France Fans: Where Were You a Year Ago Today?

I spent the morning strolling around Berlin watching the French and Italian fans invade the city. I liveblogged the game and then immediately did an interview with NPR. I then drank myself into oblivion, woke up a few weeks later and started The Offside.

Good memories. Although it didn’t end the way France fans wanted it to, the final itself was entertaining and relatively well played until, well, you know when.

I was with friends on a highrise dorm lounge, my being the only one rooting for Italy. I respected Zidane.. and after watching that video I still admire him. But despite what my American friends thought was “cool” or “awesome,” I was so immensely sad at what he did. He is such a role model and there were so many people watching that day.. Yes the words hurt, but the violence was worse. He deserved a better end to his career.

Ugh, Materazzi.

I was at home with my parents and sister that day.

Such a sad day. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so emotional over a sporting incident as I was over the headbutt. Not even when Kristi Yamaguchi got a gold medal, and she was my childhood hero.

I also remember being very pissed at Barthez for some reason. Maybe because he wasn’t Coupet.

I was at home that day.
I remember…

*Watching the BBC countdown commentary on their site before switching on the telly.

*The gutsiest penalty ever taken.

*Wondering why France weren’t awarded a second penalty when Zambrotta brought down Malouda (again!) in the box during the second half.

*Henry dribbling and stumbling his way past multiple Italian defenders into the box before his centered ball was deflected out for a corner. And how he made the thrusting motion with his hands afterwards.

*The two close chances Les Bleus had in extra time.

*Ribery’s rolling shot, which missed both Buffon’s outstretched gloves and the post – by inches.

*Zidane’s last header, that buildup move leading to Willy Sagnol’s cross into the box, which Zizou magnificently headed above Gigi Buffon, only to have it pushed over the bar at the last second. I’ve always wondered what would of happened if he had headed it downward to the side of Buffon, or forwards for Trezeguet to latch on to.

*Crying when he got sent off.

*And I felt so bad for Barthez at the end, when he just sat down against the goal post with that look on his face.

We started the party at 10 a.m. Florida time, drinking champagne & eating a variety of French delicacies. We were going to celebrate, no matter who won that day. Of course, we were very sad after Zidane sent off. We still love our French heros. Thank you, Merci, Obrigado, Gracias.

I join my friend, Wushugene, in his sentiments. Indeed, the piss-ass-poor Argentine referee couldn’t tell his dick from his labia. All those transgressions the Italian playboys made, i.e. Henry gets brained in opening 4 minutes, Malouda gets balled during his amazing/commanding second half performance. And no extra penalties? God knows the score should have been 4-1, France’s favor. I too have often wondered what would have happened if only Zizou (the Demi-God or ‘He-who-should-be-named’) had kept his cool and played a few more minutes. Surely the Maestro could easily have orchestrated a similar header, but to the side?!

I wonder that the referee didn’t realize that Zizou was merely saving Materazzi’s life: kitten sniper episode? Hello! Wake-up people! Zizou was an innocent hero miscast as an evildoer and spun up by the Italian gay-ass media as a terrorist.

The implications?
France are the champions of cup de monde 2006.

I remember I was up at math camp in Ohio watching the finals with math people.

I remember Zidane’s brilliant penalty–truly class.

I recall Malouda blitzing into the penalty area time and time again–he really did take over the game.

I also recall (rather disappointingly) that my hero Zidane was always robbed of the ball, it was not a very good game for him, he was always dispossessed–nothing like his performance against Brazil.

I recall how Buffon failed to dive in the right direction–he would always get fooled the other way while Barthez always tried to block the penalty at least in the right direction, there was only one instance in which he didn’t go either way and just sort of stayed where he was hoping the ball would be blasted down the middle when it actually was shot to the left…but in any case, I thought Barthez outplayed Buffon in the p.s.o. too bad Treze-goal missed…

Didn’t know where else to post this, but Materazzi is waiting to meet up with the EDF this September.

I remember that the sky over Berlin was “azzurro”

I was in Lille, for my godson’s baptism. I was so sad that was the same days, a little bit like you and your wedding, Laurie. I had to go home, in Lyon. My reckoning was done, I should arrive in Lyon 15 minutes before the beginning of the match… And because I’m “mister unluck”, the train had problems before departure… 1 hour late !!! I had to listen the beginning of the match with my walkman, hearing two words every 2 minutes because of the difficulties to get radio in such a speed train… I didn’t see the two goals (I’m still crying about that), just heard the first, for France. I told it to other passagers in the train !
And then, after (AT LAST) arriving in Lyon, I went to place Bellecour (bigger place in Lyon), to see the match with all lyonnais. I think we were 15 000. That was such an ambiance… until the point you know.
I remember felling like U, Laurie, when I see Zizou doing that to Evil-Materazzi. I was my self knock out !
I guess Zizou had an angel on his right shoulder, and a devil on the other one… But too much people in Arena Stadium this evening. The little voice of the angel wasn’t loud enough…
When Grosso shot the last goal, I went home. Alone. I didn’t speak to anybody during two hours, just thinking of what happenned, with the sadness of a kid which didn’t have the christmas present he was so hoping for…
Sad day in our life. But that’s football’s rule. We have to accept that.

