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Head-to-Head Reactions Who will win Euro 2000 -- France or Italy?
Posted: Saturday July 01, 2000 03:51 PM
CNNSI.com presented a Head-to-Head to debate which team would win the Euro 2000 final, and asked for your responses. Good arguments were made for both teams, and a sample of the best responses follows.
It's a close call, but I'm pulling for Italy. Italy has shown they certainly have the defensive talent to shut down the best. It would be nice to see Zoff push the attack a little more, but that's not likely. My biggest concern, however, is that France will have one more day of rest than Italy. After such an intensive game against the Dutch, the Italian starters may not fully recuperate in time; and that just might make the difference. Anyway, Forza Azzurri !
I think Toldo said it best, when, after the PK win over Holland he stated: "The story was told before it began". How else does one explain the unlikely win against Holland? This is the year of the Azzurri and phooey to those who don't like their style of play. I've read report from all over the world, and it seems the British press is the most offended one. Not to mention the TV commentators who defined the Italy win as a travesty.
Heck, I've been a fan of the "nazionale" since early childhood and have done nothing but suffer ever since with their tight gripping defensive play. I thought France '98 was going to usher in the era of the Italian goalfest, with the likes of Vieri, Del Piero and Baggio up front, but it was not to be. When Vieri was left behind due to injury and Italy was left without his muscle up front, Zoff had to rely on the strength of the "catenaccio". It has worked and it can work again against France on Sunday. Much has been said about the French lineup's knowledge of the Italian team and style. Well, it's a two-way street. The Italians are just as familiar with the French playmakers. Besides, "the story was told before it began."
Defense wins championships, regardless of what team sport it is. Both teams are solid defensively, which leaves offense as the determining factor. The French are superior when it comes to reading an opponents defense, creating spaces, time of possession, and they also have speed -- something the Italians lack. Italy's only chance is unloaded whatever offense they have and force the French to be defensive. The 'Azzurri' will need Del Piero be a constant threat, while Totti delivering some accurate passing. They will not have an easy time against the French defense. France will remain the #1 team in the world with a 3-1 victory. Zindane is the player of the tournament, while Henry will get 2 goals in the final - on his way to stardom proving his value over Anelka.
To be the World Champions and to be in my honest opinion the best team in the world doesn't make them European Champions. Italy has proven over the years that they can upset any team with little tactics and good defending. We only have to look at the past 3 World Cups, they lost to Argentina, Brazil and France on penalty kicks. The Italians have the talent of creating good attacking football, but Dino Zoff's defending tactics have damaged their performance. They have fast and creative players like Stefano Fiore, Alessandro Del Piero and Franchesco Totti, good strikers and of course the best defense in the competition, capable of stopping Zinedine Zidane's side.
It will be an open game, with lots of goal chances for both team. But at the end it could be another good job by the Italians .
I don't know who will win on Sunday but for the sake of the game I hope France can put a few past Italy. As Johann Cruyff said, people tend to try to copy winning sides. There are enough people out there who think that all that matters is a result no matter how it is achieved. Italy have their classic style and good luck to them but as a football fan one can only hope that Zizu and company put the Italians in their place. Sadly a repeat of their quarterfinal clash in Paris is more likely. If only Holland and Portugal were in the final.
France should win for several reasons: man for man, its talent depth of individual stars is as good or better than the other teams, Holland, Portugal and of course Italy; they know how to play as a team, something only Italy and maybe Portugal seems to have been able to do in this tournament; and they're better than Italy at that because they have a proven structure that works; they've won before, and have overcome their one past weakness, complacency when on top; and they're strong on defense and strikers, like Italy, but also at midfield, something Italy lacks. Finally, for the sake of the future of the game, it'd simply be better if France won. Germany's demise was a good thing; Italy has to understand that catenaccio is just as outdated as it is unacceptable, almost as bad as England's kick and run 19th century style.
At any rate, the match will be a test of whether the new and exciting can defeat the old and boring.
France will win Euro 2000. They have
talented players with Zidane leading and all of them are in top forms.
Italy will lose because sooner or later
the ugly defensive tactic waiting for
a surprise counter attack will show its defects.
France deserves to win. No one, except the Italian of course, wants a France-Italy final. They all dream of a France-Holland instead. What's sad day for soccer!
As much as I hate to admit it, I believe that the Italians will take home the Euro 2000 title. My pre-tournament pick was Holland, but their lack of maturity and obvious lack of skill/luck in penalties have left the Azzurri the only ones left to thwart the attack of the vaunted French. Can they do it? Yes, they have a hot goalkeeper (Toldo), a strong, organized defense, and many attacking players capable of finding the net at any moment (Del Piero, Totti, Inzaghi). That is why the previously unheralded Italians will win Europe's biggest prize.
I think France will win . It took an ugly World Cup victory to instill a winning mentality in the team, as well as, I think, the entire generation of French soccer players. I think they're replacing Germany as the side that "always wins." And it doesn't hurt that the current team is simply the most talented in Europe. Italy will give a battling performance, for sure, but they will not be able to "psyche out" the French like they did the Dutch. There's no scenario that I can think of that will give Italy the title. Even if they go to penalty kicks, which is unlikely, France will prevail. 2:0 in regular time.
The French team has the creative ability and the precision in front of goal that will pierce the tight Azzurri defense. Granted the Italians have a great defense and Goalkeeper, it will be a loss to soccer if their negative tactics were allowed to prevail. The French are playing the kind of game that every kid wants to identify with. Additionally, all the rule changes in the 90īs were meant to allow this kind of soccer... entertainment, creativity, zest and goals. I stick my neck out for France to win .
NO! I don't think France can pull it off against the Italians. They were a fluke in 98 and a fluke again this year. Were it not for the fact that the referees side with them so much, they wouldn't be this far. Now that Italy has gotten over its penalty-kick problem... there's nothing to fear. Had the Italians been able to do that in '98... France would still be looking to win its first title.
The only difference between the Azzurri and Les Bleus is Zidane.
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