Enjoy, everyone!
(https://i.redd.it/rvl1yz942x311.jpg)
@Freya
Again, anyone who has spent time at TOS is use to the detractors on soccer, so nobody should let this type of conversation be seen as anything new. Just brush it off.
Enjoy, everyone!
(https://i.redd.it/rvl1yz942x311.jpg)
@Freya
So, @Suppressed , good if you think all of this is funny, again, most American fans have seen this kind of poking fun at the game and it's all in good fun anyway, at least, I'll say so.@TomSea
Moss: Did you see that ludicrous display last night?
Harry: What was Wenger thinking sending Walcott on that early?
Moss: Thing about Arsenal is, they always try and walk it in.
Leading off...
(https://i.imgur.com/qBRC5s0.jpg)
@TomSea
The IT Crowd is a UK show.
For L.A.'s Iranian American community, the World Cup means much more than soccer games
By Melissa Etehad
Jun 15, 2018 |
For many, the World Cup gives people a chance to sideline politics and unite under the feel-good umbrella of sports diplomacy.
In the current geopolitical climate, fat chance of that.
Read more at: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-iranian-americans-world-cup-20180615-story.html (http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-iranian-americans-world-cup-20180615-story.html)
GO IRAN!
000hehehehe
Actually, the Iran Football Team has many of the Shah's backers as fans.... so, when we see these teams, for me, it's not about the government behind them because it's not.
(https://www-cache.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/IranSoccerJan11.jpg)
Oh, and Iran almost scored there, they look to be the better team.
Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.
WOO-HOO! WTG!
Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.
WOO-HOO! WTG!
Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.
WOO-HOO! WTG!
I don't get it...How can they tie and still beat Argentina? @Suppressed
I admit I am a soccer illiterate and my consultant is unavailable. ^-^
Disclaimer...I usually root for the team with the cutest guys.I really don't see a whole team of lookers this year. :thud: :thud:
@berdie
It was a joke... Iceland scored it's first ever World Cup goal, and didn't lose to Argentinia, so that's quite a win!
Crap! Meh-Hee-Co beat Germany.
Kingpin Act designation
On 9 August 2017, it was reported that Márquez was among 22 people sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (also known as the "Kingpin Act") by the United States Treasury Department for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization allegedly headed by Raúl Flores Hernández,[65] a suspected drug trafficker with links to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.[66] He was placed on a Specially Designated Nationals List by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Nine businesses, including a soccer school and charitable foundation, were linked to Márquez by the OFAC. All 22 people were accused of providing support to, or being under the control of Flores Hernández.[67]
According to the OFAC, Márquez conducted money laundering by acting as a strawperson for Flores Hernández and his criminal organization. They alleged that Márquez used businessmen Mauricio Heredia Horner and Marco Antonio Fregoso González to act for or on his behalf. Márquez's assets "that are under U.S. jurisdiction or are in the control of U.S. persons" would be frozen.[66][67] The Mexican Attorney General's Office said in a statement that Márquez came voluntarily to their offices to provide a statement that same day.[68]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_M%C3%A1rquez#Kingpin_Act_designation
The Starostin brothers After 75 years, Russia has finally declassified a case against four soccer legends accused of plotting to assassinate Stalin
Kommersant
15:10, 21 june 2018
On June 20, the newspaper Kommersant published an article revealing new details about the criminal case against Nikolai Starostin, the founder of the Spartak Moscow soccer club, and his three brothers, who played on the team — all of whom were arrested in 1942. The Federal Security Service finally declassified the first two volumes of the case in June 2018, making the documents available to researchers. The rest of the case materials will be unsealed next year. The Soviet authorities tried to convict these brothers — now legends of Russian soccer — of plotting to assassinate Joseph Stalin at the 1937 May Day Parade in a series of terrorist attacks.
In 1935, Nikolai Starostin founded the “Spartak†sports society, modeled on the “Pischevik†soccer club. A year later, the first Soviet soccer championship took place, and Spartak instantly became one of the most popular teams in the country, catapulting its players to stardom.
In July 1937, Stalin summon Alexander Kosarev (the head of the Soviet All-Union Leninist Young Communist League) and asked for an update on the fight against “enemies of the people†within the Komsomol. Kosarev explained that his organization didn’t have any enemies of the people, but Stalin didn't like that answer, and a few days later he secretly ordered a “repression operation†against “anti-Soviet elements.†Police immediately started investigating the Staristin brothers, who were among Kosarev's closest friends.
Continued at: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2018/06/21/the-starostin-brothers
Switzerland, Serbia coaches don't want to talk about Kosovo
By MIKE CORDER | Associated Press
KALININGRAD, Russia – The coaches of Serbia and Switzerland only want to talk about football, not about an entrenched political dispute casting a shadow over their teams' World Cup showdown in Russia.
Tensions have been building in Serbia before the Group E match Friday in Kaliningrad. Not between Swiss and Serbian fans, but between Albanian and Serbian supporters.
That is because several players in the Swiss squad have Kosovo Albanian roots, including midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri who was born in Kosovo, the former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Serbia doesn't recognize Kosovo's independence and relations between the two countries remain tense.
Read more at: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/21/switzerland-serbia-coaches-dont-want-to-talk-about-kosovo.html (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/21/switzerland-serbia-coaches-dont-want-to-talk-about-kosovo.html)
After 40-Year Ban, Iranian Women Allowed To Watch World Cup With Men
Female soccer fans packed a stadium in Tehran on Wednesday after the de facto ban on their attendance was lifted.
