UEFA Euro 2016

[HVC]

I don't really think Payet's foul was that bad, a free kick could've been called, but his attack on Ronaldo was legitimate even if it was hard, he went for the ball and Ronaldo was slow to protect it.

france spent the first few minutes running everyone over. Did he intentionally tkae out his knee? I don't think so. Was he trying to rough up Ronaldo? Of course he was. Injuring him with a "clean" hit and no booking was just a bonus.

[clandestino]

Até que enfim! Foi quase em casa : 1 millhão e picos de Portugueses, luso-descendentes, bi-nacionais etc. e perto de Paris e Île-de-France, antigamente terceira cidade de Portugal

, é verdade, esta também é uma grande vitória de todos os portugueses que, "aí fora", continuam com Portugal no coração!

Um grande abraço e desejos de óptimos festejos e em paz!

[The Larch]

Also I'm glad Evra didn't win, I really hate that shithead

You won't see him anymore. He was the leader of the Knysna bus strike and he's 35.

Knysna bus strike?

[Duque de Bragança]

International finals are more often than not pretty dreary affairs. The pity is this one comes on the back of a pretty boring tournament. Only memorable thing from this Euro has been Iceland's giantkilling imho.

Yes, this will be remembered as the tournament where small teams exceded expectations and big teams were rather underhelming.

Plus the end of the curses: Germany losing against Italy, France losing in semi-finals against Germany, Portugal losing against France. Last but not least, winning an international tournament, at long last, icing on the cake.

[HVC]

Also I'm glad Evra didn't win, I really hate that shithead

You won't see him anymore. He was the leader of the Knysna bus strike and he's 35.

Knysna bus strike?

he started the training strike, didn't he? Don't know how you make it back in the international team after that.

[Duque de Bragança]

Also I'm glad Evra didn't win, I really hate that shithead

You won't see him anymore. He was the leader of the Knysna bus strike and he's 35.

Knysna bus strike?

he started the training strike, didn't he? Don't know how you make it back in the international team after that.

One of the leaders, the others are gone though.

[Duque de Bragança]

Até que enfim! Foi quase em casa : 1 millhão e picos de Portugueses, luso-descendentes, bi-nacionais etc. e perto de Paris e Île-de-France, antigamente terceira cidade de Portugal

, é verdade, esta também é uma grande vitória de todos os portugueses que, "aí fora", continuam com Portugal no coração!

Um grande abraço e desejos de óptimos festejos e em paz!

Champagne !

[Maladict]

Congrats Portugal, I'm glad at least it didn't go to penalties.

 
You almost finished the tournament with butt hurt status! (lost it 110' to be precise).

I didn't want either team to win at the end, which is as close as I'll ever come to supporting Portugal 

[The Larch]

Also I'm glad Evra didn't win, I really hate that shithead

You won't see him anymore. He was the leader of the Knysna bus strike and he's 35.

Knysna bus strike?

he started the training strike, didn't he? Don't know how you make it back in the international team after that.

One of the leaders, the others are gone though.

But what was that? Never heard of it.

[Duque de Bragança]

Congrats Portugal, I'm glad at least it didn't go to penalties.

 
You almost finished the tournament with butt hurt status! (lost it 110' to be precise).

I didn't want either team to win at the end, which is as close as I'll ever come to supporting Portugal 

Well, neutral to this point is not exactly butt hurt but that's dangerously close, be careful! 

[Duque de Bragança]

You probably heard of it back then. It's called strike mostly in the French press "grève du bus" because they would not leave the bus.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/20/france-raymond-domenech-nicolas-anelka

Raymond Domenech suffered the ultimate humiliation at the hands of his players as strikes, rows, resignations and recriminations left the French in disarray on one of the darkest days in the country's football history.

