u/Think_Cheesecake12

Context for the picture: A massive brawl took place after Germany beat Argentina in penalties in the quarterfinals in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. A young Leo Messi in Argentina's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad but didn't play in this match,

After Germany beat Argentina on penalties in their 2006 World Cup quarterfinal match, Leandro Cufre, an unused substitute for Argentina, sparked a massive brawl once the penalty shootout ended when he thought it would be a great idea to relieve his anger over Argentina's loss by kicking German defender (and future World Cup Winner) Per Mertesacker in the groin. Cufre's actions caused him to get a red card despite the match being over and not even playing in the game!

Each of Germany's four penalty-takers walked to the box and were abused by the Argentina players waiting on the half-way line in the 2006 Quarterfinal between Germany and Argentina!!

According to The Guardian, Germany Captain Michael Ballack (an underrated legend btw) stated this info when he gave a detailed account in a post-match interview about what incited the massive brawl that involved everyone (from those still in the game/participating in the shootout, players on the bench, and the managers and technical staff of both teams):

""The first provocation came from Argentina. They were shouting at our players as they were going to the penalty spot. They shouted something in Spanish and we didn't understand what they were saying. But they were definitely trying to influence our strikers. After Tim Borowski scored [to make it 4-2] he put his finger to his lips to tell them to shut up. They were a bit mad at that. After that I didn't see much but I saw one or two lying on the ground. I didn't see what happened." Ballack said.

In addition to Cufre kicking Mertesacker in the groin, the following incidents occurred during the brawl:

-German player Torsten Frings and Argentine player Fabricio Coloccini were punching each other and had to be separated by Jurgen Klinnsmann, Germany's manager at the 2006 World Cup.

-Coloccini also got into a verbal altercation with German player Oliver Neuville (scored Germany's first penalty kick in the shootout)

-Frings also got into a skirmish with Argentina captain Juan Pablo Sorin

-Out of nowhere (not sure if something occurred during the game between the two), Argentine player Maxi Rodriguez came out running and punched German (and future World Cup Winner) Bastian Schweinsteiger in the back of the head.

-The referee and FIFA officials had to intervene and had trouble breaking up the multiple fights within the brawl

-A heated confrontation took place Argentina Player Gabriel Heinze and Germany's General Manager Oliver Bierhoff.

In an interview 4 years later ahead of Germany and Argentina playing each other again in the Quarterfinals in South Africa (Germany smashed Argentina 4-0), Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, and then-Germany Manager Joachim Low (he was one of Klinsmann's assistant coaches in the 2006 World Cup) said the following about the brawl in 2006:

"Even before the game, they're at it. The way they gesture, their attempts to influence the referee. It shows a lack of respect, but that's just the way the Argentines are." -Schweinsteiger

"[The genesis of everything that happened after the shootout in 2006 is that] the Argentines "don't know how to lose!"" -Lahm

"If you ask me, I think that game was at no time brutal or unfair until after the penalties. It was tightly contested but not marred by unfairness. The problem in 2006 started after the game had been decided," -Low

The Brighton goalkeeper was not on the official list and had no chance of playing in the World Cup. However, despite the fact that he knew that he had no chance of competing, he agreed to help England, was part of the group as a training goalkeeper and, therefore, his teammates wanted him to know that he was also important in this achievement.