[raydan]

FIFA ranking of teams going to semi final round...

3 - Belgium
7 - France
12 - England
20 - Croatia

I wonder... when was the last time there were no Spanish or Portuguese speaking teams in the semi finals? I went back to 1998 without finding one.

[xerxes]

A long time. The fact that there is no Germany, Argentina, Spain or Portugal is in the final four is unprecedented.

[Jabberwalker]

England winning!

It's a portent of the Apocalypse!

[Sunnyways]

Since 1934, only the Big Four - Brazil, Germany, Italy and Argentina - have won multiple World Cups. Uruguay, England, France and Spain have each won one since then and Uruguay won the first one as well. In the post-war 20’th century, the competition was dominated by those four teams with the Dutch getting to the finals twice in the Seventies. Things changed with France’s win in 1998 and it’s been a much more open affair ever since.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup

[peck420]

[Sunnyways]

A close game today but the better team won when they eventually got going. Let’s hope they have a little more gas in the tank for the final.

[xerxes]

Indeed. The last two games now, Croatia seems to find another gear to pull themselves through. I hope they win it now.

[Sunnyways]

France are heavily favoured:

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/world- ... edictions/

But I’m rooting for the Vatreni.

[raydan]

I was kinda hoping that Croatia would win, but I'm not surprised that France is up 4-2.

[xerxes]

Same. I wanted Croatia to win but France kept their nerve when it mattered the most. Allez les Blues.

[Sunnyways]

Well done, both teams - three good goals and three odd ones. At least we were spared another scoreless, or 1-0, borefest.

[martin14]

'I am German when we win, but an immigrant when we lose': Germany star Mesut Ozil QUITS international football with astonishing blast at their FA after row about his Turkish roots

Mesut Ozil has penned an explosive open letter announcing Germany retirement
Ozil claimed he had been made a scapegoat and victim of political propaganda
The Arsenal playmaker was part of the 2014 World Cup winning side in Brazil


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... y-row.html





Yes yes, my President.

[X08]

France got golden game of glory. England get to bronze.