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Just goes to show that we all say we have world class players but they can only produce a world class performance in a domestic league surrounded by foreigners

Portugal fan here.

Im expecting a tough game. Despite Deco and costinha retur, I think the Portuguese team faces a tougher game than the usual. We have most players in high state of fatigue due to the last 2 games. C ronaldo is uncertain again as lately in my country there are news of him having pains again. APrarently his injure against the dutch has receaded.

FRances onluy problem was confidence but now that is no longer an issue their fresher players will probably impose a pace Portugal wont be able to match.

In all Honesty I think Chances of win are 49% for Portugal and 51% for france. I could be wrongs, lets see and hope for a formidable game. It could be the best yet, as the Germans will face an Italian defending wall.

germany,France,Italia,Portugal

you all have demonstrated absolutely a wonderfull modern art of Football,I would like to thank all the members of fifa world cup 2006,of course every one of 4 teams in semi final well deserve the championship title but there is a news in the air since one plus two is equal to three and one multiply by three is equal three and three times two is sixe .... els therefor Germany will become fifa world cup 2006 champion,this news has been in the air since fall of Berlin wall and unification of east and west germany and the election of german pope,it fits well

I am sorry, but team France is not going to the final. Scolari has proven to be a master. I am not saying that France has no chance, what I am saying is, that, this will be a good upset.

Khalin --- the Mexican

I am sorry, but team France is not going to the final. Scolari has proven to be a master. I am not saying that France has no chance, what I am saying is, that, this will be a good upset.

Khalin --- the Mexican

Well here I am a disappointed but not that surprised English fan sitting out the World Cup in Israel looking for some solace and a new handbook of excuses. When I openly supported France in their wonderful game with Brazil I was hounded by the Brazilophile Israelis who had, just two hours before, whooped at every English blunder. Who replaces Joe Cole? Who let Crouch play football in the first place? Is it so surprising? Isn't the Premiership just a French annex anyway? Its all to do with the reason d'etre for football, its a spectator sport, its entertainment. Scolari and Sven have forgotten this but not the French. Ever since the second half of the Swiss game Zidanne and co. have been released from the constraints of anti-football, manager driven tactics and allowed to actually enjoy themselves and entertain us in the process.
Will they win? Who cares, its only a game.

i congratulate to team france & ihope they will be the champions.

It's all about playing for the team in the game against Brazil the whole squad showed the passion that was sadly lacking in the England team this & skill will win the world cup for the French.
Also Celina's reports have been a breath of fresh air on MOTD.

Zidane is proving himself to be up there with the likes of Maradonna. What an enchanting footballer! He will surely be one of the all time greats. With his leadership and now France playing together as a team, I can't see how anyone can beat them. Portugal is a decent team, but probably not in the same class. Beating an over-rated England who can't even score from penalty shots does not prove a lot. I predict France will win the cup beating Germany in the final.

It was such a relief to see the Henry goal from Zidane pass. Much has been said about the problems within the players in the team, and now all of that is put to rest.

is it just me or was it with everyone, what comment #3 is all about?

How come France, Italy and Ukraine are grouped together in the Euro 2008 qualifying.
Were there no seedings? Imagine only 2 of these 3 talented teams will be at Euro 2008.

I am French team die hard follower i encourage the to keep it up playing as a unit (team work)foball spirit and giving all the credit to Zidanne who can stabilize the French attack.
I dont see Portugal going anywhere far than the quarterfinals because nobody can match Zidanne i see him as the best player so far in the world.
Happy French suporter
Thembi

What a player Zidane is,the guy is respectful and loves the game still at the age of 34, when are we going to see this in our English players. We have Rooney who is a spoilt brat !!!

Anyway Bonne Chance aux Bleus.

I want France to win the World Cup. It will be the perfect send off to a glittering career for the "Magician" that is Zinedine Zidane. What a player. In my opinion he has been the best player of the tournament so far who pulls the strings in midfield. Come on LES BLEUS.

Zizzou all the way. The world cup was made for him. He has entertained us over the years and shown us poetry with a ball like no other player. we should all just sit back and support the playing legend as we wont have many more chances. Cum on Les Blues

After watching the performance of Zidane against Brazil, it was really hard to understand that this player who was not in full face in the group matches and he looked like in his early age. He showed his best performance in the most important time for his country. Victory against Spain may be a turning point but a different Zidane with his own style was more vital for the performance of the whole team. When one of the oldest and experienced players plays his best whole the match then the younger players have to give their double of their capacity!

I'm an Ethiopian and unlike most people think Ethiopians are glued to the TV whenever anything related to the worldcup is on the show. Zizu is indeed the ageing but the reigning King of football.And most of my fellow Ethiopians agree with me on that point. We hope before too long we will be known for our football talent as we are known for our long distance running records.

It is Patrick viera who should take all the credit for the french preformance.....If it was not for him i am sure the french would be in Paris by now..

NOw lets see ZIdane preformance: He played crap against the Swiss, he did the same against the Korean....And he didnt play against Togo but despite his absence the team managed to have the two goal difference thanks to Viera and avance to the second round.

Now, after zidane hade a pretty game against Brazil, he is GOd...This is hyprocracy at its peak.

I know the french are going to go the final but i really hope they are going to lose in the FInal.

"A managers tactics can render even the greatest talents a side show. Surely if you have a world-class player, you build the team around him to get the best out of him".

So who do England start with? I think England proved that playing all your world-class players (which we DO have) doesn't necessarily mean you can play as a team. For me England only played as a real team from the dismissal of Rooney against Portugal, then England finally showed some grit, determination, passion and fought for each other, helped each other out. Not for one minute do I suggest Rooney should be dropped, but England need to find some equilibrium and add solidarity to the team.

By the same token, would you say the German team is built around Ballack? The Portugese team around Deco, France around Zidane and Italy around Totti? Probably - and look which teams are in the semi-finals?

Maybe in Steve McLaren England have a manager who will actually play his strongest team in friendlies (injury/suspensions permitting), to allow players to forge an understanding, without 6 or 7 substitutions and maybe Steve McLaren will make it difficult for players to get caps, so it will be an honour and privilege to gain an England cap once again?

Come on Steve Mclaren, bond our team into a band of brothers and let England loose on the Euros in 2008 and the World Cup in 2010!!!

Ah Celina, finally you are back in the land of the bloggers!!

I'm going off on a totally different tangent to the rest of my esteemed bloggers, but I have to say I have watched Match of The Day and I feel hugely humbled when Marcel Desailly and Leonardo appear as their command and knowledge of English is so good.

I do not wish to make a sweeping generalisation here, but we, as English speakers, do tend to have appalling language skills and rely on people speaking our language, rather than us making the effort to learn another language or two.

Kudos to Desailly, Leonardo et al. Maybe Stevie G or Rooney will be able to conduct the press conference for the assembled masses at the Euros in 2008 in German, French or Italian?!

Gutes Gluck Deutschland!
Allez la France!
Forza Italia!
As frauds nunca prosper!

If they go through the Semi...I prefer France loose to the final .if they play a fantastic game..
Than a Boring defending and a Cheating winning Italy...

I think it is appauling that wayne rooney got sent off.He and everyone else knows that ronaldo winked at the portugal bench so something was going on.

Celina, a good place for you to visit and report on (if there is still time) is the Berlin Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie. Alexandre Hildebrandt is head of that museum and they have created it to remind Berliners what it was like to live in a divided city. The museum plans to rebuild a stretch of wall on either side of the Checkpoint Charlie border crossing - the place of so many shootings, the point of so many hopes.

A.Simpson, Wassenaar, The Netherlands