Euro 2008 semi finals - Turkey you were a delight

The Turks were brave and sharp in the Euro 2008 semi final but somehow they passed their luck on to the Germans. They flattered and they passed and they played with commitment around German footballers who could have been totem poles stuck in the ground - especially the two central defenders who had more beard than brawn or brains. Although the Germans go forward this game as did the Dutch trouncing of Italy and France has probably marked a new era of free flowing attack minded football with high tempo attacking, exuberance and skill. For which thank you Turkey. Thank you Fatih Terim

Never mind the football - look at the fans

Smile, you are on a camera. The discreet ladies style, as the Dutch fans seem to have reinvented football fashion on the terraces.


The latest in head gear for the travelling fan, taking a model of each member of his family with him or maybe they are voodoo dolls for each player to ever have scored against his team?





OMG, it is those Smurfs!!!!!Remember them? Best forgotten perhaps. The shaved look with stick ons.

The Elton John dyed poodle look

The Dutch football may have been a delight but what about those fans? They just get more and more outrageous - just face painting is sooo last week. We have the shaved and died hair in knots look; the return of the Smurfs; the Hannibal crossing the Alps look; the Elton John poodle attire; the little Dutch lady hairdo; and for the ladies just a little smear of

the appropriate colour on the cheeks and a big grin, well she would be grinning the way the Dutch have played. But the great thing about Holland has been the way their fans have got behind the team. Last night the whole stadium seemed to be Dutch. Not only are they playing awesome football, but they have awesome fans too. Anyone fancy a bet on Ajax to win the Champions League next year. They are not in the betting yet, but play in the qualifiers if Van Basten can get them going quickly...

£10 free bet on the Euro 2008 at BetClick.com

That's a load of Tosh, dad

Oh, no. The odds actually were 29/1. That your team, your much vaunted team the Czech Repuiblic would go two goals to the good ahead, even though the weakest part of their game was in attack. The quarter finals did not so much as beckon but the door was wide open. Just hop over the threshold. But holay we are winning. And then the greatest goalkeeper on the planet drops the ball (just like he did at Highbury) and bingo the Turks whistle in three goals and you are out out out. Well my daughter it is like this, sometimes in footbally, unexpected things happen, even when you wear your biggest, grandest hat and get all that lovely face paint on, the team just goes out and plays like...lemons. Baaaaaaaaggghhhhhhhhhhh

More fans

Well if there is one thing that England can learn from Euro 2008 - apart from how to play football, of course, then it is how to get dressed up for a game. Just getting the T shirt out is just an old slob's way of supporting. You need facepaint like this Turkish fan who went blushed red and had the star and crescent emblazoned on his bald head. And this Greek girl managed to find a good use for the national flag. But then what is the city symbol and flag for Grimsby, or Leeds, or Swindon anyway...pork pie hats? Some teams are easy although maybe Arsenal should lay off the Gunners imagery. Chelsea could have fur hats, United baseball caps, Liverpool could adopt Punch and Judy puppets. We think Manchester City fans would look lovely in sarongs too.

Italy expects....

mwah mwah

Il serioso

France v Holland: the fans view

Great boy fans

Do you like my tattoos...freaky

This chap is actually support the Czech Republic, although he looks like a Celtic relation of a Scottish supporter

That's pretty wicked face painting job, look at the forehead...scary

Great girl fans

No prizes for guessing who she is backing

This girl is supporting Austria who squeaked the draw thank to Howard Webb awarding a controversial 92nd minute penalty

All this football has gone to my head

A Polish fan with magnificent face painting job...unfortunately he had to watch them draw to Austria thanks to a last minute penalty

Green is the colour

Notice this chap's hat is also shaped like a football. Singing along with his Holland team as they dismantle Italy in the first game of the Euro 2008. There is a curious aside to the Group of Death with just a one strip of colour seperating the three key teams - red, white, blue, green - perm your choice

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Italy and Holland fans painted up for the big match...before the Catenaccio era was blisteringly brough to an end by a display by the modern Dutch masters 3-0.

Great fans

All the anguish and hope of the football fan is caught in this Polish fan's face. Much fancied and psyched up ahead of the game but sloppy defending that had Alan Hansen wringgling in his armchair saw the accomplished looking Germans open their account with a 2-0

Great fans

Warpaint. Poor Turkey. They have the passion. If the fans could enter the Euro 2008 Fan championship they might be favourties. But against an inspired Portugal their neat tidy passing did not have the Brazilian style thrust and flair that Felipe Scolari has imbued in his talented young team. Deco, Pepe, Ronaldo ran riot and posted a message that maybe this could be their year. Their odds are down to 6.00, Turkey's to 100.00

War paint

The best painted fan at Wembley last night singing along to the Land of the Home and the Brave, although she looks like she has a touch of the Alohas to her...

Watching the races, Monaco style

A Ferrari whizzes past in practise for the Monaco Grand Prix while the girls catch a bit of a sunbathe

Great fan pictures

Pompey fan at the FA Cup Final. Portsmouth won 1-0 with a goal from Kanu