European men kicking ball in France

[Snow63]

What a brilliant opening match last night! Great playing from both teams, and very evenly matched. Romania was surprisingly good! And kudos to the ref for giving them that penalty, that took guts. What does everybody think, was that first goal legit or not?

Really looking forward to England and Russia tonight.

I thought it was okay.

It was an interesting match, but I was so sleepy and it was midnight in my timezone, so I nodded off from time to time and don't remember parts of it Thank god today is saturday, so I can watch late. I think England is a favourite on paper, but I have no idea how they're playing now, haven't seen their single qualification match.

 

[snowflake]

And good to hear somebody else who prefers Women's football. The Women's game is what the Men's game should be like. And what the Men's game was like before money ruined it.

• Playing honestly.
• No amateur dramatics.
• No playing dirty.
• No diving.
• The players don't have an overinflated sense of importance.

Of course, there are some exceptions. But not many.

CaroLiza_fan

Looking forward to you starting the thread on women’s football at olympics :thumbsup:

What a brilliant opening match last night! Great playing from both teams, and very evenly matched. Romania was surprisingly good! And kudos to the ref for giving them that penalty, that took guts. What does everybody think, was that first goal legit or not?

Really looking forward to England and Russia tonight.

Agree. That left-footed dream goal in the 89th minute

There were some ugly elbows-in-faces yesterday Hoping the referees keep on penalizing dirty playing severely.

I'm watching. Every two years I do this (for Worlds' & Euros). First I go through the "Oh, no! Do I really want to watch? This will take up so much time!"-stage. And then I get to the begrudging "Oh, fine! I'll watch then! It's tradition after all... "-stage. And then I get truly bitten by the bug. That hasn't quite happened yet, but yesterday was a good start.

I'm cheering for Spain, of course - but not having followed any football for two years, I've no idea what state they are in.

LOL, I think this is how it happens for many.

 

[TMC]

I thought it was okay.

It was an interesting match, but I was so sleepy and it was midnight in my timezone, so I nodded off from time to time and don't remember parts of it Thank god today is saturday, so I can watch late. I think England is a favourite on paper, but I have no idea how they're playing now, haven't seen their single qualification match.

England won all of their qualifying matches - I think it was the only country to qualify with a perfect record. They might be considered one of the favourites to win the whole shebang, but I'm not getting my hopes up. They are bound to headcase at some point, unfortunately. Why Rooney is still there I have no idea :disapp:

Agree. That left-footed dream goal in the 89th minute

There were some ugly elbows-in-faces yesterday Hoping the referees keep on penalizing dirty playing severely.

They seem to be! So many cards in this game already...

ETA: So impressed by the Albanian goalkeeper! I love a good goalkeeper - I fell in love with football in the first place watching Cameroon's goalkeeper in the 1990 World Cup. He used to run halfway up the field, more like a defender than a goalkeeper

 

[snowflake]

They seem to be! So many cards in this game already...

ETA: So impressed by the Albanian goalkeeper! I love a good goalkeeper - I fell in love with football in the first place watching Cameroon's goalkeeper in the 1990 World Cup. He used to run halfway up the field, more like a defender than a goalkeeper

Yeah, good.

Schweiz - Albania 1-0 then: really not a boring match. Things kept happening!
Albania doing pretty well being last on the ranking list(42) of teams in the tournament.

I have no idea how telling the ranking list is but here it is for the European teams:

Nations with higher ranking than 42 who didn’t qualify:
Netherlands
Bosnia/Herzegovinia
Denmark
Greece

Quoting LRK I'm already worried about how much time I'll spend on this tournament

 

[TMC]

Yeah, good.

Schweiz - Albania 1-0 then: really not a boring match. Things kept happening!
Albania doing pretty well being last on the ranking list(42) of teams in the tournament.

I have no idea how telling the ranking list is but here it is for the European teams:

Nations with higher ranking than 42 who didn’t qualify:
Netherlands
Bosnia/Herzegovinia
Denmark
Greece

Quoting LRK I'm already worried about how much time I'll spend on this tournament

This is still so baffling to me. How do you come in third in the World Cup and then not qualify for Euros two years later? Crazy.

I'm hoping Iceland do what Denmark did in 1992

 

[snowflake]

This is still so baffling to me. How do you come in third in the World Cup and then not qualify for Euros two years later? Crazy.

