Rest Day 2: Some Old Baggage Between France and Germany

On this our second rest day provided to us by the football gods we reminisce on a football rivalry between the French and the Germans which on the football pitch goes back to the semi-final of the 1982 World Cup. Since this match, regarded as one of the greatest in World Cup history, the teams have met only once, and that was at the 1986 World Cup, which Germany (West) won 2-0. For those of you have never seen the footage or have not heard of the incident, watch it. I remember watching it as an eight year old and being horrified, and my father being outraged that the German was not sent off. The article below is by Michael-Lynch of the Sydney Morning Herald.

France against Germany is always an evocative fixture, with the more recent baggage being provided by on-the-field football events rather than any wider historical context. The 1982 World Cup semi-final between the pair will long be remembered as one of the most thrilling games the competition has ever seen, with the Germans coming back from 3-1 down in extra time to level the game and then go on to win on penalties. And it will also not be forgotten for another reason: it featured one of the worst fouls anyone in football can remember, when German goalkeeper Harald ''Toni" Schumacher assaulted French full-back Patrick Battiston as the latter chased a ball down into the Germany penalty area. Battiston got there first and toe poked the ball wide. Schumacher kept coming and jumped straight into the Frenchman, knocking him out.  He also lost his two front teeth, had damaged vertebra and required oxygen to be given out on the ground. Schumacher became a figure of hatred in France and all over the football world - and there were plenty in Germany who were ashamed of what their goalkeeper had done, too - while Battiston recovered to help France win the 1984 European Championship and to also play against the Germans in the 1986 World Cup semi-final, which they lost 2-0. So this quarter-final between the two is the perfect opportunity for Les Bleus to gain revenge. It is the first time the two countries have met in the World Cup since that 1986 showdown in Mexico: in the intervening years Germany has won one World Cup in 1990 and been a beaten finalist in 2002, while France has won one (in 1998) and beaten a beaten finalist also, in 2006. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/fifa-world-cup-2014/world-cup-news-2014/france-star-paul-pogba-not-scared-of-germany-in-world-cup-grudge-match-20140703-zsu5w.html#ixzz36Rplj4Mh