# Italy wins



## Rob (Jul 11, 2021)

...


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## Loïc D (Jul 11, 2021)

Fantastic game !
A final to remember.


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## CeDur (Jul 11, 2021)

Pizza, Ferrari, Maserati, Fazioli, Primitivo and Donnarumma <3


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## Bluemount Score (Jul 11, 2021)

No idea if I was pro England or pro Italy so I'm very happyn't


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## pawelmorytko (Jul 11, 2021)

I was rooting for England, but having missed 2 penalties, and with Pickford literally saving the country by giving them another incredible chance at the trophy, only to miss another penalty straight away... you get what you deserve unfortunately. 

Kinda left a sour taste in my mouth as well seeing pretty much all of the English players taking their medals off soon as they received them. I dunno I just thought cmon man, just take the loss on the chin with honour, and let the winners have their moment. Didn't feel very sportsmanship-like.

But hey congrats Italy!


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## Rob (Jul 11, 2021)

pawelmorytko said:


> Kinda left a sour taste in my mouth as well seeing pretty much all of the English players taking their medals off soon as they received them. I dunno I just thought cmon man, just take the loss on the chin with honour, and let the winners have their moment. Didn't feel very sportsmanship-like.
> 
> But hey congrats Italy!


Me and wife were just commenting on that, really a sad thing...


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## Martin S (Jul 11, 2021)

pawelmorytko said:


> Kinda left a sour taste in my mouth as well seeing pretty much all of the English players taking their medals off soon as they received them. I dunno I just thought cmon man, just take the loss on the chin with honour, and let the winners have their moment. Didn't feel very sportsmanship-like.


I agree. The “It’s coming home” (the trophy) hype in the English media must have put an immense pressure on the players. That still doesn’t justify the players’ reaction, although the disappointment is understandable.

Italy can truly say that “It’s coming home”, since they actually won the trophy in 1968. England never won it….


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## edhamilton (Jul 11, 2021)

Top goal scorer (and #1 in assists also) - and No one feeds him the ball. Kane set up that first goal. Sterling runs around, fast, amazing skills - and turns it over 9 times out of 10. Selfish ball hogs all around one of the elite strikers in the game. Manager blew this one. At no point did they address the incredible lack of cross balls into the center of the box but outside the keepers reach. All tournament. Kane buried his penalty too.


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## ryans (Jul 11, 2021)

pawelmorytko said:


> Kinda left a sour taste in my mouth as well seeing pretty much all of the English players taking their medals off soon as they received them. I dunno I just thought cmon man, just take the loss on the chin with honour, and let the winners have their moment. Didn't feel very sportsmanship-like.


From the players perspective it could be more: "I lost the game, why should I deserve a medal" but I totally agree with you it comes off as unsporting.


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## Technostica (Jul 11, 2021)

Italy deserved it over the 120 minutes and the tournament overall. 
A hard team for me to admire due to the level of cynical fouling and play acting. 
They should have played in the Copa America instead as they would fit in well there alongside Argentina. 
Not the beautiful game. 

England weren't consistently good over the tournament to be worthy winners. 
Lacked ambition maybe!


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## b_elliott (Jul 11, 2021)

Soccer as a game remains foreign to me. That said, I loved this game; hated the end result. 

I am not sold on penalty kicks as the way to determine a winner. 

One observation the announcers (English ex-soccer pros) to a one brought up was how stressful penalty kicks were for them as players--it makes one choke due to the stress. If I was a manager, I'd hire a retired Navy Seal to put my chosen penalty kickers through boot camp hell (pun intended) and come out as fearless no matter the pressure. 100% kill shots. Surely England has such talent to call upon for the next cup. 

My 2 cents. I'm out.


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## kgdrum (Jul 11, 2021)

I’m confused,at first glance i thought this was a thread about Wine from Italy...............


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## edhamilton (Jul 11, 2021)

Henrik B. Jensen said:


> The way Sterling dives in every match….pathetic.


If doesn't dive - he loses the ball anyway. He had one great pass to Kane - but not in this game (denmark game). Incredible speed and ball handling. If he'd just look up and make a great pass he'd be a potentially great #10.


