Poems tagged ‘Argentina’
We’ve Been Here Before ~ WC26
how to summon this one up
where now to begin
minutes left to just hold on
moments from the win
not those dreaded penalties
not that fabled curse
not just Tuchel’s sit back plan
somehow this was worse
when the dust has settled
when we sweep the floor
in the end you have to say
we’ve been here before
I don’t have the answers
much as I may try
all those promises and plans
in the end run dry
call it lack of real belief
call it inner fear
call it something we can’t name
year on year on year
after all the faith and hope
after all the hype
England prove we don’t improve
as we revert to type
up against the champions
quiet for so long
same old lesson ev’ry time
dropping back is wrong
easy now in hindsight
easy to pretend
we all knew what we should do
but didn’t in the end
application falls away
desperation grows
when you sit back on your heels
all that hold just goes
in the light of morning
trying to digest
everything that happened
how we failed the test
sixty years of trying
keeping faith somehow
now the latest dream is dashed
where do we go now ?
as we summon this one up
as we start from scratch
hard to say the same old thing
after such a match
not those dreaded penalties
not that fabled curse
not just Tuchel’s sit-back plan
somehow this was worse
when the dust has settled
when we sweep the floor
in the end you have to say
we’ve been here before
France Uruguay+Farewell Messi Ronaldo -Day 16
rivalries aside
for Ronaldo and Messi
time to say farewell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
France 4-3 Argentina
in this Russian heat
two proud nations lock their horns
France emerge and stay
this new prodigy
Mbape with youthful touch
tears Argie apart
fluent style and pace
dancing on our global stage
Allez on Les Bleus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Uruguay 2-1 Portugal
like an eagle swoops
Cavani the pouncer here
with such stunning goals
Ronaldo forlorn
Portugal again fall short
Uruguay stand tall
chances come and go
Sky Blues here remind us all
grab them while you can
On Day Sixteen
France v Argentina
Mbappe sur une Kyllian spree
Inspires Les Bleus pour gagner 4-3
(Thought I’d chance me arm, at a bit of the old Francais)
T’was a tres magnifique sight to watch
Till I screamed selfishly, “Oi Deschamps”, at me goggle box…
“Don’t sub him (Mbappe) yet, leave him out there, let him play”.
Argentina head for the plane
With a case of what might have been…yet again
For a clearly – I don’t fancy this – Lionel Messi
While their former talisman in the stand
Cigar in God-like podgy hand
Tells all who’ll listen…”Please Don’t Cry For Me”.
*****************************************************
Uruguay v Portugal.
T’was a case of the old one two
For Uruguay, in this no prisoners taken duel,
Against a Portugal side being carried by a name
Once the threat of Ron was snuffed
By Godin – a canny defensive pain in the butt –
Uruguay won as a team, albeit one on another plane.
Their strong team ethic clearly works
I mean…two centre forwards getting stuck in where it hurts?
In order to win the ball back if it’s lost?
Plus their beautifully crafted deuce of goals last night
(Well worthy of another look again in the day light)
Moves me to say of them, “U R The Guys (sic)…the rest must try to stop”!
****************************************************
World Cup day 16
Boy wonder Mbappe sends Argentina home
France 4-3 Argentina
With the magician it’s so simple
You look up, locate his place
Don’t go on a mazy dribble
You play it to Messi in space
Griezmann with a penalty
Rojo with a clumsy foul
Angel lashes home a stunner
Behold Maradona’s howl
Messi shoots on goal
Deflection by Mercado
There’s unrest in Les Bleus ranks
What’s Didier Deschamps’ throw?
With the focus on Messi
Pavard’s missile allez, allez!
Mbappe the first teen to score
In a World Cup since Pele
Aguero with a late consolation
El Jefe Mascherano retires snappy
Mbappe the boy wonder
Will live long in memory
La Celeste concede but go through
Uruguay 2-1 Portugal
Uruguay hadn’t been breached
For six full games in a row
Not that huge a surprise
Their stoppers are from Atletico
One nil to La Celeste
Smacking off Cavani’s face
Pepe is free to head home
Edinson curls a beauty with pace
El Matador retires hurt
Quaresma joins the front crew
Godin and Gimenez close shop
Oscar Tabarez’s men go through
30 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
WC2018 Day 13 – haiku
Maradona hurts
Elimination side-stepped
Messi takes control
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It almost happened
Last sixteen without Messi?
Leo gets serious!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a draw will do
Final score: honours(?) even
Les Blues and the Danes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quelle surprise! Nil-Nil
First one of the tournament
Suits both to go through
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Progress freezes up
Not for the want of trying
Thunderclap death knell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cahill makes a bow
Aussies rue missed chances
Return down under
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Denmark France Argentina Croatia Through haiku-WC Day 13
Denmark 0-0 France
we’ve been here before
two teams through afraid to risk
yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Australia 0-2 Peru
Los Incas leave proud
joyous fans and skilful play
Socceroos head home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nigeria 1-2 Argentina
brave Nigeria
gave so much but once again
Argies still come good
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iceland 1-2 Croatia
Iceland come so close
how we’ll miss their strength and fans
Croatia advance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
World Cup day 13
First bore draw at Russia 2018
Denmark 0-0 France
Only a matter of time
Some team would refuse the bait
With a bore draw at the Luzhniki
We’re treated to a stalemate
Where would a goal come from?
