Poems tagged ‘World Cup 2018’
No Nil Nils Haiku
no nil nils so far
what happened to cageyness
in this mad World Cup?
1-0~ 1-0~ 1-0 haiku-WC Day 7
Portugal 1-0 Morocco
like some one man team
Ronnie breaks Moroccan hearts
only four mins in
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Uruguay 1-0 Saudi Arabia
Suarez is the key
Saudis toothless lock is picked
Uruguay march on
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iran 0-1 Spain
Costa on the bounce
knees one in past brave Iran
who gave ev’rything
Russia v Saudi Arabia
I’m watching well dodgy handshakes
In the presidents box
They look like two punters – in the wrong seats – at our place
Sitting there looking lost.
Trying to get poetic
Tis after all…the opening match
Cutting it short I’m dejected
It can happen like that?
I know what? I’ll stick on a cd
Inspiration will simply just fly
Seems pretty apt, at least to me,
I manage to finish this poem, accompanied by…Power, Corruption and Lies*!
Cynically wondering…whats the trade off for five?
World Cup day 7
Ronaldo knocks out Morocco
Portugal 1-0 Morocco
Ronaldo again with the magic
This time an in the box spinner
At the Luzhniki Stadium
Yet another World Cup winner
All eyes on the Madrid star
After his hat-trick against Spain
Maroc lost the bid too
A whole kingdom feels the pain
It took the captain four minutes
Morocco failed to spot the threat
Diving onto Moutinho’s cross
An unstoppable header in the net
20 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
Suarez swoops to send Charrúas through
Uruguay 1-0 Saudi Arabia
Luis Suarez once again
Creates World Cup history
The very first Charrúa
To score for Uruguay in three
One nil suits his team fine
Atletico Madrid on the global stage
Saudi were at best lacklustre
They seriously need to engage
Top of the table with Russia
El Pistolero’s goal will suffice
And to Phil Neville we say
They’ve only won the damn thing twice
20 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
Spain edge Team Melli
Iran 0-1 Spain
La Roja scraped a tough win
Sit with Portugal atop of Group B
They made it hard but still
Got an unconvincing victory
Spain’s only goal came
After Rezaeian and Costa met
An unlucky clearance
Ricocheting into his own net
Team Melli rallied
Smashed home by Ezatolahi
Wild celebrations ensued
But VAR did not agree
20 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
WC2018 Day 6
- Analysis paralysis
We talked and we discussed and we drew – diagrams
my team and I
all part of the day job;
and I’m sure
each and every player and squad member, from today’s (world elite) teams
“workshopping” in warmly receptive Russia
had presentations on stats and analysis paralysis
and data dumps and data mappings and reams and reams and reams
of information overload;
and that their team formation (promoted, dropped, captain)
would be like our Org chart.
So we’re not all that different then? Them and us?
‘cept today, for them,
nobody drew
Nicely Poised.
An able Kane nets a deuce
Ingerland produce
Inspiring a nation-wide roar
and but for a – it seemed to me –
VeryAverageReferee
Yer man could have bagged three or four!
A word on the interesting Maguire
Though at times looking tired
As he strode through the strength sapping heat…
A la the majestic Scirea
Seasoned Libero and player
Played the game with his brain not his feet!
Japan Senegal & Russian Joy haiku-WC Day 6
Colombia 1-2 Japan
in this yellow sea
Cafeteros self implode
Samurai stand strong
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poland 1-2 Senegal
Lions pride ensures
with the most bizarre of goals
Africa’s first win
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Russia 3-1 Egypt
first here to advance
like some Phoenix from the flames
Reds march ever on
World Cup day 6
Colombia Red mist eases Japan home
Colombia 1-2 Japan
Nightmare start to the World Cup
Colombia found it too hot
Sanchez dismissed for handling
Shinji Kagawa’s shot
After the first red at this World Cup
Kagawa from the spot too quick
And the second fastest in history
Upstaged by Quintero’s free kick
Despite Rodriguez’s introduction
Osako’s header too good to resist
Japan rallied to hold the lead
Thanks to Keisuke Honda’s assist
Senegal are trending
Poland 1-2 Senegal
Cionek and Krychowiak scoring
Niang beat a former Arsenal goalie
Slotting into an empty net
Skipping past Bednarek and Szczesny
He’s the youngest at this World Cup
Aliou Cisse is a pioneer
He holds another distinction
Being the only black gaffer here
Definitely the World Cups best fans
Senegal is now trending
This is why you ride with Les Lions
This is Africa’s first Russia win
Hosts seal Egypt fate
Russia 3-1 Egypt
Heart break for Fathi the full back
His finish was simply great
With the Cups fifth own goal
One short of France 98
Cheryshev and Dzyuba make it three
Salah’s penalty on the dot
Rifled in with a full blast
Making no mistake from the spot
In the battle of the forwards
It’s Cheryshev who rules as king
Mother Russia now march on
It’ll be more than a three game fling
19 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
Sweden Belgium England Win haiku~WC Day 5
Sweden 1-0 South Korea
South Korea raise
more questions for V A R
on that Sweden pen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Belgium 3-0 Panama
Belgium at a stroll
like the sculptors they’ve become
carve new boys apart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tunisia 1-2 England
patience brings reward
England snatch a last gasp win
Kane you believe it?
World Cup day 5
Swedes start life without Zlatan
Sweden 1-0 South Korea
Ibrahimovic had said earlier
“The World Cup without me,
is not worth watching”
To some that’s a desperate plea
But the Blågult kept their nerve
With Son’s pace on the counter spin
It’s been a long sixty years
Since an opening day win
With no Zlatan in charge
Granqvist with the penalty
It’s now about Toivonen and Berg
Teamwork and unity
Belgique rule the roost
Belgium 3-0 Panama
Belgium stroll literally
Not to mention metaphorically
Mertens with a superb volley
To liven things up in Sochi
They took a while to get going
But Lukaku headed number two
De Bruyne supplies the magic
As his Red Devil’s plot to go through
Too strong for the newbies
Hard feeding the drip
Martinez tops Group Three
Lukaku with a deft chip
Captain Kane to the rescue
Tunisia 1-1 England
It was a dream start for England
First blood from Captain Kane
Kyle Walker turned street brawler
Sassi exacting penalty pain
We saw an attack of the midges
Attacking without rhyme or reason
Gifts from the Volga River
After all it is breeding season
You can’t keep a class striker down
Three Lions with miss after miss
Harry Kane seals it at the death
Volgograd to see the back of this
18 06 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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John Gilbert Ellis
28th November 2024
joe morris
26th November 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
26th November 2024
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26th November 2024
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26th November 2024
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17th November 2024
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17th November 2024
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10th November 2024
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10th November 2024
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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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