Euros 2024 — Day 20

I must have been down with Covid when this story first hit:

A German referee once criticised over his match-fixing past by Jude Bellingham will officiate England's European Championship semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Felix Zwayer, 43, will lead an all-German refereeing team.

In 2021, when Bellingham played for Borussia Dortmund, the England midfielder was fined €40,000 (£34,000) for referencing the official's previous ban for match-fixing.

Zwayer was given a six-month ban in 2005.

Bellingham's comments came after Dortmund lost 3-2 to Bayern Munich.

During the game, the referee did not give Dortmund a penalty but did award a spot-kick to their opponents.

Bellingham, who was 18 at the time, told streaming service Viaplay: "You give a referee that has match fixed before the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?"

So he's a convicted match-fixer… but you can't talk about it?

What the hell are they even thinking? The Euros is the second largest tournament on the planet, with only the Big Dance of the World Cup in front of it.

How in the hell do you place a ref with a match fixing past in charge of a semi-final game? I don't care if it happened almost 20 years ago, find another ref.

That's just ridiculous and frankly stupid.

Hang on, lads. There's more to this than meets the eye.

He played second fiddle to the older and more experienced German ref who, it emerged in the trial/hearing, put heavy pressure on his younger official to fix the match.

The older fella was banned for life; our fella got a few years with time off and credit for bringing the matter to the authorities before the match was due to be played.

Sorry, Jamie, gotta disagree. The guy got involved in something very much over his head at age 22, in just his second year as a professional, and was one of four junior refs who reported the situation.

He accepted responsibility and a six-month suspension (not a "few years", PF), and over the next 15 years, he rehabilitated himself into a top referee.

How long is a guy supposed to burn for one mistake?

Didn't know that. Sounds like a fine redemptive arc in that case!

A couple of years out, MG, but it did lead to the redemption and corrective process.

Link

Looks like England and France bore themselves to the final. Last man with his eyes still open wins.

Can't wait for the French anthem.

Love that French 2nd kit; boss round collar

Paul Hewitt 27: He's at Finch Farm.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Come on spain

Vamos España

The usual Iberian military dictatorship anthem.

La Marseillaise is all about overthrowing the ruling classes.

Allons enfant de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,
L'étendard sanglant est levé
L'étendard sanglant est levé
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes!
Aux armes, citoyens! (Formez)
Vos bataillons!
Marchons! Oui, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons!
Sillons!
Ouh ouh

Viva fcuking Espana!!
VAMOS!!

Ps - LOVE the Marseilles - superb heart stirring anthem.

Re the French “second” kit.
I don't think I've seen their first kit this tourney and as Spain are playing in red why aren't they playing in Bleu? (French for blue)

Wow - so easy!!

ALLEZ LE BLEU OUH OUH

Pickers would've saved that

Why are the French booing cucurella? He looks nervous

Hell yes! A France - Dutch final and I win the prestigious Crowley Friends and Family 10 person strong Euro bracket. Let's go

Vive la France!!

allez en France, battez les putes de cochons espagnols de Franco

LE BLUE

Hey Hewey who was your source mate?
Paul Hewitt 27: He's at Finch Farm.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Colin, in the German game - it's Germans booing - he gave away what the germans said was a nailed on pen but it wasn't given

Because of his handball against Germany, I imagine Colin

Cucurella and Navas all over the place.

Not his fault, Julian. They should boo Anthony Taylor

I loved the French team with Platini, Giresse, Rocheteau, Amoros, Bossis, Six great team

If it's a France v England final,then it won't be worth watching

Get in

Golazoooooooooooo

WOW great goal

He's fecking 16

Oh my Lord above.

THAT was AMAZING!

Get the hijo de puta cabron de mierda gillipolla IN!!!!

If this lad was at Everton. He wouldn't get near the first team. Sad.

The Lord is all around Jamie not above.

I must confess I'd never heard of him until this tournament. Great game this.

Anyone else thinking “Wayne Rooney”?
And shedding a little tear?

Golazooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bye bye France

Wow, great game already.

Did you guys see my post on the other thread about the photo from 17 years ago? Messi posing for a charity calendar with a baby in his arms... and the baby turned out to be Yamal. Incredible.

Traditionally, Paul, heaven be up the steps. Not literally, of course.

FUDGE!!!!! WTF France???

how many ogs is that now

Well I guess that kept the cockadoodle doo crowd quiet 2---0

Good game!

I'd rather like England to win tomorrow. Then watch them get totally humiliated in the final by Spain.

If this game ended right now it would be a classic. Three fantastic moves and goals.

best tournament for oggies, ever

Jamal, what a goal.

Can we get Danny Olmos for Xmas?

11 goals for this guy Oggie.

