[EU] The U-21 European Championship (14 Viewers)

[Red]

11 dumbfucks and 1 dumbfuck standing on the sidelines will usually have trouble against any opposition.

Unless they are playing in the EPL.

 

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[The Curr]

Btw, is, according to you, Germany or Italy the best european football nation in history? I'm talking national senior teams only, not club football.

The italians won 4 world cups and 1 euro. They lost 2 world cup finals and 1 Euro.
The Germans won 3 world cups and 3 EURO's . They lost 4 world cup finals and 3 EURO's.

So Italy played 6 world cup finals (won 4) while Germany played 7 world cup finals (won 3)
Italy played 2 EURO finals (won 1) while Germany played 6 EURO finals (won 3)


Also, the Germans made at least the semifinal of the world cup 11 times, while the Italians made at least the semi 8 times.
The Germans made at least the semifinal of the EURO 7 times, while the Italians 4 times.

Apart from one more world cup won for Italy (which counts a loooot), the Germans are better in everything else.
So who is better historically?

I think Germany. If you listened to the English media you'd think they were.

 

[Bjerknes]

Germany > Italy, without a doubt. Italy comes in second.

 

[Bjerknes]

Unless they are playing in the EPL.

Indeed, because they're all the same there.

 

[Bianconero81]

Italy are better than Germany for me; one World Cup counts for a lot. Some teams have only ever won one World Cup (England ), whereas others have been unfortunate not to (Holland). I have never liked the way the Germans play football. They lack style. Pragmatic, efficient, dynamic? Yes! Style and Panache? Hell no!

Italy vs Sweden should have been the Euro U-21 Final. Italy completely dominated Germany in the semis; in fact the Germans are lucky to even be in the Euros, after the French chocked in their playoff match.

 

[Alen]

Italy are better than Germany for me;

So Grosso's 119 minute goal made the difference?

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Weren't Italy's first 2 World Cups suspect though?

 

[Alltagsheld]

Italy are better than Germany for me; one World Cup counts for a lot. Some teams have only ever won one World Cup (England ), whereas others have been unfortunate not to (Holland). I have never liked the way the Germans play football. They lack style. Pragmatic, efficient, dynamic? Yes! Style and Panache? Hell no!

Italy vs Sweden should have been the Euro U-21 Final. Italy completely dominated Germany in the semis; in fact the Germans are lucky to even be in the Euros, after the French chocked in their playoff match.

 

[Bianconero81]

In terms of statistics, the Germans do look superior, but you also have to look at the quality of opposition they played to get through to certain finals (World Cup 2002 springs to mind), and how whenever they come up against Italy, they are usually 2nd best!

 

[Bianconero81]

Judging by your location, I'm not going to take you too seriously. You must be biased

 

[Bianconero81]

So Grosso's 119 minute goal made the difference?

It's unfortunate that it had to be Grosso tho

 

[Red]

That ability to go a long way in tournaments, even with a mediocre team is part of why I think Germany are better.

Even when they have had a relatively poor team (like in 2002) they still make it to the latter stages.

Italy rarely seem to make it a long way in tournaments unless they have a really good team.

 

[Alen]

That ability to go a long way in tournaments, even with a mediocre team is part of why I think Germany are better.

Even when they have had a relatively poor team (like in 2002) they still make it to the latter stages.

Italy rarely seem to make it a long way in tournaments unless they have a really good team.

What you wanna say is that if the Italian NT players Lippi took to the confederations cup would make at least the final of next year's world cup if they were German, right?

 

[Bjerknes]

No offense guys, but Azzurri fans are once again showing their hubris. To say Germany didn't deserve to be in the final, especially after they destroyed their sorry opponents 4-0, is extremely obvious jealousy.

And lately, as in the past decade, Italy hasn't really had a particular panache about them. If anything, they wobble through tournaments and only step up the pressure when their ass is on the line.

 

[SABSAB]

Italy are better than Germany for me; one World Cup counts for a lot. Some teams have only ever won one World Cup (England ), whereas others have been unfortunate not to (Holland). I have never liked the way the Germans play football. They lack style. Pragmatic, efficient, dynamic? Yes! Style and Panache? Hell no!

Italy vs Sweden should have been the Euro U-21 Final. Italy completely dominated Germany in the semis; in fact the Germans are lucky to even be in the Euros, after the French chocked in their playoff match.

 

[Alen]

And lets not forget that the only EURO Cup Italy won was won by a flip of a coin.
Believe it or not, since there were no penalties at the EURO back in 1968, Italians won the semi on coin flipping.
Their semifinal match with the USSR ended 0:0 and the Italians had the luck to win the coin flip.

 

[SABSAB]

No offense guys, but Azzurri fans are once again showing their hubris. To say Germany didn't deserve to be in the final, especially after they destroyed their sorry opponents 4-0, is extremely obvious jealousy.

And lately, as in the past decade, Italy hasn't really had a particular panache about them. If anything, they wobble through tournaments and only step up the pressure when their ass is on the line.

 

[The Curr]

Weren't Italy's first 2 World Cups suspect though?

That's a wild accusation

 

[Bjerknes]

That ability to go a long way in tournaments, even with a mediocre team is part of why I think Germany are better.

Even when they have had a relatively poor team (like in 2002) they still make it to the latter stages.

Italy rarely seem to make it a long way in tournaments unless they have a really good team.

If it wasn't for that Frings hand ball, we would have made the semis and lost. But their resolve as a team is always second to none. I mean, just take a look at this team they fielded in 2002.

Kahn
Linke
Kehl
Metzelder
Frings
Hamann
Ballack
Schneider
Jeremies
Ziege
Neuville
Bode
Klose
Bierhoff

That's hardly an amazing team.

 

[Alen]

No offense guys, but Azzurri fans are once again showing their hubris. To say Germany didn't deserve to be in the final, especially after they destroyed their sorry opponents 4-0, is extremely obvious jealousy.

The Germans scored only in the final just as many goals as Italy scored through out the whole tournament.
The Germans conceded one single goal at this euro. Italy conceded 3.

The Germans beat the Italians.

So just because Italy played better than Germany in the semis, it doesn't automaticaly mean that the Germans didn't deserve to win the tournament.

France were better than Italy at the WC final in 2006. I want the Italians to return the world cup trophy since they didn't deserve it.

:frown: