Poems tagged ‘Croatia’
Incredible Les Bleus take football home: France 4-2 Croatia
Twas France who struck gold first
Sucker own goal by Mandzukic
Croatia throw caution to the wind
One one soon by Perisic
Moscow hadn’t had enough yet
It was Perisic who would make
Nestor Pitana’s VAR penalty
Griezmann makes no mistake
Howitzer from Paul Pogba
On the hour it’s Mbappe
Making this teen a final scorer
Ever since a guy called Pele
15 07 18
number7
© emdad rahman
England are out!
England are out
Semi Final: Croatia 2-1 England
Until Russia eighteen
Its been Charlton and Lineker
With his first ever England goal
We now add Kieran Trippier
Chance after chance
England sloppy on the pitch
Croatia sense blood
One one by Perisic
Croatia up the tempo
There’s still time for a glitch
Three Lions look jaded
Final nail by Mandzukic
11 07 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
No Time Now For Tears
no time now for tears
we went further than we hoped
so much to applaud
from euphoria
to the first cold light of day
let us not be sad
time to stand up proud
chances come and chances go
we will learn and grow
margins are so fine
in control then all at sea
but how close we came
well done to the fans
sacrificing everything
just to make it there
whatever you say
England filled a Summer month
with such hope and joy
tumble dried and out
but with so much faith restored
thank you for it all
what a ride it’s been
you made football come alive
you brought passion home
in the end we know
we exceeded wildest dreams
we can build from this
one image remains
England clapping all their fans
singing back to them
Past-Present
BELGIUM
“La roja de Martinez”
is what Spain
were once
CROATIA
“Vatreni”
is what HUNGARY
with PusKas were once
ENGLAND
Three Lions is what
Netherlands were once with
Edgar Davids
FRANCE
Les Blues is
what Yugoslavia were once
with Dejan Savicevic Dejo
WC2018 Day 21 – haiku
ENGERRRRRRRRLAN!!
England 2-0 Sweden; haiku
Harry scores the first
Familiar name on scoresheet
Maguire not Kane tho
Dele Alli heads
Ball nestles in onion bag
A much needed goal
For every goal
Millions of pints go
Flying through the air
In total control
Is this really England?!?
Nation loving it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Croatia 2-2 Russia; haiku
Penalty shoot-out
Modric and his merry men
Croatia stun hosts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Better than World Cup haiku
Cave Divers are go!
International Rescue
For Wild Boar FC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wild Boar FC
Need a goal or two –
Not the ball nestling in the net
But short term targets to keep hopes up
As the water rises, knee deep;
“my favourite food”
“not too much homework please”
“don’t forget my birthday”;
Now it’s taking true teamwork
To get everyone out alive
Divers and experts collaborating
While tv reports elaborating
On the plans and attempts so far…
International Rescue for real
Can We Start To Dream?
can we start to dream
or are we fooling ourselves…..
why not all the way?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sweden 0-2 England
whatever you say
England swept the Swedes apart
with this new belief
just like Duracell
who cares if Raheem can’t score
he just runs and runs
just two steps away
way beyond our widest dreams
could this be our time?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Russia 2-2 Croatia (4-3 AET)
politics aside
Russian faces in the crowd
show a different side
oh how close they came
always in it til the end
and those cruel pens
Manzukic et al
somehow keep their tired heads
for this spot kick win
World Cup day 21
England are in the semi finals
Sweden 0-2 England
Gareth Southgate joins the ranks
Of Sir Alf and Sir Bobby
For the first time in 28 years
England are in the semi
Red Henderson controlled the flow
Playing to the English choir
England ahead from a set piece
It’s that man Harry Maguire
A hat trick of saves from Pickford
Trippier and Lingard combined
Delle Alli heads in at the far post
Last four sealed, delivered, signed
Croats break Russian hearts
Russia (3) 2-2 (4) Croatia (AET)
It’s the World Cup that keeps giving
Tis the tale of Mother Russia
When Subasic is caught napping
Cheryshev whips in a blinder
Kramaric squares
Vida tightens the rope
Fernandes the boy from Brazil
Gives Mother Russia hope
Not the greatest ever shootout
Fernandes goes to zero
Who will be the difference?
Modric is the nations hero
07 07 18
number7
© emdad rahman
On Day Seventeen.
Spain v Russia.
I’m backing The (former) USSR(sic)
In the shoot-out
Buenas Noches Espana.
**************************
Denmark v Croatia
A lottery
Morphed into refereed psychology
Denmark succumb to mind-games.
**************************************
Russia & Croatia Shoot Outs haiku-Day 17
such contrasting games
endless passing – huff and puff
in the end it’s pens
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spain 1-1 Russia
Russia win 4-3 on penalties
mastering defence
Russian grit defies the odds
Spain are down and out
passing us to sleep
Spain’s obsession is undone
tika taxi home
they may not be great
maybe they can’t pass all night
but Russia are through
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Croatia 1-1 Denmark
Croatia win 3-2 on penalites
from its crazy start
how this battle swayed and swung
til its bitter end
somehow you just knew
in this see saw to and fro
spot kicks would decide
whatever you say
shoot outs are a lottery
but the only way
World Cup day 17
Hosts pull off shock to reach last eight
Spain (3) 1-1 (4)
Sack your manager
On the eve of the cup
Bring in a legend
Hope it all adds up
Wrestling Ignashevich into his own net
Ramos tried hard to claim as his
In later years this comical moment
Will feature on a sports quiz
Dzyuba puts away the penalty
Mother Russia’s children rejoice
Extra time and penalties
166 million Russians raise their voice
Now it’s down to the keepers
De Gea feels the pain
Akinfeev and his left leg
Koke and Aspas the villains for Spain
01 07 18
number7
© emdad rahman
Penalty shoot sees Croatia home
Croatia (3) 1-1 (2) Denmark
It wasn’t even a minute
Croatia’s defence looked tipsy
Jorgensen is alert
Before the clock struck sixty
You score, we level
That’s only fair
Croatia go back upfield
Mandzukic makes it square
Schmeichel pulled off three saves
With him the Danes are rich
Alas not this shootout
Settled by Ivan Rakitic
01 07 18
number7
© emdad rahman
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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!
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joe morris
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Latest Comments
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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25th April 2024 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Joe,
you might like to write a poem yourself on the same subject…
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23rd April 2024 at 4:03 pm
Hi Denys
With you all the way on the abolition of FA Cup replays. What are they doing to the game?
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