Thelwell, please sign him up.

I have been watching this game but had to briefly step away twice. Somehow I timed that to miss all three goals

Oggie can certainly finish. We could absolutely use him.

If that's given as an OG it's cnutish

Imagine if Yamal played for Everton. The way he is performing within a few years he'd make it to the bench for Tait's under 21s.

Shot was off target, Mark. Would have missed the far post.

I want another golazooooooooooooo

That Nico Williams is some player!
Bet the Welsh are gutted they missed out on him!
My mums maiden name is Williams - he's got the family resemblance…

Hey they changed it back to Olmo. Oggie loses the goal off his total.

Quite right too!
Good decision!

Dangerous play if the Spanish start to slow it down and play tippy tappy. The frenchies will pounce on them.

OK time to mute - this half-time Fox "discussion" of the "experts" is nauseous

This will end 5-1 Spain.

If Yamal was an Everon player, Utd would be tabling a bid for £15m..

Christine - and we'd accept the £15m!

PF at least that ass Lalas isn't on. Chiellini and Sturridge are actually not too bad.

Schmeichel is frequently hilarious on the CBS coverage with Kate and Thierry, but on Fox he's got a stick up his ass the size of a goalpost.

Again, so many memories of Wayne's goal v Arsenal…

Brent, without any sell on clause either.. just a couple of packets of Golden Wonder, cheese and onion of course..what a youngster, yes, did immediately think of Rooney too.. how much has his value just gone up?

What a good match. Both these teams are operating at a better level than England. France haven't quite clicked but they have a good shape and are creating good openings.

England are being billed as cautious / negative - and they are of sorts - but the bigger issue is that they are playing badly. That's in both defence and attack. We've given up a lot of chances already against much weaker teams, without really carving out chances of our own.

What is admirable is just how hard Spain work when in possession. The movement is very good - and they always keep their width.

England meanwhile are so static in possession and also so narrow. They only spring into life when trying to win the ball back.

I hope we get through into the final obviously but it will be a tall order to keep playing with such bad organisation and team structure and win.

This is an amazing game. I want ET and PKs. Don't want it to end.

Spain had better get a 3rd or they will pay for it.

Everything must come to an end Jamie. Everything is finite. Each little pebble will one day come to an end.

Jeez Mbappe is all mask off, 100% go for it. He's an incredible player.

Ferry -

Killjoy. The Fountain of Youth is just down the road in St. Augustine, about 12 miles away. All the tourists swear by it?

I think all pitch invaders should be required to hit the grass naked.

If you don't strip down, stay in your seat.

Loudhailers / megaphones in the crowd.
I'm pretty sure someone with one of those in the Glwadys street would be given short shrift!
Wankers

St Augustine is the only place in Florida that I would like to visit.

Williams is a bit of a showboater and wasteful isn't he?

If I was playing CB for Spain, I would simply turn and start running backwards whenever I saw Cuckoo with the ball. He turns it over every time, usually in the worst possible position.

Paul -

It's fantastic, but really touristy Beautiful old (relative here) city.

I like these subs. Fresh legs, enough time on the pitch to make a difference. Good subs. Should be 2-2 now! Big miss.

Colin # 75…….so you've seen Brian play then!

You got a problem with the Welsh Colin boyo??

Good Lord what a touch by Mbappe.

Phenomenal skill Mbappe. He's not just about pace.

If Everton played this Spain team, our possession stat would waver around 6% I'd wager.

France should be level here. The Paella lads don't look so good in this half. In better news, doesn't the first test match start tomorrow?

Great memories of a day in St. Augustine. Beautiful Place.
Went for dinner - came out it was dark. How long were we in there eating??? Walked back to B&B. Showered. Ready for bed. What time is it, we had never check. It was 19:45! What do you do then? Get dressed and go back out???
Would definitely go back if we had the chance.

Don't get the Mbappe hype. Like I never got the Neymar hype.

Got family down in Wales, Mark. Good people. Can't say I've had the pleasure, Rob. This game is boring now.

You'd fancy Saka against Cucurella

Spain play absolutely beautiful pass and move football. It's just so simple.

Phil you ever get back there reach out. I'll drive down and buy you 3-4 drinks. ;0)

Cymru am byth Colin!

You are silly and daft sometimes Paul Hewitt.

A lot of these so called modern 'greats' are very overhyped, I still look at old George Best highlights on YouTube when I need cheering.

I wasn't being serious - I don't think Nico is Welsh any more than our Eddie is Irish!

Bryn Mawr, Mark. That's all the Welsh I know.

France to win on pens

Wrexham, Cardiff, Swansea is the best I can do

How do you blast that over???

Jeez man!

Wow, worst shot imaginable.

