Euro 2020/2021

[Duque de Bragança]

England has been cheating for a long time (1966), but also Germany (1954 or 1974 schwalbe) or France for that matter. Calling Italy master of the Dark arts is so tabloid-like.

Most teams try it, but the really big ones get away with it.

[HVC]

yeah, re-writing history to make England the hard done by squeaky clean underdogs is disingenuous at the very least.

[Zanza]

I dislike the Italian team since they beat Germany in the 2006 world cup.

That said, I hope they beat England. The English fans are just too unsympathetic.

Edit: Used obnoxious first, but that's too strong.

[Valmy]

England has been cheating for a long time (1966), but also Germany (1954 or 1974 schwalbe) or France for that matter. Calling Italy master of the Dark arts is so tabloid-like.

Most teams try it, but the really big ones get away with it.

If you are not trying to cheat do you really want to win though?

[Valmy]

Love this - think it manages to cover all bases:
https://stancross.substack.com/p/supporting-the-english

I don't care who wins because both England and Italy are not France.

[Threviel]

I dislike the Italian team since they beat Germany in the 2006 world cup.

That said, I hope they beat England. The English fans are just too unsympathetic.

Edit: Used obnoxious first, but that's too strong.

That's funny, that's the tournament that made me like them, they were playing very much against type and were sportsmanlike and behaved decently.

[Valmy]

I hated Italy so much in the 2006 World Cup I wanted to headbutt them. Unfortunately I was not alone in that desire.

[crazy canuck]

I hated Italy so much in the 2006 World Cup I wanted to headbutt them. Unfortunately I was not alone in that desire.

[crazy canuck]

I dislike the Italian team since they beat Germany in the 2006 world cup.

That said, I hope they beat England. The English fans are just too unsympathetic.

Edit: Used obnoxious first, but that's too strong.

That's funny, that's the tournament that made me like them, they were playing very much against type and were sportsmanlike and behaved decently.

Yeah, I became an Italy fan then. 

[Valmy]

Oh yeah taunting Zidane until he lashes out in righteous rage, cheered on by all decent and good people, is so sportsmanlike and decent. You people just hate France.

[Duque de Bragança]

England has been cheating for a long time (1966), but also Germany (1954 or 1974 schwalbe) or France for that matter. Calling Italy master of the Dark arts is so tabloid-like.

Most teams try it, but the really big ones get away with it.

If you are not trying to cheat do you really want to win though?

Yes, just in a different way.

[Valmy]

Yes, just in a different way.

The same way, just at a disadvantage. Everybody is already doing all they can to win legitimately as well.

[Duque de Bragança]

Oh yeah taunting Zidane until he lashes out in righteous rage, cheered on by all decent and good people, is so sportsmanlike and decent. You people just hate France.

Oh yeah  Maluda or Thierry Henry diving (or handballing later) is so sportmanslike and decent indeed.

Who said anything about hating France? Maybe some bureau/plutocrat who claimed there was not a French culture but not me that's for sure. 
France ≠ Les Bleus. 

[Duque de Bragança]

Yes, just in a different way.

The same way, just at a disadvantage. Everybody is already doing all they can to win legitimately as well.

Nope, not the same way. Home advantage, without biased refereeing, I can accept without problem.
Though England getting to play in the mild English "summer" vs the other ones playing in the scorching continental summer is pushing it. But then, Platini is to blame for this bloody tournament formula.

[Valmy]

Oh yeah  Maluda or Thierry Henry diving (or handballing later) is so sportmanslike and decent indeed.

What is this whataboutism? Anyway that was just French élan on glorious display.

Who said anything about hating France? Maybe some plutocrat who claimed there was not a French culture but not me that's for sure. 

I just couldn't figure out why else one would declare the perfidious and false 2006 Italian team as decent and sportsmanlike

France ≠ Les Bleus. 

How dare you!