Something I've always liked about soccer that you don't have to be a freak of nature to be really good at it, unlike basketball or American football. Someone of my stature could still hang with the best in the world if they work hard. And have a lot more talent than me.
World cup football/soccer.
- Thread starter taffy
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Another short but great footballer was Ronaldinho. He was like a celestial nova, he shown brightly, in fact brighter than them all, but alas, not for long. A mentor of a young Messi while at Barcelona, that literally danced with the ball, while leaving defenders in disarray.
To me he did more to make the beautiful game beautiful than any footballer that I've had the joy to watch. And who couldn't love that smile!
To me he did more to make the beautiful game beautiful than any footballer that I've had the joy to watch. And who couldn't love that smile!
Fundamentally, though, football is not a non-contact sport, and from youth level the big kids will dominate unless you are a small kid with exceptional skill (and even then your legs are going to look like kicking posts, if they even still work by the time you are 20).
I have a good friend, for example, who represented England at school level and he is above average height, but when he then joined a football academy and had club trials he found he was just unable to compete with the really big kids who were much less skilled but played a physical game. They would just barge or kick him off the ball, or he would be so injured by fouls that he couldn’t play. In the end his legs became too damaged to continue with the sport at any competitive level.
Any small player who makes it as a professional is a special and a rare talent. If, somehow, they can become professional and then get to elite level, then their skills become more important again. Unfortunately, like in many sports, professional football below elite level has very little to do with skill on the ball. Unless you are really special, and you also find a way to avoid the bad tackles and protect yourself on the pitch, you won’t make it.
It may differ a lot between countries, but the English leagues are filled with big players who know how to tackle hard, barge players off the ball or out of position, and foul ‘professionally’, but they can barely kick a ball with any control at all. That’s the professional game.
I have a good friend, for example, who represented England at school level and he is above average height, but when he then joined a football academy and had club trials he found he was just unable to compete with the really big kids who were much less skilled but played a physical game. They would just barge or kick him off the ball, or he would be so injured by fouls that he couldn’t play. In the end his legs became too damaged to continue with the sport at any competitive level.
Any small player who makes it as a professional is a special and a rare talent. If, somehow, they can become professional and then get to elite level, then their skills become more important again. Unfortunately, like in many sports, professional football below elite level has very little to do with skill on the ball. Unless you are really special, and you also find a way to avoid the bad tackles and protect yourself on the pitch, you won’t make it.
It may differ a lot between countries, but the English leagues are filled with big players who know how to tackle hard, barge players off the ball or out of position, and foul ‘professionally’, but they can barely kick a ball with any control at all. That’s the professional game.
Certainly great! He wasn’t that short though...(?)
[Edit - Wikipedia informs me 6 foot, so I’m calling him ‘tall’. Good coupla inches on me anyway!]
I hadn't been as impressed as some with Morocco, but they deserved better today. Great game, Morocco had some good chances and deserved an equalizer before France put it away.
Should be an epic final on Sunday.
Should be an epic final on Sunday.
And several of the great modern players facing off, as the world cup final ought to have. There were some surprises and disappointments along the way, but we ended up with a final that should be worthy of the competition.
And all of the top four goalscorers of the tournament are in the final - two on each side (Mbappe 5, Messi 5, Giroud 4, Alvarez 4).
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- #207
I think the best thing that happened in today's game was for France to score early, as it made Morocco push for a goal instead of their usual defence minded game. I have to give them credit as they played really well.
Should be a good final and as I predicted France from the start I am going to support them.
Should be a good final and as I predicted France from the start I am going to support them.
Vive la France!
Argentina will be extremely encouraged by that game this evening. To say France have looked 'fragile' in their last couple of matches would be something of an understatement.
You're absolutely right, he wasn't as short as I remember him. Maybe because he seemed too agile for a tall man. Or most likely it's just due to my aging memory.
Our sheer expertise and understanding of the international game is beyond question I think.
Vamos...
Sterling effort by Morocco to make it a great semi final; better finishing would have got them a goal.
It should be a good final between France vs Argentina.
It should be a good final between France vs Argentina.
Croatia played well to take 3rd place but 4th place for Morocca was a good result in the World Cup too.
I think France may edge Argentina in the final and I am looking fortward to a good game.
I think France may edge Argentina in the final and I am looking fortward to a good game.
I really hope you are wrong! I'm back in Argentina for Christmas and it would be truly amazing if we can win this one. France already had it last time around, they shouldn't be so greedy
Allez Lee Bleus! But full respect for that 2nd Argentine goal, especially - a thing of beauty.
Fun fact: my home town of Philadelphia has been described as being as if Ireland & Italy had a kid. So, when I speak Spanish, it's w/a bit of an Italian accent. Therefore, people say I speak like I'm from Argentina!
-Z
Fun fact: my home town of Philadelphia has been described as being as if Ireland & Italy had a kid. So, when I speak Spanish, it's w/a bit of an Italian accent. Therefore, people say I speak like I'm from Argentina!
-Z
Wow, just wow, what a play that was
The game still has regulation, plus extra time left- and it's already been everything advertised. Not wide open- TIGHT. Tense.
-Z
-Z
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- #218
France are awful so far.
Took the French almost 80 minutes to show up to the final.
!!!!!!!!!!!!
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