Thats what happens why you try and not lose rather than try to win.

A lucky goal by Delvecchio and Italy as usual passed the ball back 60yards rather than go forward.

In my opinion Del Piero is the most overrated player ever. Never ever did anything to justify his salary. You Ronaldo bashers gotta at least admit Ronaldo had 2 good years.

Thank God France won. A triumph for football fans.

Besides Italians no one likes that ugly boring defensive football anyways.

Viva France.

Look who's talking!! Brazil is the king of BORING football! Long strings of meaningless passes!

You both deserved what you got at the hands of the French.

Don't get me started on England. Worst team of the tournement as your own paper said.

Yeah your right Boring long balls -- are you talking about the Brasil under 17?? Because guys like Rivaldo RCarlos Emerson are tons of individual talent.

Juninhio i think u are wrong, Italy don't deserved it, they played attacking football 2day and they deserved 2 score that goal.

that goal by Wiltord was quite lucky i feel, Toldo should have cleared with his leg rather than his hands.

Del Piero was 2 blame for missing 2 good chances, a flop i will say

Yes Shearer ..... Brasil's football technique is the most boring in the world. The players they have, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinhio, Romario, Juninhio, Cafu, R Carlos .... all play boring styles and cannot compete with England. The greats, Pele, Zico ... etc ... all played boring football. Look at England ..... such lovely and effective technique .... kick the ball in and have the idiot striker you name yourself after hold up play and wait for support, or dive and cry foul. Look at how successful England has been ... 150 years of international play with the same style ..... yet they have ONE trophy at Lancaster Gate. Brasil .... with their Samba football and with more trophies this decade than in England's history .... are sooo pathetic. Absolutely useless style of play. I mean ... what is this crap of taking on three defenders and leaving them all on the ground before putting the ball past a helpless goalie into the net. Garbage!! They should instead of give the ball to an over-rated, over-hyped, loser to run and hide in the right corner and deliver the ball into the box. The dribbling and one-touch passes and bicycle-kick goals. Absolutely horrid to watch. Tsk Tsk .... they HAVE to change their style of play to match the English! Maybe then .... Brasil will FINALLY be as "successful" as England!! Then they will achieve the level of international fear that England recieves when they travel to play abroad. (WHICH IS NONE, SO SHUT YOUR STUPID MOUTH AND WORRY ABOUT HOW ENGLAND WILL EVER WIN A TROPHY OUTSIDE OF THEIR COUNTRY, INSTEAD OF HOW THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL TEAM EVER PLAYS THEIR FOOTBALL.)

Today Italy did not play worse than France. Juninhio, you are an immature prick, thank you for dissing the team which lost at the 94th and 102nd minute.

The only thing you are right about is Del Piero, he should not have been here in the 1st place, he screwed the whole team.

If you did not see what Totti is able to do when he plays behind 2 forwards, if you call that beautiful goal lucky, and again, if you diss the unlucky loosers after the match, it tells heaps about you.

Grazie lo stesso Azzurri, sempre nel mio cuore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn it Zambrotta, where did I say anything about Totti???

I said Italy tried not to lose!!! When they got that goal in they laid back even harder.

Totti put the ball out of play to waste time and won a yellow card, the players began diving and one time albertini on the attack back passed to his own keeper for no reason sixty yards back the announcer said.

They dug their own whole.

I'm just glad that a team with attacking potential like France defeated a team like Italy who prefer to win 1 - 0 and play in their own end.

Who's more exciting: Henry, Zidane, Wiltford, Anelka - Or Totti and a lone striker?

Triumph for attacking soccer and punishment for boring fans Italy you got what you deserved!

Yeah, Brazil would have attacked with 7 players being ahead in the 94th. I know, I know.

I hope Zoff learnt his lesson, and as soon as Vieri, Delvecchio (or Montella) and Totti will be the starting offensive line, I bet they'll offer as much splendor as other teams.

And France really did not deserve to win today, they played good in the 1st round, o.k. vs. Spain, lucky vs. Portugal and vs. Italy today.
But they won, and I respect that, although it hurts, but it does not make me angry.
It makes me angry to see others dissing the loosers. Thumbs up, Juninhio.

I agree with Zambrotta 100%. Italy did not play worse at all, and had Wiltord not scored that goal in the 94th minute, the victory would have been well deserved.

I am frankly tired of people dissing Italy for a zillion of idiotic reasons. Every team has their own style of play, and if you are not ready to accept that fact, you should not be a football/soccer fan in the first place.

