern times our Euro champs are Greece and World Champs Italy. The Italian football team (of today) represent nothing more than cheats, corruption, stern defending and total arrogance. Who the **** sits back and waits for penalties in extra time with a man advantage? France were by far the better side and its an injustice to football that Italy even made the Quarters, as they cheated their way past the Aussies. It's done now, and the final will be remembered for Zizou's headbutt, rather than a stylish Italian win.

Quite fitting then. Lets look forward to the Euro's, a great tournament and someone setting the record straight by beating the piss out of Italy. Preferably England. I'm glad that this wholly unsatisfying WC is over.

[marcusto]

What a load of s**t.... yes their is corruption in the Italian Game and teams and officials will be punished.... I fully admit they were s**t last night.... But I think you must of missed a fantastic semi final against Germany... also good games against Ghana and Czech Republic

In fact I am f**k**g insulted by some of your comments I have italian friends and most of them are sound as f**k.

Yes their arrogant tw*ts but their is in every country and every football team!

If England won the World Cup this way no one would care... take your blinkered glasses off!

[JJ]

What a load of s**t.... yes their is corruption in the Italian Game and teams and officials will be punished.... I fully admit they were s**t last night.... But I think you must of missed a fantastic semi final against Germany... also good games against Ghana and Czech Republic

In fact I am f**k**g insulted by some of your comments I have italian friends and most of them are sound as f**k.

Yes their arrogant tw*ts but their is in every country and every football team!

If England won the World Cup this way no one would care... take your blinkered glasses off!

I'm not sure what comments exactly you're offended by as i haven't really read the whole thread, but on footballing terms, they didn't deserve to win it. Simple as that.

They didn't surprise anyone this world cup, they were diving all over the shop and defending with 8 men like the greeks did in that instantly dismissable european championships. As i said above, they clearly have some of the most talented players in the world, but they let themselves down with the usual underhanded tactics.

[marcusto]

"Italy (of today) represent nothing more than cheats, corruption, stern defending and total arrogance"

Was this aimed at the Italian Footy or Italy in general?

They were diving all over the shop.... please tell you are joking.... their were a fair few nations far worse at Diving... e.g. Brazil, Holland and Portugal.... yet everyone forgets about them...

Defending with 8 people behind the ball I fully admitted they did that in the final, BUT IF ENGLAND WON THE WC LIKE THIS NO ONE WOULD GIVE A S**T.... but against Germany they played brilliant attacking footy... or was I watching the wrong semi final... must of been because what I saw was an end to end game with plenty of chances great attacking footy and great defending by both teams... now please i am talking b0**0cks

One more thing if any of you ever watched Champions League Footy Zidane has done the very same b4.... two occassions I can remember... once for Juve and once for Real

[Welsh Spur]

Mate, Italy winning the WC is the same as Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Holland winning, they are all the same, a BUNCH OF ****ING CHEATERS. **** off with your "if england won it like this" I'm not talkin about England...I'm talking about the teams who disgraced the WC with the way they played....

Yes the Italy v Germany game was excellent and the only one where I have nothing to say about Italy. During the Italy/Aussie 2nd round match did YOU not see the SIX australians standing around an italian in possession in the box afraid to tackle him coz they were scared he'd dive???? And then were proved correct to be so apprehensive when Neill's tackle was exploited by the devious Grosso who clearly DIVED over him, puttin the Azzurri through????

And if you're going to get sentimental, my sister's fiance's entire family is Italian.

[JJ]

"Italy (of today) represent nothing more than cheats, corruption, stern defending and total arrogance"

Was this aimed at the Italian Footy or Italy in general?

They were diving all over the shop.... please tell you are joking.... their were a fair few nations far worse at Diving... e.g. Brazil, Holland and Portugal.... yet everyone forgets about them...

Defending with 8 people behind the ball I fully admitted they did that in the final, BUT IF ENGLAND WON THE WC LIKE THIS NO ONE WOULD GIVE A S**T.... but against Germany they played brilliant attacking footy... or was I watching the wrong semi final... must of been because what I saw was an end to end game with plenty of chances great attacking footy and great defending by both teams... now please i am talking b0**0cks

One more thing if any of you ever watched Champions League Footy Zidane has done the very same b4.... two occassions I can remember... once for Juve and once for Real

Brazil, Holland or Portugal didn't win the world cup now did they. If they had done, then yes we would be complaining about them too. The difference being with them is that they tried to cheat, and lost, which is how it should be. Italy cheated and won.

Yeah they did play well against the Germans, but that doesn't warrant them winning the world cup. If that's how it goes, then France deserved to win the world cup for their performance against Brazil.

The fact remains that this year the world cup was won by a team mostly made up of divers and cheaters, not by the best footballing nation.