FIFA World Cup thread

[McElroy]

Can I just say though that it's annoying that the football world these days sucks the dick of people like Messi and Ronaldo way too much? They're amazing players but as someone who used to be a full back, that the achievements (and failures) of the team are attributed to individuals, especially those on offense, is insulting. Football is a team sport, people always seem to forget that.

You can say it. However, at least the broadcasts here feature plenty of analysis over each of the goals and other important aspects of the games. Experts routinely point out individual mistakes and/or brilliance during scoring chances, but even then the teamplay aspect is there: they for example explain how each team's offensive game plan has worked. Like if Nigeria has scored after a turnover they would draw out a couple of non-successful turnovers in the studio for comparison. Similarly when England scored their fourth goal against Panama yesterday the commentator simply said it was the result of their team plan working as intended and Panama having no answer to it. Social media is another story, of course.

Also it takes a lot of balls to evade taxes like Messi and CR7.

 

[Souplex]

Honestly I'm a bit sad that Germany isn't kicking everyone's ass.
I'm a proud patriotic American, but Germany is doing everything correctly as a nation right now, and should be shown deference for it. I also appreciate German soccer because they made Brazil sit down and shut up last time. Before that, Brazil had spent 20 years insisting they were the best at soccer while failing to win the world cup. Germany humbled them super-hard.

 

[McElroy]

Honestly I'm a bit sad that Germany isn't kicking everyone's ass.
I'm a proud patriotic American, but Germany is doing everything correctly as a nation right now, and should be shown deference for it.

Don't bring politics into my sporty sports thread!!!!!

But yeah how about those Swiss hand symbols amirite, m8s?

Anyway, Portugal doesn't look too impressive. The match itself was a bit of a crapshow. Lots of VAR.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Welp. We tried.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

While watching the Deutschen match.

 

[Marik2]

Welp. We tried.

You'll get it next time.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Welp. We tried.

You'll get it next time.

I mean... we got it last time. That's something.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Hrm ... so who are the new tournament favourites now?

France?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Hrm ... so who are the new tournament favourites now?

France?

I'd say Spain, Brazil and Uruguay.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I'd say Spain, Brazil and Uruguay.

Spain and Brazil?

Uruguay have been rock solid so I get that choice, but Spain's performance has been treading a very close line over the majority of the games they've participated in.

Then again Uruguay has certainly had an easier group selection of it.

 

[McElroy]

If Belgium performs against England (or the other way around), they become a strong favorite. Croatia is also a good contender for top 4.

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

Hrm ... so who are the new tournament favourites now?

France?

I'd say Spain, Brazil and Uruguay.

Huh, i tend to support Spain.
After our team failed, i will root for either them or Croats.

 

[Catfood220]

Well, that's the England I know and love. Mind you, it was pretty much as I expected, nothing risked with already being through to the knock out stages and a run out for some of the fringe players in the hopes they do something impressive. Not great, but at the same time, you have to think that a full strength England team probably could of won that. Maybe. But on that display, Belgium were the better team.

Having said that, it seemed for a while when it was 0-0, it looked like both teams were trying to get second place for the possibly easier draw than the team who got the top spot.


Well, its confirmed. England play Columbia on Tuesday, lets see what that brings.

 

[Wintermute_v1legacy]

Hrm ... so who are the new tournament favourites now?

France?

I'm usually terrible with my predictions, but I'd say France, Brazil, Spain and Argentina, with Belgium and Croatia being the obvious outsiders, England maybe in 2022. It will be impressive if Belgium wins, just look at their side of the table.

Having said that, it seemed for a while when it was 0-0, it looked like both teams were trying to get second place for the possibly easier draw than the team who got the top spot.

Absolutely. Both teams played like they didn't wanna win. I feel bad for the fans, that match sucked.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

gg Argentina

Feel kind of bad for Messi, I haven't seen him such low spirits before. Made a lot of chances too. But damn, Mbappe sure is making his mark. France has always been the strongest contenders besides Germany for me, but look at what happened to Germany, you never know.

And damn, it is great to be watching football live again. The rush is unreal.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

gg Argentina

Feel kind of bad for Messi.

Isn't that a popular sentiment in Argentina, always feeling bad for poor Messi.
Fuck him.

 

[McElroy]

My prayers are with Diego.

 

[Catnip1024]

Isn't that a popular sentiment in Argentina, always feeling bad for poor Messi.
Fuck him.

Yeah, his showings for Argentina just show exactly how much he relies on the team around him.

Not that he's not a decent player, but the hype around Messi is kind of insulting to the rest of his teammates.

Thank God Portugal are out too, can't stand the obsession with Ronaldo the commentators have.

 

[McElroy]

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Isn't that a popular sentiment in Argentina, always feeling bad for poor Messi.
Fuck him.

Yeah, his showings for Argentina just show exactly how much he relies on the team around him.

Not that he's not a decent player, but the hype around Messi is kind of insulting to the rest of his teammates.

Great player but the team's overreliant on him or he's not involved enough. Either way he's never meshed properly with them. I don't think he's scored a single goal past the group stage in any of the 4 world cups he's played. He'll get you there but that's it.