World Cup winners ??

[theatis]

Turkey beat Korea 3-2 in Korea. If you are the sort of person who believes that history repeats itself, then not looking good for Germany. I still think that the Germans are too well-structured for Portugal.

I'm with Jam on this, there is no reason for a 3rd place to exist. I don't know if the following is factually true but it seems to me that this is some arbitrary resemblance to the Olympic practise of awarding three medals on a podium. Those are arbitrary as well as you may know, they developed over time in the modern Olympics. Same is true of Grand Prix races, you get podiums of the first three even though other drivers are awarded points, so why the distinction for the first three?

In any case, i'll disagree with the jaded cynics above and look at the optimistic side for the final: both teams are peaking at the right time and we're gonna have a great game. (i hope)

 

[ScubaTexan]

The NCAA Basketball Tournament got rid of its third-place game after the 1981 season on the premise that it was not good for a team that reaches the semifinals to have to finish the season with two losses. If that is the case, then, yeah, I can see doing away with the consolation game.

 

[ScubaTexan]

No Michael Ballack and no Miroslav Klose for Germany today...

 

[Jamdiver]

No Robert Huth either, he's pulled a muscle during the warmup...

Really looking forward to today's game..., i'm quite undecided as to who will win...
If Zidane turns up and puts in the performance of his career then France will win for sure..

 

[tedtim]

No Michael Ballack and no Miroslav Klose for Germany today...

Well, one for two. It really did not matter.

Funny how relaxed they looked as the game drew to a close.

 

[Jamdiver]

Well there you go, Forza Azzuri.

Italy has won the 2006 World Cup Finals.....

Zidane rather than go out in a blaze of glory has instead gone left in a shroud of shame and controversy..
Still can't figure out why he head-butted Matterazzi........

The pain of defeat...

 

[midwestdvr]

Yeah, what the hell was he thinking? (not that I wanted France to win)

 

[H2Andy]

that Zidane thing was a total loss of control

i nearly had a heart attack when France scored (offside) during the second half...
yow... i had picked Italy ... i have never been so happy over an offside in my life

i think this game came down to two players and what they didn't do:


Zidane was not around to take a penalty kick; and

Trezequet did not score his penalty chance

 

[drbill]

If Zidane turns up and puts in the performance of his career then France will win for sure..

Well, as we now know Zidane did show up and put on "the" performance of his career... but not with the result you suggested above! I was rooting for France (they have taken a lot of abuse the past few years, at least from Americans) until that happened. After that, I didn't care.

 

[Jamdiver]

Up to know I can't figure out ZIdane's motivation for the headbutt...
He generally is a fairly level-headed player and with this being the last game of his professional career you'd think he would have wanted to end his career on a positive note...

I've heard rumours suggesting that the headbutt was in retaliation to a) abusive/offensive stuff from Matterazi or b) Matterazi was deliberately hitting his injured shoulder whenever he could....

None of that excuses his behaviour however.......
Pfffffff