MetaFilter posts tagged with soccer

The Economist: The World in 2010

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:09:43 -0800

In 2010, Obama will have a miserable year, NATO may lose in Afghanistan, the UK gets a regime change, China needs to chill, India's factories will overtake its farms, Europe risks becoming an irrelevant museum, the stimulus will need an exit strategy, the G20 will see a challenge from the "G2", African football will unite Korea, conflict over natural resources will grow, Sarkozy will be unloved and unrivalled, the kids will come together to solve the world's problems (because their elders are unable), technology will grow ever more ubiquitous, we'll all charge our phones via USB, MBAs will be uncool, the Space Shuttle will be put to rest, and Somalia will be the worst country in the world. And so the Tens begin.

The Economist: The World in 2010. Previously: 2009, 2008, 2007. How did we do last time around? Guest contributions: President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso lines up Europe's priorities President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev argues for dialogue and cooperation President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed wants his island nation to remain above water President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would like for Islam and the West to live in harmony President of South Africa Jacob Zuma says Africa should rise to the occasion Director-General of the World Health Organisation Margaret Chan predicts the development of the flu pandemic Managing director of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn explains how to prevent another crisis CEO of Yahoo! Carol Bartz believes business leaders should tap into the information flood Chairman of HSBC Stephen Green argues that the financial sector should welcome emerging economies CEO of Fiat Group and Chrysler Group Sergio Marchionne thinks greener cars require bolder action CEO/CTO of SpaceX Elon Musk says the private sector should handle space travel

The quiet goalkeeper: Robert Enke (1977-2009)

starzero — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:41:28 -0800

Yesterday evening, Robert Enke, goalkeeper of Germany's national soccer team, committed suicide. At a press conference today, his wife revealed, that he had been suffering from depression for 6 years and had been in therapy. He covered it up out of fear to lose custody of his adopted daughter and his career as a professional footballer. Despite being the favorite candidate for the goalkeeper position in the German national team at the upcoming World Cup 2010, Enke's hit several professional and personal setbacks in his life. The popular keeper was also a prominent supporter of animal rights and appeared in a PETA campaign. Enke is another recent victim of depression in German professional football, a condition that already forced Germany's rising star, Sebastian Deisler, to end his career in 2007. The Guardian's Raphael Honigstein reminds German football, that sometimes you cannot go back to business as usual and Sweden's retired Patrick Andersson writes a personal tribute to his friend and former teammate.

Danish Dynamite

reenum — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:20:20 -0800

The Guardian recently published a beautiful article about Danish Dynamite, the '80s Danish national soccer (football) squad. Rob Smyth and Lars Eriksen write about how the success and failure of the national team highlighted national traits that Denmark has. The writing about the matches is among the most inspired I have ever read. In addition to the film, a documentary about the team has also been made.

Let's Get Physical... Okay, not that physical

hermitosis — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:27:59 -0800

"If you're gonna pull someone's ponytail and about snap their head off with it, that's going over the line." BYU advances in MWC tournament despite multiple dirty plays from New Mexico's Elizabeth Lambert.

World Cup 2010: Little guys play too

salishsea — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:21:17 -0800

What`s great about the World Cup of football is that everyone gets a chance to qualify, against all odds. This week was a fascinating week of World Cup qualifying matches around the world. But while the world's attention was focused on Portugal and Argentina and France and Cameroon and England, among others, a small victory was won in a dusty forgotten corner of UEFA Group Seven. On Wednesday the Faroe Islands recorded their first cWorld Cup win , a 2-1 victory over Lithuania. The Faroes are a devoted squad, and although this was their first FIFA sanctioned World Cup win, they have had other extradordinary victories, including the 7-1 drubbing of Aland in the 1989 Island Games final. It was Bergur Magnussen`s greatest moment, scoring six second half goals for his side.

Football legend Sir Bobby Robson dies

Webbster — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:06:28 -0800

Football legend Sir Bobby Robson dies, following a long battle with cancer. Further tributes via the Guardian. Donate to his foundation via here.

