Tignes Beach Soccer

While most sports fans watched the television this weekend to see if Nadal could finally beat Federer and become Wimbledon champion, there were a few ignored the tennis and turned their eyes instead to the resort of Tignes and the2008 European Beach Soccer Championships.
Beach soccer is a game that has evolved from the shore lines of Brazil. A fast, flamboyant and skilful sport, it is a diversification of "the world's most popular game" that the Cantona brothers, Eric and Joel, imported to France in 1997.
Watching the players on the field it soon becomes obvious that this is different to conventional football:
- The pitch is considerably smaller, 37m by23m.
-The ball is lighter and softer.
-Each match is split into three twelve minute periods.
- The teams are five-a-side with rolling subs.
-The players wear no shoes or boots.
- All free kicks are direct with no walls allowed.
-England qualified!!
As Cantona says "The tactics are particular to the sport and the physical effort involved is huge. It is much harder to accelerate in the sand and the players need to make acrobatic movements at any time. A good beach player excels equally well with the ball at his feet as he does in the air. Effective and spectacular at the same time."
For the event Europe's highest beach had to be created at the side of the lake in Tignes. Teams from England, France, Turkey, Norway, Hungary,Holland, Estonia and Russia took part in the competition which ran for three days. All the matches were free to the public.
Although the weather wasn't favourable for the final a decent sized crowd gathered to watch France play Russia. Both teams showed flair and skill as the ball was moved quickly from end to end but as the final hooter sounded Russia were clear victors with eight goals to three.
If you missed the European Beach Soccer Championships in Tignes then you can still catch the Beach Soccer World Cup in Marseilles on the 17th -27th July and with teams from Cameroon, Spain, Portugal, Russia, France and the mighty Brazil it is sure to be a spectacular event.

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Travel & Events

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• Tignes
• Summer
• Beach
• Soccer
• Football
• Eric
• Cantona