Great game, Italy deserved to win it and you have to say that now they are probably favourites to win in the final. Unless Portugal or France impress tomorrow Italy will also deserve to win it. By great game I mean the extra time was exciting, regular time was pretty boring.

I'd agree with Phil there, I just want this all to be over so I don't have to listen to people who don't know a thing about the game talking about it like it is a life long passion.

They've been good, but nothing amazing. Brazil didn't show up and Spain were pretty average in an average match that should have finished 2-1. I hope they do better, I always support France as long as they aren't playing England, but I haven't been that impressed by them. The general standard in this world cup has once again been pretty ordinary.

Yes, but that was Trinidad and Tobago going for broke in the group stages, not the same as being 0-0 in a tight quarter final. Sven handled it well, the team played well after the sending off and had the chance to win the game both in regular time and the penalty shoot-out.

Portugal didn't exactly give us a lesson in how to take them. 3/5 would lose you most shoot-outs, they were just up against the worst penalty taking nation in the world. It is the pressure of the moment, not the quality of the player. We need to figure out something in time for the next competition, it is just becoming too much of a regular thing.

Anyone else starting to look forward to the end of all of his? The World Cup is a wonderful thing, but I'm starting to get bored by the fact that everyone is a football fan, I'm looking forward to the day when everyone goes back to not caring and these so called fans will forget about the sport for another four years.

Why? You need some advice before the first time?

Toying with Brazil? More like Brazil didn't turn up. They played well against Spain and Brazil, but no better than England did against Portugal, it is just that the opposition they played failed to perform in the way that they can. I'd love to see France play some wonderful stuff, but as of yet they simply haven't.

Of course not, but he isn't likely to say that they got ripped off either.

I actually thought quite the opposite. The only reason why I really care all that much is because I have to wait four more years until we do it all again. France and certainly Portugal haven an equally poor history. You can argue until you are blue in the face but you'll never convince me that either France or Portugal have played well in these finals. They are both decent sides (and I stress decent), but neither have shown anything any better than what England produced. As for England diving, of course we do, EVERYONE does, the point is that we don't do it as often. From time to time you will see an England player dive (the only exception to this being Joe Cole who depending on how well he is playing will sometimes do it often if he isn't having a good day), but it isn't something the team does as a strategy. The likes of Portugal and Italy have it very much as part of their game, they all do it, all of the time, every game. There is no way that you can compare the two. Now read the thread, why has no one mentioned the Lennon penalty appeal? Did the player get a touch on the ball? He seemed to go through Lennon first even if he did. Don't Sweat Rev, all of those players with the exception of Beckham and Neville will be there (though they are big gaps to fill), and they will all be better players. Also if you look at the likes of Lennon and Walcott coming through there is obvious talent. Four years ago there were few signs of Rooney, Cole being the player he is today, Terry being as good. It is a long time and there will be new players. Don't forget Hargreaves, only 24.

I think Sven got everything right after the sending off, not his fault the players don't have what it takes to take a penalty.

France played well, Brazil didn't show up, not a great game and not a great looking set of semis. Still pleased though.

I was away and have to be honest I haven't read through this yet, so apologies if it has been said, but quite down about it really. We all said better to play poorly and win then play well and lose and England proved that. I thought we were pretty excellent really, especially after Rooney went off. We looked solid while still getting forward, Lennon and Hargreaves in particular played very well. Didn't think Rooney deserved to be sent off and I thought the Lennon penalty shout was a very good one, though from where I was it was difficult to tell if the defender just got a touch of the ball. I thought we were the better side, but it is out on penalties as usual and we can all look forward to this again in four years time. I will add that yet again the World Cup will be a huge anti-climax. I don't mind so much that England are no longer in it, but I'm really not looking forward to either of the semis or the possible final. It is nice to have teams get further than expected, but I also want to see the favourites play each other.

We should start a campaign. Really if you think about it the perfect keeper would be the best player in the most important position.

Well, world cup performances notwithstanding, surely you consider Germany to be the worst of the three, so the Argies are lucky little @#/?s. I'd prefer England to be playing France, not because an issue of legs but simply because I think the two teams play in a very similar way and so it would take little or no adaptation for the English players.

Agree with you there, but that is the way football is judged. Can you ever imagine a keeper being seen as the "best player in the world"?

England are favourites with French bookmakers as well. Hold on, are you really saying that before tonight you would have honeslty considered France to be a better side than Portugal? I don't think so. Personally, I do, but I think I would have been in a small minority. As for the easiest draw, that award certainly goes to Italy, while neither Spain nor France could have complained about their groups, or road to the quarters had they both won it, while even while having to face France I think had Spain put them away 2-0 you would have all agreed it was a fairly easy route.

Yes, England are certainly favourites, I can see potential "upsets" in all of the matches. France can be very, very good, Brazil haven't been great so far. You never know what to expect with Italy, though I haven't been that impressed with the Ukraine so for me this is the least likely upset. Portugal are not much worse than England and will certainly cause England problems, even though they are missing players (though I suppose you could say both sides are). While Argentina will certainly not be looking forward to facing the in form hosts. It is a very interesting set of fixtures. If you look at the favourites I would grade the difficult of the fixtures (easiest to most difficult): Italy England Brazil Argentina

When I say soft I didn't mean that it wasn't one, it was a soft penalty for France to give away.

It was a bit of a joke. A team like France?!? I didn't hear any of you saying the words a "team like France" 24 hours ago, unless you're were saying "too old and going out". How fickle you are. Spain were pretty poor tonight, they didn't create a single chance all night and really didn't get forward very often. This isn't a great French side, though they did play well, Spain allowed them to. Spain were worse than England have been, they looked vulnerable at the back and a side with more quality would have put a player like Henry through more often, you can only beat the sides put in front of you (Spain had the easier group in my opinion) and England have done that so far, Spain haven't. England may well go out to Portugal, I think they will go through but it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't, but I found it funny when suddenly there was hype on here after Spain beat a poor (at least on the day) Ukraine 4-0, they didn't live up to it.

Same here

Finishes 3-1...Spain better than England? You're having a laugh.

1-1 HT. France have looked very good in my opinion, Spain, decent but unspectacular. Soft penalty.

I expect Argentina to win, but I don't think it will be as easy as you are making it to be. Argentina have been good, but most of the hype is a result of the 6-0 against S&M, and let's face it they were falling apart. They struggled against Mexico and I think they will struggle again this time around, though they are the much better side and I think that will tell in the end.

My prediction will be 2-1 France.