No link with the subject : Laurie, the tickets for France Ecosse are on now sell on ticketnet

i remember it quite differently wushugene. Even though I’m a true France fan I’m not blind.
I remember Henry running into Carnavarro, it didn’t look like there was intent there at all.
I remember Malouda being awarded a penalty in the first half that shouldn’t have been and not being awarded a penalty in the second half (so we’re even). I remember Zidane almost missed that penalty (not gutsy, just stupid in my eyes) I remember we didn’t have many chances in the first half and we were lucky that Toni hit the post and that his goal was called offside in the beginning of the second half. I remember France really started playing in the second half and the best chances we had were the Ribery shot and the Zidane header. The Zidane headbutt I chose to forget because the whole thng is soooo played. Finally, I remember losing in a penalty shoot-out which I guess in a way evens things out because let us not forget that We beat Italy in the exact same way in 1998 (DiBiaggio hits the post and France wins) Stop being gay about it and accept that France just wasn’t meant to win this one. When I watch the game now I think it was well played and exciting with all the elements of a good final except that the outcome wasn’t in our favour. The italians exploited our weakneses and roughed us up a little, who cares, that’s part of the game, it’s football not ballet. I love les bleus but I don’t make stupid excuses for losing because that’s just childish. There is still alot of Talent on this team, let us look toward the Euros. Allez!

“Laurie, the tickets for France Ecosse are on now sell on ticketnet.”

I know!!! I still need to work out details, but I think I’m going!!

I remember being so dissapointed with such a shitty final after such a good tournament. Honestly the final game was the worst of all the games last world cup. France barely made it out of their qualifying group and some how made it to the final. thanks to henry and his theatrics against spain. and no one wants italy to do well, unless you’re itailian. so that sucked too. two teams that didnt deserve to be there. and the only reason they were there was because of retarted officiating in games previous.

Didn’t deserve to be there..that’s hilarious. It has nothing to do with deserving anything. You use your strengths and expoit your characteristics to overcome adversity. The team that does this best gets to the final..I’m tired of this deserving bullshit. Take Germany as an example every year they made it to the final they weren’t the best team in the tournament but they were able to use their strength (penalty kicks) and tactics to gain the advantage, they do it best. It’s not about who deserves it, it’s about who wants it more…There will always be bad officiating, it’s part of the drama. I always said if you can’t handle bad officiating you shouldn’t watch this sport or any sport for that matter.

Francois, I liked your evenhanded, reasonable post.

I remember many things, several already listed.

I remember Cannavaro’s typically brutal tackle against Henry (and I do think it was deliberate, there’s a youtube video of it from a close-up angle that I’ve watched several times and it looks very deliberate — Henry was looking the other way) 5 minutes into the game. Right then and there I thought “ah, here we go, of course.” It was an opening signature for the Italian approach to the game — a reliance on brutal stuff from them (tho I know France got in some of theirs too).

I remember Zidane heroically staying on the pitch even tho he was injured, and had asked to be subbed. I remember seeing Henry, Vieira, Thuram, Ribery all leave the pitch, leaving only him.

I remember Henry’s intense hand gestures to himself after his incredible run.

I remember feeling incredibly frustrated at Domenech’s refusal to take a risk and change his approach to break down Italy — Lippi had done just that against Germany. I still say the 06 tournament was all about the managers and Lippi was by far the better one.

I remember thinking “well, this Italian victory matches the trend in this tournament’s final games: they were nearly all revenge matches.” Germany v. Italy, Brazil v. France, France v. Italy — and that for the first time in years, Italy finally beat France. Tho, it must be said, Italy still hasn’t beaten France in open play.

I too remember how the great, faultless Buffon was actually pretty poor during the penalty kicks and that Barthez was actually better in his dives for the ball.

And of course I remember zizou and how I–along with 3 of my friends–felt the tournament ended right there as he walked off the pitch. Nothing else mattered.

For me, the game ended right there. There was nothing after that. There was no victory — the 2006 wc ended with zizou walking off.

And skillz, it’s laughable for you to say that the 2006 wc was great except the final. The 2006 wc is considered by many fans and pundits to be mediocre, with only a few memorable games and individual performances. It wasn’t a very good tournament at all for those of us who’ve watched these things for years.

And azzuro, this is a discussion for France fans. You seem to be one of these obsesseive France haters who’s more motivated by your hatred of one team more than your love for your own.

the first game between germany and costa rica destroyed the final game.

No it didn’t. I would agree with you had costa rica won. I don’t really know many people who actually root for Germany to win. They are as dirty a team as they come. That is my opinion after watching them for so many years.