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## Zedcars (Jul 11, 2021)

I must say if the rules of the tournament were to knock down/shove/push/unfairly obstruct with arms/pretend to be hurt then Italy would be world champions. They only won by cheating the most and therefore, it’s not a real win by skill alone.

Imagine if Novak Djokovic had won Wimbledon but only by pushing his opponent to the ground every 5 minutes! He’d probably be banned from the sport.

I watched the repeat of the 1966 final at the weekend. I’ve never seen it before. There was almost no cheating. No diving to win penalties. No pushing players to the ground. It was like night and day. That’s why I fell out of love with football. There is no respect from certain players, only greediness.


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## EdoSev (Jul 11, 2021)

England never won anything. Only a World Cup in 1966 at home with a ghost goal against Germany in the final. In these competitions, the football history of a team matters as the quality of the team itself.


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## Virtuoso (Jul 11, 2021)

Makes you proud (turn the sound up!)


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## Rob (Jul 12, 2021)

Zedcars said:


> ...They only won by cheating the most and therefore, it’s not a real win by skill alone


That's a bit of a stretch honestly...


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## EdoSev (Jul 12, 2021)

Maybe he saw a different tournament. England cheated, for real, in 1966 and gained this final with a false penalty in the semifinal in this Euro 2020. And played 6 matches on 7 at home. 
Italy won for better qualities, fortune, cold blood, and malice. This is football.
Then typically north European teams and leagues have a faster and more physical football, Mediterranean football it's not historically phisical.

For what concerns different football in the different historical moments I agree with you. Worse the society, worse the football.


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## SteveC (Jul 12, 2021)

Italy ..and covid of course! And as a german, I do not like the haircuts in football.








This is a good hairdress!


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## Zedcars (Jul 12, 2021)

Rob said:


> That's a bit of a stretch honestly...Ok


Ok, I exaggerated. Replace “only” with “partly”.


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## Giovanni dall Camera (Jul 12, 2021)

The better Team won … ITALIAAAAAAAA!!!!

It was a true thrill to watch that game and it is only fair for the European Champion’s Cup to remain within the European Union!


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jul 12, 2021)

Well, sorry to disappoint you guys, but France still has the best attack in the world. 

(That's what all our journalists were saying just before the Euro)


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## DANIELE (Jul 12, 2021)

The only thing I know, as an Italian, is that tonight I didn't sleep well and now I'm very tired because of all the noise my compatriots did till late night.


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## chrisr (Jul 12, 2021)

For sure the better team won, congrats Italy.

Southgate talked about utilizing his full squad, but it's plain that he doesn't really trust those he picked lower down the order, as he barely utilised them. Must have been frustrating for some of those fresh, world class talents to have seen the tired legs on the pitch.


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## KarlHeinz (Jul 12, 2021)

For me it was an amazing champion chip.

Since decades I am not really much into football anymore (apart from looking from time to time some mathches that came on free TV when I am just to bored to do anything else), and that was the good old days when I was young went with an old neighboor to lot of the games in the stadium and "my" team won kind of anything (Kevin Keegan, Horst Hrubesch, Felix Magath, Manfret Kaltz and so on, and if I am telling you that they are now in league 2 since years I am sure you know what I am talking about ).

What amazed me most that this time really not only a TEAM had won but PERSONALITY (Chielini, Bonutchi the Methusalem dream team ). And this is rare in footbal especially these days.

But I think England does not have to be to sad, I am sure this young team with so much great players (and not only the first 11 but all 24) will have a great future .

Maybe a coach with a little more courage and offensive spirit (especially if you have these players like they have) would help but the team is absolutely great.


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## Loïc D (Jul 12, 2021)

Zedcars said:


> I must say if the rules of the tournament were to knock down/shove/push/unfairly obstruct with arms/pretend to be hurt then Italy would be world champions. They only won by cheating the most and therefore, it’s not a real win by skill alone.


That’s modern football.
This, and intimidating the referee.

All teams do this, only Italians are a tad more skillful at this. 

