What a terrible show of football. FIFA, France, Italy and the Ref should all be very ashamed. That was a horrendous game. From France's PK off a dive (way to call that situation happening England fans) to the replay red card on Zidane (don't get me wrong that was a red card but FIFA has refused instant replay for years and the only way the ref saw it was the screen). I hope some people saw my argument for Italy diving, France did their fair share too. Was it ever called? Nope. I vote the 3rd place match becomes the World Cup match, atleast they played respectable soccer. (excepting ronaldo's acting, that was expected)
On the issue of PK's, I completely changed my mind. That was ridiculous to see a game come down to 1 shot off the crossbar.
Italy wasn't winning. In fact, they were outplayed for the majority of the overtime (and the game for that matter). That was completely out of character for Zidane and I still can't understand why he would do something like that.
Apart from one of Ronaldo's blatent dives, of course!
I reckon France were on top at that point.
It does seem strange, cos they were smiling a moment before. But he had to go regardless of the why.
Still, Zidane had already headbutted somebody in a previous match, and should've been serving a ban anyway.
I didn't see it like that - the attacker was through and the defender knocked one leg onto the back of the other so he fell over. That's called a trip.
Nonsense. It was one of the most dramatic WC finals I have seen. They are usually either dull anti-climaxes or else one-sided processions. This was neither.
It was a penalty. Matterazzi was all over the place, and although he tried at the last moment to pull out of the tackle he clipped Malouda. Actually, I don't recall any blatant dives at all in the final, and the referee always looked in control. If he sent Zidane off based on the video replay then that is technically wrong, but you can't argue that ZZ didn't deserve to go. The ref's only big mistake was not giving France a second penalty for the foul on Malouda by Zambrotta. He may have had a bad angle, I'm not sure, but if he'd seen it properly then it was a stonewall penalty.
The third-place playoff is a non-event that only happens because FIFA insists upon it. If the players relax and play well because the pressure is off then you might get an entertaining match, but usually it's a dull game between two sides whose tournaments are over and who just want to go home.
I agree. They should have a replay for the final like they used to.
It was absolute madness. Such a pity that one of the greatest players the game has seen ended his career on a sour note like that. And it wasn't even a very good headbutt.
I didn't bother watching it, but I agree that you can never see Portugal lose often enough. After their antics in the QF and SF they have gone to the very top of my football hate list. I can't wait to see Conaldo playing back over here next season - that should be a laugh!