As a consequence, the…

including the perpetrator being feted as a hero, which really gets my goat

You bet.

I'm not aware of a situation like the one that befell Ghana ever happening in a major tournament.

Given the lack of a proportionate response and the scale of benefit (including the perpetrator being feted as a hero, which really gets my goat), I think you'll see it again and…

Does every act of foul play become an act of deliberate cheating, and automatic red card offense?

Who's saying that? Deliberately preventing a goal that would have changed the result of a World Cup match seems pretty severe to me – so the result should surely be more severe than…

The foul/cheating act, blatant as it was, was handled by the ref in the manner which the rule book says, the same rule book that everyone plays by.

So change the rules.

Sure – that's fine – FIFA can change the rules. But what would you have them change it…

The foul/cheating act, blatant as it was, was handled by the ref in the manner which the rule book says, the same rule book that everyone plays by.

So change the rules.

But the onfield act was dealt with in the only way possible.

Wrong.

Yes, it was a foul – which you can call cheating.

But refs don't send off every player who commits a foul, there's varying levels of discretion applied.

The foul/cheating act, blatant as…

What is this, Enter the Argudrome?

Heh.

... how does this differ from hacking down an opposition player whom you're quite certain is going to score?

I'm not sure it does. Therefore, what?

If you're willing to call the hack-downer a cheater, then I don't think you're going to find…

In my book, forfeit the game on the spot, ban the little shit for the rest of the tournament (not one game) and fine the team's management for good measure. If you wanted to go further, forfeit the rest of the tournament.

I say automatic goal, and automatic red card.…

And again:...

What is this, Enter the Argudrome?

... how does this differ from hacking down an opposition player whom you're quite certain is going to score?

I'm not sure it does. Therefore, what?

I think you'll find that nobody in the football press is going to call Suarez a cheat. And maybe that means that there's something wrong with football. But maybe it means that it's part of the code that the sport lives by.

What a disgustingly corrupt endeavour, then, that you…

Definitely didn't mean to take any credits for it.

(I'm hoping he'll do Robinho now that the Nike 'stars' are all out.)

He did get away with it, in the sense that his actions created a situation where his team could only be better off than had he not…

>WRITE THE FUTURE

You visualize a majestic glittering statue. You visualize a glamorous movie premiere of your life story. You visualize international world celebrity.

Spain has scored a goal.

>QUOTE FOR TRUTH.

You are in a dark thread.

But it's a lesser crime than constant cynical fouls on gifted players,…

So if "cheating" is defined as "commiting an offence", then he cheated, and so do most players in most games. But if it includes the notions of intentionally deceiving, and getting away with it, then clearly he didn't get away with it, and could hardly have expected to.

He did…

So if "cheating" is defined as "commiting an offence", then he cheated, and so do most players in most games. But if it includes the notions of intentionally deceiving, and getting away with it, then…

Hello! Welcome to WRITE THE FUTURE – the World Cup 2010 text adventure! Who would you like to play as?

>FRANCK RIBERY

[Now playing as FRANCK RIBERY]

You are in a room. There is a young woman.

Please confirm you are over…

Really, guys, this is pretty basic stuff.

Whatever, bro. I'll happily listen to arguments against, but implications that I'm just too dim to understand?... C-ya!

(Although I suppose then you'd have to explain why Henry and Maradona are deemed by many to have cheated when they scored by handling. Besides the fact that scoring in that manner, as opposed to preventing a…

He broke the rules, but he broke them honestly.

Bullshit. He cheated because it was in his team's best interest to do so. That doesn't make it 'not cheating'.

In the end, blame FIFA. Any set of rules that encourages that – which it does – is in need of…

How was his instinct (and in fact both of the players on the line do it) be to put his arms up and bat the ball away. It's football, you know that hitting the ball away is cheating, plain and simple.

Because not hitting the ball away is putting your…

Maybe, maaayyyybeeee, if Suarez hadn't been the cocknuckle who got the South African goalie red-carded for a "trip", then I could believe that what he did was self-sacrificing. Instead I just think he's a cheating fuck.

How was his instinct (and in fact both of the players on the…

Both games were absolutely extraordinary today, incidentally. Two for the annals.

Agreed, was in a bit of shock after each of them, for different reasons. Never thought the Dutch had it in them to come back from 1 down to Brazil, amazing effort.

And Ghana, my god Gyan will be…

modesty achieved (on an annual basis!).

@ Haydn

I could live with that. A repeat of the '74 Final. All we'll need is a Muller winner. Saying that, a repeat of the '78 Final is also a mouth watering prospect.

As for the Netherlands, who…

@ Peter – England won it in '66? I was raised to believe it was the Irons. I'm shattered.

We try to be modest.

@Giovanni See, 23, that's even worse.

@ Peter – England won it in '66? I was raised to believe it was the Irons. I'm shattered.

Yes, but! Squad numbers have been around for ages in the world cup.

Doesn't make it alright though. If Bobby Moore had trucked out in a '31' shirt there's no way England would have won in '66. I'm surprised England haven't actually realised this yet?

Why am I thinking there was some controversy relating to Rossi in the wake of that '82 win? Am I imagining that?

He was suspended for two years from all football due to a match-fixing scandal, but that was in fact before the cup. He had just finished his suspension…

(Though the Dutch rather ruined the feelgood with their first sub being the…

Really? I had no idea. I can think of other players on the team who deserve the tag a lot more than him based on ability.

Legend might have been over-egging it a bit but he's hugely popular amongst the fans in Ghana. One of the top goal scorers for…

players like Muntari are legends in African football

Really? I had no idea. I can think of other players on the team who deserve the tag a lot more than him based on ability.

Although this year he did have a little legendary moment for his club. He came on…

Isn't Uruguay both? 'old World Cup' and 'New World cup', you might say.

Well I guess, especially if they get through to the semi's or final. It's a strange history that Uruguay are now locked into, 2 World Cup wins suggests a football powerhouse but they've been little more than…

In the other games Uruguay take on Ghana in an 'old World Cup' meets 'new World Cup' sort of way

Isn't Uruguay both? 'old World Cup' and 'New World cup', you might say.

Oo, flashback

Every time someone mentions Para or Uruguay I always mentally add "and Chadguay"

God hates Guays.

Isn't there an Onion piece on football declaring itself to be 'guay'?

in fact all the guays. God hates Guays.

Oo, flashback

a cautious Bush granted approval for most axes, although he rejected the establishment of the Axis of Countries Whose Names End in "Guay," accusing one of its members of filing a false application. Officials from Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chadguay denied…