They had a great team with good spirits and I have been amazed at guys like Chiesa for the whole tournament.

English was good too, with a solid brand new culture of defending. I found that the communication between Sterling/Kane is lacking and still wonder why Southgate waits so long to decide the substitutes with such a talented bench.

Belgians had a great attack too but they’re always lacking the luck/magic that makes winners.

France was indeed a paper tiger. Inefficient strikers and puzzled defenders. Benzema was certainly a nice but late addition to the team he never played before with. Very bold statement for a tournament this difficult.
They all looked incredibly tired even at the kick off and seemed to crawl on the pitch after 30mins. Not to speak about the long list of injuries…
(disclaimer : I’m French)


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## el-bo (Jul 12, 2021)

Loïc D said:


> That’s modern football.
> This, and intimidating the referee.



Cheating, lying and throwing tantrums. Fuck all of 'em!


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## shropshirelad (Jul 12, 2021)

The lyrics of the song are, in fact, 'football's coming home'. No specific trophy/competition is mentioned. With the final being played at Wembley Stadium and the game's origins being in England, football did 'come home'.


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## Martin S (Jul 12, 2021)

shropshirelad said:


> The lyrics of the song are, in fact, 'football's coming home'. No specific trophy/competition is mentioned. With the final being played at Wembley Stadium and the game's origins being in England, football did 'come home'.


You’re right…Except; that’s not what the English media was portraying. They’re (wrongly) referring to the trophy


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## AudioLoco (Jul 12, 2021)

- the best team won, no single doubt. After the first 25 minutes there was one team on the pitch, wearing blue and actually playing positive football.

- The medal thing, for anyone who has have seen a couple of football finals, happens all the time I wouldn't be harsh on the players. You lost, that medal means that, you don't want to wear it.

- The England manager blew it. Bad decision maker. He had better players at his disposal overall. You keep at least a couple of internationally renown players on the bench even after the 90th and keep tired and frustrated ones until the very end. Then you let in a couple of players that didn't even touch a ball in the last minute to take the all important penalties and you leave the last, big one to a poor 19 year old child (who will now have to endure abuse from crazy hooligans online).

- The only significant play acting I saw was a professional diving unit specialist number 10 wearing white.

- That Italian defensive duo is incredible, they need a superhero theme!


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## Zedcars (Jul 12, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> - the best team won, no single doubt. After the first 25 minutes there was one team on the pitch, wearing blue and actually playing positive football.


Wow, I had completely the opposite view. Were we watching the same match??


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## AudioLoco (Jul 12, 2021)

Zedcars said:


> Wow, I had completely the opposite view. Were we watching the same match??


Shots on goal IT 19/ ENG 6
Ball possession IT 66%/ ENG 34%
Accurate passes IT 729/ ENG 319

This is the match I watched


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Jul 12, 2021)

Next time just flip a coin. Not a fan at all of shootouts, really silly way to end very important games.


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## AudioLoco (Jul 12, 2021)

Ned Bouhalassa said:


> Next time just flip a coin. Not a fan at all of shootouts, really silly way to end very important games.


they actually really used to do that back in the day, at least penalties are exciting to watch


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## imusic (Jul 12, 2021)

so, … 👌


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## Zedcars (Jul 12, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> Shots on goal IT 19/ ENG 6
> Ball possession IT 66%/ ENG 34%
> Accurate passes IT 729/ ENG 319
> 
> This is the match I watched


Well that told me!


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## mikeh-375 (Jul 12, 2021)

chrisr said:


> For sure the better team won, congrats Italy.
> 
> Southgate talked about utilizing his full squad, but it's plain that he doesn't really trust those he picked lower down the order, as he barely utilised them. Must have been frustrating for some of those fresh, world class talents to have seen the tired legs on the pitch.


@chrisr..Chris, you look a little like Southgate.!!!!


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## mikeh-375 (Jul 12, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> Shots on goal IT 19/ ENG 6
> Ball possession IT 66%/ ENG 34%
> Accurate passes IT 729/ ENG 319
> 
> This is the match I watched


I liked this post because I hated it for all the right reasons....it was the true true. We where outplayed by the better team, an experienced team. England's turn will come.


