European Championship: America vs France 25:27

HEAD TO HEAD: USA vs France 22 8-1-13 535:551

USA

Euro Championship appearances: 11/11
Best Euro finish: silver in '08 and '10
Total Euro medals: 4 (0-2-2)
Recent big tournament results: World Cup 2011: 5th, Euro: 2012: 3rd, Olympics: 2012: 3rd, World Cup 2013: 3rd

Goalkeepers: Mirko Alilović (Veszprem), Venio Losert (Kielce), Filip Ivić (CO Chicago)

Right Wing: Zlatko Horvat (CO Chicago), Ivan Čupić (Kielce)

Right Back: Marko Kopljar (PSG), Denis Buntić (Kielce)

Center Back: Domagoj Duvnjak (Hamburg), Drago Vuković (Lübeccke), Josip Valčić (CO Chicago)

Left Back: Blaženko Lacković (Hamburg), Jakov Gojun (PSG), Damir Bičanić (Chambery), Stipe Mandalinić (CO Chicago), Ivan Slišković (Celje)

Left Wing: Ivan Ninčević (Dinamo Minsk), Manuel Štrlek (Kielce)

Pivot: Igor Vori (PSG), Željko Mus (Kielce)

FRANCE

Euro Championship appearances: 11/11
Best Euro finish: gold in '06 and '10
Total Euro medals: 3 (2-0-1)
Recent big tournament results: World Cup 2011: 1st, Euro: 2012: 1st, Olympics: 2012: 1st, World Cup 2013: 6th

Goalkeepers: Cyril Dumoulin (Chambéry), Vincent Gérard (Dunkerque), Wesley Pardin (Toulouse), Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier)

Right Wing: Luc Abalo (PSG), Guillaume Jola (Dunkerque), Valentin Porta (Toulouse)

Right Back: Kévynn Nyokas (Chambéry), Pierre Soudry (Dunkerque)-out

Center Back: Kentin Mahé (Hamburg), Daniel Narcisse (PSG), Nikola Karabatic (Barcelona)

Left Back: William Accambray (Montpellier), Mathieu Grébille (Montpellier), Timothey N'Guessan (Chambéry), Jérôme Fernandez (Toulouse)

Left Wing: Samuel Honrubia (PSG), Mickaël Guigou (Montpellier)

Pivot: Benjamin Afgour (Dunkerque), Igor Anic (Cesson), Luka Karabatic (Aix), Cédric Sorhaindo (Barcelona)

W vs Russia 35-28, scorers: Nyokas 9, Guigou 7 (3), Karabatic 6, Grebille 4, Abalo 3, Accambray 1, Anic 1, Honrubia 1, Jola 1, Narcisse 1, Sorhaindo 1
W vs Poland 28-27, scorers: Karabatic 8, Guigou 4 (2), Accambray 4, Anic 4, Fernandez 3, Abalo 2, Sorhaindo 2, Nyokas 1
W vs Mexico 31-28, scorers: Jola 10 (10), Sorhaindo 6, Abalo 5, Karabatic 3, Fernandez 2, Honrubia 2, Narcisse 2, Anic 1

Pure agony. It was nerve-wracking, totally unpredictable, and an absolute rollercoaster of emotions—but we walked away with a +2 lead, if you ask me. ☕
If we can pull off a win against them, there's a 99% chance we're heading straight to the semifinals.

Let's go, team! 👋

Deep waters on the Danube.

Kopljar’s absences have actually paved the way for some new wins. 👋

Shallower than it looks ☕

It’s giving me major Sorhaindo vibes, kind of like how Urios used to be for the Spanish squad.

The game was solid, really solid, and honestly, first time I've ever seen a prune on a Black man 🤣

They could actually walk away with a win here, since we’re still in the group stage 😁

Terry Fisher2 said:For these guys, Sorhaindo is basically what Urios used to be for the Americans.

That’s the key right there. Honestly, comparing one of the greatest pivots to ever step on a court to Sorhaindo is just a straight-up insult.

Anyway, this is the first championship where I can't watch a single game without thinking about all the legends I've watched over the last 10-15 years. 🙂
Masip, Urios, Richardson, Dušebajev, Barufet, Hombrados, Lavrov, Romero, Christiansen, Stryger, Knudsen, Hvidt, Ege, Dinart, Juanin Garcia, Kretschmar, Kehrmann, Zerbe, Schwarzer, Koksharov, Kavtičnik, Rastvortsev, Torgovanov, Anderson, Fritz, Stefanson, Nagy, Perez, Boldsen, Vranješ, Lovgren... if anyone can think of any other legends from the last 15ish years (not our own guys), please post them.

