***Official*** Semi Final 2: Germany v Italy

[wpdavid]

Originally Posted by GIMH

Amazing really that the 54 & 74 Hungary & Holland teams didn't win anything. Probably two of the best teams ever.

Yeah. Holland probably missed their best chance in the 1976 Euros - winning in Germany was always going to be tough, even though they still should have done. But seriously bad luck to come up against the hosts in successive WC finals. iirc they hit the woodwork in the last moments of the 1978 final before going down in extra time.

Talking about 1954, did you ever see 'Miracle of Berne'? I haven't, and wouldn't want to. But I did find the snippets I came across in pretty poor taste - as if the Germans were somehow the victims in having to rebuild after the fallout from WW2. Perhaps I'm being unfair.

The other side to blow it was 1982 Brazil of course. Although, conversely, I never held it against Italy for beating them. I never said there was any logic in my attachments.

[GIMH]

No I don't think I've seen it although I had a couple of videos when I was a kid that extensively covered every WC from around the mid-50s through to 86. Don't remember 54 that vividly, 74 and 86 have always been the bits that stood out to me. I've always generally been fond of the Dutch (less so of late I guess) and obviously watching highlights of 86 bred into me a sense of injustice that I've never quite shook off

I've heard plenty about that 82 Brazil side being one of the great non-winners as well, but I don't have sympathy for them as they've got a stack of World Cups anyway. The Dutch blowing it in the 70s was massive. Think the fact that they came to the 2010 Final with such a destructive gameplan was made all the more upsetting thinking of the way they had failed in the past.

[Burgey]

When's England's next game in this tourney?