World Cup 2006

[Dan]

I really want us to win the World Cup.

For the year long national party that would follow it. Imagine the scenes of celebration around the country.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

I'm shitting myself. Not because I feel we're inferior to Portugal, just I hope that Eriksson doesn't get it wrong again. Bad memories of 04 keep flooding back.

[Dan]

I'll probably be sick tommorow when nerves start to kick in .

[figos]

I'll probably watch the game alone because my father has a heart condition :ohwell:

[9 to 5]

I'll probably watch the game alone because my father has a heart condition :ohwell:

I think my dad is getting one watching this World Cup. And he claims he doesn't really like football.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

Yeah, I think we'll all have heart problems if we reach the final.

[gunnar hendershow]

Pekerman should have resigned because he was going to get fired otherwise....that second half was like a 101 on how to throw away the World Cup in 45 minutes. Argentina almost had it in the bag (I think they'd do Italy) personally, but the manager fucked it up royally.

In his defense, the goalkeeper injury fucked a lot up. But still, not putting on Messi and leaving on Crespo was a bad decision.

[Liam]

Pekerman should have resigned because he was going to get fired otherwise....that second half was like a 101 on how to throw away the World Cup in 45 minutes. Argentina almost had it in the bag (I think they'd do Italy) personally, but the manager fucked it up royally.

In his defense, the goalkeeper injury fucked a lot up. But still, not putting on Messi and leaving on Crespo was a bad decision.

Yeah, I'll give him that one, but even the way they played the remainder of the game, irrelevant of substitutions...they just seemed toothless.

[Guest muddatrucker]

And in fairness the keeper needed to redeem himself by actually getting injured rather than just play acting like a diving south american greaseball.

[Zaz]

I'd rather get AIDS than see Italy win the World Cup. Bunch of dirty diving bastards

[therockbox]

Getting quite nervous now, we can definately beat them but I've got a feeling it's going to go to penalties again

[Guest Small Red]

I'm really nervous too. I can see a similar case happening against Sweden - going up and then losing it in the last minutes when the pressure starts to kick in. I just hope it isn't like that though!

[Guest muddatrucker]

*Spoilers*

England Wins.

[Guest Small Red]

You didn't use the spoiler tags.

[Guest muddatrucker]

But I did use the power of grey skull Bluey and thats what counts.

[TheArsenal]

You have the poweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

[Xero Gravity]

Man...I haven't been this nervous about an England game for years, not since at least Euro '96 at least. Still got four hours to go and god knows what I'm going to be like come kick off.

[TheArsenal]

I'm not that nervous. I know I will be during the match, but right now I'm not too bad. I think it's cos I put a few bets on the tennis and the Irish league football that's on before the match, so it kinda takes my focus away.

[ravenjuice]

I'm a bundle of nerves. I have never been this nervous about a game of football before. In 04 everyone was expecting us to beat Portugal, in 02 I didn't expect us to vanquish Brazil, in 98 I thought we'd lose to Argentina too, in 96 I was fairly new to the sport, and as a result losing to Germany didn't seem like too much of a bad thing before the match, of course I was in tears when Southgate missed (I was like, 6)

This year is different. We can beat Portugal. However we do have to perform a lot better than we have done so far, which we are easily capable of, it's just a case of whether we'll pull our fingers out. And Sven makes horrible tactical decisions. Ugh, I need a pacemaker.

[TheArsenal]

Furious Fifa president Sepp Blatter confirmed it will investigate the ugly scenes which marred Germany's quarter-final victory over Argentina.

Punches and kicks were thrown between both sides following Germany's penalty shoot-out success in Berlin.

Blatter told Five Live Sport: "I am furious about that and our disciplinary committee will monitor this incident.

"We will take some steps towards those who are identified as being the 'provocateurs' of this incident."

Blatter added: "There was really no need. After 120 minutes football is a drama, and then you have to go to penalty kicks and then football becomes a tragedy, but one is the winner and one is the loser.

"What I always say is in football you learn to win, but you also have to learn to lose."

Germany's Torsten Frings said of the incident: "They (Argentina) are bad losers. They lost their minds."

Argentina's unused substitute Leandro Cufre was shown a red card for kicking Germany's Per Mertesacker in the melee. The German defender said: "They are no choirboys.

"One of their players attacked me even though I did not do anything. I have three or four red marks on my thigh and then he kicked me again in the groin."

Germany's Frings said they tried to calm the Argentina players down, but added: "It just shows they are bad sports and are badly behaved. I hope their players get suspended."

Argentina coach Jose Pekerman, who was criticised for taking off playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme when they were 1-0 up with 18 minutes to go, resigned after the quarter-final defeat.

Germany will now face Italy in the semi-finals after the Azzurri saw off Ukraine 3-0 on Friday.