Classic Images Thread

[Bertje]

Don't forget the De Boer pass, that was also brilliant.

[white riot]

http://www.vivadiego.com/belgio_82.jpg

No words necessary. ;)

The Belgians are coming out of a defensive wall they didn't really use six outfield players to man mark Maradona, that would have been stupid.

[Real Ray]

http://www.geocities.com/castmind/alf.jpg

Although the focus is on players, I think this picture is deserving.

The whistle has blown and England are champions of the world. And Alf Ramsey...well, looks as if he's waiting for the wife to bring a fresh roll of toliet paper.

[Sempre]

The most elegant player of the 60s, Gianni Rivera--a.k.a. "Il
Bambino d'oro."

http://www.sei-bbenussi.hr/2003/sport/calcio/immagini_milan/rivera.jpg

[Cassano]

http://www.bloggers.it/golillalilla/itcommenti/Signori%20sbaglia%20il%20rigore.jpg

Giuseppe Signori taking one of his trademark penalties, which he rarely missed. He'd stand right next to the ball and just place it into the net, fooling the 'keeper every time.

http://giuseppesignori.tripod.com/Rigore1.jpg
(another picture)

[Sempre]

Real Ray will like this one.

Marco Tardelli, screaming for joy, face tear-streaked, after putting
a brilliant goal by Schumacher in the 1982 World Cup final (3-1):

http://www.soccernet.com/images/2002wc/history/johnhist/82/EMP-Marco-Tardelli-315516.jpg

[Ombak]

Here's a great one (and it's been seen here recently in the Brazil draft and all-time draft). It really is the best Ronaldo pic out there I think.

http://www.abc.net.au/worldcup2002/galleries/brazil/ronaldo.jpg

[Cassano]

Real Ray will like this one.

Marco Tardelli, screaming for joy, face tear-streaked, after putting
a brilliant goal by Schumacher in the 1982 World Cup final (3-1):

http://www.soccernet.com/images/2002wc/history/johnhist/82/EMP-Marco-Tardelli-315516.jpg

Favorite picture of all time. I used to have a poster of it hanging in my room...

[Twenty26Six]

Here's a great one (and it's been seen here recently in the Brazil draft and all-time draft). It really is the best Ronaldo pic out there I think.

http://www.abc.net.au/worldcup2002/galleries/brazil/ronaldo.jpg
That is something else. :)

[stenergut]

Michael Laudrup:

http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/mundo-img/20060316a/_archivo55_photo_10_1_1_20060316_yba03f4.tif.jpg

The Picture is from the Albertini Match 15/3 - 2006

Classic Laudrup posture: Low balance point - Quite elegant

[dmar]

A couple more of Di Stefano:

http://img14.photobucket.com/albums/v41/bentex/di_stefano_puskas.jpg
With Puskas.

http://www.realmadridfans.net/distefano/distefanofoto05.jpg
Scoring.

Pity I couldn't find the one where he scores a backheel goal, or the one where Cruyff scores his "Impossible Goal" against Atletico.

[Real Ray]

I was watching the 1971 FA Cup Final last night, and there were certain moments that I struck me.

This is a shot of Larry Lloyd as he spots his family in the stands. More than that, I think the faces of all the players in the frame, you see the bigness of the event. I always liked the Arsenal track suits of that era as well.

http://www.geocities.com/castmind/Lloyd.jpg

This is the coin toss with Tommy Smith and Frank McLintock. The kits, the shoes of that era, and the backdrop of Wembley...
http://www.geocities.com/castmind/1971toss.jpg


Then there's the match winner, Charlie George. The hair cut alone, is priceless, but look at the build-look how thin he is compared to players today.

http://www.geocities.com/castmind/george.jpg

[Cassano]

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/fifa/en/pf/20011221/i/537780284.jpg

Dino Zoff holds up the World Cup after the win against Germany in Espana '82.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1630000/images/_1634707_zoff300.jpg

http://www.hotel-rome-beverly.com/media/events/italia_1982.jpg

[nuff_said]

Legends :o

http://www.plcane.clara.net/football/images/puskas.jpg

edited pic

[niteneb]

The Belgians are coming out of a defensive wall they didn't really use six outfield players to man mark Maradona, that would have been stupid.