How Beckham Blew It

dig_duggler — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:16:51 -0800

"I'm not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way. This is f------ miserable. I don't want to have soccer be this way." Landon Donovan , center midfielder for the USA soccer team which recently lost to Brasil 3-2 in the USA's first FIFA final, talks about playing with David Beckham in an excerpt from Grant Wahl's forthcoming book 'The Beckham Experiment'.

You'll never walk again

MuffinMan — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:25:06 -0800

20 years ago today, a crush of fans at the Leppings Lane entrance of Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium killed 96 people, among them the cousin of current Liverpool player Steven Gerrard (who has the dubious honour of being the youngest victim). Coming just 4 years after the Heysel stadium disaster, which killed 39 people and was officially blamed on Liverpool fans, and almost two decades of hooligan violence, the most obvious or convenient conclusion was that history had repeated itself. The intervening years have seen bitter recriminations, against the Police and also The Sun - who repeated the accusation that Liverpool fans brought about the disaster and disgraced themselves - and a government enquiry. Still, to this day, many feel the real story has yet to come out. *The post title is deliberately ironic. Although the subversion of Anfield's iconic son "You'll Never Walk Alone" predates Hillsborough, it is still occasionally chanted by opposing fans mocking the disaster.

Soccer is a European sport because it is all about death and despair

Artw — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:59:47 -0800

America is doomed. Why? Soccer.

Ausgezeichnet!

miss lynnster — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:35:07 -0800

Now's the time in the 1974 Bundesliga new uniform unveiling presentation where we dance. Happy Monday! :)

Ball ball ball, footie footie footie, ball ball ball, football!

Artw — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:14:26 -0800

The future of soccer in America is black, female and from the inner-city.

Friday Java Fun

Rhaomi — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:45:07 -0800

Two slimes. One circle. Infinite addiction. Welcome to the world of Slimeball. Slime Volleyball, AKA "One Slime", is the old standby, but scads of mods and variants have proliferated over time: Two-player Slime Volleyball, with stats and uniforms and game-modifying codes Power Slime, a Volleyball variant where the players are given random special abilities Slime Soccer, Slime Space Soccer, Slime Bowling, Slime Tennis, Slime Ice Hockey, and Slime Basketball Slime Dodgeball and Slime Rugby, two games with magnetic play in which slimes can "pick up" the ball on their domes and toss them across the field. Slime Cricket and Slime Boxing, too. Have you proven yourself unworthy? Search for winning strategies on the SlimeWiki. Or just vent your frustrations to your fellow Inferior Human Controlled Slimes on the Slime Forum. And finally, an (aging) online solution for enterprising Mefites itching to deliver a virtual smackdown.

Better to limbo under a stick than become one...

OhPuhLeez — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:36:43 -0800

See Nemo fetch. Want to train your comet to join the Comets? Your Shubunkin to do some dunkin'?

Goldfish training.

A school of fish or a school for fish? You be the judge.

Journal of Footballing History

Kattullus — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:48:56 -0800

The Journal of Footballing History is a scholarly journal about the history of football (soccer) all over the world. You need to register (or "subscribe" as JOFH calls it) but it's free. Gloriously, gloriously free. After you've subscribed you can enjoy articles on matters such as France's footballing culture, a back and forth about the state of African football, a pair of articles about Euro 2000 and what England's dismal failure at that European Championships tells us about the national side and on shooting from free kicks. There are also short histories of kits, boots, passing and squads and a book review section.

Spain - 2008 European football Champions.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:49:04 -0800

Felicidades España! Turkey tiptoed through the eye of the needle — twice even — but were no match for the German machine. And the Dutch may have been dazzling against World Champions Italy and runners-up France, but they stumbled hopelessly against a rugged Russia — who in turn fell to a superior Spanish side. In the end, it was Fernando Torres who shot Spain to its first title in 44 years - without top scorer David Villa, no less. It's been a blast. Congratulations, Spain, and see you all in four years.

urban prankster

Dave Faris — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:52:43 -0800

Rémi Gaillard leaves a trail of befuddled witnesses and victims in his wake. (thanks, jason.)

