Poems tagged ‘Croatia’
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
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
World Cup day 3
Pogba spares the Blues
France 2-1 Australia
This was the game of plenty
France had more and more
With their lethal attacking trio
How many would Les Bleus score?
Twas a penalty that never was
Griezmann dispatched it coolly
What’s most shocking of all
Is VAR acting unruly
Umtiti has a mad moment
Jedinak the Aussie star
Deschamps rings the changes
Bailed out by Pogba
16 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
Argies face the bargy
Argentina 1-1 Iceland
Argentina were left to rue
Messi’s sport kick is costly
Mascherano breaks the record
VAR misses a clear penalty
Aguero scores his very first
So lethal on the swivel
Hallgrimsson’s organised side
Simply refused to shrivel
The lead lasts four minutes
Finnbogason with a simple tap
Argentina pressed for the winner
For the vikings it’s a wrap
16 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
Unlucky Peru rue killer touch
Peru 0-1 Denmark
Yussuf Poulsen did enough
To win this opening tie
Peru had 17 shots without scoring
To leave the Danes home and dry
It could have been different
Christian Cueva had the bullseye
VAR awarded a penalty kick
But he chose to aim for the sky
There was no past Schmeichel
Although Peru tethered Eriksen’s flow
Denmark take the three points
They were quite lucky to do so
16 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
Sorry Nigeria are lambs to the slaughter
Croatia 2-0 Nigeria
Etebo’s own goal
And a Modric penalty
Gives Croatia a winning start
Thanks to Nigeria in Group D
It was a dire game in Kaliningrad
With a wrestling bout on the pitch
Ref Sandro Ricci didn’t hesitate
When Troost-Ekong grapples Mandzukic
There was no danger
Of Modric and his penalty
Super Eagles were woeful
With Etebo off to Stoke City
16 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
World Cup Russia 32 Team haiku
on Argentina haiku
big contenders these
Messi leads the white and blue
will it be this time ?
on Australia
Cahill’s waltzing squad
return from the land of Oz
while Matildas dream
on Belgium haiku
bursting with young skill
Eden’s pace and Lukaku
spear these Red Devils
on Brazil haiku
Neymar to Jesus
rhythmic touch to samba beat
will their swagger rule?
on Colombia haiku
dark horses always
Rodriguez the star upfront
could they go the course?
on Costa Rica haiku
with Ruiz’s pace
Los Ticos can cause a stir
when that magic flows
on Croatia haiku
always one to fear
Modric now the playmaker
for Mandzukic’s pace
on Denmark haiku
nice pastries aside
Eriksen the vital spark
to Danes dynamite
on Egypt haiku
will Salah be fit
Pharoahs focus on defence
as a country waits
on England haiku
emphasis on youth
still the Sterlings and Rashfords
need to find their best
on France haiku
over-crammed with stars
will they drop like croissant crumbs
falling to their knees?
on Germany haiku
Ozil at the heart
always first to raise the bar
and to lay their towels
on Iceland haiku
smallest nation here
Sigurdsson the main class act
teamwork heart and beards
on Iran haiku
Queiroz at the helm
Team Melli arrive in hope
Azmoun leads the line
on Japan haiku
here on Russian soil
Kagawa and Honda’s skill
power these guys on
on Korea Republic haiku
southern winds still blow
with their new belief and pace
Cha Bum-kun the star
on Mexico haiku
Los Aztecan strength
Hernandez the constant threat
will they shine or fall?
on Morocco haiku
nothing here to lose
Atlas Lions know no fear
passion at their core
on Nigeria haiku
to their Afro beat
Moses powers Eagles on
Mikel still the spine
on Panama haiku
debut boys this time
Roman Torres fires a squad
happy to be here
on Peru haiku
like their altitude
Los Incan hopes soar and rest
on Farfan upfront
on Poland haiku
Polish Eagles dream
Lewandowski heads the pack
always posing threats
on Portugal haiku
lighting ev’ry match
like some whirlwind fanning flame
’til Ronaldo strikes
on Russia haiku
struck by injuries
Smolov now the only threat
even on home turf
on Saudi Arabia haiku
swarming round like Bees
sailing in uncharted seas
but can they win games?
on Senegal haiku
talent out in force
Koulibsaly and Mane
shine among the pearls
on Serbia haiku
Eagles hopes will pin
on Matic and Mitrovic
in this tricky side
on Spain haiku
there or thereabouts
Iniesta and Costa
make this time-bomb tick
on Sweden haiku
no Ibra this time
short on names but spirited
always in the mix
on Switzerland haiku
just like chocolate
with Shaqiri’s box of tricks
always tempting fate
on Tunisia haiku
capable of shocks
always drumming up a storm
England should beware
on Uruguay haiku
ever dangerous
Suarez and Cavani shine
never rule them out
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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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Crispin Thomas
21st September 2026
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joe morris
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Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
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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