FIFA World Cup 2026

[Paarslaars]

In Paris everything is getting locked and boarded for todays game. They know no matter who wins there will be riots 

[Paarslaars]

France got past Morocco pretty smoothly, they sure are the team to beat in this world cup.

 

Today we face off against Spain, probably the first match where we are the underdog.

Going to be a difficult match, Spain has great possession and hasn't conceded a goal yet this tournament.

If we can get ahead quickly I think we are in for a good match, if they get ahead I'm afraid we'll be struggling.

[Spekulatius]

On 7/8/2026 at 7:31 AM, backtothebeach said:

Argentina‘s 2-2 goal commentary.

Argentina has always 12 players on the field

with one being the referee. They get

an implausible amount of penalty kicks.

 

Messi isn’t even good at converting them recently.

[Paarslaars]

Dammit... silly mistake of our backup goalie... can't afford that against Spain. Bad way to get taken out of the tournemant but so be it, our boys did well and Spain is a great team.

[moatrep]

9 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

Argentina has always 12 players on the field

with one being the referee. They get

an implausible amount of penalty kicks.

 

Messi isn’t even good at converting them recently.

There is some echo chamber mania against Argentina in social media. But I don't get it. If the penalties are conceded by the rules it doesn't matter who gets more (even though other teams get as much or more). So it's not a complete argument. If they reach the area naturally they will get more penalties. They are an agressive team, if you look at the structure, the more agressive team through the years.

 

I admit against Croacia in 2022 there was a mistake by refferies, but after that I analysed each game and couldn't find anything that was wrong. Even in that game they won 3-0. Anyways most people that critize don't know about that game, and this year's Portugal incident against Croacia is worst imo.

 

After that the Egypt's match is being clipped over social media in a deceptive way or angles, but it was impecable the work by the referees. And Argentina scored 3 goals in 15 minutes, from a 2 to 0. No penalties required. The second is an amazing goal. Naturally the egypcian coach pulled a Donald Trump kind of cospiracy after the match to be able to go back home after this defeat.

Edited Friday at 10:18 PM by moatrep

[Spekulatius]

2 hours ago, moatrep said:

There is some echo chamber mania against Argentina in social media. But I don't get it. If the penalties are conceded by the rules it doesn't matter who gets more (even though other teams get as much or more). So it's not a complete argument. If they reach the area naturally they will get more penalties. They are an agressive team, if you look at the structure, the more agressive team through the years.

 

I admit against Croacia in 2022 there was a mistake by refferies, but after that I analysed each game and couldn't find anything that was wrong. Even in that game they won 3-0. Anyways most people that critize don't know about that game, and this year's Portugal incident against Croacia is worst imo.

 

After that the Egypt's match is being clipped over social media in a deceptive way or angles, but it was impecable the work by the referees. And Argentina scored 3 goals in 15 minutes, from a 2 to 0. No penalties required. The second is an amazing goal. Naturally the egypcian coach pulled a Donald Trump kind of cospiracy after the match to be able to go back home after this defeat.

I actually didn’t even look at social media and it’s not just the game against Egypt, as this has been going on for quite some time. The way it looks to me is that Messi team get awarded pretty much every borderline penalty kick due to tackles while other team don’t. Maybe it’s the tactics too but a legit tackle for the ball if the attacker touches the ball should not result in a penalty kick.

If we start to play soccer like this then each game will be decided by scores of penalty kicks.

 

Ronaldo is another on who dives for penalty kicks but I think he’s got too slow to do this any more himself.

Edited Saturday at 12:22 AM by Spekulatius

[backtothebeach]

8 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

a legit tackle for the ball if the attacker touches the ball should not result in a penalty kick.

Do you mean if the defender touches the ball? The Egyptian player did not touch the ball.

I agree though that many penalties are given that are fabricated by the attacker, including Mbappe's yesterday. He could have jumped over the defender's legs, but he happily hooked his foot in and fell.

[Spekulatius]

On 7/11/2026 at 4:37 AM, backtothebeach said:

Do you mean if the defender touches the ball? The Egyptian player did not touch the ball.

