Buffon: Materazzi didn’t deserve punishment

“There have been three questionable WC victories, not proven but reasonable doubt about the legitmacy (refer to the Alwan Report of 2001) You can read the details for yourself I will just list them.
1. Argentina 79
2. Argentina 86
3. Brazil 94 ”

The #1 most questionable World Cup victory is Italy’s Mussolini-controlled tournament in 1934. It is a well documented fact that all the referees were pressured, threatened, bribed and blackmailed by Mussolini. All the referees of that tournament were fired when they returned to their home countries for deliberately skewing the tournament in italy’s favor. In fact, the result of this farce of a tournament is more than questionable: it’s outright illegitimate and should not be counted in any way, shape or form.

The other questionable victory is Italy’s win in 1938. Played in a more neutral venue (Paris), Mussolini famously sent a telegram to the Italian squad using his famous “win or die!” slogan. This was widely seen by some as a threat to the lives of the Italian squad. It may not have been, it may just have been the dictator’s bravado and his use of a popular fascist slogan. But many in the tournament saw it as a real threat since Mussolini was known for jailing and executing athletes, artists and musicians who didn’t perform according to his will. Certainly the Hungarian team that Italy beat in the final believed to their dying days that they had saved the Italian squad from execution by throwing the match. When he returned to Hungary, goalkeeper Antal Szabo quipped “I may have let in four goals, but at least I saved their lives”. Decades later in a Hungarian sport column in the 70s, a reporter asked the remaining squad members about that final and to a man they all said they had deliberately thrown the game in order to save the Italian squad’s lives.

So the result of the 1938 tournament is at least questionable, debatable. We’ll never really know.

Posted from  United States

Hi Bob!

Brazil is comming with everything in 4 years.. Trust me. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Argentina going further. It’s always diferent for these 2 when they don’t play in Europe…

Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised to see max 1 european team in the semi’s… Or maybe 2, if one of them has never won it, like Bulgaria and Sweden in 1994…

Those 24 years were I imagine the longest period in BRA’s (dark) history… After that, you’ve seen them going one further than Italy (94) and one further than Germany (02), and had Ronaldo been in full strength back in 98, I have my doubts France would have made it in the most restricted club in football world… But after 1994, in 4 consecutive WC’s (in 3 diferent continents), 2 victories, one final and 1 last 8 presence (defeated by former champions), speaks for itself…

Italy has been, statiscally speaking, very reliable… A final every 12 years, a victory every 24… Of course, rules are made to be broken…

Who knows, Bob…

From “Europe’s biggest”, I expect a strong Germany. Don’t ask me why… With Platini in FIFA, if France recycles well (which I don’t believe Domenech has the strength or charisma, to be able to), they’ll be strong and also natural candidates.

From “Europe’s smalest” ENG, HOL & POR have the same chances, on paper. ENG and HOL have decreassed very slightly in the last decade, whereas POR has become stronger. The EC 08 can provide a good evaluation for these teams.

Imagine Spain starts getting results as good as they play, put Croatia and Turkey and another european outsider (Switzerland or Greece, for example and for obvious reasons) and who knows…

But I still think it won’t be a WC for europeans…

Posted from  Netherlands

legal, can you provide a link to this report or tell me where I can find it. I would really like to read it. Thanks.

Posted from  Canada

lazaro, all I hear from you is italy, italy, italy. You have too much time on your hands to go digging up ancient history. We all know you hate italy so please stop posting your crap. Your comment are getting quite tired, try focusing your energy on someone else for a change.

Alright Italy is the only team that fixes world cups…..are you happy, now go away you annoying bug.

Posted from  Canada

lazaro = f***ing child

Posted from  Canada

blah, blah, blah, blah..I hate italy..blah, blah, blah, blah…italy cheated in the 1930s…blah, blah, balh, blah…it’s onlybad if italy does it…blah, balh, blah…read this article bout how italy is so evil…blah, blah, blah…Zidane is a national hero…blah, blah, blah…Matarazzi should be burned at the stake…blah, blah, blah…how many bad things about italy can i cram into this post…blah, blah, blah…i’m so intelligent…blah, blah, blah…look at me, i’m going to make everybody hate italians…blah, blah, blah…I don’t think any other team has done what italy has done…blah, blah, balh…italy invented racism and crime, did you know that!…blah, blah, blah…check out some more articles on how evil italy is….blah, blah, blah…i should go it’s my bedtime, but i’ll try and dig up some more dirt on italy tomorrow. By 2010 everyone should hate italy…I will be soo happy..wherever there’s injustice, there’s lazaro.