If you say that France played better because they attacked more, then you don't know the first thing about football. And by the way, Italy did not play a very defensive style today at all. Yes, after Delvecchio scored, they started defending a bit more, but that's to expect. Plus they had 2 great chances with Del Piero, too bad he couldn't capitalize...

And please don't diss Del Piero. He has a lot fo talent, and I think he has shown that in the early years of his career. after Roberto Baggio left Juventus, he was considered by practically everybody the next Roby. Maybe that is going a bit too far, but that's the level he was playing at at that time. Unfortunately, he has never been the same after that damn injury. Hopefully he can soon go back to that level.

And I will say the same for Italy. Don't forget Bobo Vieri. we'll be back in 2002. And if we play Brazil, I'll look forward to it.

Who brought England into this? Are you illiterate?

Read the message you idiot!!! I never brought England into it!

Brazil are BORING! I don't care how much indiviudal talent they have! They drew with our CRAPPY team. That means they are **** in my book.

England sucks, thus any team that draws with England SUCKS.

French football is EXCITING! Brazilian football is short stringy passes to wear down the opposing team.

France is better than Brazil.

ForzaAzzurri: Quite frankly, I've had it with del Piero. He sucked bad at WC98, and if Baggio played from the 1st vs. France it would have been different. He sucked the 2 years since, and HE LOST THE TITLE FOR JUVE, because a forward who scores 1 (ONE) goal a season is a joke.
And I'll never forget what he did today, blowing off the 2 best chances in this match.

It is not his fault, that he is overrated. But I think that today even Zoff saw that you can't go on with him, as well as he saw that once Vieri will be fit again there must be no more Inzaghi for this team. Seen what Marco did today? Ever seen Inzaghi do that? And I am NOT talking about that goal.

I repeat: Totti with 2 strikers, and we'll have a sound future. GRAZIE RAGAZZI, ERA UN BEL' SOGNO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That Brasil lineup was a team without Ronaldo, without Ronaldinhhio, without Romario, without Jardel, without Leonardo and without R Carlos. They had their reserves on there ... not the starting lineup from WC98, or the preferred starting lineup that Luxemburgo wanted.

Second of all .... I dont care if you did not bring England into this discussion .... I DID. You where the one saying that England was going to win EURO. Now you have the nerve to say Brasilian football sucks. FOUR WORLD CUPS, AND A COPA AMERCIA LAST YEAR, SAYS THAT IT DOESNT. Samba football is what got Brasil the distinction of having" The Most Beautiful Game in World" by FIFA straight down to individual players. They do not aimlessly pass the ball around, and at least they can string passes together. If you cannot understand how football is meant to be played, do not say anything.

Next ... I am sorry I insulted the Italians and their players. Zambrotta, Forza Azzuri .... I got carried away. I am sorry. I stand by my critism of Del Piero and Italy ... he should have put the ball in the net, Italy should have attacked with everything they had for a second goal instead of laying back ...... I should have said what I said in a different manner. I am sorry.

Woody, that's cool. I have no problem with you or anybody making a stand for Brazil. If somebody talked **** about a winning team, which Brazil, for whatever reason I also get angry, but since they aren't my team, I leave it there.

What bugs me out is Mr. Juninhio, who for some ****ed up reason, in the middle of a great European Championship claims that Brazil are still the best. What bugs me too is that he disses the team which played their asses off against Holland and the ref last week and who after all controlled the best player in the world today and were leading in the 93rd after PLAYING THEIR BEST MATCH.
I mean I can't take Juninhio serious when he calls Italy's goal lucky. A beatiful heal-pass by Totti, a great cross and a beautifull volley. Why diss it? Why?

I cried like mad after the 1-1, because I knew it was over. After the tour de force on thursday and after the shot in the heart (seen the Italian bench before the goal) they were standing k.o. And then there are the French, 11 talented players who scored a fantastic 2-1 goal. It was over before that happened.
I cried, like I cried in 1990 and in 1994, because these guys gave everything, and they'd finally deserve something better than 3rd place or runners up.
But at least they're almost always up there, and seen that they won the U-21 title, will be there for some more time.

And please: If you don't like Italy's style, don't watch their games. Please. They don't do anything unfair, the worst thing about this final were Desailly's constant fouls and stuff, which went totally unpunished.

Sometimes I like BBall better, since there a defensive team like the 96 Cavs get their respect as hard working, maybe not so gifted pros. In soccer they are called names.

You're making stuff up Woody! LIEING!