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## Gerbil (Jul 12, 2021)

This is the game I watched:

England better in the first half, Italy in the 2nd England in extra time, Italy with the pens. 

Both teams so solid they only conceded one goal each. They neutralised eachother but England caked in the penalties, this time partly because Southgate decided to play a teenager in the shootout. That said, penalties are practically a flip of the coin and will always be a dumb way to end a game.

Surrounding the game, I witnessed a wonderful atmosphere with family and friends, neighbours and strangers united in a desire to see us win a trophy for the first time in over half a century. This has been horribly offset by upsetting footage of Italian fans being attacked as they exit Wembley, showers of glass and hordes of idiots in central London and the horrendous abuse of our final three penalty takers because of the colour of their skin.

These so-called 'fans' are not anything to do with me or the vast majority of decent people I know. They are scum. A cancerous polyp that makes me feel ashamed every time I have the misfortune to witness their pathetic, violent behaviour. Yet again, I see our simple flag tarnished.


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## chrisr (Jul 12, 2021)

mikeh-375 said:


> @chrisr..Chris, you look a little like Southgate.!!!!


err.. thanks! The sad truth is I've put on a good few pounds over lockdown and now rock a severe dad-bod. I could be Southgate's illegitimate, council estate half-brother who averages about ten keepy-uppys before he has to sit down for a little rest.


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## mikeh-375 (Jul 12, 2021)

@Gerbil yep, there's not a lot of 'great' about Great Britain atm, sad to say.


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## I like music (Jul 12, 2021)

Racist apologists in the Italian team (Bonucci). TONS of racists in the Italian football fans back in Italy.
More than enough racists among the English fans.

However, a huge achievement for this group of players to make it to the final. To get within a couple of kicks of lifting the trophy. To compete with these experienced Italians, and to fight till the end, was amazing to see.

Most of all however, a relatively humble team, with genuinely empathetic players (Rashford etc). The best bunch we've had for a while, and I hope they become a guiding light in more than just football. Of course, they aren't obliged to do anything other than football, but I'm glad that the young ones seem to have a good head.


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## Loïc D (Jul 12, 2021)

I’m pretty faithful that the future will bring good things to the English team.

Aside of Bonucci & Chiellini, a lot of Italian players were young too.

As to the racists and hooligans in England, they should remember the 80’s ban of English teams in European competitions. Sure, yesterday’s final is no Heysel but authorities are also more prone to take sanctions nowadays…


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## mikeh-375 (Jul 12, 2021)

I wish anonymity was not virtually guaranteed online. That might make the idiots think twice about posting their poison.


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## spacejay (Jul 12, 2021)

Gerbil said:


> This is the game I watched:
> 
> England better in the first half, Italy in the 2nd England in extra time, Italy with the pens.
> 
> ...


Mr Gerbil,

These so called 'fans' are unfortunately fans in the truest sense of the word ie fanatical. So predictable though and almost laughable as well. I work with an Italian girl and I warned her before the game not to let anyone know she was Italian and I meant it.

Just proves to me England are a nation hurtling backwards at lightspeed.


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## mikeh-375 (Jul 12, 2021)

spacejay said:


> Mr Gerbil,
> 
> These so called 'fans' are unfortunately fans in the truest sense of the word ie fanatical. So predictable though and almost laughable as well. I work with an Italian girl and I warned her before the game not to let anyone know she was Italian and I meant it.
> 
> Just proves to me England are a nation hurtling backwards at lightspeed.


personally, I wouldn't condemn a whole country because of a few bad apples, especially when the problems in my country are present in others.


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## MarcusD (Jul 12, 2021)

Been thoroughly enjoying the post-match banter today. Technically should have supported England. But the Italian genes in me are strong.


I said to some friends I’ll be making pasta sauce for them, was just waiting on the final ingredient. Their tears…


I now have no friends.

🤣


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## chrisr (Jul 12, 2021)

Our builder told us that two neighbours of his (One Italian, one English) had a bit of a garden dispute during the match (noise levels) and the next morning the Italian had just thrown a whole, cooked pizza into the others garden - which I thought was a hilarious riposte!


