FIFA World Cup 2026

[dwy000]

1 minute ago, Castanza said:

 

The Argentinian President doesn't have to call. Messi's clout and influence on marketing, sales, and viewership speak for itself. People need to stop acting like sports have any integrity at all anymore....There is no integrity when billions of dollars are involved and all hinge on viewership/merch sales and ticket sales. Take a look at the sellout landscape of College Football (American version). Integrity, tradition, sportsmanship, have been dead for a long time. That's why there is such growth in Non-League Football. 

 

 

I completely agree with that.  Which is why FIFA probably would have acted unilaterally anyways.  They need the viewers in the US. 

[james22]

 

[RichardGibbons]

53 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

Who knows? That doesn’t change the fact that any competitor whom doesn’t actually want to be the best by beating the best others have to offer is a lesser person/team.

 

Yeah, I feel like USA is being super cowardly by not lobbying FIFA to allow Belgium to have 20 players on the field versus the USA's 11. Why don't they want to play against best others have to offer?

[Castanza]

5 minutes ago, james22 said:

 

 

LOL eat your heart out Team Integrity 

[Castanza]

2 minutes ago, RichardGibbons said:

 

Yeah, I feel like USA is being super cowardly by not lobbying FIFA to allow Belgium to have 20 players on the field versus the USA's 11. Why don't they want to play against best others have to offer?

 

High quality gotcha @Gregmal 

[Gregmal]

1 minute ago, Castanza said:

 

High quality gotcha @Gregmal 

LMFAO I had to read it three times and then second guessed myself for thinking English was not his first language since the context made zero sense...

[RichardGibbons]

5 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

LMFAO I had to read it three times and then second guessed myself for thinking English was not his first language since the context made zero sense...

Yeah, it deliberately makes zero sense--it's meta reasoning. Basically, if you can call people cowardly using a really silly argument for not following the rules, then I kind of think everyone should get to play that game!

[dwy000]

12 minutes ago, Castanza said:

 

LOL eat your heart out Team Integrity 

It says the FA reached out to him to see if they'd support the time change.  He said no. 

[Parsad]

12 hours ago, moatrep said:

At first sight this goal may look simple, or overshadowed by more flashy strikes. One of the best I have seen, together with the strike from Cabo Verde in the same match. I cannot stop rewatching it. This is why everyone things he is from another planet.

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/TyifPnxiKXQ?si=0FUXdhBafCdfCuSn

 

Also goes to show a tactical victory, this goal attacks the only space that Cabo Verde was leaving unguarded. Just a bit of space at the end that can only be profited with a long pass and milimetric precision. The Cabo verde defense of 6 players draw to Spain and Uruguay, and was undetead until this match.

 

He also keeps his head down enough so the keeper has no idea he is going to chip the ball over him.  Then again, we are arguably talking about the greatest player in history...so we should not be surprised to see something like this.  

 

I'm sorry you guys did not get to see Canada at its best if Alphonso Davies played.  I still think this Davies' goal is one of the greatest I've ever seen...make sure you watch the slow-motion replay after the goal to see exactly how brilliant it was:

 

 

He never gives up on the play even like 20 yards away...Canada needed the goal to continue for FIFA qualifications...he scored both our goals that night.  Beats the defender, picks the short side past the goalie.  The touch and recognition to save the ball is what still amazes me...he turned absolutely nothing into the goal Canada needed!  Cheers!

[Parsad]

Oh my God!  Do you guys all have to fucking ruin every thread?  This was a nice thread on the World Cup and how everyone was enjoying it...globally...sport that the whole world was enjoying...rich/poor...everyone!  

 

Then about 3 pages back this suddenly started to turn political again.  Can you guys all for once just leave something good as is?  Can we leave the politics out of this regardless of what politicians may or may not be doing?  

 

Cheers!

[Sweet]

4 minutes ago, Parsad said:

Oh my God!  Do you guys all have to fucking ruin every thread?  This was a nice thread on the World Cup and how everyone was enjoying it...globally...sport that the whole world was enjoying...rich/poor...everyone!  

 

Then about 3 pages back this suddenly started to turn political again.  Can you guys all for once just leave something good as is?  Can we leave the politics out of this regardless of what politicians may or may not be doing?  

 

Cheers!

I’m afraid the usual suspect injected politics into it again. 

[Parsad]

Just now, Sweet said:

I’m afraid the usual suspect injected politics into it again. 