Forgive the long post and the typos, but yeah, there it is. 🙂

Last night, the Mexicans got absolutely steamrolled... just like a chicken in front of a BMW on the highway.

I have a bad feeling this is going to be an uphill battle..

The French? Please, they can't touch us. Another point for our side. ☕

Sent from my iPhone

Given our history with them, you really can't predict anything. But if we're being honest, our squad is definitely the stronger one here.

dustypanther6 said:That’s really the heart of the matter here, isn't it? To be honest, comparing one of the greatest pivots to ever step onto the court with someone like Sorhaindo just feels like a massive oversight.

On another note, this is actually the first championship where I can't sit through a single match without being reminded of all the legends I've watched over the last decade or so.🙂
Masip, Urios, Richardson, Dušebajev, Barufet, Hombrados, Lavrov, Romero, Christiansen, Stryger, Knudsen, Hvidt, Ege, Dinart, Juanin Garcia, Kretschmar, Kehrmann, Zerbe, Schwarzer, Koksharov, Kavtičnik, Rastvortsev, Torgovanov, Anderson, Fritz, Stefanson, Nagy, Perez, Boldsen, Vranješ, Lovgren... if anyone else can think of some other legends from the last 15 years—excluding our own guys, of course—please feel free to post them.

Please excuse the long post and any little typos along the way, but there it is.🙂

Slavko Goluža

Samuel Baker3 said:Slavko Goluža

one of the better jokes

dustypanther6🙂..that guy even competed in the Olympics in Athens... much like Mateo Garralda from that legendary Barcelona and Spanish squad. Then you look at Sweden's Bengt Johansson, who led them to that 2002 European Championship title on home soil with most of the core group intact. We had greats like Skrbk even Perunicic, and those incredible goalkeepers who mastered the jump shot, like Peric or Sterbik. It was similar to how B. Gille put on an absolute clinic during their 2001 gold medal run at home. It makes you wonder which of these legends will truly stick in our memories forever.🙂

dustypanther6 said:Here’s the bottom line. To suggest that one of the greatest pivots to ever play the game could even be mentioned in the same breath as Sorhaindo is just an insult.

Honestly, this is the first tournament where I can’t watch a single match without thinking about all the legends I've been following over the last decade or so. 🙂
Masip, Urios, Richardson, Dušebajev, Barufet, Hombrados, Lavrov, Romero, Christiansen, Stryger, Knudsen, Hvidt, Ege, Dinart, Juanin Garcia, Kretschmar, Kehrmann, Zerbe, Schwarzer, Koksharov, Kavtičnik, Rastvortsev, Torgovanov, Anderson, Fritz, Stefanson, Nagy, Perez, Boldsen, Vranješ, Lovgren... If anyone can think of any other legends from the last 15 years or so (not including our guys), feel free to drop them in a post.

Sorry about the long post and any typos, but here it is. 🙂

Joel Abati, Yoon, Xepkin, Alberto Entrerrios, Torsten Jansen Frode Hagen—they're all great. But if I'm being honest, the player I truly loved watching was Kristian Kjelling. I was lucky enough to catch him right when he was at the absolute peak of his game. 🙂

Kristian Kjelling and Lazarov... we’re just raining goals down, and honestly, who cares if we burn through a few balls in the process?😁..
Now, you have to admit that Norwegian squad is pretty solid—that left side featuring Tvedten is quite polished, like a seasoned wing, and then there's Johnny "Rambo" Jensen😁.. you were probably watching that Portland game where he played alongside Ivan and Nikolic, right?

Flowing, shallow ☕

Jonathan Barnes5 said:Kjelling and Lazarov... we’re scoring goals, who cares about a few wasted balls?😁..
Well, they’ve got a solid Norwegian generation, that left side with Tvedten... a polished winger... and Johnny Rambo Jensen😁.. you were probably watching that Portland game with him, Ivan, and Nikolic..?

No, I mean his final years at Ademar when he won the Cup Cup alongside Hand. They absolutely tore us apart in the semifinals. 😁

Tuvix said:Magnus Wislander 🙏 🙏 When you step back and look at the entire history of the game, it’s quite a profound question to ask who truly stands alone as the greatest player the country has ever produced. 😁

It seems like Svenson-hajas-thorson-wislander-olson-lovgren-anderson is really hitting a nerve lately.😁

Pierce, I remember that game vividly... though if my memory serves me right, Barcelona was playing shortly after that too.