As the first black player to represent Italy at a major tournament, ‘Super Mario’ can’t avoid a confrontation with his …
Germany
Euro 2012: Why Spain Wins, But Fails to Thrill
Spain’s opponents struggle to score because they don’t see much of the ball – not even to retrieve it from the back of their own net
Euro 2012: Soccer Gets its War On, But Players Can’t Take the Patriotism Seriously
How international tournaments remain an opportunity for nostalgic but usually harmless pantomime jingoism.
Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea: Pass the Playstation, and Just Don’t Talk About the War, Eh?
Previewing the Champions League Final
Spain Pushes Past Germany 1-0 to Reach the Cup Final
I had to step out of my office for a couple of minutes while I was watching Spain’s 1-0 semifinal win over Germany. Spain had the ball in its possession as I was leaving, and when I returned, Spain had the ball in its possession. Xavi to Iniesta to Xavi to Villa to Sergio to Xavi. It’s possible Spain never gave the ball up during …
You Can’t Say You Weren’t Warned
Spain Faces its Test of Fire
It’s not that Spain’s quick passing “progressive possession” game can’t match the whirlwind of attacking exuberance and defensive tigritude that is Joachim Low’s youthful German side; after all, Barcelona, on whose game and players the Spanish team’s approach is based, have for years been one of Europe’s top club teams. But the Spain that …
Germany’s “Psychic” Octopus Predicts Victory for Spain!
Your World Cup Semi-Final Preview
The Reason Behind Germany’s Success: They’ve Got 13 Men!
It’s hard not to resort to cliche when looking at the intricate preparations undertaken by Germany when it comes to World Cup’s, or indeed anything they do in relation to football. But if they do go on to lift their fourth trophy next Sunday night at Soccer City, FIFA may well need to make some extra medals.
Keeping ScoreWorld Cup
From Paris: More On England Getting Robbed
Our Paris bureau chief, World Cup Blog contributor, and all-around football guru Bruce Crumley commented on my gut reaction post to the Frank Lampard play. Bruce’s post shouldn’t be buried in the comments section: he offers a clear, in-depth argument as to why instant replay is needed in soccer. Check it out below. Right on, Bruce!
Paying the Penalty: Looking At The Dreaded Spot Kicks
All Bets are Off in a Multipolar World Cup!
The unceremonious (and richly deserved) dumping of Italy and France out of World Cup 2010, and the travails of England, Germany and Spain — and arguably even Serbia and Denmark — are a sign that world soccer has gone multipolar. “Multipolarity” was a term coined by French foreign policy wonks fretting over the Bush Administration’s …