 

Perhaps so, but everyone willingly and eagerly participated as well.  Self-awareness for everyone is what is lacking.  If everyone keeps it in the back of their mind...the less likely they will post about politics outside of the Politics thread.  Cheers! 

[Castanza]

Just now, Parsad said:

 

Perhaps so, but everyone willingly and eagerly participated as well.  Self-awareness for everyone is what is lacking.  If everyone keeps it in the back of their mind...the less likely they will post about politics outside of the Politics thread.  Cheers! 

 

I mean the red card is political no? Not really off topic because it's a big deal for the USA vs Belgium game. I feel like the discussion still revolved around football and the FIFA rules. I mean it's hard to ignore Trump inserting himself into the World Cup. 

 

Anyways it's final. Belgium appeal has been rejected by FIFA so I think most can agree on here that it shouldn't have been a Red Card, the FIFA rules allowed the change, but it was unprecedent and Trump definitely influenced the change which most would say is a negative. 

 

Checking out till gametime! Good luck Belgium fans hope it's an entertaining match. 

[Parsad]

1 minute ago, Castanza said:

 

I mean the red card is political no? Not really off topic because it's a big deal for the USA vs Belgium game. I feel like the discussion still revolved around football and the FIFA rules. I mean it's hard to ignore Trump inserting himself into the World Cup. 

 

Anyways it's final. Belgium appeal has been rejected by FIFA so I think most can agree on here that it shouldn't have been a Red Card, the FIFA rules allowed the change, but it was unprecedent and Trump definitely influenced the change which most would say is a negative. 

 

Checking out till gametime! Good luck Belgium fans hope it's an entertaining match. 

 

This isn't helping.  It's done.  Leave it...enjoy the game. 

 

While you guys are babbling here about this, you are missing a beautiful game between Portugal and Spain!  Cheers!

[Gregmal]

44 minutes ago, RichardGibbons said:

Yeah, it deliberately makes zero sense--it's meta reasoning. Basically, if you can call people cowardly using a really silly argument for not following the rules, then I kind of think everyone should get to play that game!

I dont take it you've ever played sports then. Any sort of competitor should wish to beat their opponent on the field, at their best. Not whining about keeping people off the field or using technicalities to prevent competition.

 

The rulings are the rulings, cuts both ways. The entire game of soccer is rife with inconsistencies, phonies/divas/actors, dumb rules, and sketchy behind the scenes behavior. The athletes and teams themselves should just be concerned with showing up and leaving it all out on the field. 

[Sweet]

1 hour ago, Gregmal said:

I dont take it you've ever played sports then. Any sort of competitor should wish to beat their opponent on the field, at their best. Not whining about keeping people off the field or using technicalities to prevent competition.

 

The rulings are the rulings, cuts both ways. The entire game of soccer is rife with inconsistencies, phonies/divas/actors, dumb rules, and sketchy behind the scenes behavior. The athletes and teams themselves should just be concerned with showing up and leaving it all out on the field. 

Dunno Greg.  I know loads of sports guys that don’t give a crap about beating their best opponent, and want any little advantage they can get so they can win.  I can also tell you don’t watch much football, because the ease at which football players regularly fall over looking for a free kick, or a penalty, for even the lightest of touches, is embarrassing, and is a direct counter to the point you are making.  
 

Edited 1 hour ago by Sweet

[Castanza]

 

End of an Era! Not a great finish as the team didn’t mesh well, but one Hell of a career. Respect 

[raveslayer]

we can evaluate the technical aspects of the regulations, but discussing the spirit of the decision is a different matter... what happened came across as opportunistic and unfortunate

 

in my humble football experience, in the long run things like this end up working against the team that benefited from the situation

Edited 58 minutes ago by raveslayer

[Gregmal]

1 hour ago, Sweet said:

Dunno Greg.  I know loads of sports guys that don’t give a crap about beating their best opponent, and want any little advantage they can get so they can win.  I can also tell you don’t watch much football, because the ease at which football players regularly fall over looking for a free kick, or a penalty, for even the lightest of touches, is embarrassing, and is a direct counter to the point you are making.  
 

Yes, I watch soccer at best, 2-3 times during a World Cup or Olympics type big event. Otherwise can’t stand it and think it’s for extremely well conditioned sissies

Edited 7 minutes ago by Gregmal