Your World Cup Poems
2023
Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023
Sep 01 Ruined By A Kiss ~ WWC23 Crispin Thomas
Aug 23 Spain Triumph ~ WWC23 Crispin Thomas
Aug 21 The Ecstasy and the Agony Denys E. W. Jones
Aug 21 Spain reign on the plains joe morris
Aug 20 The Women’s World Cup Final joe morris
Aug 18 WWC23~The Gold Gacina Bozidar
Aug 16 It’s…. (nearly!) World Cup Winnie
Aug 16 Time To Bring it Home ~ WWC 23 Crispin Thomas
Aug 07 England & Australia Last Eight Bound ~ WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Aug 04 Morocco & Columbia Make The Last 16 WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Aug 01 England- Denmark- Netherlands & USA (just!) Advance – WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Jul 31 Australia Nigeria Japan & Spain Through WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Jul 30 I’ll Write On My Own~ WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Jul 29 England France & Jamaica Triumph – WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Jul 21 Winter Dreams in Sydney ~ WWC ’23 Crispin Thomas
Jul 21 The ladies are here joe morris
Jul 20 New Zealand 1-0 Norway WWC Haiku Crispin Thomas
Jul 20 WWC I World Cup Winnie
Jul 15 Within The Women’s Game Crispin Thomas
Jul 14 The Women’s World Cup 2023 joe morris
Jul 13 Getting Closer Now Crispin Thomas
Jun 06 Come So Far – Women’s World Cup 2023 Crispin Thomas
2022
World Cup Qatar 2022
Dec 21 What Mattered Most Mike Bartram
Dec 18 Argentina – World Champions 2022 joe morris
Dec 14 The boys of Brazil miss out but it’s Messi time. joe morris
Dec 14 WC 2022 Semi Finals World Cup Willie
Dec 13 Listen To This…kevin raymond
Dec 11 The Croatian secret Gacina Bozidar
Dec 11 So Near. Yet So Far In Qatar. kevin raymond
Dec 10 WC 2022 QF4: Fine margins World Cup Willie
Dec 10 I had to see Gacina Bozidar
Dec 09 The jewel from Newell World Cup Willie
Dec 09 Livakovic Gacina Bozidar
08 Dec WC 2022: Arrest day (a rest day) World Cup Willie
06 Dec Genoa v Cittadella Denys E. W. Jones
06 Dec Kim Moon-hwan, Turns It…On. kevin raymond
05 Dec WC 2022 QF: Ode to el Capitano…World Cup Willie
02 Dec The ‘Bigger Picture’ Mike Bartram
01 Dec The Croatians came through Gacina Bozidar
27 Nov The logic of Costa Rica Gacina Bozidar
26 Nov One step back for England joe morris
26 Nov Watching Brazil Haiku Stuart Butler
25 Nov Oh Brazil, word perfect joe morris
25 Nov Pilgrim’s Progress Stuart Butler
24 Nov Richarlison Gacina Bozidar
24 Nov Germany…Littered With Mistakes kevin raymond
23 Nov Let the goals flow joe morris
23 Nov The record of this World Cup Gacina Bozid
23 Nov WC2022: social injustice silenced World Cup Willie
23 Nov The England Squad Rock ! kevin halls
23 Nov The Ghosts of Qatar Mike Bartram
21 Nov England demolition job joe morris
20 Nov The Ugly Game Mike Bartram
20 Nov Hosts humbled by Ecuador Emdad Rahman
19 Nov Let Football Take The Stage…* kevin raymond
19 Nov 1-2-3…Mahsa Amini. Mahsa Amini. Mahsa Amini. kevin raymond
18 Nov The Ball~ 2002 to Now Crispin Thomas
15 Nov Let the voyage begin Gareth joe morris
11 Nov WC2022: goal or gaol? World Cup Willie
09 Nov Qatar World Cup joe morris
08 Nov Let’s Boycott Qatar Crispin Thomas
27 Oct Qatar ~ Not In My Name Crispin Thomas
07 Oct Qatar ~ Will We Watch Or Not? Crispin Thomas
13 Feb Qatar 2022 – Haiku Paul H Tubb
06 Dec ’21 World Cup – a year away now. joe morris
22 dec ’14 Trust FIFA Graham Salter
21 Mar ’14 Qatar’s World Cup haiku Crispin Thomas
2019
Women’s World Cup France 2019
