Silly Bits Of Football Trivia

🗣️ "Was it written? Can it be? Imagine how it is in Buenos Aires. Imagine how it is in Cordoba. Imagine how it is in Messi's hometown, Rosario."

🗣️ "Lionel Messi has shaken hands with Paradise."

🗣️ "He has rendered himself the greatest of all time."

🗣️ "Messi's meant-to-be moment. His fulfilment. His completion. It's done."

Peter Drury made Messi and Argentina's World Cup triumph even sweeter with his magic from the commentary box. ❤️

Last night, Messi broke these records: 👇
▪️Most appearances (26) in World Cup history, overtaking Lothar Matthaus (25). 👕
▪️First player in history to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice. 🏆

Lionel Messi and Argentina are champions of the world. 🇦🇷

🗣️ "It is a Moroccan marvel! The Atlas Lions now just one more prowling step from the World Cup final itself! The Arab world unites. The African continent believes.

It's standard bearer continues to conjure with the barely believable. For the first time in the history of the World Cup there will be an African nation in the semifinals. Portugal are out and Cristiano Ronaldo is out." - Peter Drury. 😍

Morocco have been punching above their weight throughout the tournament, having conceded a solitary goal so far. 👏

Clean sheets against Belgium, Croatia, Spain and Portugal talks about the grit, determination and discipline of the Moroccan squad. 🚫

Tonight they face defending world champions France and hoping for one more magical performance, to set up a meeting with Argentina on Sunday. 💪

Even if they come up short tonight, Morocco's story will be remembered for years to come. 🙏

🗣️ "What is there left for him to show? What is there left for him to do? The answer to the question - win the World Cup!" - Peter Drury. 😍

Last night, Lionel Messi produced a masterclass to guide Argentina to the final and remain on course for a fairytale farewell from the World Cup. 🇦🇷

Magic man! 🌟

📆 On 1st March, 2006, in a friendly between Croatia and Argentina in Basel, 20-year old Luka Modric made his international debut for Croatia. 🇭🇷

In the same match, Lionel Messi scored his first goal for Argentina. 🇦🇷

📆 13th July, 2014: Lionel Messi captains Argentina against Germany in the 2014 World Cup final, but loses the game. However, he wins the Golden Ball after being adjudged the best player at that World Cup. 🏅

📆 15th July, 2018: Luka Modric skippers Croatia in their first ever World Cup final appearance, but is comprehensively beaten by France. Modric is awarded the Golden Ball for the 2018 World Cup. 🏅

Two players, one of them regarded as arguably the greatest player to ever grace the game, and the other a genius in midfield, the finest his country has ever produced. 😍

Two players with extraordinary La Liga and Champions League legacy, hoping to win the biggest prize in world football, in what could possibly be their last World Cup appearance. 🤩

Former Ballon D'Or winners, two stalwarts of the game. 👏

LM10 vs LM10. Who wins tonight? 🤔

Does he even need to prove anything anymore to anyone? 🤔

The greatest goalscorer in international football, most major tournament goals by a European. 🌟

But the lashings by the media and some sections of football followers is debatable. 😔

Few weeks ago Ronaldo went out and commented on Erik ten Hag, the infrastructure at Manchester United and the ambitions of the club during a startling interview with Piers Morgan, subsequently resulting in his contract being terminated by United. 👀

Portugal manager Fernando Santos dropped Ronaldo from the starting line-up for the knockouts, and given Portugal's brilliant performance against Switzerland, many felt the decision was justified. 🇵🇹

However, there will be trolls against Ronaldo, his attitude and his ability waning as he nears the end of his international career. 💔

But does he need to prove anything anymore to anyone? 🧐

Easily one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, a player who's been on the top of his game for the best part of 16 years. 🙏

To one of the true greats, you will forever be remembered as a fighter, a supremely gifted athlete whose hardwork has been second to none. 🐐

If last night was the final time we saw Ronaldo on the World Cup stage, so be it. We have had the pleasure of following one of the finest careers in sports history. ❤️

What a difference two World Cup tournaments make. 🤯

Harry Kane - Golden Boot winner in 2018, missed the vital penalty to draw England level against France tonight. 🤯

