Memorable matches of national teams

[Barada Nikto]

Post videos about great, notorious matches played by European national teams at any sport. Victories in the last seconds, matches won by a mile, victories after overcoming many goals against. Feel free to choose videos from friendly games, world cups, doesn't matter, all historical moments are fine.

[BeornWulfWer]

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What a game ,and what a penalty ,to finally rid ourselves of the Argentinian monkey.

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There is a memorable story behind this goal,for me at least.
I was on holiday in N.I. when this game was on ,and of course, the bigotted Irish were all singing and dancing at the prospect of their inferiority complexes being relinquished with England losing a game.When suddenly Beckham had another free-kick.
Of course the murmers were all saying "he won't score,he's been missing them all day"

I made a little prayer to God and said "If you let this go in and England qualify for the World Cup,I will go to church on Sunday"

Beckham lined up for the free-kick and then ran with his swagger towards the ball.The ball zipped and curved through the air and into the corner.
.........GOAL.........

The whole place was quiet with the exception of one joyous Englishman,thanking God and jumping around like a general lunatic.

I never did go to church,but then we all know God is an Englishman and lets his fellow countrymen off.

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Another game against Argentina.
What a fantastic friendly and what a great comeback.





And of course,before I let some other patriotic member of Stirpes gloat,heres the greatest game I have ever seen England play.
I get shivers down my spine every time I watch the highlights of this game.

Enjoy!----especially my Germanic cousins

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[Theobald]

France-Germany, 1982, World Cup Semi-Finals in Sevilla

One of the most legendary matches in the World Cup history, when the golden goal did not exist, when the French team was still an European one and when Platini was its captain. I have heard so many times of this match though I was not even born when it happened.

To sum it up, 1-1 at the end of the regular time (Littbarski for Germany, Platini for France). Then, during the prolongations, two French goals : Trésor (93st) and Giresse (99st). 3-1 for France, everyone thinks that it's the end. And then, two German goals : Rumennige (103st) and Fischer (108st). Finally, the penalties : 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-3, 4-3 (France is again about to win), 4-4, 4-4 (the French Bossis fails) and finally 4-5 for Germany. German victory.

The 1982 semifinal between West Germany and France will always be brought up when people talk about classic games in World Cup history. It had everything. Attacking play, great goals, memorable incidents and a penalty shoot-out as the icing on the cake.
(...)
After 98 minutes a quick counter-attack took the Germans by surprise and Giresse scored with a great shot from the 18 yard line in off the post. At 3-1, the French players looked certain to have won the game. The crowd was 95% on their side and yelled and celebrated everytime a French player passed the ball to another. They kept coming forward looking for goal number four to really humiliate the Germans instead of sitting back on their two-goal advantage.
(...)
Suddenly extra energy was injected in the West German team and France started to play more cautious than earlier. They now tried to hold on to their one goal advantage in the second half, but it took only three minutes for the equalizer to come. Rummenigge was once again instrumental in the build-up. West Germany unbelievably had levelled the score. For the first time in World Cup history, soccer’s version of Russian roulette was needed: The penalty shoot-out.
(...)
Maxime Bossis volunteered to take France’s sixth penalty. His effort was wonderfully saved by Schumacher who chose to dive to his right corner for the fifth time in a row. Horst Hrubesch, the man who scored twice for West Germany in the European Championship final two years earlier, had the opportunity to send the Germans to the final. He sent Ettori the wrong way and scored with ease. The drama was finally over. The French players wept openly as they left the field, having had the Germans in their grasp both in extra-time and also in the shoot-out, without being able to finish them off. West Germany proved once again their remarkable strength in coming from behind and win. The World Cup history is full of late comebacks by the Germans and this match will rank up there with the very best, even though most neutrals were angered by the outcome.

Planet World Cup - Flashback - West Germany v France semifinal 1982


“I’m convinced the world knows the best team lost. We have only ourselves to blame though. The Germans would have played safe and defensive if they had led 3-1, but that is not our way to do it. We learnt something from this game.”
Michel Platini


Parts of the match (1'05-1'45 ; 2'59-3'42 ; 3'54-4'51) :

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One of the key moments, the awful agression of the French Battiston by the German Schumacher. Battiston fell to the ground unconscious, with damaged vertebrae and teeth knocked out, later slipping into a coma, while the referee did not even give a foul. After the World Cup there was a poll in one of France’s biggest newspapers about who the least popular man in France was. Schumacher won the poll with Adolf Hitler in second.

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If I was not a nationalist I would have added France-Brazil (1998).

[Zrinski]

The best match of Croatia was 1998 World Cup 1/4 final match, we beat the Germans 3:0. This was also a revenge for defeat two years earlier with dreadful refereeing by a Swede called Leif Sundell.

Sammer's goal after a clear fould before that in 1996 European championship in England:

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Croatia-Germany 3:0

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The 1996 EC will also be remembered because it was our first big championship. Croatia crushed the actual European Champions Danes in first match.

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Italy vs. Croatia in 2002 WC, Italy took the lead but Croatia won the match 2:1. Italy never beat us, from some 4 matches we have 3 wins and one draw.

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And of course at the end greetings to BeornWulfWer. Croatia-England 2-0, the second goal was the best England scored ever....take a look at Borat panel in the backround...mwahahahahaha

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Croatia vs. Ireland 1:0 in 1999, qualifying match for EC 2000, Suker scored a goal in 94th minute.

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[BeornWulfWer]

Originally Posted by Zrinski

And of course at the end greetings to BeornWulfWer. Croatia-England 2-0, the second goal was the best England scored ever....take a look at Borat panel in the backround...mwahahahahaha

Go ahead and gloat,but you still have to play us at home.
Hopefully Mclaren will be gone by then and we will show you pesky Croats how to play real football

[Savorgnan]

Netherlands-Italy (Euro 2000),Germany-Italy (World Cup 2006) and,of course,Italy-France penalty shoot-out that followed the "Dortmund Orgasm".

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[BeornWulfWer]

I was backing Italy that night(my excuse is I'm a big fan of Pirlo)
All my mates were backing France.

Italy won me a few quid that night and also bragging rights amongst my mates.


It was also good to see a good European team full of Europeans beat a "foreign" side

ItalyTeam_L.jpg

France.jpg

[Zrinski]

Originally Posted by BeornWulfWer

Go ahead and gloat,but you still have to play us at home.
Hopefully Mclaren will be gone by then and we will show you pesky Croats how to play real football

By that time we will already be qualified, who cares if you beat us after it's all over.

Honestly I don't think you will beat us there, it will be a draw.

[Theobald]

Originally Posted by BeornWulfWer

I was backing Italy that night(my excuse is I'm a big fan of Pirlo)
All my mates were backing France.

English people supporting France ? Really ? Or is it that the hatred of Italy is stronger than Francophobia ?

[BeornWulfWer]

Originally Posted by Theobald

English people supporting France ? Really ? Or is it that the hatred of Italy is stronger than Francophobia ?

They are all big fans of a certain North London club called "Le Arsenal"
Its only a natural progression to then support your club stars in Internationals

I support Man Utd,and alas England never made it past those diving,cheating Portuguese

[Zrinski]

Originally Posted by BeornWulfWer

I support Man Utd,and alas England never made it past those diving,cheating Portuguese

So you decided to assimilate them? ManU has two of those now.

[Savorgnan]

Brazil-Italy and