Posted from  Canada

CT, you said like a crazy old man. I sat courtside for several Bulls games last year and trash talking is very much alive. I like how you sight the NBA dress code as reasoning that there is no trash talk. Maybe your English isn’t good enough to understand. And you mention all the old time greats from Cousy to Koufax? Ever heard of Butkus, Nitschke or Bednarek? Butkus would threaten the sisters of everyone offensive lineman in the league. I have never been in a competive game, from football to golf, where there isn’t a little jawwing going on. Get over yourself CT.

I don’t know what Materazzi said, I don’t care. You all just need to admit it is ridiculous that he got fined and suspended.

Posted from  United States

Dear Lazaro: It’s quite amazing the ridiculous stuff you come up with – Mussolini executing athletes? The Italian players fearing for their lives if they lost? The Hungarians throwing the final to save the Italian players? All the World Cup referees being fired when they returned home for throwing the games for Italy? It is utterly scary to see what a hate-filled, delusionary world you live in. I respectfully suggest you get some psychiatric help; and some history lessons wouldn’t hurt either.

Posted from  United States

Dear Lazaro: I would hope to bring some clarity to your life. First of all, please note that not only was Materazzi a hero of the World Cup for Italy but indisputably one of the best players in the tournament. His unbelievably tenacious defense, combined with scoring several key goals (none more important than the equalizer against France after Zidane had been handed a completely undeserved penalty kick), made the difference for Italy. Secondly, please understand that Materazzi was a reflection of a beautifully balanced Italian team, as far as you can get from what you described as “crude mediocrity” and “brute cynicism.” The defense was as solid and unyielding as any that has ever played in the world tournament; and the offense consistently came up with brilliant plays to win the day. The combination was sublime. Unfortunately, the focus has been on the violent action by arrogant, self-important Zidane (who, if you look at film of the final, actually had lost his composure prior to wrangling with Materazzi when his brilliant header that would have given France the victory was skillfully lifted over the crossbar by Buffon). But in the end, all of the ugly, dishonest, hate-filled diatribes by people like you amount to absolutely nothing; and for the next four years Italy will most-justifiably be called World Champions.

Posted from  United States

i’m not an italy fan, i am a lazaro fan.

Posted from  Canada

lazaro, once again pick a team and go with it. Why don’t you produce some literature about other teams as well so we can read them. You can’t pin everything on italy can you. That’s like blaming me because you’re a homo.

Posted from  Canada

Italy winning promotes hate. I decree “If your team’s victory pisses this many people off than it only makes victory that much stronger” Viva Italia!

Posted from  Canada

Before everyone jumps all over Lazaro’s back there apparently is a lot of truth to what he said about the 1938 world cup. I was curious to see if he was blowing smoke and this is what I found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_FIFA_World_Cup

The Hungarian goalie did say that he may have allowed 4 goals but saved lifes. Was he kidding? I guess only the goalie knows for sure. We also know that Mussolini was a few cards short of a full deck.

Posted from  United States

CT: You intentionally didn’t tell the entire story, distorting the truth. The article you referred to (and gave a web link to) concluded by saying that the claim by Hungarian goalkeeper Szabo that he let in the goals to save the Italians was “not the case.” The article explained that: ” ‘Win or die’ was a typical slogan of encouragement from the fascist era, meaning ‘Victory or bust!’ or ‘do your best to get victory.’ The fascist regime held sporting heroes and champions in high regard, greatly using them in their propaganda machine, so an act like the one suggested by Hungarian goalkeeper Antal Szabo was not realistic. Szabo’s words may have been just an excuse for the lost match, or an honest misunderstanding.” Most likely, it was just an excuse because they got beaten badly by Italy.

Posted from  United States

Ed let’s just paste the whole description of the game: The final itself took place in the Stade Colombes, Paris. Vittorio Pozzo’s Italian side took the lead early, but Hungary equalised within two minutes. The Italians took the lead again shortly after, and by the end of the first half were leading the Hungarians 3-1. Hungary never really got back into the game. With the final score favouring the Italians 4-2, Italy became the first team to successfully defend the title and were once more crowned World Cup Winners.

Some argued that Hungary – or at least its goalkeeper – allowed Italy to win, as a measure to save the lives of the Italian Team, which had received telegrams by Mussolini with “Vincere o morire!” (mistranslated as “Win or die”) written on them. Hungarian goalkeeper Antal Szabo expressed his relief following his side’s defeat against Italy despite letting in four goals in the loss. Referring to Mussolini’s pre-match threats, Szabo quipped “I may have let in four goals, but at least I saved their lives”.

