Robben was robbed.

July 3, 2014 12:27 PM

Who won the World Cup of Arm-Folding?
posted by DynamiteToast (36 comments total)

I watched my very first soccerfoot games this past week, and I could not stop thinking about how many takes of turning and folding their arms these guys must have had to do.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:33 PM on July 3, 2014

funny and here I was thinking that they clearly did it in 1 take
posted by St. Peepsburg at 12:38 PM on July 3, 2014

"You want a World Cup article?

You know there's no games today, right?

Okay, okay. Let me Skype Andrew. Maybe we can come up with something."
posted by evidenceofabsence at 12:43 PM on July 3, 2014

Oh this is beautiful. Ever since the Men in Blazers pointed out FIFA apparently mandated exactly how 32x23 people would present themselves on camera I can't stop being annoyed by it. Though I'm not sure how I didn't notice before then.
posted by yerfatma at 12:46 PM on July 3, 2014

I'm picturing the Colombian team lining up and none of them knowing how to cross their arms, except one guy who swears this is how everyone else does it
posted by DynamiteToast at 12:49 PM on July 3, 2014 [7 favorites]

Kim Bo-kyung? All elbows.
posted by wensink at 12:50 PM on July 3, 2014

> funny and here I was thinking that they clearly did it in 1 take

"Great! Next!"
"But I didn't do it ri-"
"NEXT!!!"

*up steps number 432 of 736*
posted by The Card Cheat at 12:56 PM on July 3, 2014 [3 favorites]

Assou-Ekotto does look really happy. No posing bad-boy scowl there.
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:03 PM on July 3, 2014

I love this like I love the subtle head-turns necessary in all of The Amazing Race's opening credits.
posted by xingcat at 1:21 PM on July 3, 2014 [3 favorites]

Not one I dream of Jeannie arm fold/head nod. I guess Robben was closest but overall, I am not impressed.
posted by cmfletcher at 1:22 PM on July 3, 2014

When I see the arm folding I feel like I am playing a video game and am picking my lineup.
posted by terrapin at 1:28 PM on July 3, 2014 [2 favorites]

This is what I said last week: Assou-Ekotto's the best.
posted by asterix at 1:31 PM on July 3, 2014

Graceful, funny, relaxed, Ekotto's arm-folding is a joyous invitation to come to his place and watch some Adventure Time.

This is genius.
posted by Erasmouse at 1:37 PM on July 3, 2014

Arm folding is harder than I thought.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:39 PM on July 3, 2014

Man Robert Jordan would've loved this World Cup.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:43 PM on July 3, 2014 [3 favorites]

This is brilliant. I just spent time at the beginning of matches commenting on how assertive they were, but is something to marvel. What the heck was that, Chedjou?
posted by bumcivilian at 1:53 PM on July 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

Aurélien Chedjou got it just right. He looks like he plays for a club team assembled entirely of phantasms risen from an ancient burial ground.
posted by Dr. Zira at 1:54 PM on July 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

I could swear Christiano Ronaldo winked at the end of his, but I can't find the video to back it up.
posted by Hutch at 1:58 PM on July 3, 2014

Also, from the video, top-right at 53s, Evra took for-Evra.

That's mine
posted by bumcivilian at 2:00 PM on July 3, 2014

oh my god, this totally made my day. thank you for posting. so fucking funny!
posted by rude.boy at 2:02 PM on July 3, 2014

I thought Benoît Assou-Ekotto was the best part of My Name Is Earl.
posted by Rock Steady at 2:10 PM on July 3, 2014 [4 favorites]

Man Robert Jordan would've loved this World Cup.

I can't wait for the women's World Cup and all the braid tugging we'll see.
posted by Area Man at 2:18 PM on July 3, 2014 [4 favorites]

Ekotto's little headshake makes me feel like I'm getting a wish granted by a chill genie.
posted by rollick at 2:21 PM on July 3, 2014 [4 favorites]

Robben nails it alright, but it becomes a lot less impressive all of a sudden once you realize he's doing the whole thing while lying down.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 2:48 PM on July 3, 2014 [10 favorites]

You gotta double-fist the arm-fold. Why don't any of them double-fist?
posted by oddman at 2:54 PM on July 3, 2014

I'm just glad to know Dan Kois is keeping the TWoP ethos alive somewhere.
posted by psoas at 3:06 PM on July 3, 2014

Who won the World Cup of Arm-Folding?

The fans.
posted by mazola at 3:17 PM on July 3, 2014 [3 favorites]

I've been wondering who won the World Cup of having the most players with mohawks?
posted by cazoo at 3:23 PM on July 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

The descriptions are marvellous. Of course, it's now made me paranoid about how I find my arms now.
posted by arcticseal at 3:24 PM on July 3, 2014 [2 favorites]

I've been wondering who won the World Cup of having the most players with mohawks?

What's the deal with all the mohawks? Does it give them some sort of header ball-control advantage?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 5:00 PM on July 3, 2014

I kinda dig the mohawks. The ones with the blond streak are even cooler.
posted by snwod at 5:07 PM on July 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

how I find my arms now.

In case you were worried, I found them, they were there all along.
posted by arcticseal at 5:30 PM on July 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

My favorite arm crosser is Enner Valencia. So pouty!
posted by pravit at 6:22 PM on July 3, 2014 [2 favorites]

As a football fan, and creator of several World Cup threads, and being someone who was involved in the discussion of the ongoing games online, I have seen way way too many of these stupid arm folding things now. Every. Fucking. Game. Jesus, Fifa, it is fucking tedious. Just show us the bloody formation, put players faces next to the numbers if you must, but this arm folding shit is boring and stupid.

So I'm sorry, but I can't watch any more right now, especially as there are 2 Quarter Finals later, so 4 whole teams worth of this shit to fucking sit through!

At least on the BBC they do it in groups - Defence/Midfield/Forwards, so you get four at once etc, which is slightly less tedious.
posted by marienbad at 1:43 AM on July 4, 2014

Also, Robben being Robbed would be somewhat ironic as he is a cheat and a diver.
posted by marienbad at 1:44 AM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

What's the deal with all the mohawks? Does it give them some sort of header ball-control advantage?

538 says no.
posted by DynamiteToast at 7:07 AM on July 4, 2014