Domenech's impotence was laid bare in extraordinary fashion after his players refused to train at their scheduled afternoon session, in protest at the French Football Federation's decision to send home Nicolas Anelka. The Chelsea striker argued with Domenech in the dressing room at half-time in last Thursday's Group A defeat by Mexico, reportedly saying to him: "Go fuck yourself, you son of a whore." After he refused to apologise to Domenech, the FFF expelled him from the squad.

In front of hundreds of fans at what was an open session in Knysna, France's players began by signing autographs. But once on the pitch, the captain, Patrice Evra, had a row with Robert Duverne, the fitness coach, which resulted in the latter storming off and the players withdrawing to the team bus and pulling shut the curtains. Domenech had to separate Evra and Duverne.

Evra, who had earlier stayed on the bus to talk to Domenech, was seen with a letter, which turned out to be a statement from the players. Incredibly, it fell to Domenech to read it out. The coach seemed to be caught between a rock and a hard place and the scene was described by some commentators as the most unbelievable in the history of Les Bleus.
"All the players without exception want to declare their opposition to the decision taken by the FFF to exclude Nicolas Anelka from the squad," Domenech read. "At the request of the squad, the player in question attempted to have dialogue but his approach was ignored. The FFF has at no time tried to protect the squad. It has made a decision [to send Anelka home] without consulting all the players, on the basis of the facts reported by the press."

The France team director, Jean-Louis Valentin, resigned. "It's a scandal for the French, for the young people here, for the federation and the French team," he said. "They don't want to train. It's unacceptable. As for me, it's over. I'm leaving the federation. I'm sickened and disgusted."

The FFF hit back at the players in a statement that said their actions were "unacceptable". It read: "Contrary to what the players said, this sanction [of Anelka] was taken following a long conversation with the person in the presence of the captain. The FFF apologise to the country for the unacceptable conduct of the players that are representing our country. A federal council shall be convened immediately on the completion of the French team's campaign to draw all the conclusions of the crisis that has been created."

France intend to train tomorrow , most likely behind closed doors, ahead of Tuesday's game against South Africa, in which the players intend to "ensure that France regains its honour". It is unclear whether Domenech will give the team talk. After drawing with Uruguay and losing to Mexico, France need a handsome victory coupled with a favourable result in the Uruguay's match against Mexico if they are to advance to the last 16.

Evra had earlier railed against the "traitor" in the squad's midst, "who told the press what was said" at half-time against Mexico. Duverne denied he was to blame. "I talked to Raymond Domenech on behalf of the players [after the dressing-room row], including Patrice Evra," he said. "I have children and I don't want to be sullied by rumours that I am the traitor." Evra later said that Duverne was not to blame.

Of his argument with Evra, Duverne said: "Patrice Evra came to tell me that the players were not going to participate in training. I was angry because we play a big game in two days and we have no right to destroy our last chance. We are in a difficult situation but it is not impossible."

Domenech had said that he had "left open the possibility" for Anelka to apologise but the player was not prepared to do so. "The decision to exclude him, then, was the right one," Domenech said earlier in the day. "I am sorry for the children for whom the French team represents something. Anelka does not have the right to say such things."

There is widespread anger in France and the day's events not only highlighted the divisions between the FFF and Domenech and the players respectively but they brought to a head the tensions that have dogged the set-up in recent weeks. Domenech, who has been accused of bizarre decision-making, has alienated many players, including Thierry Henry, William Gallas, Florent Malouda and Anelka, and there are clashes between individual members of the squad. Domenech will leave his post after the World Cup, to be replaced by Laurent Blanc.

[clandestino]

Eager to look at the images in Dili after todays victory!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1IrTnrTuyg

This was after the semi final win against Wales. It was around 6 AM there.

[The Larch]

You probably heard of it back then. It's called strike mostly in the French press "grève du bus" because they would not leave the bus.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/20/france-raymond-domenech-nicolas-anelka

Ah, I knew there had been trouble with Domenech at the 2010 Euro but didn't know or recall the details. Was him the one who picked his players according to their astrological sign?

[Duque de Bragança]

Yep. 

[Ed Anger]

Booooooooooooooo