Tchouaméni and Giroud have guided Les Bleus to a semifinal meeting with Morocco. 🇫🇷

Heartbreak for England. 💔

Before the World Cup even began, Samuel Eto'o predicted a Cameroon vs Morocco final. Extremely ambitious, to say the least. 😂

While Cameroon did have their moment against Brazil, they did crash out in the group stages. 🙏

But Morocco have carried on, having conceded just a solitary goal this World Cup - that too from an own goal. 🇲🇦

Hakimi, Ziyech, Saiss, Amrabat, Bounou. Feel free to add more to this list. A list of names that will be worshipped and adored eternally in Morocco and Africa. 🌟

Just the 4️⃣th African nation to reach the quarterfinals of a World Cup after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, Ghana in 2010 and now Morocco carry the hopes of an entire continent. 🌍

Feel it. Live it. Dream it. Morocco face Portugal tonight in Doha for a place in the semifinals, vying to become the first African nation to reach the last 4️⃣ at a World Cup. 🤩

We have heard stories of how Diego Maradona single-handedly carried Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986. 🏆

If our generation needed an example to go by, Lionel Messi is doing somewhat similar in 2022. 🇦🇷

Messi survived last night, Argentina survived just by the skin of their teeth. 🤯

Wout Weghorst first headed in to reduce the deficit and scored again in the final minute of stoppage time to drag the game into penalties. 🇳🇱

However, like in the 2014 semifinal, Netherlands came up short as Emiliano Martinez saved penalties from Van Dijk and Berghuis to keep Messi's dream alive. 🧤

Next up? Modric's Croatia. 🇭🇷

Last night, whatever Brazil's talented, skillful forwards hit at Dominik Livakovic, the Croatian goalkeeper thwarted it out, putting in an extraordinary performance. 🧤

When Neymar scored his 7️⃣7️⃣th international goal to go level with the great Pele, the Canarinho must have thought they had secured their semifinal berth. 🇧🇷

But Petkovic struck, via a deflection, late in extra time, to square it up and take it to penalties. 🇭🇷

And then Livakovic, the Croatian wall, saved from Rodrygo, while Marquinhos struck the post as Brazil crashed out. 🚫

2018's beaten finalists are still alive! ✨

In the aftermath, Tite stepped down. A heartbreak engulfs a nation. 💔

🗣️ The last time Peter Drury commentated on a Netherlands vs Argentina game at the World Cup was in the semifinal of the 2014 World Cup: 👇

▪️Sergio Romero saved penalties from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder. 💔
▪️Argentina's penalty scorers were Messi, Garay, Aguero and Maxi Rodriguez. 💪

Argentina won 4️⃣-2️⃣ on penalties to reach the final. 🇦🇷

"The Maracana must roll out its red carpet for its most rivalrous visitors of all." 😍

From Cruyff's masterclass in 1974 to Kempes' redemption and Albiceleste's glory in 1978. From Bergkamp's spectacular strike in 1998 to Argentina's penalty shootout ecstacy in 2014. ❤️

Netherlands vs Argentina is a special World Cup fixture. 🇳🇱🇦🇷

Can Gakpo & Co. end Messi's dream? 🌟

Imagine you are a 21-year old, playing in your first World Cup match, having never started in a game before for your nation and being selected for a knockout game ahead of the greatest player your country has ever produced. 🤩

No pressure, kid! 🙏

Gonçalo Ramos just went ahead and scored a hattrick for Portugal against Switzerland in an emphatic 6️⃣-1️⃣ victory to book a spot in the quarterfinal against Morocco. 🎩

Wow! 🤯

Portugal mean business! 🇵🇹

All of them, heroes! 🤩

The Moroccans are living their dream in Qatar. 🇲🇦

Last night they worked their socks off, thwarting every Spanish attack and going toe to toe in midfield, not allowing an inch to Spain's midfield to create. ❤️

Then there was skipper Roman Saiss, who played through the pain - a hamstring injury which did not stop him from putting in a colossal performance. 🙏