I'm hoping Iceland do what Denmark did in 1992

I remember it; the championships was in Sweden and I still have a little football souvenir from then. But I don't remember that Denmark was such a big underdog. Were they?

 

[TMC]

I remember it; the championships was in Sweden and I still have a little football souvenir from then. But I don't remember that Denmark was such a big underdog. Were they?

They were the biggest underdog ever - they weren't even supposed to be there in the first place! They didn't qualify but got in at the last moment because Yugoslavia was disqualified due to the war there. I remember the Danish coach talking about how he really had to scramble to call his players in from various holiday destinations; almost all of them had already left for their holidays, thinking that their season was over. This was before mobile phones, so it must not have been that easy either.

 

[snowflake]

They were the biggest underdog ever - they weren't even supposed to be there in the first place! They didn't qualify but got in at the last moment because Yugoslavia was disqualified due to the war there. I remember the Danish coach talking about how he really had to scramble to call his players in from various holiday destinations; almost all of them had already left for their holidays, thinking that their season was over. This was before mobile phones, so it must not have been that easy either.

Argh, my memory is so baaaad. Haha, my ex could have recalled me but he is in the Canary Islands. (already longing for home, not believing how he could be so stupid to book his vacation during EC)

So as I said in my original post: GO Iceland!

 

[TMC]

I am loving the men's fashions here. So many hipster beards...Gareth Bale's man bun...soooo hot

 

[Marta25]

I am loving the men's fashions here. So many hipster beards...Gareth Bale's man bun...soooo hot

And he just scored a goal for Wales! Goooo Wales!!!!

I love the underdogs. If Italy gets kicked out, which I`m expecting to happen tbh, I`m all for an underdog to win it all.

 

[TMC]

And he just scored a goal for Wales! Goooo Wales!!!!

I love the underdogs. If Italy gets kicked out, which I`m expecting to happen tbh, I`m all for an underdog to win it all.

Me too! There's something about an underdog succeeding against all odds that just warms my cold, cynical heart. I will never forget that feeling in 1992 when absolutely everybody was so happy and excited for Denmark, for example!

 

[snowflake]

And he just scored a goal for Wales! Goooo Wales!!!!

I love the underdogs. If Italy gets kicked out, which I`m expecting to happen tbh, I`m all for an underdog to win it all.

Sweden?

 

[TMC]

Granted I might be a bit hormonal, but Ben Davies stretching his opponent's leg just made me cry

 

[Krunchii]

Too bad, Germany will win because Marco Reus injured himself right before going, for some reason that's a good luck charm for them and he's my favourite player /cries quietly in a corner

 

[LRK]

Granted I might be a bit hormonal, but Ben Davies stretching his opponent's leg just made me cry

I love that kind of thing! True sportsmanship - one can't just help going "Awww!" What surprises me that so few seem to care. There were some genuine hugging going on between some Swiss and Albanian players after that match too. No comment about that from the commentators. Maybe I'm just too much of a "softie".

During the first matches I feel as if I'm still "getting to know" the teams & players. Each team has its own "feel" to me - due to the people making up the team and the way they play &c. At the moment I'm mostly choosing teams to cheer for based on whim - it's more fun to watch when one is cheering for someone. Oh, I'm glad Wales made it, as - since I don't watch league matches - this means I finally get to see Gareth Bale play.

 

[Snow63]

I like what I see in Wales vs Slovakia match. That's a solid football.

 

[TMC]

I love that kind of thing! True sportsmanship - one can't just help going "Awww!" What surprises me that so few seem to care. There were some genuine hugging going on between some Swiss and Albanian players after that match too. No comment about that from the commentators. Maybe I'm just too much of a "softie".

During the first matches I feel as if I'm still "getting to know" the teams & players. Each team has its own "feel" to me - due to the people making up the team and the way they play &c. At the moment I'm mostly choosing teams to cheer for based on whim - it's more fun to watch when one is cheering for someone. Oh, I'm glad Wales made it, as - since I don't watch league matches - this means I finally get to see Gareth Bale play.

You know what I'm talking about!!!

 

[Marta25]

Now, look at that! Russia shocking England.

 

[TMC]

I can't believe it!!! :hap93:

I actually predicted a 1-1 result! Only one other person (out of 20) in our wager predicted the same outcome

 

[TheGrandSophy]

I give up. We're incapable of starting the Euros with a win. They played well in the first half and the goal was good, but I can't help thinking that here we go again.