World football thread.

[harrybarracuda]

Dortmund 0-1 Bayern

That pretty much gives them their 127th consecutive title.

It will be their 30th and 8th in a row.

Way behind Rangers 54.

[hallelujah]

More football coming back soon.

La Liga starts next Thursday with the Seville derby and Serie A kicks off again on the 20th.

[helge]

Just saw this old thing

First world cup for me. Chewed gum all summer and spend every penny I had on Football Cards

[hallelujah]

Just saw this old thing

First world cup for me. Chewed gum all summer and spend every penny I had on Football Cards

Bit of a shit World Cup for your first one, unfortunately. Then again, not that many are very good these days.

[helge]

So rank them

I didn't watch 1970, cause my father didn't allow a TV inside his house.

Clever guy actually

[hallelujah]

So rank them

I didn't watch 1970, cause my father didn't allow a TV inside his house.

Clever guy actually

The first I can remember is 86, so I'm not able to comment on the much vaunted classics of the 70s.

I enjoyed 86, 90 (largely because England did well and it was a good summer at home), 98 and 2018, but I'm not sure what order I'd put them in. Maybe 2014 could go in there too, but 2002, 2006 and 2010 were awful.

Decent read here: Which is the best World Cup ever? Rating contenders from 1954 to 2014 | Football | The Guardian

[helge]

I enjoyed 86

One of the brightest and the darkest chapter in danish football.

Do you know the term "a Jesper Olsen" ?

Will stick to him for a while


The 2014 final was .........great

I can't stand David Luiz

[hallelujah]

One of the brightest and the darkest chapter in danish football.

Do you know the term "a Jesper Olsen" ?

No, but he was my hero as a kid playing for United! What's the story?

That Danish team had some fantastic players and I used to pretend to be Preben Elkjaer in the park with my mates.

Danish Dynamite!

[helge]

No, but he was my hero as a kid playing for United!

We'll let it rest then

( he gave a goal away and the team lost it and lost it big )

We lost to Spain (like in 84) after doing Scotland Uruguay and Germany.

Fun while it lasted.
I worked in Norway and had A LOT of free beer

[hallelujah]

We'll let it rest then

( he gave a goal away and the team lost it and lost it big )

We lost to Spain (like in 84) after doing Scotland Uruguay and Germany.

Fun while it lasted.
I worked in Norway and had A LOT of free beer

Sorry, but was it the one where you got beat 5-1 or 6-0 or something? It vaguely rings a bell...

[helge]

5-1 or 6-0

Wasn't 6-0

[Dillinger]

I used to pretend to be Preben Elkjaer in the park with my mates.

WTF?

You were that terrible at heads and volleys you pretended you'd been out drinking and fucking in Scandanavia
the night before, whilst running around stinking of stale fags?

Elkjær was a heavy smoker and renowned for nights out prior to big games. For Laudrup’s mastery of the ball, which almost appeared to be a pre-programmed concept, Elkjær often struck the image of a man trying to control a small and excitable dog beneath his feet, as he swept past all-comers with an unorthodox beauty.

[hallelujah]

WTF?

You were that terrible at heads and volleys you pretended you'd been out drinking and fucking in Scandanavia
the night before, whilst running around stinking of stale fags?

No Bryan Robson, Ian Rush or Gary Lineker for me when we were having a kickabout after school. Preben Elkjaer, Jesper Olsen or Michael Laudrup it was. I was over the moon when United signed another Dane in John Sivebaek in 1986.

I even told people I had Danish great grandparents AND (fate, this is) drew Denmark out of the hat in our school's mock 1986 World Cup, which I went on to win as captain!



At that age, I can't even claim that it was the "alternative movies" that drew me to the country.

[Dillinger]

No Bryan Robson, Ian Rush or Gary Lineker for me when we were having a kickabout after school. Preben Elkjaer, Jesper Olsen or Michael Laudrup it was. I was over the moon when United signed another Dane in John Sivebaek in 1986.

I even told people I had Danish great grandparents AND (fate, this is) drew Denmark out of the hat in our school's mock 1986 World Cup, which I went on to win as captain!

You horrible treacherous fuck

[hallelujah]

You horrible treacherous fuck

I grew out of it.


Around my 35th birthday or so.

