The game against the Soviet Union in particular made a big impression, 4-2 with two goals from Elkjær Larsen and Michael Laudrup. On March 25, 2011, in his 17th cap, an international match against Austria, Witsel scored both goals in the 0-2 win. With this he initiated the rebirth of the national team. In the quarter-finals, another epic game followed, where events followed in rapid succession, the "Brazilian Europeans" played against the Brazil of Zico and Socrates; it was the last chance for the world title for both talented generations. In 2004 Donovan went back to Bayer Leverkusen, where he was only allowed to play seven games and did not score a single goal. In addition, American GP2 driver Scott Speed took on the role of Friday and reserve driver in some Formula 1 grand prix races. Thirteen years earlier, at Tinchebray, Henry I lost no more than two men-at-arms. Even though the games may not have been as brutal as in past centuries, it was still a very rough game. The rest (and there were quite a few) had to sit around the field as supporters. But, unlike what happened on the field, the behavior outside the lines didn't really get any less brutal. In fact, the violent behavior of certain supporters is now simply a continuation of the brutality of the players of former popular football.
The violent 'medieval' folk football is also played for several centuries after 1500. The (football) authorities have waited a long time, but for several decades violence outside the lines has also been seriously tackled. Everyone was allowed to participate, modern football, on the other hand, only allowed eleven participants. There were hardly any rules and everyone was allowed to participate. Mexico (host country) and England (defending champion) had already qualified. Mexico's divorce rate is among the lowest in the world, and there is a certain stigma attached to divorce, although less than in the past (President Vicente Fox (2000-2006), for example, is divorced). Mexico was pronounced "Meshiko" by the Aztecs. The first mentions of this date from the eleventh century, so at the same time as football. The period between 500 and 1500 was undoubtedly violent, but certainly no more violent than the twentieth century, which breaks almost all records in terms of war and state violence. The medieval war was not total and did not lead to genocide. So when we look at the number of victims, the dividing line between war and football suddenly seems very thin. But just about everything that we now find obvious had to be determined in that first period: the dimensions of the field, the number of players (eleven because ten students and one invigilator slept in the dormitories in the schools), the ball (a round ball and not egg-shaped), the clothing, etc. The rules have been further developed over the years and even today there are occasional adjustments.
'study round' at the start of the match, 'scientific' analyzes by specialists in the studio, etc. What a difference between this 'academic' football and the rampage of a century and a half ago! Football did not escape this either. As mentioned, the earliest records of medieval football can be found in England and France in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. During the period from the end of the eleventh to the beginning of the thirteenth century, warfare in France and England was even remarkably 'bloodless'. He was allowed to replace the injured Jacky Stockman during an away match against Beringen FC. Against which team exactly depends on which groups these teams come from. Phoenix FC and VSI Tampa Bay FC were new teams in the 2013 season, and a team from Sacramento was announced for 2014. Blue Army, which consisted of a team of ten supporters, who were able to set up the atmosphere actions with the support of many hundreds of members, decided in 2018 to stop at a high point after two decades. A massive wrestling match with hundreds of participants over an immense terrain, through streets, houses, fields and possibly even rivers. It goes without saying that this 'popular football' was usually very violent, resulting in countless injuries, occasionally deaths and a great deal of material damage.
In the English 'public schools', all kinds of variants of 'folk football' were very popular. This can be done through all kinds of sports and games, first as a participant but then also as a spectator. All kinds of measures followed. Stricter penalties, more police, more control and also more modern stadiums. The most violent football matches will have claimed even more victims than the least bloody battles. A number of supporters began to alienate more and more from their players, highly paid professionals with no real connection to the club, and the various supporter groups then started their own violent competition around the field, as compensation for the increasingly tame game on the field. Zico was the league's top scorer with 21 goals. After 120 minutes of play, the final score was 3-3, including a hat-trick from Frenchman Kylian Mbappé. Two years later they did win gold at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, with later star players Ferenc Puskás and Sándor Kocsis. At the end of the year, the two champions play a match for the Campeón de campeones title. The two targets were therefore often kilometers apart and a match could therefore last a whole day. He made his debut for Hoffenheim on Saturday, February 5, 2011 against 1. FC Kaiserslautern.