Filthiest team in the world?

massimigliano · Mar 30, 2004

This is the report of Pauliina Miettinen, defender of the Finnish team, on the game they played against Italy in Algarve.

This is my question: is it true that the Italians play the Filthiest soccer? Has anybody heard or witness this when Italy played against other teams?

Which is the filthiest team according to you?

Sometimes, as much as we wanted to play soccer in this tournament, team Italy made it very difficult for us. I don't think Finland is known for playing overly aggressive soccer nor playing dirty. Italians, however, showed us how to do it and get involved with their dirty style of soccer. With no help from the referees, we had no choice but participate with their filthy style of play. I have never ever in my life gotten punched in the face, throat and stomach as many times as I did in the game. I have never delivered so many punches myself. When a game turns into a war, and when your own health is on the line, the enjoyment of playing the game loses its meaning. I wish you had been there to witness it. You would not believe even if you saw it. It still is incomprehensible to me. I still get disgusted when thinking about the whole ordeal. Learning about other cultures can be negatively affective as it has been in this case...
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You had to be there. I could not explain to you how unbearable it was to play the game against the Italians. You had to see it to believe it and even so, you would be in doubt of your perception. This game could not be called soccer anymore. It was a combination between boxing, professional wrestling, and award winning acting. We are still in shock when recalling the various situations that took place in the game.

We knew this was not going to be just a regular game. I bet they knew it too. We were mentally ready to face the filthiest team in the world, but we could not expect the game to turn into a war zone. It was not soccer anymore. It was a team trying to survive the game without getting lifelong injuries. It was a game in which punches were exchanged more than in a boxing match. It was a game of serious jersey pulling. It was a game for them in which their purpose was to intentionally hurt us. It was a game with vocal harassing to the point where you would not think you are in the middle of a soccer game.

I know what you are thinking now.You are asking whether there were any referees there to take control of the game. Yes, there were refs, but they did not react nor did they want to see anything that was going on. How can you not see when people are throwing punches at each other? How can you not see when jerseys are getting ripped off? How can you not see when people deliberately are late for tackles? I have reached a conclusion that the referee seriously had selective perception or that she was bribed by the Italians prior to the game.

I am writing this as my upper lip is swollen from a direct hit with a fist by my dearest opponent Patricia Panico. I think she has a mental problem. I must have gotten hit on my face at least four times during the game. A couple times I received a hit in my face, once in my throat (I can barely swallow now), and my stomach was a target for a couple of times. I also got kicked in the stomach with a karate kickJ. Since the referee (from Portugal) did not want to act upon any of this, I decided not to be the recipient any longer but give them what they wanted. The war was ready. And I was not the only one in this one. Not only did the rest of the team experience the same but our goal keeper coach got beaten on the side lines as well. He ended up with two stitches on his lower lip when a random guy (who claimed to be the vice president of Portuguese Soccer Federation, as we later found out that was not the case) decided to use his knuckles to vent his frustration.

We ended up losing the game. Somehow, though, that seems pretty insignificant right now compared to all of the other stuff that took place. We are trying to imagine what we will face in Italy in a month when we play the second leg of our European qualification game against them. Believe me, it cannot get any worse or somebody might get her nose broken or legs snapped. We might need some personal bodyguards to escort us to and from the field no matter what the score will be. We probably need bullet proof vests as well. Who knows what is going to happen. One thing is for sure: We are not getting a warm welcome from the players nor the fans. All hell is going to break loose.
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Pretty sad!!

Are the Finnish players whiners or are the Italians frustrated women that lash their anger against poor fellow soccer players?

the_13th_redneck · Mar 30, 2004

I think Italian football is just filthy in nature at all levels.
You think women's football is filthy? Check out their mens football. It's filthy and cowardly. Signing the best players in the world just so they can form a 10 man defense.
The main exception is AC Milan. That's a team that knows how to play football.

Hamm-star · Mar 31, 2004

I am kind of wondering if it is a case of dislike between the two countries. i recall we played italy and it was not nasty at all. In fact one of their players suffered a seperated shoulder prior to the friendly and insisted on playing because she wanted to be on the same feild with Mia Hamm who was her idol.

If I had to pick a country that is Dirty i think Nigeria would be high on my list, and though this next one might surprise some people i would also put Norway up there too. need proof?...check out the tape of the Semi-final between the WNT and the Norwegians in the 96 Olympics.

that said I thought that Olympic qualifying sounded like it was a pretty rough affair and the Refs were not doing a very good job of controling the matches.