In 2002 WC we've seen several time when Denilson was chased by 4-5 opponents. That was funny.

[sarabella]

That is something else. :)
That's easy enough to do with the proper shutter speed. It doesn't say as much about his speed as it does about the photographer. Still a cool photo though.

[white riot]

In 2002 WC we've seen several time when Denilson was chased by 4-5 opponents. That was funny.

That may well have been funny but in the photo of Maradona it's quite clearly a defensive wall.

[gaijin]

http://footballfocus.xsmnet.com/images/ArsenalLiverpool89.JPG

Both Arsenal and Liverpool were deadlocked in the race for the title in the 1988/89 season. After the tradegy of Hillsborough where 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death, many of Liverpool's games had to be rearranged. After Arsenal had led the way going into the final few games, Liverpool had to play catchup games with the all encompassing Arsenal game at Anfield being the last game of the season.

Liverpool won all their remaning catchup fixtures and jumped ahead of Arsenal in the race for the title by 3 points.

It all came down to one fixture and Arsenal needed to win by at least two goals to win the league title. Liverpool had won an emotional FA Cup match against Everton the week before. With one game to decide the eventual champions of that season - local TV broadcasters switched the game to a Friday evening.

The stage was set for a one off title decider. Arsenal needed to do the impossible and win by 2 goals at Anfield, something that hadn't been achieved for years.

As the teams took to the field, Arsenal players handed their Liverpool counterparts bouquets of flowers in remembrance of that fateful FA cup semi-final.

After a wraught and cagey first half, it ended goalless with both sides feeling the nerves. But as second half started the game sprung into life and Arsenal striker Alan Smith glanced in a header on the far post froma free-kick to give Arsenal the lead. It was one objective secured. But a win was not good enough, they needed a second. As Liverpool looked to hold onto to it and tried to nab that equalisier to send Arsenal's dreams crashing - the game slowly edged near injury time. The Arsenal fans almost felt as if they had come so close but not close enough. The Liverpool bench and fans were almost celebrating.

But in the dying moments of the match, one Liverpool attack was broken and Arsenal countered for one last assault on the Liverpool goal. Michael Thomas, broke through with pace past the Liverpool back line and rushed into the box to be met by the out-stretched body of Zimbabwe custodian Bruce Grobbelaar. Thomas looked to have ran it too far and the chance was surely gone, but he deftly flicked the ball over the on-rushing keeper and into the corner of the goal.

The Arsenal fans went wild and Thomas ran away to his fans and attempted to somersault of sorts and ended up wriggling like a snake on the turf. The Liverpool players looked downcast and just sat there distraught, head in hands.

The final whistle blew and Arsenal had won the title in the most improbable and most dramatic final titles races ever in the English game.

The match was made famous by the book and film Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. It was made even more famous by the late Brian Moore's commentary 'Its up for grabs now.' (http://www.arseweb.com/images/multim/anfield2.wav)

What makes the photo and the match so great is that it shows that the game can conjour up some great games in the league and that although 30-40 odd games should really decide a champion - it can come down to one match, one chance, one flash of brilliance, one piece of inspiration. The game is never over, nor is it impossible no matter the odds you have to face.

To this day it remains the most exciting title race in history.

[gaijin]

Possibly two of the greatest players ever in the 1970 World Cup. Brazil v England.

http://footballfocus.xsmnet.com/images/1970_moore_pele.JPG

What makes this so special is the relationship between the two. During the game Moore had kept Pele at bay for most of the match and despite losing gave a typical captains performance. Both players showed the respect they had for one another after the final whistle. There was no rolling about the ground from Pele or dirty play from Moore. This was football at the highest level. Two giants of the game playing the sport as it was meant to be played. And both showing respect after the final whistle as great men as well as players.

[gaijin]

http://footballfocus.xsmnet.com/images/colchester.JPG

This was the ultimate giant killing act and many would probably argue the very first real scalp that the competition knew. The imperial Leeds United under the stewardship of the great Don Revie travelled to then a third division Colchester United and were beaten 3-2 in the 5th round. Here is Ray Crawford heading home the winner at Layer Road. Colchester were thrashed in the quarter finals 5-0 by Everton whilst Leeds finished runners-up to Arsenal in the league.