By Eduardo Maisonet, III / @edthesportsfan

For FOX Deportes

It wasn’t just the fact that Germany lost to Italy.

It wasn’t just the fact that Germany looked out of sync for the first time in the entire tournament.

It wasn’t just the fact that Germany once again lost to an Italian side again for the seventh consecutive time, that the Germans were on a 15-match winning streak in international competitions, and that they were in their fourth straight semifinals match at a major tournament. Nope, it was even more than that.

It was the fact that the one person they couldn’t afford to beat them, and he beat them twice. He pulled off his shirt in utter defiance, and single-handedly took ownership over the “man of the tournament” title with two sweeps of the leg.

That man, is Mario Barwuah Balotelli, and his team is one more win away from being on top of the European football mountaintop.

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By Eduardo Maisonet, III / @edthesportsfan

For FOX Deportes

The matchups have been set in the semifinal round of Euro 2012 and if you picked Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal in your bracket, then I’ve got a bag full of $20’s here for you. Okay, I lied. While three of the four teams were popular picks of getting the the semifinal stage, seeing Portugal here seems as unfamiliar as it does seem right on time. This current cast of characters haven’t had as much success as their predecessors, but their ultimate test lays in front of them with Spain. Spain, being the defending European Cup champs, come in undefeated and laying waste to all comers thus far in the tournament. If Portugal are to win on Wednesday, they’ll need a heroic effort from a player most likely to succeed, or the player most likely to…

The Player Most Likely To Do Stepovers In Front Of Your Girl, Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo seems like the type that if he saw your woman, and coveted her, he would try to do things to try and impress her. Personally, I’d envision him pulling out a soccer ball and doing stepovers in front of your chick. It would mesmerize her, make her hesitate, and in a moment’s notice your woman would be gone forever.

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Por Luis Miguel Morales / @3luismiguel

Para FOX Deportes

Ya he oído decir y hablar mucho sobre la actuación de Italia en la Eurocopa 2012.  Pero es lo mismo que se viene oyendo desde hace mucho tiempo.

Que Italia no tiene equipo, que nunca ha sido lo suficientemente fuerte para pasar a la siguiente ronda.  Con suerte o sin suerte, Italia siempre logra sobreponerse de la adversidad.

Pareciera que ese mismo sentir de lo externo es lo que lo empuja para nunca darse por vencido y ser uno de los grandes en los campeonatos de selecciones nacionales. 

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Por Juan Carlos Agüero / @juankaguerom

Para Fox Deportes

La Eurocopa podrá disfrutar de una estrella con una historia diferente, un hombre que se divierte y actúa como un niño, dándole cientos de dolores de cabeza a quienes le dirigen, la mezcla de su sangre lo hace diferente por donde quiera que se vea,  hijo de inmigrantes ghaneses  pero de nacionales italiana Mario Balotelli es una figura descollante del planeta fútbol.

Con el balón en sus pies es casi tan impredecible como su carácter, siempre tiene la salida perfecta para dejar al rival tendido en el piso o enviar el balón a dormir con la red, ese es el nueve italiano, el que deberá aislarse de polémicas para llevar a la gloria al país que el escogió cuando tenía 18 años y por el que juró amor eterno sobre la constitución.

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