Sofyan Amrabat took on Pedri and Gavi and came out on top. 💪

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, having kept clean sheets in the group stage against Belgium and Croatia, saved two penalties in the shootout - one from Carlos Soler and the other from Sergio Busquets. 🧤

And lastly, Achraf Hakimi. The sub-plot of him being born and raised in Spain, stroking in the winning penalty to guarantee Morocco's spot in the quarterfinal. 🙌

The Moroccan players played the game of their life last night, becoming only the 4️⃣th African nation to reach the quarterfinals of a World Cup. 😍

They will go again on Saturday. This time against Portugal. 👏

For Spain, it's back to the drawing board. 💔

Last night Brazil became the first nation in history to play all 2️⃣6️⃣ members of their squad during a World Cup campaign, when they brought on third choice goalkeeper Weverton for the last ten minutes during their 4️⃣-1️⃣ victory over Korea Republic. 🇧🇷

Trendsetters. Football royalty! 🌟

Dominik Livakovic - a star is born! 🌟

A penalty shootout win over Japan sends Croatia into the quarterfinal. 🇭🇷

Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic is now only the third goalkeeper to make 3️⃣ saves in a single World Cup penalty shootout after Portugal’s Ricardo in 2006 against England and Croatia’s Danijel Subasic against Denmark in 2018. 🧤

Brilliant! 👏

Lions, lions everywhere tonight. 🦁

The Three Lions take on the Lions of Teranga. 💥

England vs Senegal for a place in the quarters. 🤝

Olivier Giroud! 🌟

France's all-time leading goalscorer. 🇫🇷

A legacy more convincing than his YouTube video highlights reel. 📺

"A thousand games and still he excels. There will never be another like him. Enjoy him while he's here." 🗣️

Peter Drury blessed Lionel Messi's goal last night against Australia with some delightful lines. ❤️

Messi scored for the first time in a World Cup knockout game. And there could be even more to come. 🇦🇷

Argentina face the Netherlands in the quarters. 💪

From tonight onwards, whichever game Argentina's diminutive maestro plays in this tournament, might be the very last time we get to see the great man don the famous blue and white shirt at a FIFA World Cup. 🇦🇷

A kind of feeling we got with Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo when they turned out at the 2006 World Cup. 😢

Figo's World Cup journey concluded at the hurdle just before the final, while Zidane's headbutt on Materazzi cost France the coveted trophy and Zidane himself, his immortal status. 💔

Tonight Argentina will try to overcome Australia, a seemingly straightforward assignment, but that's what the world said about Saudi Arabia, right? And we all know what happened that day. 🤯

Let's hope Messi's World Cup journey doesn't end abruptly, prematurely, unexpectedly. 🐐

𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪? 👇

Ever wondered why the third round of fixtures in a four-team group at a major international tournament is played at the same time? 🤔

We have the answer for you below. 📖

Our story takes place during the FIFA World Cup 1982 in Spain and as was the norm back then, the third round of fixtures used to be played on separate days or at different times. 🗓️

On 25th June, 1982, West Germany played Austria in the city of Gijon, Spain with Algeria and Chile, who were the other two teams in the same group, having played their third game the day before. 🌍

While Chile were already eliminated, Algeria were still in with a chance to go through to the following round if West Germany and Austria drew their match or if Austria beat West Germany in the final match of the group. 🇩🇪🇦🇹

However, West Germany and Austria knew that a West Germany win by a maximum margin of two goals would be sufficient to see both West Germany and Austria through to the next round. ✅

West Germany went ahead after 10 minutes in Gijon through a goal by Horst Hrubesch and both teams played out the remainder of the game with very few clear cut chances and in general showed very little ambition to go for the kill. 💪

The match ended with West Germany beating Austria by a solitary goal, thereby eliminating Algeria, who finished third in the group. 👌

TV commentators and the spectators showed immense displeasure at the display of both the teams. 📺

Back at the hotel, West Germany players were subject to an attack by a furious crowd who threw eggs at them and the West Germany players retaliated with water bombs. 💣

The entire incident involving the match and the aftermath has gone down in football history as the "Disgrace of Gijon". 🤡

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