European Football Thread

[Captain Kirk]

10 hours ago, King Ellis said:

Dani Olmo hat-trick, Bayern have paid 100m for the pleasure of being Spurs'd.

Should be Kane’d it now.

[Lineker]

Quote

Roberto Mancini has resigned as Italy’s head coach, the country’s football federation (FIGC) said on Sunday, ending a five-year spell in which the national team experienced continental success but missed out on the sport’s biggest tournament.

Mancini took charge of the four-time World Cup winners in 2018 after they failed to qualify for that year’s tournament in Russia, having previously not missed a World Cup finals since 1958. Following the retirements of the veterans Andrea Barzagli, Daniele De Rossi and Gianluigi Buffon, Mancini guided a transitional Italy side to success at the European Championship in 2021, beating England in the final. His team also went on a run of 37 games without defeat between October 2018 and October 2021, a record in the men’s game.

Italy performed well at the Nations League under Mancini, finishing third in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 editions of the tournament. However, Mancini was unable to take Italy back to the World Cup, with the team once again failing to qualify for last year’s tournament in Qatar after a stunning 1-0 loss at home to North Macedonia in a playoff.

After that failed World Cup qualifying campaign, Mancini came under intense pressure in the Italian media to resign but received backing from the national federation president to continue in the role. However, the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign started with a 2-1 home defeat by England.

“A significant page in the history of the Azzurri, which began in May 2018 and ended with the 2023 Nations League finals, comes to an end,” the FIGC said in a statement. “In between, the victory at Euro 2020, a triumph conquered by a group in which all the individuals were able to become a team.”

Mancini’s resignation comes just days after the former international forward was given responsibility for Italy’s under-21 and under-20 teams in a bid to integrate the same styles and systems of play across age groups.

Italy are next in action in September, when they take on North Macedonia and Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying matches.

“Taking into account the important and upcoming commitments for the Uefa Euro 2024 qualifiers … the FIGC will announce the name of the new national coach in the next few days,” the federation said.

 

The popular rumour is that he has been offered a fortune to take the Saudi Arabian national team job...

[gunnar hendershow]

Jude Bellingham with a brace today. 3rd La Liga goal on the year. I sure think he's going to do some incredible things in Madrid over the next decade.

(Also Jobe Bellingham also had a brace today but that belongs in another thread)

[METALMAN]

So sad for Jobe Bellingham that Birmingham never retired his shirt number.

[gunnar hendershow]

55 minutes ago, METALMAN said:

So sad for Jobe Bellingham that Birmingham never retired his shirt number.

Still time for Paul McCartney to write a song about him though.

[Lineker]

 

[Moses Julep]

He might not be Pogback from that one.

[METALMAN]

Could Pogo argue that his ban gets backdated seeing as he has pretty much sat out the last 2-4 years anyway?

[Lineker]

 

[Hobo]

Yeah, real sad that he's being paid 400k a week and living in the wealthiest municipality in Germany with access to a private jet.

[gunnar hendershow]

His stay at Bayern does feel like he's just stopping over there for trophies before going to another club in no more than 2 years. I wouldn't uproot the family either, and with the private jet he can visit them or they can visit him in between training days.

[Lineker]

 

[Baddar]

 

 

[gunnar hendershow]

The "hi!" on his lower back just makes it so much better.

[stokeriño]

Retiring at the age of 32 is remarkably young in this day and age, but I salute you, sir. You should never have left Chelsea.

[Lineker]

But boy am I glad he did.

[DavidMarrio]

Bastard always had a good game against us. Been to a few games in person over the years against Chelsea and when he was on, he was outstanding to watch. 

Heard that he didn't want to go to Saudi or anywhere like that so fair enough. Go enjoy your life away from footbsll

[METALMAN]

His career should have ended years ago with jail time after he almost killed that ball boy.

[Cymbols]

41 minutes ago, METALMAN said:

His career should have ended years ago with jail time after he almost killed that ball boy.

Turns out the ball boy was a nepo baby who now runs a trashy but multi-million pound vodka company. So actually maybe Hazard was on to something…

[gunnar hendershow]

Eden "Saint-Just" Hazard