By Nina Golgowski
(https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b2bfdc0200000f202b95185.jpeg?cache=qz9h3pjn0n&ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Women are seen attending a public World Cup viewing event inside Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Wednesday. It was the first time in nearly 40 years that women were allowed inside.
More with pictures: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/iranian-women-allowed-to-watch-world-cup_us_5b2be9efe4b00295f15a87f9 (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/iranian-women-allowed-to-watch-world-cup_us_5b2be9efe4b00295f15a87f9)
Saransk swells from building boom of World Cup proportions
By BRETT MARTEL | Associated Press
(http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/world/2018/06/22/saransk-swells-from-building-boom-world-cup-proportions/_jcr_content/par/featured-media/media-0.img.png/931/524/1529664739799.png?ve=1&tl=1)
SARANSK, Russia – Valerie Fayzullina expresses a hopeful sense of wonder as she stands near a wire sculpture of a soccer player, in the shadows of eight new apartment high-rises and a freshly finished stadium that will host stars as big as Cristiano Ronaldo this month.
Like many Saransk residents, Fayzullina was incredulous upon learning the World Cup was coming to her quiet, obscure community 400 miles east of Moscow in rolling hills where white puffs of pollen from poplar trees create the illusion of summer snow flurries.
More: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/22/saransk-swells-from-building-boom-world-cup-proportions.html (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/22/saransk-swells-from-building-boom-world-cup-proportions.html)
I’m rooting for England
I’m rooting for England
None of these teams should be looking beyond the semi-final. I think France is the "favorite" of the 4 teams....as I said, this is one final 4 where I like all of the teams. I know some don't like the over-the-top boisterousness of the British/English press. I've watched closely every World Cup since '86, so that is about 9 World Cups ago and that is a lot of English failure. That said, it would be great for Belgium to do well. And here, we are always hearing how Europe is going down the tubes, not with soccer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup)
That's a good point. Italy largely never took from a colonial past either,
That's a good point. Italy largely never took from a colonial past either, I guess Mario Balotelli's parents even came as refugees as Italy has plenty of. Even the German team this time, were mainly German, save for people like Ozil and Boateng and they were not really from a colonial past either.
Italy play too much gamesmanship and I despise that style. IMHO.
Not that Mussolini didn't try.
Italy "poached" players in Uruguay and Argentina, that is a bit different than taking from former colonized areas if that is the reference.Mussolini grabbed the North African countries of Libya and Ethiopia, basically wanted all the states on the Mediterranean.
I am happy for Croatia, it would be great for football if they went on to win it all....
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dh2jZgFUYAAQMpl.jpg)
President Trump with the Croatian President. Suck it, Macron!
The Euro (Cup) is in 2 years, 2020... not that long of a wait. So, we really have a major tournament every 2 years.
(link corrected)
NEWS 17 Jul 18
Nationalist Singer Joins Croatia Players at Homecoming Party
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/controversial-right-wring-singer-a-special-guest-of-croatian-footballers-07-17-2018 (http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/controversial-right-wring-singer-a-special-guest-of-croatian-footballers-07-17-2018)
Croatian fans form human swastika during soccer match
https://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Croation-fans-form-swastika-during-soccer-match (https://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Croation-fans-form-swastika-during-soccer-match)
I take it there were no riots in Croatia after the game?
Three of our kids were in Croatia when they won the semi-finals, and there was only happiness and cherry brandy. ^-^
Three of our kids were in Croatia when they won the semi-finals, and there was only happiness and cherry brandy. ^-^
Croatia is on our "must visit" list.
'Africa real' World Cup winners, says Venezuela's Maduro
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro believes Africa and not France are the true winners of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
France beat Croatia 4-2 in Sunday's final in Moscow, but with a team featuring number players of African heritage.
"The French team seems like the African team, in reality Africa won, the African immigrants who arrived in France," Maduro said at an event to celebrate police day in Venezuela on Monday.
Read more at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/africa-real-world-cup-winners-says-venezuelas-maduro/ar-AAAcMqD (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/africa-real-world-cup-winners-says-venezuelas-maduro/ar-AAAcMqD)
I take it there were no riots in Croatia after the game?
They lost. I take it there were no Neo-Nazis in Paris.
https://www.dentonrc.com/opinion/columnists/max-boot-i-hardly-questioned-american-exceptionalism-soccer-changed-that/article_820fa2dc-5aa6-590d-b0a2-93aab49c1ba4.html (https://www.dentonrc.com/opinion/columnists/max-boot-i-hardly-questioned-american-exceptionalism-soccer-changed-that/article_820fa2dc-5aa6-590d-b0a2-93aab49c1ba4.html)
Max Boot: I hardly questioned American exceptionalism. Soccer changed that.
Max Boot Syndicated Columnist
Mesut Ozil international retirement statement in full
Mark Jones
Mesut Ozil has released a remarkable 2,320-word statement confirming his retirement from international football and slamming the "racism and disrespect" he has suffered.
The Arsenal star was criticised for meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the World Cup, and then slammed for his performances in Russia as Germany went out in the group stages.
The 29-year-old released the statement in three separate tweets across the day on Sunday, and said that he couldn't bring himself to wear the Germany shirt any more.
Read more at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mesut-ozil-international-retirement-statement-12963681 (https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mesut-ozil-international-retirement-statement-12963681)