Will the fact that the French national team is overwhelmingly minorities help the racial tension in France?

It seems like there are 2 white non-Arab guys on this team... the goal keeper and Ribery. And Ribery has got to be the ugliest French man I've ever seen. I've heard France is being made fun of by European neighbors.. is that correct?
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07-09-06, 05:40 PM
FredPuli

quote:
Originally posted by aminator2002:
Will the fact that the French national team is overwhelmingly minorities help the racial tension in France?

It seems like there are 2 white non-Arab guys on this team... the goal keeper and Ribery. And Ribery has got to be the ugliest French man I've ever seen. I've heard France is being made fun of by European neighbors.. is that correct?



The French themselves are inclined to say that there is the French as a soccer team and the French as a people Wink That is to say that, regrettably, the fact that the best players of French nationality accept one another as brothers and are accepted by the nation as a team, this fraternity of the various racial groups does not extend to everyday life. M Le Pen, the man who was once the runner- up in the presidential election, has recently complained that there are too many foreigners in the French team, that the team is not truly French.Now, he is of the far right, but nonetheless enough people voted for him to get him to the 'play off' in the national election for head of state.

France is being made fun of by her European neighbours ? It is not France the country but France the team that is mocked. That mockery is as much French as it is from abroad. The team is largely comprised of players who are very old. At least one, Makelele, was brought out of retirement and another, Zidane, had vowed never to play internationally again but changed his mind after seeing a mystifying vision of his brother urging him to play (!). Some of the others are so past their peak, or had hitherto performed so poorly, that they had been sold on as rejects by English clubs. The team had been riven by dissension before the Finals with players refusing to play together or refusing to play for the national coach, who had threatened to resign. The nation as a whole rated their team's chances as poor.
Still it all came right on the night. Well, it almost did. Overall the team played better than Italy and only lost on penalties by a very narrow margin. The Italians converted all five of their kicks, the French four out of five but the missed shot hit the crossbar and stayed out.
Mind, it might have been different if the same Zidane had not lost his temper in extra time and head-butted an Italian player in the chest, thereby getting himself sent off by the referee Frown

07-10-06, 07:03 AM
aminator2002
I don't think I've ever seen such a blatant display of poor sportsmanship as Zidane actions yesterday. The best penalty kicker on the team gets tossed due to a really nasty move like that... and the captain no less.

I am very happy that Italy won after that. Truth be told I wanted Italy to win before that but I would have been screaming at the television if France had won after that kind of behavior.

After my original post I came to the conclusion that Ribery must have been in some accident. Is that right?

07-10-06, 12:41 PM
FredPuli
Ribery was in an horrific car accident when he was two years old. He was thrown through the windscreen and his face was severely slashed by the glass.He still bears the scars.
BTW that's the first time I've seen anyone head-butt another in the chest. Perhaps Zidane charitably thought to avoid breaking the man's nose !

07-10-06, 03:08 PM
juanruiz

quote:
Perhaps Zidane charitably thought to avoid breaking the man's nose !



Or, he could have followed Rooney's lead and headbutted somewhere else. Maybe his choice of anatomy can be considered charitable.

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