Actually, this is not the case. “Win or die” was a typical slogan of encouragement from fascist era, meaning “Victory or bust!” or “do your best to get victory”. The fascist regime held sporting heroes and champions in high regard, greatly using them in their propaganda machine, so an act like the one suggested by Szabo was not realistic. Szabo’s words may have been just an excuse for the lost match, or an honest misunderstanding. [1

Posted from  United States

It’s all football folklore. There was also a story about Argentina paying off the Peruvian goalkeeper in WC 1978 to allow Argentina to win by 4 goals so they could advance to the final on home soil…Actually there was a story circulating just recently about France paying off Brazil to bow out in the WC 2006 quarter-finals. If you watch that game I can see how someone might believe this story. How does a team like Brazil leave Henry unmarked in the box??? It doesn’t quite make sence. It’s all open to interpretation.

Posted from  Canada

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Posted from  France

materazzi deserves the title of a hero

Posted from  United States

francesco materazzi has the title of hero already. he scores the tying goal in the final then steps up and buries the second pk for Italy.

and he’s been subbing for injured nesta all along!

forza Materazzi forza italy and forza italians around the world

Posted from  Canada

FIFA shame !
i never saw a player to be punished for having a foul against.
baltter vai a fare in culo!
w materazzi!
W italia!

Posted from  Italy

Youre an idiot.

Posted from  United States

-Zidane is a phenomenal player; & materazzi gouded him, and I believe more was said than he just reported. The Italians should have tried to win by playing the game, not baiting Zidane. The futbol game needs to be played fairly, with the skill & talent of the players; not the drama of a few hotheads.
USA/Greece
The Greeks will defend their title for EuroSoccer in ‘08!
The Greeks understand playing the game, & I wish them the best. I love futbol, & hope to go to EuroSoccer Games!

Posted from  United States

What do you expect from an italian footballer,to actually admit fault or wrong ? (P.S America it’s ok to spell it football..lol)

Posted from  United States

The French tried to cheat in the first minute of the final. The incident with Henry was a deliberate attempt to gain the favour of the referee. No player can be concussed and then recover in the manner of Henry. He woke and smiled and Canavarro as if to say what did you do that for? Canavarro had done nothing. The BBC analyst Mark Lawrenson said nothing because also, although anti-Italian like everyone else, he knew what Henry was up to.

Once the referee is confused, he will then give next big call to the “injured” player’s team. This is what happened with the penalty. Indeed Canavarro (and Materazzi) did not touch the attacker because both knew what was going on – just like Mark Lawrenson of the BBC. The attacked tripped himself and got the call – only morons or people who don’t understand football could fail to see the “sting”.

It is a measure of the cynicism and contempt these French immigrant players have for their own adopted country that their behaviour was disgusting throughout. Ironically, they were the better team against a tired Italian squad!

If Zidane had any respect for playing in French colours he would not have behaved the way he did. Materazzi hardly did anything against him.

There is a strong anti-Italian bias in the modern World primarily because they are Catholic even though Italy is now as secular as anywhere. The BBC team detested them through the tournament. This hatred is scary even satanic.

People say and believe the irrational. Credulity is now the biggest winner in our modern World. Italy have had one of the best teams in the World for the last 10 years and have only made 2 major finals in that time. To hear people complaining or resentful at their success is just another version of racism.

Posted from  United Kingdom

I wonder why Materazzi got punished? Did the same happen with Totti spitting on Poulsen? I remember only Totti getting 2 days off. And what about Voeller and Rijkaard? It is the first time i see that, but i presume that giving the golden award to Zizou instead of Cannavaro wasn’t enough for Fifa. They must protect the #3 player (after Maradona and Pele as the world and the sport needs a hero). About Italy winning and cheating in 1934 and 1938, why there is nothing written about the defeat of HUngary to the doped Germans in the 50s? What about the “victory” of Argentina to the semifinal of 1978? What about the big push to Korea in the 2002 cup. Thankfully there weren’t just us Italians whining but also the Spaniards. What about the final of 1990 with the fake penalty of Germany? For sure “vittoria o morte” was a motto in the fascist days so it is at least naive to call it an evidence. Everybody hated us for the penalty (or “penalty”) on Grosso, but nobody said anything about the “Maloudian dive” on final. They had nothing to say in 1982 and they had the “Grosso penalty” on 2006 and that “if Zidane wasn’t provoked they’d win the cup”. I wonder what was Zizou waiting for all that time before getting sent off? Maybe he was to score 4 goals in the last 8 minutes?

Posted from  Greece