Poems tagged ‘Saudi Arabia’
VARcical – Spain & Portugal Through -WC Day 12
Uruguay 3-0 Russia
ten man Russia fall
to Suarez and Cavani
in their spaceship home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egypt
even with Salah
Pharoahs bow to Saudis late
as both bid farewell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iran 1-1 Portugal
stealing headlines still
VAR lets Christiano off
as Iran stand tall
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spain 2-2 Morocco
VAR decides once more
Aspas late goal grabs a draw
to see Spain end top
World Cup day 12
El Hadary the star but Saudis take spoils
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egypt
A 45 year old makes history
Evergeen Essam El Hadary
Taking Faryd Mondragon’s record
Saving Fahad Al Muwallad’s penalty
There’s that Red forward
Salah the Egyptian gem
Brilliantly lobbing the ball
Over Yasser Al-Mosailem
El Hadary conceded two
His countrymen left bereft
Salman Al Faraj’s spot kick
Al Dawsari with seconds left
Charruas make it three on the trot
Uruguay 3-0 Russia
The home party is muted
Cut to size in Samara
Fernando Muslera breaks a record
His country’s most capped ever
Russia had scored eight goals
Home support makes them tick
Falling behind to the Charruas
Suarez drilled a clever free kick
Worse for Cherchesov’s boys
Cheryshev was unlucky
Akinfeev blocked Bentancur
But Cavani pounced for three
Ansarifard quells Quaresma
Iran 1-1 Portugal
Somehow unfulfilled
Yet so colourful a career
His right foot flick pure madness
That for you is Ricky Quaresma
Television is taking control
VAR once again to the fore
Ronaldo fluffs a penalty
He’s still on goal number four
Lucky escape for Ronaldo
VAR once again to the fore
Ansarifard’s penalty spot on
Portugal second and a little bit sore
VAR leaves La Roja leading group
Spain 2-2 Morocco
Spain survive a scare
As VAR catches many on the hop
Iran’s late goal against Portugal
Sees La Roja finish top
Morocco are home and
They’re really not so bad
Khalid Boutaib keeps his cool
Isco levels in Kalinigrad
Youssef En-Nesyri heads a second
VAR awards Aspas’ flick
Spain will now play Russia
Maroc get ready to go home
25 06 18
number7
© emdad rahman
WC2018 Day 7 – haiku
big boys out in force
Ronaldo, Suarez, Costa
who else of course
~ # ~
one-nil common score
Morocco and Saudi out
alas already
~ # ~
somersault throw-in
we all wanted to see it
aborted desires
~ # ~
Gareth jog amiss
Southgate restrained by shoulder
no more punching air
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
Hapless Arabian Knights haiku-WC Day 1
Russia 5*-0 Saudi Arabia 0
host strike oil on cue
hapless Arabian knights
fall in five star rout
World Cup day 1: Hosts kick off World Cup in style
Russia 5-0 Saudi Arabia
Seemed the Saudis had better luck
Finding the moon than the net
Gazinskiy gives the Russia lead
The hosts they hardly broke sweat
It’s the first goal of the World Cup
But Dzagoev left in pain
Cheryshev with two superb goals
Green Falcons truly slayed
Dzyuba heads in a fourth
Golovin curls in a free-kick
Saudi were quite simply awful
Pizzi is in for some stick
Then there’s Yasir Al Shahrani
24 times he gave away the ball
Misplacing a third of his passes.
Eid Mubarak to all
14 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!
Latest Poems
Crispin Thomas
3rd November 2026
joe morris
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kevin halls
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Clik The Mouse
28th October 2026
joe morris
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Jason Prasad
24th October 2026
joe morris
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joe morris
9th October 2026
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Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
3rd November 2026 at 10:23 pm
Hi Crispin,
How are you doing mate? I was just curious to know whether you were watching Countryfile on Sunday evening and that programme devoted to your Forest Green Rovers. Great watch.
Best wishes
Joe
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24th October 2026 at 2:31 pm
Ha!! Just brilliant! I can hear this being sung. So funny!
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24th October 2026 at 2:28 pm
I love this verse as I know exactly that feeling of living in a fantasy while kicking the ball as a kid. Makes me wonder what fantasy world professional players live in when they dribble, pass and shoot? Hopefully it’s doesn’t always feel like routine job fired them
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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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