Jul 02 WWC 2019 Semi-Final: Lyonesses World Cup Winnie
Jun 23 Within The Women’s Game ~ WWC 2019 Crispin Thomas
2018
~ World Cup ~ Russia 2018
Ogden Nash debunks Brazil ~ Peter Goulding, 19 July
WC2018 A to Z ~ World Cup Willie. 17 July
WC2018-WC2022 Are We? ~ World Cup Willie. 17 July
WC2018 Day 24 3rd/4th ~ World Cup Willie. 16 July
Conspiracy Theory ~ Kevin Raymond. 16 July
It Could Have Been Us ~ Denys E.W.Jones. 15 July
French Farce ~ Kevin Raymond. 15 July
Incredible Les Bleus Take Football Home ~ Emdad Rahman 15 July
Crostoan in Paris ~ Gacina Bozidar. 15 July
Awesome Belgique Take Third ~ Emdad Rahman 14 July
Penultimate Day in the Play ~ Kevin Raymond. 14 July
England Are Out ~ Emdad Rahman 14 July
Extra Extra Read All About It ~ Kevin Raymond. 13 July
Thank You Gareth Southgate Kevin Halls. 13 July
Trump Baby Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 13 July
The Heart of Football Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 12 July
WC2018 Day 23 -Reflection. ~ World Cup Willie. 12 July
Great Expectations-It’s Looking Good ~ Kevin Raymond. 12 July
I Will Say Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 11 July
WC2018 Day 23 -Wish I Could Be Like.~ World Cup Willie. 11 July
Post France v Belgium ~ Kevin Raymond. 11 July
France reach third Final~ Emdad Rahman. 10 July
Red Devils ~ Gacina Bozidar. 10 July
Past Present ~ Gacina Bozidar. 10 July
France v Belgium ~ Kevin Raymond. 10 July
In With A Shout ~ Kevin Raymond. 9 July
World Cup Dream ~ Paul Tubb. 9 Jul
Slab Head ~ Kevin Halls. 9 July
England’s Number One ~ Denys E.W.Jones. 9 July
Football’s Coming Home at the Prince Albert ~ Stuart Butler. 8 July
Holy Trinity ~ Sharon Wilkie-Jones 8 July
Croatia v ussia ~ Kevin Raymond. 8 July
Just A Thought ~ Kevin Raymond. 7 July
World Cup day 21~ Emdad Rahman. 7 July
Evereton’s Russia 2018 ~ Gacina Bozidar 7 July
Gareth Southgate’s Beard ~ Crispin Thomas. 7 July
Scottish Bird I Know ~ Kevin Raymond. 6 July
World Cup day 20~ Emdad Rahman. 6 July
Will We Stil Be Part of It All? ~ Crispin Thomas. 6 July
Nervous About Tomorrow ~ World Cup Willie. 6 July
Crazy New Belief ~ Gacina Bozidar. 5 July
Oh Gareth’s Magic Waistcoat ~ Kevin Raymond. 5 July
The Magic Waistcoat ~ Kevin Halls 5 July
Iconic ~ Kevin Raymond. 5 July
Gareth Southgate Would ~ Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 4 July
Football Is All ~ Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 4 July
WC 2018 Day 19 (Post)~ World Cup Willie 4 July
Ingerland Ingerland Ingerland ~ Kevin Raymond.4 July
World Cup day 19~ Emdad Rahman. 3 July
WC 2018 Day 19 (pre)~ World Cup Willie .3 July
On The Tenth Day ~ Kevin Raymond. 3 July
World Cup day 18~ Emdad Rahman. 2 July
On Day Seventeen ~ Kevin Raymond. 2 July
World Cup day 17~ Emdad Rahman. 1 July
In Year 16 ~ John J O’Connor.1 July
Remembering Andrés Escobar July 2 ’94~ Crispin Thomas.1 July
On Day 16 ~ Kevin Raymond. 1st July
World Cup day 16~ Emdad Rahman. 30 June
The Russian Constellation ~ Ianthe Exall 30 June
Aftermath ~ Kevin Raymond. 30 June
WC 2018 Day 16- Rest Day ~ World Cup Willie .29 June
WunderVAR ~ John J O’Connor.29 June
World Cup day 15~ Emdad Rahman. 28 June
The Ineffability of Maradona ~ Sharon Wilkie-Jones..27 June
Germany v South Korea ~ Kevin Raymond. 27 June
I’m Still Laughing~ Kevin Halls 27 June
World Cup day 14 ~ Emdad Rahman. 27 June
Six Of The Best for Panama ~ John J O’Connor 27 June
Argentina v Nigeria ~ Kevin Raymond. 27 June
World Cup day 13 ~ Emdad Rahman. 27 June
Portugal/Iran ~ Kevin Raymond. 26 June
