Maradona and the bird

Rob Spurr shares a story of Diego Maradona’s extraordinary ability to change the atmosphere of a stadium and influence a grand slam winner in his prime, punctuated by dishing out “the bird” to an Australian fan on a fevered whim. [Stupendous but not entirely surprising – Ed.]

Almanac Rugby Union: The 2020 Tri Nations Series – Australia 16 drew with Argentina 16

Brian the Ruminator took in Saturday night’s rugby union clash between the Wallabies and Los Pumas. The highlight of the night had nothing to do with the football!

Almanac Rugby: Viva Los Pumas

Brian the Ruminator regaled us with the rare gold of a Wallabies Bledisloe win last week – this week something even more extraordinary has happened with Argentina having defeated the mighty All Blacks for the first time.

Super Rugby 2020: Round 1 Ruminations

It’s early into 2020 and we have the first of the football codes’ competitions underway – Super Rugby. Brian the Ruminator is on deck to breakdown the games of each round and attempt to untangle the state of the game of Rugby Union.

What do you do in Melbourne when Richmond has a bye?

Richmond had the bye this weekend so Joe De Petro attended two games of football: the friendly between the world’s top two countries Brazil and Argentina, and a footy clash between fallen champions (Hawthorn) and a team on the rise (Gold Coast).

Almanac Rugby: Hands Up If You Saw a Wallaby Flanker Put an Argentinian Merchant Banker on His Ass This Morning?

The sharp eyes of Archie Butterfly hail the “athletic prowess”, shall we say, of Wallaby flanker Michael Hooper during the Wallabies 34-9 rout of the Pumas [A beautiful right cross, but a SANZAR judicial hearing will have the final say on his availability for the rest of the Rugby Championship, after citing Hooper for foul play. – Ed].

World Cup 2014: Hang on a second! Whose moment is this?

Players of Iran and Argentina take their turn on centre stage on this Greatest Show on Earth. Let Gregor Lewis take you where: “Like a child playing with its toys, lost to the wider implications, Messi’s champion nature allowed him to embrace the moment, exactly the way that child would…” Sometimes 90 minutes is not quite enough.

Top 100 World Cup Moments (From the Aussie P.O.V.): 2-The Best (and worst) of Diego Armando Maradona (1986)

We are down to number 2 in Dennis Gedling’s fantastic Top 100 World Cup Moments series. Number 2 recounts the infamous ‘Hand of God’ game between Argentina and England in the 1986 Mexico World Cup. Great reading except if you’re English. What will be number 1 tomorrow?

Top 100 World Cup Moments (From the Aussie P.O.V.): 22-West Germany Come Out On Top In The Hack Fest of Rome (1990)

The 1990 contest between West Germany and Argentina was considered by some to be the Eric Olthwaite of World Cup Finals. Dennis Gedling explains why no-one was crying for Argentina that year, as the brilliant Germans prevailed.

Top 100 World Cup Moments (From the Aussie P.O.V.): 24-Argentina Gives Australia Everything Except a Ticket to the World Cup (1993)

Denis Gedling recalls the two-legged play-off in 1993, featuring Maradona’s return to Sydney and a full house in Buenos Aires

Top 100 World Cup Moments (From the Aussie P.O.V.): 26-The Brilliant Dutch Denied…Again (1978)

Total Football Model with everything but the Cup. 1978. Sideburns. The Dutch lose, again. Dennis Gedling reports on the 1978 World Cup final between the Sky Blue & Whites and the Oranje.

Top 100 World Cup Moments (From the Aussie P.O.V.): 45-Peru Lay Down for Argentina (1978)

Argentina host the Soccer World Cup for the first time in 1978, while the country is under military rule. A questionable win over Peru sees the hosts proceed to, and win, the final reports Dennis Gedling.

Top 100 World Cup Moments (From the Aussie P.O.V.): 46-Roger Milla and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon (1990)

In 1990, Cameroon toppled Argentina and almost did the same to England. The world was also introduced to Roger Milla – a man who had a tendency to make love to the corner flag.