Brazil: Dida, A Carlos (Emerson Silva 80), Aldair, Silvinho (R Carlos 59), Cafu, Emerson, Sampaio, Rivaldo, Ze Roberto, Franca, Amoroso (Denilson 67)

THAT TEAM WAS CRAP ENOUGH TO DRAW WITH ****TY ENGLAND! I watched the bloody game and what I saw was two poor sides. No "Beautiful Game". Just one English side playing their average dis-organized football, and one Brazilian side playing glorified "keep-away".

And BTW, I never said England would win the tournament! Never!

And as for your starting line-up of WC98....they were comprehensively given a game on BETTER football by the French. 3-0.

As for Italy, they played well but were not good enough for the French.

I really didn't like the Italian acting though. 5 or 6 rolls when they were tapped on the shoulder.

I suppose everyone does it today, though.

I wouldn't blame the entire loss on Del Piero. You have to hold on to a lead. Italy of old could have done that. This new Italy isn't as good in the defence department.

OK ... so I was wrong about R Carlos ... although I do not remember him being there, I thought he was injured. But so what?? ONE GAME??? OHHHHHH!!!! Brasil won the Copa America last year. They killed Wales a few days earlier. I fail to see how ONE result can dampen an entire decade of Brasilian success. So they have not dominated ..... big deal ... no football team short of a team with Pele can dominate EVERY game. Brasil had their setbacks .... as does every great team (France lost to Russia, does that make France crappy, or Russia better than the World Champions??). Drawing England, or any team when you are missing so many outstanding players on a national level is very hard to compete with. Especailly when you are the best nation in the World.

And how is possession football glorified?? If your opponent does not have the ball, how can they score?? What is so glorified about that?? Sounds like common sense to me. But then again, as a very good friend once said to me, "common sense is very uncommon" I would not expect everyone to understand the benifits of a system that is practical and produces results as well as allowing room for beauty, instead of doing nothing.

So please .... understand that. Do not criticise a superior system that has brought so many trophies and success to Brasil. To do so is worse than mere stupidity ... it is ignorance.

OH and one more thing .....

"I wouldn't blame the entire loss on Del Piero. You have to hold on to a lead. Italy of old could have done that. This new Italy isn't as good in the defence department."

Italy with ten men defended thier goal to a very inspired Dutch side. Gave up TWO goals in six games (the French goals coming after the nintieth minute), yet they are not defensively competent??? HAHAHAH!! They shut the French team down. ZiZou hardly did anything and everytime Henry or someone was open .. the defense closed them out. France .... had TWO Shots in the first half (One by Barthez) and could not get any type of rhythm going. The two goals they scored where the two ONLY chances they got throught the game. If Del Piero scores on one of his two chances, France loses. So yes .... it is Del Piero's fault. If he scores, Zoff is a genius. Becuase he did not ... Zoff looks like idiot. The only mistake he made all game was to bring on Del Piero. Del Piero is the reason why Italy lost. Not Zoff or the ref or their defense.

why the hell does juninhio always get so many replies?

Ignorance?

You will lecture me on ignorance when you defend a system that got Brazil beaten 3-0 against the SUPERIOR French?

And you have admitted to me that Brazil DO play a possesion game. And, by definition, a possession game is BORING for the spectator! I would much rather watch the French or Argies play than the Brazilians. They have attack minded tactics. The Brazilans play a possession game. They play it with great skill, but it is still merely a possession game. Hardly beautiful.

BTW, last time I checked, Alessandro del Piero was not a defender. I didn't think it was his job to mark strikers in the box. The Italian defence of old would never have leaked a goal in the final seconds. Especially not when one striker has already been subbed off for a midfielder/defender in the second half.

It is true that he should've converted those two chances, but one was a good save by Barthez and the other was unlucky.

BTW, Brazil was down 1-0 to Wales at HT. Just thought ya' might have forgotten.

Brazil has blown their chances in both WC 98, and France 97'. FRANCE IS A BETTER TEAM. MORE EXCITING AND MORE SUCCESSFUL!

U ATTACK U WIN...U DEFEND U LOSE.... THANX ITALY..THANX FRANCE FOR THIS BRILLIANT FINAL WHICH WAS WON BY THE BETTER TEAM!
PS : DELPIERO SUX!

SHEZ

I'm glad Catannacio didn't win, it kills football.

Now those Italian idiots can go home and cry, but they deserved it for knocking-out the Dutch, they robbed them off their tournament.

VIVA LA FRANCE!!!

ALLEZ LES BLUES!!!

DEL PIERO COULDN'T SCORE IF HIS LIFE DEPENDED ON IT!!!