Into The Side Netting ~ Alex Saynor. 26 June
World Cup day 12 ~ Emdad Rahman. 26 June
Infinite Jest ~ Gacina Bozidar 26 June
Rockin’ in Russia ~ Kevin Halls 25 June
On-The Eleventh Day~ Kevin Raymond 25 June
World Cup day 11 ~ Emdad Rahman. 25 June
Mexico~ Kevin Raymond 24 June
World Cup day 10 ~ Emdad Rahman. 24 June
Sweden v Germany~ Kevin Raymond 23 June
Belgium v Tunisia ~ Kevin Raymond 23 June
Interesting or What ~ Kevin Raymond 23 June
Serbia v Switzerland ~ Kevin Raymond 23 June
World Cup day 9 ~ Emdad Rahman. 23 June
National Anthem ~ Graham Salter.22.June
Heat haiku – Fred Slattern 22.June
World Cup day 8 ~ Emdad Rahman. 21 June
Argentina v Croatia ~ Kevin Raymond 21 June
Spain v Iran & Morocco v Portugal~ Kevin Raymond 21 June
Russia v Saudi Arabia ~ Kevin Raymond 21 June
World Cup day 7 ~ Emdad Rahman. 20 June
Awful Day ~ Gacina Bozidar 20 June
A New World Cup ~ Geoff Tabrah. 20 June
WC2018 Day 6 ~ World Cup Willie. 20 June
Nicely Poised ~ Kevin Raymond 20 June
World Cup day 6 ~ Emdad Rahman. 19 June
Selfies and a Mexican Wave ~ Kevin Halls. 19 June
World Cup day 6 ~ Emdad Rahman. 19 June
World Cup day 5 ~ Emdad Rahman. 18 June
WC2018 Day 5 ~ World Cup Willie. 18 June
WC2018 Day 4 ~ World Cup Willie. 18 June
Happy To Be Here-WC Day 4 ~ Crispin Thomas.18 June
World Cup day 4 ~ Emdad Rahman. 17 June
WC2018 Day 3 ~ World Cup Willie. 18 June
WC2018 Day 2 ~ World Cup Willie. 18 June
It’ll End In Tears ~ Kevin Halls. 17 June
World Cup day 3 ~ Emdad Rahman. 16 June
World Cup day 2 ~ Emdad Rahman. 15 June
World Cup day 1-Hosts Kick Off In Style-~ Emdad Rahman. 14 June
WC2018 Day 1-Russkis Rack Up Five ~ World Cup Willie. 14 June
WC2018 Day 1-Mish Mash Mix ~ World Cup Willie. 13 June
May Contain Hope/ World Cup Remix ~ Crispin Thomas.13 June
World Cup Winning Captains ~ Sharon Wilkie-Jones..11 June
A World Cup Without Greed ~ Crispin Thomas. 11 June
Two Parts Of The World ~ Gacina Bozidar 11 June
World Cup – Come On ~ Geoff Tabrah. 10 June
Russian Album ~ Alex Saynor. 9 June
Lev Yashin ~Sharon Wilkie-Jones 7 June
My First World Cup in ’58 ~ Crispin Thomas. 6 June
World Cup History Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 4 June
Russian Campaign Denys E.W.Jones. 4 June
World Cup Goals ~ Sharon Wilkie-Jones. 27 January
2014 World Cup – Brazil
14 Jul Germany are champions of the world Emdad Rahman
11 Jul World Cup 2014 Anthony Hofler
2010 World Cup ~ South Africa
04 Feb ’22 That Goal Gacina Bozidar
1986
17 Oct ’22 Reid all about it! Clik The Mouse
14 Jun ’14 Hand of God Brian Bilston
1966 World Cup England
31 Jul ’23 Some People Are On The Pitch kevin halls
30 Jul ’22 56 years ago today joe morris
20 Jan ’22 1966 and all that joe morris
22 Sep ’21 That Photo of Jimmy Greaves Michael Simms
01 Aug ’16 In The Year of 66 Crispin Thomas
12 Feb ’15 1966 and all that ap staunton
24 Apr ’07 The Summer of 1966 Robbie Kennedy Bennett
12 Dec ’03 1966 Rewritten Peter Goulding
1958 World Cup Sweden
06 Jun ’18 My First World Cup in ‘58 Crispin Thomas
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
My Account
Latest Poems
John Gilbert Ellis
28th November 2024
joe morris
26th November 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
26th November 2024
Gacina Bozidar
26th November 2024
Wynn Wheldon
26th November 2024
joe morris
17th November 2024
Crispin Thomas
17th November 2024
kevin halls
10th November 2024
joe morris
10th November 2024
Clik The Mouse
10th November 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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