thepharoah

Actually in 2014 Cillessen was the main goalkeeper for Netherlands not Steklenburg ?

aaah the shirts.
 
I have had only two original (=non counterfeit) football shirts in my life, Argentina 98 and Holland 06 (the one with the collar, something unusual for nike).

It was in 2001 against Andorra (2002 WC qualifiers, that didn't go so well), apparently I had the shirts entirely wrong because this is the moment when he came in for Victor Sikora  
 

 
2001 was still firmly in Edwin van der Sar's time  
 
Two years later it was Wesley Sneijder's entry, I do remember he had made his debut (two matches) and then in the Euro qualifier playoffs against Scotland, which went bad in the first match, the coach threw the whole thing around and in the return young Sneijder was the absolute star and the team demolished Scotland 6-0  

Jeez, Van der Vaart, Huntelaar and Robben were in World Cups (be it U20) in 2001?!
 
No way I was watching that stuff back then, but somehow I do 100% remember Van der Vaart's national team debut. Not against which nation it was, I just somehow vividly remember the moment he entered the pitch (in sort of grey shirts, I believe), no idea why  

I remember pretty well. I think I went to two group games and the final. Very nice tournament with many goals and stars.  There were also Essien, Muntari, Kaká, Adriano.

Olympics at Sports Reference got closed today.
 
I can't help but feel responsible because I asked for one correction yesterday and perhaps reminded them about their intent to close the site...
 
https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics.html

Chung Hae-won (football, 1988) died due to cancer on May 1
https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20200505031700007
 
 
 

Juan Matute (22 yo, 2018 WEG participant, rising talent) collapsed suddenly and was taken to a hospital. Apparently he suffered severe brain bleeding.
 
He is in critical condition. This sounds really bad. 
 
 
 

Austria's Johanna Bassani who won a silver medal in the Nordic Combined Mixed Team event at this year's Winter Youth Olympic Games has been found dead just a few weeks after her 18th birthday.
 
https://www.web24.news/u/2020/05/great-hope-of-austrian-skiing-found-dead.html

Cigs and alcohol were one thing, there was also Penthouse & Durex sponsoring F1 back in the day:
 
Guy Edwards & model Suzanne Turner at the Hesketh car launch in 1976.
 

 
Rupert Keegan during 1977 Canadian Grand Prix.
 

A 5.1 richter earthquake just hit near Tehran ! the last thing we need right now

Laura Robson's slut-o-meter would probably say "true"

Since there's barely any actual news, some gossipy nonsense  Kirsten Flipkens has revealed she had 'a thing' with Rafael Nadal in their teen years, when she was 14. "But he didn't speak any English at the time, so it stayed with holding hands and a few kisses"  
 
https://www.hln.be/sport/tennis/kirsten-flipkens-ik-heb-ooit-iets-gehad-met-rafael-nadal~aac9d1e6/
 
 

A late report from April 2
 
 Robert Beck, 83, COVID 19
Modern Pentathlon, 1960 (2 bronze medals) & 1968 Summer Games

Now this is the story I haven't heard before

This's photo of Syrian delegation during parade of nations in the 1st Mediterranean Games ever which was held in Alexandria Egypt at 1951 
 

 
this was poster of tournament 

Not "maybe", he is indeed famous internationally, I think I have read a story that Hitler personally awarded gold medal to him in 1936 after defeating the two Germans with a big margin

This's photo of Syrian delegation during parade of nations in the 1st Mediterranean Games ever which was held in Alexandria Egypt at 1951 
 

 
this was poster of tournament 

Cristian Savani (volleyball)
 

Official decisions on the return of leagues as of 30 April:
– France – cancelled
– Netherlands – cancelled
– Czechia – 25 May
– Poland – 29 May
– Portugal – 30 May
– Switzerland – 8 June

Also, I like round numbers, so no more likes for me please 

I think it's May 9th ... ?
Apparently the plan is to test all the people who are going to be in the stadium before every game, which would mean that they need roughly 20k tests to finish the season.
Some people in Germany said that they couldn't do it, because other people need the tests more, but from what i can tell Germany currently can test 800k to 850k people a week and there are a lot of free capacities (not surprising when you only have 1000 - 2000 new infections every day), so they wouldn't take anything away from anyone. It has been said that the Bundesliga would lose around 700 million € if they would end the season now, so economically speaking it for sure would be great news if they could finish the season.
 
Aren't you a fan of Bayern Munich? If that's the case ... how do you feel about possible signings for the new season (Upamecano, Sane, Dest)?

Russian  /ex-Korean   short track speed skating legend Viktor Ahn retires second time due to long-term knee injury. He retired in 2018 and return in 2019 attempting to persist until 2022 Olympics. Sadly he chose to retire again due to the injury and age.