I agree though that many penalties are given that are fabricated by the attacker, including Mbappe's yesterday. He could have jumped over the defender's legs, but he happily hooked his foot in and fell.

Yes.

 

On the other and, the red card for the Swiss player doing a dive against Argentina without contact was justified. In this case the availability of VAR really helped.

 

I wish they would book more players for simulating.

[Parsad]

9 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

Yes.

 

On the other and, the red card for the Swiss player doing a dive against Argentina without contact was justified. In this case the availability of VAR really helped.

 

I wish they would book more players for simulating.

 

100%!  He cost his team the game by diving like that.  The Swiss were stifling Argentina defensively when they were a man down, and dominating the play when they were even.  It might have been a totally different outcome if the Swiss played the whole game intact.  Cheers!

[Paarslaars]

Now half time would be twice as long for the final because there needs to be a half-time show with Bieber & Shakira...

 

Damnd American greed really does trump everything.  

Edited 10 hours ago by Paarslaars

[Spekulatius]

That’s penalty decision against France was questionable, imo. The French looked soulless in this game and Mbappe was nowhere to be seen. I guess that’s how you win in against a team with a star player. Kudo’s to the Spanish defense and midfield. They destroyed the French game and while it wasn’t pretty , it surely worked. They clearly were the better team.

Edited 8 hours ago by Spekulatius

[Paarslaars]

Yeah I was saying this for a while, everyone was pretty exuberant about France but they never really faced a strong team yet... and they choked. Shame cause the potential was there but always happy to see Mbappe lose.

Edited 7 hours ago by Paarslaars

[Gregmal]

The diving in that game was atrocious. Was at the bar with some friends for happy hour and in maybe 5 minutes, around the midway point, there were probably a half dozen guys rolling around like pansies. The one goalie too, what a clown. 

Edited 7 hours ago by Gregmal

[backtothebeach]

1 hour ago, Gregmal said:

The diving in that game was atrocious. Was at the bar with some friends for happy hour and in maybe 5 minutes, around the midway point, there were probably a half dozen guys rolling around like pansies. The one goalie too, what a clown. 

I actually agree, it is getting ridiculous. They need to get stricter about all the acting, and about tactical fouls.

 

Players don't give a shit about yellow cards. There should be more time penalties, that put your team at a serious disadvantage, being down to 10 or even 9 players.

 

A tactical foul preventing the opponent from launching a quick counterattack should lead to a 15-minute penalty.

 

Acting seriously hurt, slowing down the game for more than a few seconds, should automatically put the player on the sidelines for 5 minutes, so he can recover from his pain.
 

Edited 5 hours ago by backtothebeach

[Paarslaars]

Agreed, that kind of behavior made me quit football and switch to Futsal.

[Xerxes]

Falkland War 2.0 

 

My money is on General Belgrano going down … again 

[Sweet]

4 hours ago, Gregmal said:

The diving in that game was atrocious. Was at the bar with some friends for happy hour and in maybe 5 minutes, around the midway point, there were probably a half dozen guys rolling around like pansies. The one goalie too, what a clown. 

That’s football nowadays, trying their best for fouls and getting the opposition sent off.  It should be another level again with England vs Argentina, the latter completely loathes England.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Sweet

[Gregmal]

37 minutes ago, Sweet said:

That’s football nowadays, trying their best for fouls and getting the opposition sent off.  It should be another level again with England vs Argentina, the latter completely loathes England.

 

Yea definitely seems like a lotta tatted up thugs on Argentina. Very physical game 

Edited 2 hours ago by Gregmal

[Eldad]

Wow they are good at the end! Hopefully Spain can stop a repeat of this guy. 

[backtothebeach]

In the end less violent than I expected, and luckily no controversial fouls or dives related to goals. Both played rough but fair given the stakes.

Great comeback by Argentina, taking more risks than England and outplaying them for almost the whole second half.
 

Edited 56 minutes ago by backtothebeach

[Gregmal]

Yea not sure what that was. Did England really go into H2 thinking, “let them have the ball for all but 5 minutes” was gonna work? Messi stood head and shoulders above everyone else on the field in the second half.