Now we know what it took for French coach Raymond Domenech to—finally—pull the utterly useless attacker Nicolas Anelka off the pitch in the hopes someone else might create something remotely resembling an offensive presence: Anelka lavishly insulting the previously adoring Domenech in front of the entire squad.
Soccer
The Problem With England…
Watching today’s dire, dire performance by England, I was struck not only by the fact that the likes of Wayne Rooney and Gerrard failed to bring their blood-and-guts personas to the game — is there any site more pathetic than an England team bereft of passion? — but that England plays without the sense of organization and fluidity that …
England Couldn’t Overcome the Battlers of Algiers
In an attempt to get themselves amped up for their match against England, the Algerian side watched the seminal 1966 film, The Battle of Algiers. Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, an Italian communist, it’s a rousing, unflinching epic about the Algerian resistance to French rule, set in the winding warrens of the famous Casbah of Algiers. …
Is England The Most Boring Team in the World Cup?
This is the second time I’ve trekked to a stadium to watch England play in the World Cup and – bar the first four minutes of the first game, when Steven Gerrard struck a composed goal – my God, they’re dull.
A Wild Comeback Gives the U.S. a 2-2 Draw Against Slovenia
The United States may not be the most talented team in the World Cup, but it is turning out to be the most exciting. After gifting a thoroughly talented and composed Slovenian team a two-goal lead at the half, the Yanks staged a three-goal comeback—only two of which counted— to reach a 2-2 draw and keep their hopes of advancing into …
Second Half With the Slovenians
TIME’s Katy Steinmetz watched the second half of the USA-Slovenia World Cup showdown with that country’s ambassador in Washington. Here’s her story:
In a dark, dingy corner of Buffalo Billiard’s, an underground pub in Washington D.C., Slovenians of all degrees — be they visitors to the U.S., expats or second-generation — had their …
How the U.S. Was Robbed In The World Cup
Koman Coulibaly. Enough said.
The Craziest Prediction of the World Cup?
The brilliant broadcaster Danny Baker (who memorably wrote about the goings-on while on tour with PiL for the NME thusly: “given the chance they’d show him more sex than a policeman’s torch”) was part of the BBC’s post-match coverage for France vs. Mexico. His comments make for interesting (and quick) analysis.
Africa’s World Cup is About to Get Less African
The earplug salesmen along the roads to Soccer City in Soweto before the Argentina-South Korea game were doing a brisk business. But the vuvuzelas finally met their match: a throng of Argentina fans at Soccer City lifted their voices above the noisy horns that have obliterated all other stadium sounds. At the same time, their team was …
South Africa’s World Cup Experiment: It Works!
As most people know by now, the big idea about staging the World Cup in South Africa, the grand experiment, is trying to change the perception of the country, and perhaps a continent. So: is it working?
That Giant Sucking Sound
Isn’t just France, but Raymond “I am not an idiot” Domenech drawing in his last, horrid breath as French coach. Just a few comments:
90 Seconds With … Former England International Chris Powell
Chris Powell is the definition of the consummate professional and a proud Englishman to boot (not for nothing is one of his middle names George). The 40 year-old left back has played 655 times with five of those appearances coming for England at the turn of the previous decade. He’s still technically registered as a player despite being …
Peyton Place-sur-Seine
French coach Raymond Domenech may have decided to put the team’s best interests ahead of his many, many personal grudges for once, but that still doesn’t mean sanity has returned to France’s footballing soap opera. Though virtually all press reports in France Thursday say Domenech is set to make what has long been an obvious right …
