Icon's Football (Soccer) Knowledge Request Thread

[conmee]

Brethren and Sistren-

I will need some assistance this year. Without getting into a long fucking life-story discussion, I'm going to need to get up to speed on some football (notice how I call it "football" like I'm already a fucking insider fan) so I can drop knowledge and talk trash with some of my Latin American coworkers... and yes, I'm brushing up on my Spanish so I can curse them down as well. (FYI: I spend a lot of time traveling to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru for, let's call it... "work")...

Anyhow, I need a crash course on the leagues, the championships, the teams, some basic history, etc. At least one of my teams will be BARCELONA because a coworker went on and on about those Madrid cunts... not to mention, I like how easy it is to get to Mallorca from Barc... I also need one decent international team for when the U.S. gets knocked out of whatever tournament they generally get knocked out of on like the afternoon of Day Fucking One (I'm assuming I have to pick a national team for World Cup when US goes down, fuck it, Spain it is, fuck the western hemisphere! But I digress...).

I need to be able to hold a conversation with any of my colleagues on a moment's notice for whom English is a second (or third) language, you dig? Feel free to give pointers about what to watch for in a game... like all Americans I was force to play this shite in grade school, so I have a rudimentary handle on the rules. But I need wisdom a bit deeper than a rulebook or Wikipedia entry.

So if any of my compatriots here at the Roth Army want to prep me for war with some Mexicans, Hondurans, this kinda cute chick who tells me she's Panamanian(?), our token Asian gal who went to - you guessed it - fucking BERKELEY, and a shitload of Brazilians, Argentinians, and Chileans... then I'm here to learn, Brethren!

That is all!©®™

Icon©®™

[vandeleur]

Ok its a big subject but a good start is Barcelona.
Barcelona up until very recently were the royalty of European football , having the most money and certainly the best player in the world Messi.
Messi is a good name to drop into conversations he is kinda the Eddie Van of football he is also Argentinean
Barcelona became most peoples second team due to playing exciting attacking football played with flair and skill.
international team go with Spain they are generally accepted as the top international team winning all the recent competions.

Recent developments in european footy is the fact Madrid and Barcelona got knocked out of the champions league by German sides both Spanish sides were hammered by the Germans. Many believe this is the end of the Spanish leagues domination and the rise of German football.As it has changed in its style from a cliched organised german Vorsprung Durch Technik style to a more attacking flair , taking the spanish at their own game.

Honestly any south american and in particular argentinean will be over the knot to talk about Messi , He has broke records for the last two years for the amount of goals scored. And he has that home grown loves his family thing that south american footy fans like.

Good point/shit stirring pointer : ask or say that either messi , current argentinean hero is better or worse than maradonna their previous demi-god from the 70/80's this will have them arguing and allow you to escape.

Not sure what footy you get on TV over there Bites Yo Ass will probably better for that kinda info.

hope this is some help , but in my defence its a tough question ... it equates to "tell me about this rock n roll thing"

[vandeleur]

Oh if you go to peru mention Nobby Solano .
He used to play for Newcastle and is treat like royalty in his home country of Peru.
He is a fantastic footballer and a bit excentric playing the trumpet at any press opportunity.
Peruvians love him .

[conmee]

Vandeleur,

Many thanks. I don't need a Matrix download in one shot, but over time if I have one or two pages of reference here to fall back on that's a start.

Mind The Gap!©®™

Icon©®™

[vandeleur]

No probs , will keep popping in and write more stuff down

[Seshmeister]

Tell them you are a Partick Thistle©®™ fan and that you have just won the second top division in Scotland.

They will worship you as a god.

[Seshmeister]

[mh5150]

Messi the best..
I think not he is just a ball hawk...
Imo

[vandeleur]

Messi the best..
I think not he is just a ball hawk...
Imo

Opinions are what footy is about , that and beer .
Just out of curiosity who would you say was better ? ( Ronaldo ? )

[mh5150]

Opinions are what footy is about , that and beer .
Just out of curiosity who would you say was better ? ( Ronaldo ? )

Yep you said it . Ronaldo plays more of a team game . I have this argument with my 12 year old all the time . He loves Messi.

[vandeleur]

I prefer messi , but hey go . Plus I hate anything to do with moan united

[mh5150]

I prefer messi , but hey go . Plus I hate anything to do with moan united

I hear ya ... Dont like Ronaldo team to much just think he is more of an all a round player

[conmee]

Wasn't Ronaldo on Spain's national team for World Cup? I thought he was fantastic on I Love Lucy... great show!

Mind The Gap!©®™

Icon©®™

[vandeleur]

Nah Ronaldo is Portuguese , close tho IMA will probs disagree

[BITEYOASS]

Nah Ronaldo is Portuguese , close tho IMA will probs disagree

Ah, Ronaldo the Poof!