Settle down man. Guide it. Freaking 16 year old in front of pretty naked lady shot! Calm down.

Are you in the states Colin?

Plaid Cymru, Neil.

Colin, you are showing off now

Is the French underwear model on? Girioux? (spelling all wrong I'm sure)

Is that anywhere near Bala Cynwyd, Colin?

Jamie, most likely NC in future as friends from Savannah moving there. But there still is my mate in Jacksonville - who watches the game with Shad.

Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch

In a state of panic, Mark. I know Bryn Mawr from holidays in Anglesey, Wales as a kid.

Abertawe

That's fcuking ridiculous and why I hate modern footballers!

Puxatawny

Only the Welsh and scousers can pronounce that one, Paul.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch……….Yaki Dah!!

Phil -

I'm in Jax (sort of, Ponte Vedra, your mate will know where that is). Let him know if he ever wants to watch a game to reach out. Not too many Blues around here!

Bryan Mahr means big hill. Loads of them in Wales mate.

Mbappe caught the disease too. Great move, horror shot.

OMG France please put it on frame already.

I hear that Port Talbot and Ebbew Vale are very beautiful

Mbappe is becoming Iwobi-esque.

Colin hahahaha.

But... don't forget that game-tying goal against Newcastle. Without that Iwobe goal and subsequent point, we go down...

I don't “like” cucarella but he's beginning to grow on me as a footballing talent.
Especially as I'm in the left back club.

Anyone been to Portmeirion where the series The Prisoner was filmed? Spent a night there a few years back.

Spain is like that fly you go to swat and the little fucker moves right at the last second, only to return and bother the shit out of you, restarting the cycle.

Paul and Rob, impressed, fluent Welsh!

Lots of very nice places in Wales. Brecon Becons are fantastic as is Cardigan Bay amongst others.

Shit, I wanted France in the final.

I always thought that Mark - Especially as I'm in the left back club.

Mark and PF, what grades were you left back from?

That little kid is simply astonishing.

Barry island is brill.

Crap. Great game.

Au revoir!

That Rodri is like a bloody octopus. His legs are everywhere

Spain it is then, We sharpen our English knives. Let loose our fire ships to sink the Armada. Piss in paella. Bring it on you pig whores of Franco.

£15M for Mbappe plus Maupay and a bag of gobstoppers.

He's not the player he was…

Sorry Mike, my Welsh is stronger than my yank.
What do you mean?

Paul, you been watching Sharpe again??

Jamie (120) ,

I thought we won that game and got 3 points.

Iwobi was still poor whether it was 1 or 3 points!

Always, MM, you left footer you.

Dave, we did after going down to 10 men.

Dave -

Pretty sure that made it 1-1???

I might be completely wrong! I have the memory of a field mouse.

Either way that point, er... or three, saved our ass m'man!

Lineker just echoing my thoughts, in Spanish
“Remember the name”
Taliking of Jamal's goal.

Neil, was it a tie or a win?

It was deffo the winner Jamie. Deep into time added

All three points! A win. I stand corrected!

Link

Yup. Like 99th minute.

Thank God for YouTube and the internet.

Rob @122,

I have, spent a lovely day there, 1983, then kissed my girlfriend (now my wife) for the first time whilst sat on a bench in Minfford train station across the road.

Good game, both sides intent on passing it forwards and running into various places to receive it.

Wonder if it'll ever catch on with us?

C'mon Canada!

Jamie

Are you just being neighborly? An underdog backer? Or dislike Argy cause they gave Messi enough penalties for no reason in every game to ensure he won the World Cup?, or cause of the hand of God, Falklands and cause Evita was a fascist?

Personally I'm supporting them based on options 2, 3 and 4.

My faded old Argentina shirt is working just fine, although they should be leading by more.

Probably a bridge too far for Canada tonight, a few promising attacks that didn't amount to much in the end. Would be miracle on ice level stuff if we could beat Argentina.

Kieran you left Villa's annoying keeper off your list.

Neil, you Canadian? Where from?

Yes Mike, born in Liverpool but lived in and around Toronto since 1979

Your guys are doing you proud. No quit in 'em.

I love Toronto. One of my favourite cities.

Lots of effort tonight but the huge gulf in quality was all too obvious.

Still a great achievement to make a semi final, nice start for Jesse Marsch. Disappointing to see it end but proud of the boys.

Neil

It's a moral victory versus the evil ones

France were my tip, but they haven't looked themselves. They've played like England. Very cautious.

I think Spain have been the team of the tournament and deserve their place in the final. Playing ambitious football.

Jamie (144),

That link is not available in England, is it okay if I get a plane over and watch it in your gaff (house) next week?

If anyone is interested Channel 4 (UK) is showing the 1966 World Cup Final in colour, not black and white.