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## MarcusD (Jul 12, 2021)

Martin S said:


> Italy can truly say that “It’s coming home”



Correction. Italians can now say “It’s coming Rome!” 🤭


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## Levon (Jul 12, 2021)

shropshirelad said:


> The lyrics of the song are, in fact, 'football's coming home'. No specific trophy/competition is mentioned. With the final being played at Wembley Stadium and the game's origins being in England, football did 'come home'.


But Scotland invented the "modern" game 

"Another important difference at this stage could be noticed between English and Scottish teams. Whereas the English teams preferred to run forward with the ball in a more rugby fashion, the Scottish chose to pass the ball between their players and dribble. It would be the Scottish approach that soon became predominant."

Just a shame other teams could soon pass and dribble better than Scotland 

Enjoyed the match. Italy were the better team overall but England were unlucky.


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## darkogav (Jul 12, 2021)

Italy deserved it . They played very well. I think the English players that took off their medals on television should be banned from playing. It shows a total disrespect for the sport and the event. There are many other countries that would have loved to have come in 2nd place.


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## Levon (Jul 12, 2021)

darkogav said:


> Italy deserved it . They played very well. I think the English players that took off their medals on television should be banned from playing. It shows a total disrespect for the sport and the event. There are many other countries that would have loved to have come in 2nd place.


Removing medals happens all the time. Neymar (along with other Brazilian players) did the same this weekend when they lost to Argentina in the Copa America Cup Final.

(I do think though that they should at least keep the medals on while on the pitch)


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## cygnusdei (Jul 12, 2021)

Abbondanza


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## Giovanni dall Camera (Jul 12, 2021)

chrisr said:


> err.. thanks! The sad truth is I've put on a good few pounds over lockdown and now rock a severe dad-bod. I could be Southgate's illegitimate, council estate half-brother who averages about ten keepy-uppys before he has to sit down for a little rest.


Then put on a up-to-date picture as avatar. Should be good motivation to loose those pounds again.


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## Gauss (Jul 12, 2021)

So Italy won both Euro and Eurovision


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## darkogav (Jul 12, 2021)

Levon said:


> Removing medals happens all the time. Neymar (along with other Brazilian players) did the same this weekend when they lost to Argentina in the Copa America Cup Final.
> 
> (I do think though that they should at least keep the medals on while on the pitch)


Did they remove the medals becuase they thought it was an unfair game to them or becuase they are sore losers? There was nothing in that Eng vs Ita game that I recall that made me think there was any bad referee calls.


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## stixman (Jul 12, 2021)

They need to get rid of the offside rule...no more penalties problem solved....I did not like the constant booing when Italy was on the ball and booing nations anthems I find so disrespectful and families kids etc present!
..second half we chose to stick massive mistake.


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## chrisr (Jul 12, 2021)

Giovanni dall Camera said:


> Then put on a up-to-date picture as avatar. Should be good motivation to loose those pounds again.


This is actually the most recent image of me ... as I was messing with one if those cartoon aps.


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## Giovanni dall Camera (Jul 12, 2021)

chrisr said:


> This is actually the most recent image of me ... as I was messing with one if those cartoon aps.


It kind of takes away the attention from those couple of pounds gained ...


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## chrisr (Jul 12, 2021)

Giovanni dall Camera said:


> It kind of takes away the attention from those couple of pounds gained ...


Yeah that's my tactic at the moment.


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## MarcusD (Jul 12, 2021)

chrisr said:


> This is actually the most recent image of me ... as I was messing with one if those cartoon aps.


100% should be your profile picture!


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## cygnusdei (Jul 12, 2021)

chrisr said:


> This is actually the most recent image of me ... as I was messing with one if those cartoon aps.


The resemblance is uncanny


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## coppi (Jul 15, 2021)

well i'm italian so i came here only for shouting some "pooo po-ro-po-po poo pooo"!


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## Marko Zirkovich (Jul 15, 2021)

This shows how it's done:


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