World Cup 2010

[Hushfield]

Has anybody seen the magnificent play of the german team? I'm so in love <3

I'm curious what the press outside of germany wrote about the match. I read some turkish and english media and all were combining some WW2-stuff with the german soccer team, f.e. "german tanks advancing", "Argentinia executed" etc.
It really hurts that germany is still seen that way, in particular when the focus is on soccer and not political stuff.
Is it really that way?

That's just media coming up with the obvious metaphor. It has been ingrained from decades of german war jokes, but no one in their right mind would take that seriously. Don't worry about it. If there's any dislike of the German team, it most likely stems from it being a class above everything else in the World Cup. Just like everyone dislikes the LA Lakers for always winning the NBA Finals.

[Jonas]

Omg

first England, then Argentinia and now Spain, hopefully our team is able to do it!
A Netherlands - Germany final would be pure awesome.

But Müller is suspended for this game and I cant imagine someone on the bench who is able to replace him

Anyways...
Germany fighting !

[zinger]

I agree that the rules should be changed about the handball situation. Just give the ref the power to award the goal if he judges that the handball was deliberate, and that the shot was otherwise going in. Add the red card on to that, and you won't see such plays much anymore.

[gaius]

NL in the Final again after 32 years!
Neeederland, Oooo Neeederland, jijhij beeent de kaaampioooeeen!

Oh, and...

Go Germany!

My prediction for the final: NL-DE 2-1, because of a schwalbe by Robben getting the Dutch a penalty kick

[karaklis]

Germany's out, now go Holland go!

[Harleqin]

Germany against Spain was the real final, the clash of the best two teams. Spain played a better game today. It's really a pity that Müller was dis-carded; I believe that he could have made the little difference.

I do not think that the Netherlands or Uruguay will really have a chance.

[SpongeBob]

I believe that he could have made the little difference.

More would have been needed than a little difference. It felt like Spain had two or three players more on the field, they really dominated the whole game. Let's see if the Dutch can offer more resistance.

[HermanHiddema]

Germany against Spain was the real final, the clash of the best two teams. Spain played a better game today. It's really a pity that Müller was dis-carded; I believe that he could have made the little difference.

I do not think that the Netherlands or Uruguay will really have a chance.

I think Spain - Brazil would have been the real final, the two best teams.

I think Netherlands is next best, followed very closely by Germany. But anyway these teams are all extremely close together, and any such match can go either way. I think that Spain is slightly favorite to win now, but only by at most a 55%-45% margin or so, especially now that the Dutch side will be complete again (they were really missing de Jong on the mid-field against Uruguay)

Uruguay is weaker, they probably won't have too much of a chance against Germany. I was surprised they got this far, I felt they were already outplayed by both South-Korea and Ghana earlier in the tournament.

[Hushfield]

I think Spain - Brazil would have been the real final, the two best teams.

No way. Brazil is a crowd favorite, but it wasn't world champion material this time around. I thought Germany would take home the gold for sure. Kudos to Spain for dominating them the way they did, but the Müller card might have had something to do with that.