Your team, Daniel, could not win while getting 2 refs and playing 11-10 for 90 minutes. You should'nt start the name calling.

Ahh...2 pens and 1 friendly ref...

Who says I'm Dutch????

What is true is that the Oranje play way better than Catanaccio Italy, and Crap Belgium.

Zambrotta doesn't know how to stop a fast winger so he just fouls him, what a stupid idiot.

And the Azurri have the world-highest paid player who can't score even if his life depends on it.

anyone who blames Del Piero for Italy's loss is a f{_}cking moron. Italy was leading into the final minute, it wasn't Del Piero's job to keep the lead, that was the defenders' job. So he missed 2 great chances to bury the game.......so what, he isnt the first Italian player to do that. It was just unlucky that it was his turn to miss in the Final. Also, a player that has not consistently played in the tournament cannot be called upon in the Final to have a huge bearing on the match, it is just too unfair to expect them to perform at the highest level when they havent got the match fitness of other players.

But i know whats going to happen, and that is Del Piero being crucified by the Italian media. And that itself boils down to the
f{_}cked up Italian mentality that there is always an individual to blame. If its not the coach (note: Sacchi in '94), its the player (more than likely Del Piero)...no consideration is given to the fact that the team as a whole failed. Before Italy can succeed in anything, the whole mentality on and off the field will have to change, or else this seemingly endless dry run is sure to continue.

You stupid dork, it should have been at least 2-0 in the 93rd. All other italian players played their heart out, and this ****, who should not even have been there, makes 2 incredible mistakes that took away everything.
**** HIM!!!!!!!!

Well played France and Italy!! good tight game - was very risky to use del piero as a striker..too much responsibilty for that player i'd say. Impressive showings by Zidane, Wiltord and Trezeguet , the latter 2 really blossoming on the werld stage. Trezeguet's glorious srike from the Zidane feed capped off a memorable euro2000.
I look forward to WC2002.
In response to France3 Brasil0 at wc98 .. big deal - Brasil beat Brasil - Brasil played crap at WC98 yet still reached the final. Be interesting to see when they are actually playing well together. http://www.soccergaming.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Shearer .... It appears I do not have to lecture you on ignorance.

You saw ONE game where Brasil did not play at their best, and you jump to the conclusion that Brasil sucks?? Brazil do not play an attack game??? Please tell me how a team that linesup with Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo, Denilson, R Carlos, Djhalmina, Emerson, Jardel, Amoroso .... etc ... does not play an attack game??? When a country that grew up on such attacking greats as Pele, Zico, Falcão, Sócrates, Garrincha, and Zito do not live up to that heratige. Portugal modeled their game after Brasil's. Holland's game is just as similar to Brasil's. Tell me .... how is it not an attacking game. Of course, if you are watching a Brasilian game, and you are rooting for the opposing team, the game will be boring for you. It is not easy to watch your team run around for 90 minutes looking like headless chickens. Brasilian football is called Samba football for a reason, and I suggest that before you jump to these conclusions, that you realize that Brasil's style of play is the reason why so many teams fear them. Why so many teams hire Brasilian coaches and pay millions more for Brasilian players than any other country.

Oh .... and by the way ..... "FRANCE IS A BETTER TEAM. MORE EXCITING AND MORE SUCCESSFUL!"

Who is the only team to appear in all 16 World Cups?? Who is the only team that has Four World Cups?? Who is the team that has played the most World Cup games?? Who is the team that has won the most World Cup games?? Who is the team that is THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL TEAM IN ALL OF FOOTBALLING HISTORY??? Thank you.

Oh ..... one more thing ..... yessssss .... what great attacking football France played yesterday (TWO SHOTS IN THE FIRST HALF??? ONE BY BARTHEZ????) If it was not for Del Piero, Italy would be EURO Champions, and Zidane would have gotten away with the greatest dissappearing act since he disappered vs Celta Vigo in the UEFA Cup.

Zambrotta: you won't get an argument from me there. When someone is not playing well, they should not play in extremely important games, I completely agree with you.
And if you ask me, Roberto Baggio, despite everything, has still a few years in his legs, if only they would give him the opportunity. I would take Roby over Del Piero any day, that's not even a close call.
Had Baggio started every game alongside Vieri in France 98, who knows what would have happened...

As for Del Piero being overrated, I don't what to think... I still think he's a great player who hasn't been able to find his game in the past 2 years. Whether the injury's the main reason for that or not, I don't know. Maybe he's a just going through a bad period, hopefully he'll be back to the great level he once played at.