Neither team needed the win
They passed it back and sideways
Who could blame the fans din
It was eleven behind the ball
Red frustrating the blue
Anything else a bonus
As both nations go through
Socceroos humbled by Los Incas
Australia 0-2 Peru
Peru’s first win in forty years
Starts with a volley from Carrillo
Saved from a sure fire ban
It’s that man Guerrero
His World Cup dream
Saved by Jedinak’s letter
Peru finish on a high
Aussies leave Russia with a whimper
With Peru’s skipper facing a ban
The Group C captains did their bit
And when the chance came
Guerrero made the most of it
Rojo again as Argentina arrive
Nigeria 1-2 Argentina
Cometh the hour, comes the man
Wonder goal from Messi
Mascherano wrestles Balogun
Moses rolls home the penalty
Following on from Port Alegre
Lightning does strike twice
Mascherano leading the charge
With a last throw of the dice
It took the centre half to settle
Begging went chance after chance
A stupendous volley by Rojo
It’s the Argentines who advance
Brave Icemen fall short
Iceland 1-2 Croatia
Badelj puts Croatia in the lead
Dejan Lovren becomes a sinner
Sigurdsson levels from the spot
Perisic with a last minute winner
It’s heartbreak in Rostov
No more thunderclap hands
Iceland and their fans crestfallen
There are tears in the stands
Group D ends up like this
After a breathless nights play
Croatia face Denmark
France meet Argentina on Sunday
26 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
Beards Snails & Stars haiku -WC Day 8
things are hotting up
still the ‘fave-rites’* struggle with
beards snails and stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Denmark 1-1 Australia
Jedinak spot on
striking pens like stroking beards
Socceroos hold Danes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
France 1-0 Peru
Bleus advance like snails
with their huge army of fans
bold Peru are gone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argentina 0-3 Croatia
Croats light the night
Rakitic their shooting star
Argies lost in space
World Cup day 8
VAR to the rescue
Denmark 1-1 Australia
Australia are still in it
With Jedinak so trusty
Securing the first point
Against the Danes in Group C
Eriksen with a stunner
Cancelled by the Aussie penalty
Yussuf Poulsen’s handball
Thanks video assistant referee
Aaron Mooy went close
Sisto almost with a goal
France play next
As Age Hareide’s side take pole
21 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
Les Bleus reach last sixteen
France 1-0 Peru
If France have a blazing weapon
It’s Mbappé’s youthful flame
It was left to the young star
To decide an absorbing game
Les Bleus are the third team
To clinch a spot in the last sixteen
Los Incas could’ve shocked
Had Gareca’s strikers been more keen
So France’s youngest World Cup scorer
Is a mere nineteen years old
Tapping in a Paul Pogba pass
To think things stone dead cold
21 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
Argentina on the brink
Argentina 0-0 Croatia
With Ronnie on four goals
Would Messi start to shine?
Already playing catch up
We’re assured it’ll all be fine
A clanger from Caballero
Ante Rebic with a super volley
Modric hammers in a blinder
You can’t just scapegoat Willy
And as the seconds ticked away
Rakitic applied the handcuff
Now even a win against Nigeria
May not be quite enough
21 06 18
number7
© Emdad Rahman
Heartbreak Moments haiku~ WC Day 3
France 2-1 Australia
even with such stars
France rely on VAR
Socceroos so close
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argentina 1-1 Iceland
with volcanic rock
Iceland freeze the Argies out
Messi fluffs from spot
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Croatia 2-0 Nigeria
would be dark horses
Modric slots Croatia past
poor Nigeria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Denmark 1-0 Peru
Denmark ride their luck
brave Peru do all but score
for their hordes of fans
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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
9th October 2026
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Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
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Latest Comments
28th July 2026 at 9:40 pm
Hi Denys. Thanks for your kind words. I could have mentioned Dixie Dean but decided not to.
Best wishes, mate
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26th July 2026 at 3:47 pm
Great knowledge of Everton history, Joe.
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23rd July 2026 at 6:54 pm
Hi Jason,
Sorry I forgot to congratulate you on your excellent poem as well.
Keep well
Joe
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23rd July 2026 at 6:43 pm
Hi Jason,
Thanks so much for your kind words about Kevin Keegan, a footballer of legendary status and deeply missed.
Best wishes
Joe
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23rd July 2026 at 12:01 pm
Thank you, Crispin. I will defo encorage my bunch to contribute and will of course clear it with staff room.
Many thanks
Jase
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22nd July 2026 at 6:48 pm
Great poem Jase.
You are a man of my own heart …
And great to hear that you your students poems from our site.
Keep on and more please
if ever some of your students write anything suitable for here and most importantly they give you permission to publish them, you can always do so under your name referencing their names and the school..and year.
Best Crispin
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22nd July 2026 at 10:29 am
I think this is best thing I have read so far about the legend. Thanks
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22nd July 2026 at 10:22 am
One of the greats, inspired my generation of school kids in the 80s
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23rd May 2026 at 3:35 pm
Hi Crispin,
Thanks for the featured poem for the Arsenal Premier League victory. I love that photo showing the Arsenal ladies and fans in full rattle and rosette mode. I’ve seen it before quite a few times and, I think, a bit iconic. I think it was before the Gunners victory against Liverpool in the 1950 FA Cup Final. Great photograph.
Thanks
Joe
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8th May 2026 at 4:21 pm
Thanks for that Joe. Yes it’s been some season we had a blip but came out of it and finished strong. A mate of mine supports West Ham here in Coventry and my next door neighbour is a Spurs supporter, and both are getting edgy ! I like the Championship though as it’s competitive and has some good teams, players, and fans. Anyway we are back in the top flight and who knows what will happen ?
Cheers. Kev.
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