THE WORLD CUP

[mike carey]

6 minutes ago, glutes said:

Folarin's red card suspension overturned? People miss the point. There are subjectively bad calls that are held up week in and week out in the sport. Having it overturned in this way due to political pressure is a stunningly bad precedent.

It's Infantino all over.

[Becket]

Two unbelievable games today. Norway shocked Brazil, 2-1. I'm so grateful that gorgeous Norway won. Row on guys. And I am thrilled beyond belief that I never have to watch another game, another moment, of the absolute &*%$#@#$ Neymar of Brazil. Norway vs England next. Speaking of England......

England 3 Mexico 2. A real shocker, since Mexico never lose in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Wonderful soccer game. Lots of everything. Team Mexico is usually so unbeatable at home because of Mex. City's dirty air and being at high altitude. Plus there are 100,000 screaming fans at every game. Great win for England. 

[Becket]

8 minutes ago, glutes said:

Folarin's red card suspension overturned? People miss the point. There are subjectively bad calls that are held up week in and week out in the sport. Having it overturned in this way due to political pressure is a stunningly bad precedent.

A red card has not been lifted in this way in the World Cup since 1962. It is shocking. And TeamUSA should thank the one who intervened, our fearless President. 

[+ glutes]

8 minutes ago, Becket said:

Two unbelievable games today. Norway shocked Brazil, 2-1. I'm so grateful that gorgeous Norway won. Row on guys. And I am thrilled beyond belief that I never have to watch another game, another moment, of the absolute &*%$#@#$ Neymar of Brazil. Norway vs England next. Speaking of England......

England 3 Mexico 2. A real shocker, since Mexico never lose in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Wonderful soccer game. Lots of everything. Team Mexico is usually so unbeatable at home because of Mex. City's dirty air and being at high altitude. Plus there are 100,000 screaming fans at every game. Great win for England. 

Once the game got going, I could sense it would be a shoot out.

[marylander1940]

[+ glutes]

I hear the Belgian Team is fired up after the red card controversy.

I'm fired up too!

[+ glutes]

The 4-1 wipeout by Belgium seems like poetic justice and when this is all over the FIFA president will be under pressure to resign. Sadly, the U.S. team was put in a no-win situation while Belgium was highly motivated and rest of the world is celebrating.

[Becket]

Team USA is ranked about #17 in the world. So all in all they went about as far as they could have. But they chose a lousy time to have their worst game of the year. Defense was horrible. Goalie made a terrible blunder which cost a goal. They seemed lifeless. 

[mike carey]

[+ SirBillybob]

[+ glutes]

 

[+ SirBillybob]

Too bad the absurd hilarity of the gaffe had to stop here. Otherwise the next round would have necessitated an emergency bulletin from FIFA announcing the unexpected twist that Harry Kane had just discovered he’s actually Kanadian, while Kylian Mbappé had been spotted patiently waiting in the U.S. lost passport substitution line at the Honolulu office after his documents went missing from his luxe White Lotus resort suite.

Meanwhile, anybody fluent in Klingon, or English for that matter, knows Balogun translates to Belgian. And he’s just been awarded the Futbolgate boot he never asked for.

Edited July 7 by SirBillybob

[Stormy]

I love this Norwegian player Erling Haaland not because he’s the best looking guy but his joy is infectious.  Love his whole vibe! 

[marylander1940]

[marylander1940]

@José Soplanucas

Congratulations!

¡Felicitaciones!

Edited July 7 by marylander1940

[marylander1940]

[BSR]

The Argentina-Egypt match is the first soccer match I’ve ever watched, and it was a helluva good time.  Fortunately, I was watching with a Spanish friend who gave me lots of insights into the players, strategies, rules, etc.  Wow, was that exciting!

I kept thinking of how rabid Argentine fans are and kept imagining the nation’s growing anxiety during the first ~80 minutes.  Then badabing badaboom, Argentina scores 3 goals in like 12 minutes, Messi is crying on the pitch, and the fútbol-crazed nation snatches victory from the jaws of defeat.

I also discovered my new sports crush, the fatally handsome Mohamed Salah ❤️❤️❤️

[marylander1940]

[marylander1940]

Too soon?

 

[Stormy]

Norway got screwed by the refs.  I’m done watching this World Cup.  Too many games decided by bad refereeing 

[Becket]

Yes. Norway was hard done by the VAR, and by the ref.

For teams left. Two delicious semi-finals.

France vs Spain. Here in Dallas I think. Mbape vs Yamal Lamel. Scuse the spelling. Both great teams. Too bad one has to lose.

England vs Argentina. Messi vs the hard history of England. Atlanta? yeah. 