God Zambrotta, when will you realize I dont hate Italian Players, I hate their damn rigid system!!!

Dont watch Italy games if you dont like the style?? What do you mean?? I love to see players like Vieri and Pirlo. Their amazing. I dont like Bulgaria, but that Stoichkov was amazing to watch in his day.

In fact after Brasil and Argentina Italy has some of the most offensively gifted players in my opinion, more than even France. Vieri, Totti Pirlo. I hate what happens to them. Knowing that I will never see all three play together the way I do when I see Argentina field Batistuta, Lopez, Ortega, Veron and keep defense intact with Ayala, Samuel Simeone etc.

It's really upsetting. I watch Italy for the players which have the amazing skill not for Zoff or Sacchi or who ever that makes them back pass for 40 minutes because he's happy with a 1 - 0 win.

ALAN SHEARER QUESTION:

How did argentina do in their friendly against England?

How did Italy do against Belaurus?

How did France do against Russia?

How did Holland do against Belgium?

Dont judge teams on meaningless friendlies when they can make 23 subs and 500 tatical switches. Friendlies are what their name is a game between mutual mates for fun and entertainment. It's not a tradgedy if either loses.

Friendly's dont mean anything ,its the big tournaments that counts you idiot .What about England1-1brazil .

Guys:

Don't argue with a_shearer anymore...it's useless. Even when he knows he is wrong, he continues to be stubborn and posts agrravating things such as these:

- Brazil are BORING! I don't care how much indiviudal talent they have! They drew with our CRAPPY team. That means they are **** in my book.

- French football is EXCITING! Brazilian football is short stringy passes to wear down the opposing team.

- THAT TEAM WAS CRAP ENOUGH TO DRAW WITH ****TY ENGLAND! I watched the bloody game and what I saw was two poor sides. No "Beautiful Game". Just one English side playing their average dis-organized football, and one Brazilian side playing glorified "keep-away".

- Brazil has blown their chances in both WC 98, and France 97'. FRANCE IS A BETTER TEAM. MORE EXCITING AND MORE SUCCESSFUL!

All of those comments are MEANT to aggravate whoever posts against him. And when he is proven wrong, he refuses to accept defeat.

Woody007, you have already proven your point; it's evident that Brasil doesn't "suck," especially by the evidence that you have presented in your coments. Don't waste any more time trying to prove that to a_shearer. These comments have been crucial in contradicting his arguments:

- Look at how successful England has been ... 150 years of international play with the same style ..... yet they have ONE trophy at Lancaster Gate

- You saw ONE game where Brasil did not play at their best, and you jump to the conclusion that Brasil sucks?? Brazil do not play an attack game??? Please tell me how a team that linesup with Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo, Denilson, R Carlos, Djhalmina, Emerson, Jardel, Amoroso .... etc ... does not play an attack game??? When a country that grew up on such attacking greats as Pele, Zico, Falcão, Sócrates, Garrincha, and Zito do not live up to that heratige. Portugal modeled their game after Brasil's. Holland's game is just as similar to Brasil's. Tell me .... how is it not an attacking game. Of course, if you are watching a Brasilian game, and you are rooting for the opposing team, the game will be boring for you. It is not easy to watch your team run around for 90 minutes looking like headless chickens. Brasilian football is called Samba football for a reason, and I suggest that before you jump to these conclusions, that you realize that Brasil's style of play is the reason why so many teams fear them. Why so many teams hire Brasilian coaches and pay millions more for Brasilian players than any other country.

- Who is the only team to appear in all 16 World Cups?? Who is the only team that has Four World Cups?? Who is the team that has played the most World Cup games?? Who is the team that has won the most World Cup games?? Who is the team that is THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL TEAM IN ALL OF FOOTBALLING HISTORY??? Thank you.

We know that Brasil has been the best up until now. And this was a great Eurocup. I don't think it's right to say that any European or South American team sucks. I think we should wait until 2002 before we decided on anything. Italy and France played great, and in the end two strong nations arose to play a great final. Italy will have their chance once again in 2002. They will have Vieri, Pirlo and Totti and will perhaps become more offensive. Until then, let's just sit back and watch.

TeKNoS

Why are you the only one making attacks at my character? No-one else has. I enjoy debating with them more than I do arguing with you.

And whats more, why do you repeat EVERYTHING I say?

If I call you immature, you repeat it.
If I call you an antagonist, you repeat it.
If I call you stubborn, you repeat it.

Expand your vocab., boy or you risk sounding like even more of a parrot.