The football (soccer) thread

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Neither referee (both English) officiated well yesterday. The highlight of the France v Portugal borefest was when Michael Oliver all of a fluster dropped his yellow card on the pitch and a player gave it back as if booking him.

PD

[vandermolen]

It was unexpectedly gratifying to see England take their penalties so well.

Once again Stones gifted a goal to the opposition!

[Holden]

Ivan Toney's penalty taking is just so brutal - three steps and BANG!

[Madiel]

Ah well. Switzerland and Türkiye both deserve some kudos for not being passive about their fate. They were going for it.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I didn't catch this live but in replay.  From the commentators' perspective, they (the players) believed that due to the cheers from the crowd, England had beaten Switzerland in the Euros [happened in penalty kicks] and  Novak ended up kicking a tennis ball over the net to his opponent (like as in a penalty kick) with his opponent, Popyrin imitating a goalie.  https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/tennis/watch-novak-djokovic-hilariously-mimes-penalty-kick-as-his-wimbledon-3r-clash-interrupted-by-englands-euro-2024-qf-win-making-centre-court-erupt/ar-BB1pxslf

PD

[Irons]

I didn't catch this live but in replay.  From the commentators' perspective, they (the players) believed that due to the cheers from the crowd, England had beaten Switzerland in the Euros [happened in penalty kicks] and  Novak ended up kicking a tennis ball over the net to his opponent (like as in a penalty kick) with his opponent, Popyrin imitating a goalie.  https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/tennis/watch-novak-djokovic-hilariously-mimes-penalty-kick-as-his-wimbledon-3r-clash-interrupted-by-englands-euro-2024-qf-win-making-centre-court-erupt/ar-BB1pxslf

PD

Kudos to both players at Wimbledon. I would have expected them to be annoyed but they took the interruption in good humour.

[Madiel]

25 minutes in...

Well this IS fun. 

[Jo498]

by far the best half I have seen so far in this tournament.

[JBS]

A post I saw on Twitter pointed out that the semi-finals and finals matchups have taken on a 16/17th century Wars of Religion look, what with one semi-final being the Catholics and one semi-final being the Protestants.

[Papy Oli]

Never in doubt 

Really didn't deserve anything out of this. Too many approximations.

Maybe time for Deschamps to move on and freshen things up a bit.

Thank you for everything though

[Irons]

Never in doubt 

Really didn't deserve anything out of this. Too many approximations.

Maybe time for Deschamps to move on and freshen things up a bit.

Thank you for everything though

I thought the French did alright considering some of the criticism.

[Iota]

This is a nice story. Nobody knew and sixteen years later the coincidence emerges.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7206gj5w28o

[Papy Oli]

I thought the French did alright considering some of the criticism.

It wasn't as bad as initially dreaded but it was still very clunky and approximate. Dembélé couldn't put a proper cross in. Too many squandered chances.

[Jo498]

The early French goal was a bit lucky but they remained dangerous enough even after the 2:1 that the 2nd half was not completely boring. I still wonder if the increased pace and athletic abilities of the sport have sometimes the effect that after an exciting first half the teams are too tired in the second so not much happens or at least many imprecisions.
Both Spanish goals were fantastic, I think, candidated for goals of tournament.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

This is a nice story. Nobody knew and sixteen years later the coincidence emerges.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7206gj5w28o

What a cool story!  Must admit, I was surprised to read that the rules allow 16 year olds to be on the teams.

PD

[Irons]

What a cool story!  Must admit, I was surprised to read that the rules allow 16 year olds to be on the teams.

PD

My wife watching the game said the same. I gave her a quote - I think Sir Alex, "If you are good enough you are old enough".

[Pohjolas Daughter]

My wife watching the game said the same. I gave her a quote - I think Sir Alex, "If you are good enough you are old enough".

Remember though, that his body is still growing and developing--as well as his brain.   

PD

[Jo498]

16 is probably the minimum age. In individual sports rules used to be quite loose, there were 12-13 year old (female) swimmers in the 1950s and later gymnasts or figure skaters but I think later 16 was set as minimum age in many sports for the international "senior" events, maybe even 18 in some of them.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

16 is probably the minimum age. In individual sports rules used to be quite loose, there were 12-13 year old (female) swimmers in the 1950s and later gymnasts or figure skaters but I think later 16 was set as minimum age in many sports for the international "senior" events, maybe even 18 in some of them.

Tracy Austin (an American tennis player) won the US Open at age 16 (in singles).  I know that they have changed the rules over the years as to things like ages and how early and how many professional WTA tournaments girls are allowed to play in.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracy_Austin

In my earlier comment, I was thinking of football as a team sport with a lot of physical contact and that probably more players are stronger and more physically developed than a 16 year old.  Also of the mental stress/pressure that playing at an event like the Euros would put on someone so young.

PD

[Madiel]

And so the terrible Southgate takes England to the Euro final for a second time.

This being 2 more than any other England coach.