Now that Germany has broken the jinx albeit only on penalties(another amazing record as Germans havent lost a PK shootout in 40 yrs) , it still doesn't take away how absolutely staggering this record is. Bone-chilling to say the least.

They've met 8 times in major tournaments which has resulted in 4 eliminations for Germany(3 of them at the world cup) , including one at their home. I mean we're talking about one of the most decorated nations in world football. Literally amazing to think Italy have had their number for so long. This year's friendly is also the first time Germany beat Italy in 21 yrs i believe.

Any other examples can you think of in other sports or even club football?

I know one in cricket. India have a 11-0 record over Pakistan in WC events despite the latter having a far superior overall h2h record.

Germany over Argentina

2014 - brb wins WC in the dying minutes over them.
2010 - brb Argentina finally ready to win the WC, pounds them
2006 - brb Argentina flying past the group stages, brb pens, brb goodbye
1990 - brb another world cup win in dying minutes over them.
1966 - brb finished top of the group ahead of Argentina
1958 - brb finished top of the group while Argentina bottom of the group after Germany pounds them

The only exception is the 86' final.

Messi's curse is worse
Then there is Netherlands in world cups
Brazil in olympics

France has met Brazil 5 times in major tournaments.  France has eliminated Brazil in 4 of them (3 world cups - '86, '98 and '06 - and 1 confederations cup - '01).  The only loss was in the 1958 world cup.

Lagerbäck has coached Sweden and Iceland seven times against England and never lost!

I don't think Germany will be thinking,  "hushhh! We did it. No more Italian boogeyman for us, bring it on Italy now we have your number". Nope. They escaped it by millimeters, they  should have battered this team due to the advantage in quality but they couldn't. Even the substandard Italy gave them the scare of their life. I don't think the trauma is over I think it just got deeper and scarier. Only the next match will decide that whether the bogeyman has gone or its just hiding below the German bed.

France has won the last 10 games against Portugal in a row... no draws.  All victories with 3 in official competitions (Euro 84 semi, Euro 2000 semi and WC 2006 semi).

Last time Portugal got any result against France was 1975.

Lucifer wrote:I don't think Germany will be thinking,  "hushhh! We did it. No more Italian boogeyman for us, bring it on Italy now we have your number". Nope. They escaped it by millimeters, they  should have battered this team due to the advantage in quality but they couldn't. Even the substandard Italy gave them the scare of their life. I don't think the trauma is over I think it just got deeper and scarier. Only the next match will decide that whether the bogeyman has gone or its just hiding below the German bed.

With all the respect for Germany but this can be quite true. There is a chance that Germany will have no more complexes when it comes about confronting Italy's NT, but also there can be a lot more pressure added, psychologically speaking.

To be fair, everything's about what's in the heads of the players. Speaking of quality, Germany has what it takes to beat Italy. It's the attitude that helped Italy over the decades. Fans are talking, many things are said, but any statistic can be equal to zero, if you find the inner power to fight without hesitation for what you want to achieve in life.

Well, both Germany and France have players who have gotten used to the highest level of pressure. I think neither of them will be struggling to cope with it. Quite the opposite actually, I think they will both be extra-motivated to beat each other because they know the final will be easier and would likely win the euro if they reached it.

Fakenaldo with 42 freekicks in Euros without deflecting one in..

Harmonica wrote:Fakenaldo with 42 freekicks in Euros without deflecting one in..

He knows how to correctly file his taxes though.

#ShoutOutToM99

crius73 wrote:Lagerbäck has coached Sweden and Iceland seven times against England and never lost!

This one seriously is awesome. England are the greatest joke in football and are so for more than one reason.

Lucifer wrote:I don't think Germany will be thinking,  "hushhh! We did it. No more Italian boogeyman for us, bring it on Italy now we have your number". Nope. They escaped it by millimeters, they  should have battered this team due to the advantage in quality but they couldn't. Even the substandard Italy gave them the scare of their life. I don't think the trauma is over I think it just got deeper and scarier. Only the next match will decide that whether the bogeyman has gone or its just hiding below the German bed.

We must consider one more crucial point. This generation of Germans is technically superior to many of their predecessors but are nowhere near as mentally tough. The penalties they missed against Italy and the way they threw away the game against France after complete domination is something that was unheard and even unimagined in German football history for so many years. Germany used to be the team that won even when they were second best and that found a way to come back in the dying minutes even with two goals down. Remember the saying - "Count the Germans out at your own peril.". This generation of Germans is so completely alien. They lost heart even after being just one goal down with half of the match to go. Quite unbelievable. Also one thing that has slipped under the radar is that the WC 2014 winners actually played the final on the back foot and even an ordinary Argentina team which had to really fight and ride it's luck through the tournament was actually better on that night. No harm done that the Germans won because they were the best team in the tournament but their mental weaknesses were showing even then. If they had lost this would have been so much more talked about. Maybe now people will really take this up.

Fakenaldo with 1353 minutes without tap-in against Top 5 European nations.

Pretty sure he scored in the semis.

Fakenaldo with 1378 minutes without tap-in against Top 5 European nations.