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The "Football War" between Italy and France
Thursday, 30 November 06, 05:37 PM · Comments (0)
We can say it’s a never-ending story between Italy and France in football. It started in 1998, when France won in a penalty shoot-out (World Cup quarterfinals) and continued in 2000 with Trezeguet’s golden goal in European Cup final in Rotterdam. Everybody knows what happened last 9th of July: the draw, 1-1 after 120’, Zidane sent off for headbutting Materazzi, the penalty shoot-out and Fabio Grosso’s run after his decisive penalty.
Last Monday Fabio Cannavaro, the man who captained Italy to victory in Berlin, has been named player of the year by “France Football” magazine. Cannavaro is one of the few defenders to win the award, probably he deserved it but some past events -the way he left Inter for Juventus, the documentary film where he was injected with “Neoton” (a cardiotonic) before a UEFA Cup final in 1999, and an interview in which he justified last year’s match fixing in Serie A- caused another discussion between French and Italians.
“It’s a scandal, Henry scores more than 20 goals per season” said Olympique Lyon’s coach, Gerard Houlliér. According to former “Ballon d’Or” winner, Jean Pierre Papin, Cannavaro “didn’t deserved it; he had a great World Cup, not a great season”. In Italy, many people think it’s envy, as the best French player, Thierry Henry, is just third in ranking.
Anyway, this doesn’t mean that all French are against Cannavaro and all Italians are happy about his victory. In fact, “Ballon d’Or” is based on a vote by European football journalists, one per each country, and the French one gave 5 points –the maximum- to Cannavaro. On the other hand, someone in Italy doesn’t agree with the vote. Especially on the web, especially among Inter Milan, AC Milan and AS Roma fans. “Houlliér, one of us”, we find in FC Inter fanzine “Bauscia”, “Congratulations to Cannavaro, a great defender, but Houlliér is right: Henry should have been awarded instead”, is written in another Italian blog.
Even Juventus fans are angry with Cannavaro, as he left Turin last summer for Real Madrid, and also Spain is involved in the discussion: FC Barcelona forward, Samuel Eto’o, said “It’s a farce”. Of course, Barcelona is the main rival of Cannavaro’s new team.
Last Monday Fabio Cannavaro, the man who captained Italy to victory in Berlin, has been named player of the year by “France Football” magazine. Cannavaro is one of the few defenders to win the award, probably he deserved it but some past events -the way he left Inter for Juventus, the documentary film where he was injected with “Neoton” (a cardiotonic) before a UEFA Cup final in 1999, and an interview in which he justified last year’s match fixing in Serie A- caused another discussion between French and Italians.
“It’s a scandal, Henry scores more than 20 goals per season” said Olympique Lyon’s coach, Gerard Houlliér. According to former “Ballon d’Or” winner, Jean Pierre Papin, Cannavaro “didn’t deserved it; he had a great World Cup, not a great season”. In Italy, many people think it’s envy, as the best French player, Thierry Henry, is just third in ranking.
Anyway, this doesn’t mean that all French are against Cannavaro and all Italians are happy about his victory. In fact, “Ballon d’Or” is based on a vote by European football journalists, one per each country, and the French one gave 5 points –the maximum- to Cannavaro. On the other hand, someone in Italy doesn’t agree with the vote. Especially on the web, especially among Inter Milan, AC Milan and AS Roma fans. “Houlliér, one of us”, we find in FC Inter fanzine “Bauscia”, “Congratulations to Cannavaro, a great defender, but Houlliér is right: Henry should have been awarded instead”, is written in another Italian blog.
Even Juventus fans are angry with Cannavaro, as he left Turin last summer for Real Madrid, and also Spain is involved in the discussion: FC Barcelona forward, Samuel Eto’o, said “It’s a farce”. Of course, Barcelona is the main rival of Cannavaro’s new team.
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Gabriele
Roma, IT
Un posto diverso da Calciopoli, molto più bello!