Both games indoors so the heat won't be an issue like it has been elsewhere. 

Will Argentina repeat as champions? Never been done before.

Will England finally get to the final and break through?

Will Spain, all class and grace, survive their inconsistent offence?

Will France, the best team, go ahead and win the damn thing?

I can't wait.

 

[Becket]

Random thoughts at 1AM

1. Norway are remarkable. Arriving home after their loss to England, the team went to the center of town and tens of thousands greeted and cheered them. Then they all did the rowing bit which has impressed the world. No riots or tearing up the city because they lost. Just unbridled joy at having done so well. 
2.  Messi and Argentina have been coddled by the officials. Every close call seems to go their way. VAR always works in their favor. And Messi.....wow!  One game he stomped on the leg of an apposing player with his sharp cleats. This would usually be an automatic red card and one game suspension. For Messi, no red card, no yellow card, not even a common foul called. Refs just ignored it. And when Messi wasn't playing he was yelling at the ref. "Do not speak to me like that! You speak to me with respect!. 
3. England are showing something they usually don't show: Grit! Winning down in Mexico, beating Congo after being behind, overcoming Norway and Haaland, surviving the oppressive heat and humidity of Miami, and most importantly, winning when they play badly. 
4. FIFA is probably gonna expand the field next time from 48 to 64 teams. There are not 64 good teams in the world. It would go on forever and we would be subject to game after game of uninteresting matchups. North Korea vs Albania. Honduras vs Syria. And on and on. Not a good idea.
5. The way they use VAR (the replay system) hurts the game. It's fine for basic stuff like did the ball get fully past the goal line (goal or no goal). And, OK, I  don't like it, but it does measure off sides accurately. But slowing things down frame by frame to check on fouls is a misuse. Things always look worse in slow motion than they really are. And calling back a beautiful fast break goal because of a meaningless foul which happens off the ball and thirty seconds before is just awful. 
6. Soccer at its best is a game of faith, passion, luck, skill, and character (or lack thereof.) FIFA's actions off the field threatens what is best about the sport. Like (after the intervention of Trump) cancelling the red card for the American player so he can play in the next. There is no appeal process available, says FIFA. But somehow one became available. 
7. Of all the teams, the one that plays the most complete soccer has to be Spain. Their defense is outstanding. They can score goals with beautiful passes and one on one skills. They don't lose their heads when something goes against them. They seem so graceful out there, and can beat any team in the world when they are fully interested. But sometimes they just look....bored? Their most consistent characteristic is that they do not consistently play up to their potential. 
8. Christian Pulisic, the American superstar, was a real disappointment. He couldn't stay healthy so he didn't play much. And when he did play, he was timid and uninspiring. He is supposed to be our leader and tone setter. He did very little. Guess he wore himself out filming all those TV commercials.
9. A Spanish government official made the comment that there are no French players on the French team. We all know what he was intimating. But all the teams are like that now. Norway, Switzerland, Mexico, and others have minority players, or players whose ties to the country are limited. 
10. This is the first time ever that the top four teams in the world have reached the semi-finals. 

[Becket]

SEMI-FINAL Thoughts

1. Yesterday Spain but together their best game of the tournament. Plenty of offence, pressure on France so-so defense, and really dominated throughout the game. France never looked threatening nor able to contain hard charging Spain. Spain were the best team that day, no complaints.
2. England took a lead against Argentina but could not hold on. Argentina just turned up the pressure, and with everyone chasing after Messi other players scored easy goals. Argentina won 2-1. After England made it 1-0 it just seem inevitable Argentina would even the score. They did indeed, then got another goal very late to send England back into another four years of "what if." 
3. So there it is. Sunday. Spain, current champions of Europe, will play Argentina, current champions of South America (And I guess, the rest of the world.)
4. I really enjoyed the world cup. It's great fun, but glad it only happens once every 4 years. I am "soccered" out.
5. My pick. Argentina, on a mission to be the first team ever to win back to back; will not be stopped.

Edited 7 hours ago by Becket

[mike carey]

Yesterday, after the first semi-final I was contemplating the symmetry of an England - Spain final after the same pairing had played the 2023 women's world cup final. We still have the prospect of two different memorable outcomes, the first back-to-back wins in over 60 years if it were Argentina, or if Spain were to win, the country holding both the men's and women's cups. If it's the latter, at least Luis Rubiales is no longer president of the Real Federación Española de Fútbol.

[+ SirBillybob]

It may all hinge on whether Cucurella’s hair is deemed integral to his person and could be ruled offside. 

Edited 2 hours ago by SirBillybob