North Korea's Soccer Hero

Chinese Jet Pilot — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:46:49 -0800

70 year old Pak Doo-Ik will lead North Korea's prestigious Olympic torch bearers to Beijing this summer. In the 1966 World Cup at Middlesborough, Pak scored the goal that lead his team to a stunning 1-0 upset win over Italy (video). Pak Doo-Ik and the team returned home as heroes, but ultimately fell under the suspicion of North Korean leadership. The team underwent "mental re-education" and were exiled, Pak Doo-Ik spending ten years as a forest laborer. Dear Leader Kim Jong-il later allowed Pak to coach North Korea's national soccer team, and a fascinating 2002 BBC documentary brought Pak Doo Ik back to the international stage.

Skillz or Fake. You Decide!

snsranch — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:44:15 -0800

Fans of Futbol (Links to futbol vids) should enjoy this short vid of some amazing skillz. (Scroll down for vid. Yea, it looks like it's part of an ad campaign.)

I agree, my show is not very good, caller. My show is fantastic!

sellout — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:02:49 -0800

"I'm on Setanta Sports" with José Mourinho. Fantastic. The Special One returns to the world of football with his very own talk show. Very good. More clips inside. Be champions! Everyone's favorite tactical genius rekindles the mind games with Arséne, Alex, and the rest of the Premiership. · José on Capello · José on Keegan's return to Newcastle · José on himself (a recurring theme, naturally) Plus a few more. Fantastic! Just like José. Like champion.

"This is the third time; I was a player here too."

iboxifoo — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:51:33 -0800

"Geordie messiah to return - Kevin Keegan is returning to Newcastle United as manager". Thus read the official statement issued by Newcastle United heralding the improbable return of Kevin Keegan to be manager of the club, the perennial under achievers in English football. Devotion to Keegan and a pining for a return to his first period of management has dominated Newcastle United's fortunes since he left suddenly the first time in 1997. Famous for wearing his heart on his sleeve, and a very public meltdown when manager the first time round, English football just got fun again.

A Great Display of Sportsmanship

Deep Dish — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:27:30 -0800

On the same day that Sevilla's Antonio Puerta passed away in Spain, Clive Clarke, a defender on loan to Leicester City from Premiership side Sunderland, suffered a heart attack after collapsing in the dressing room during half-time of a League Cup match with Nottingham Forest, a series of events was set in motion that resulted in a truly great display of sportsmanship

Long-term goals.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:06:07 -0800

Post your grandson's mad football skills on YouTube, get him recruited by Manchester United.

Football 2.0 (or, How I learned to stop worrying about Abramovich and love Soccr)

takeyourmedicine — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 04:55:01 -0800

In Britain, just as the football season ended 5 months ago, a football fan and journalist launched an endeavour to buy a club. MyFootballClub asks for £35 from their members and in return, trustees are given the right to vote on transfer deals, squad choices and managerial appointments. But first they are to decide which football team to buy. From across the world people are invited to play the tycoons at their own game. With the target 50,000 members signed up already, and with the new season set to start in a few weeks it looks like this radical trust has a fighting chance.

Iraq scores!!

dov3 — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 12:09:40 -0800

Iraq wins! When everything that could go wrong goes wrong, it is awesome to see that something like this happened.

Ready or Not

hydatius — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 05:09:36 -0800

Ready or Not. "South Africa is a great place to have a party, and people are incredibly generous of spirit. What we should be doing is trying to make the World Cup experience uniquely African: where the bus comes 10 minutes late but nobody gives a toss because they are having such a good time. Instead, the organisers seem to want to try to run the World Cup as efficiently as the Germans did. What a load of bull. The Germans could invade Poland in three days. We could not invade Swaziland in three months." Article in today's Observer about preparations in South Africa for the soccer World Cup in 2010.