France v Italy (soccer): 1982/2006

Abishai100

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Sep 22, 2013
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A great international rivalry in FIFA soccer is between the nations of France and Italy. This rivalry has seen exciting matchups including the 2006 World Cup Final and countless engagements. The series competitively is tied 4-4, with Italy winning the last matchup in the UEFA Euro 2008 championship 2-0.

France and Italy have both boasted incredible legends in soccer.

FRANCE: Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, David Trezeguet, Thierry Henry, Karim Benzema

ITALY: Roberto Baggio, Paol Rossi, Francesco Totti, Alessandro Nesta, Filippo Inzaghi


I think the 1982 World Cup was a terrific France-Italy challenge, but they never met during the otherwise exciting tournament. If they had, their two legends (Michel Platini and Paolo Rossi) would have met face-to-face.

France and Italy continue to build impressive national soccer programs, so we have no reason not to anticipate another exciting matchup, perhaps in a World Cup Final (with France perhaps avenging their loss in the 2006 World Cup Final!).

France has won 2 World Cup titles [1998, 2018], while Italy has won 4 [1934, 1938, 1982, 2006].

There's no reason that the 'striking' features of international soccer can not appeal to a modern American audience interested in the culture and psychology of competitive 'philosophy' (e.g., Jerry Maguire, Hotshot, etc.).




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Any international soccer fan can tell you that France's legendary Michel Platini and Italy's legendary Paolo Rossi played together in Italian club-soccer (on team Juventus). Platini and Rossi could have faced each other in the 1982 World Cup, which many fans wanted to happen, but it never came to pass. When the teams faced each other in February 1982 (ahead of the World Cup!), Rossi did not play while Platini did.

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All World Cup fans remember the 2006 Final however when France and Italy did indeed face each other in a cool game. France had become a 'monster' in international soccer by then and was led by the titan-like Zinedine Zidane, while Italy was being bolstered by the talented Francesco Totti. Italy won the momentous game on penalty kicks, in a time when it seemed that it would take real World Cup miracles to depose Zidane's France.

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American sports fans think of athletes as modern-day 'gladiators' so you can expect drama among fans! We want all the intrigue of real life placed into the exciting arena of competitive athletics. Why not? Sports reminds us of fitness, mental focus, teamwork, coordination, strategy, energy, passion, humility, and even adventure(!). Well, the France-Italy rivalry in international soccer is a sure signpost of the intangible link between sports...and war.


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Sports fans are conscious of the devastating effect of terrorism on new age globalization optimism. We remember the scars of Munich 1972 and 9/11 which saw beneficial social ideals completely destroyed. Security in sports-stadiums and public venues are now a great concern to politicians and policemen. That's why we need to catalogue peacefully competitive legendary sports rivalries such as the France-Italy rivalry in soccer(!).

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Americans love movies (yes, we do). We want to see a movie about Platini and Rossi or a movie about the 1982 World Cup or the 2006 World Cup. Why not? Sports represents human passion and can engage important peace pacts between otherwise contentious nations (e.g., PyeongChang Olympics --- alliance between North and South Korea). Incidentally, do you prefer French food (e.g., Coq Au Vin) or Italian food (e.g., Portobello Mushroom Ravioli)?

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A fan cheering for Italy (or France!) at the World Cup might have his/her photo taken and then broadcasted/uploaded somewhere in modern media. These fans represent the best of modern international sports. We Americans love seeing these photos, since they remind us of the fanfare of American sports and great rivalries in the USA (e.g., Duke-UNC, Lakers-Celtics).

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Leave a like if you're a fan of the 1982 and 2006 World Cup soccer tournaments and/or a fan of the French/Italian soccer legends Platini, Zidane, Rossi, and Totti from those two respective eras. Feel free to comment on whether or not you prefer an Italian soccer legend (e.g., Roberto Baggio) to a French soccer legend (e.g., Zinedine Zidane).

Television is helping sports which are not popular necessarily in America reach American sports fans...

Who should we thank for that?


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:dance:
 

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