[PAG]

For me Bobby Charlton, George Best, Denis Law, Nobby Stiles, Eusebio, Pele, and Lev Yasin.

[helge]

I went on to win as captain!

Yeah !

I grew out of it.

Oh

For me

Gordon Banks

[OhOh]

Spain and Real Madrid legend Casillas retires


"MADRID - Spain's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Iker Casillas announced his retirement on Tuesday, after being sidelined for more than a year with a heart problem.

Casillas, 39, also won the European Championship twice with his country in a trophy-laden career which included more than 700 games for Real Madrid.

"Today is both one of the most important and most difficult days of my sporting life, the time to say goodbye has arrived," he said on Twitter.

Casillas joined Portuguese side Porto in 2015 after a tearful departure from Madrid. He suffered a heart attack in May last year.

He played 167 times for Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup and the Euros in 2008 and 2012 in a golden age for Spanish football.

He lifted five La Liga titles and the Champions League on three occasions during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"The best goalkeeper in the history of Real Madrid and Spanish football joined us at the age of 9. He was formed here and defended our shirt for 25 years, becoming one of our most emblematic captains of all time," the club said in a statement.

"Today one of the most important footballers in our 118 years of history calls it a day as a professional player, a player we love and admire, a goalkeeper who has made the Real Madrid legacy bigger with his work and exemplary behaviour both on and off the pitch," they added.

Former club and country team-mate Sergio Ramos was among many players to praise the veteran, nicknamed 'The Saint', on social media.

"Football thanks you, man. Forever a legend @IkerCasillas," Ramos tweeted.

Ex-Spain and Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta followed suit.
"
All the best for you and your family in this new stage that will be presented in your life", he tweeted.

Madrid's current goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also showed his appreciation for Casillas.

"Idol, companion, rival, reference... you are exemplary in many facets, but the main one in being a great person!! Congratulations on the road @IkerCasillas and thank you for everything!!" he posted on Twitter."

Spain and Real Madrid legend Casillas retires - Chinadaily.com.cn

[Edmond]

Presumed he retired a few years ago, not long after his move from Madrid.

Great keeper in his younger days, came in as an 18 yr old to replace an injured Bodo illgner at the start of the season, kept his place and shed a few tears when lifting the European Cup at the end of the season, 4 days after his 19th birthday.


At least his fall from grace came a little later than De Gea's is.

[armstrong]

A heart attack at 39 is a bit worrying.

I mean I'm 37 but probably don't do as much exercise as him...

[harrybarracuda]

A heart attack at 39 is a bit worrying.

I mean I'm 37 but probably don't do as much exercise as him...

I once donated blood (had all the basic food groups: Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine and Fat) for a triple bypass for a 44 year old colleague who never smoked or drank and cycled 5km to work every day. He lost three brothers to heart attacks.

Cardiovascular diseases can be very much congenital.

[Chittychangchang]

Manchester City beat Real Madrid 4-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League quarter-finalsThe line-up for the Champions League 'final eight' tournament in Lisbon is complete after wins for Barcelona and Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Manchester City are the only Premier League side left in the competition and they play Lyon on Saturday, 15 August.
The opening game of the round sees Atalanta take on Paris St-Germain, before RB Leipzig face Atletico Madrid the following day.
Barcelona and Bayern Munich meet for a place in the semi-finals next Friday.
The remainder of the Champions League is being played in a single-leg format, with all games taking place in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon.
It all culminates with the final on 23 August.
Istanbul, originally appointed to stage the 2020 final, will now host the 2021 final.

Champions League schedule
12 August (20:00 BST)	Atalanta v Paris St-Germain (Estadio da Luz, Lisbon)
13 August (20:00 BST)	RB Leipzig v Atletico Madrid (Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon)
14 August (20:00 BST)	Barcelona v Bayern Munich (Estadio da Luz, Lisbon)
15 August (20:00 BST)	Manchester City v Lyon (Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon)
18 August	Semi-final
19 August	Semi-final
23 August	Final

[Edmond]

So a PSG/Athletico v Barca/Munich final, then.

[Edmond]

Pirlo in as manager of Juve.


Wish he wasn't.


Gonna be disappointing to see such a brilliant man fired when he inevitably doesn't win for 3 games in a row.

[cyrille]

Yeah that's a strange one.

Appointed U-23s manager a couple of days ago, then...