2026 FIFA World Cup Thread
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Refs are favoring Argentina. So many fouls being let go.
This game has actually been called really excellently, I'm not sure there's anything for anyone to reasonably complain about.
Joel Goodson
- it's all ball bearings, nowadays
the "A team" assumes the US audience knows jack about football. can't stand these clowns
Clattenburg is outstanding though
Clattenburg is outstanding though
It's just bad for the sport for a red card / double yellow to determine a World Cup Final.
I'm not saying it wasn't a card. It's just as a viewer... that's not what you want determining a World Cup Final.
Much more encouraging to see the winner get crowned 11 v 11.
I'm not saying it wasn't a card. It's just as a viewer... that's not what you want determining a World Cup Final.
Much more encouraging to see the winner get crowned 11 v 11.
Wrong board for that assumption.
A courageous but overmatched squad from South America couldn’t find one more miracle.
They almost did. But playing a man down doomed them to the likely inevitable. Still, it was a gutsy performance of either deliberately using rope-a-dope all match to get to a game climax... or being forced into rope-a-dope by a stronger Spanish squad.
They left it all on the pitch. That’s their sense of satisfaction.
And Messi’s World Cup dreams may be over... but he’s not done. To the joy and benefit of South Florida and MLS fans.
They almost did. But playing a man down doomed them to the likely inevitable. Still, it was a gutsy performance of either deliberately using rope-a-dope all match to get to a game climax... or being forced into rope-a-dope by a stronger Spanish squad.
They left it all on the pitch. That’s their sense of satisfaction.
And Messi’s World Cup dreams may be over... but he’s not done. To the joy and benefit of South Florida and MLS fans.
Award winners for this tournament:
-Golden Ball: Rodri, Spain
-Golden Boot: Kylian Mbappe, France
-Golden Glove: Unai Simon, Spain
-Young Player Award: Pau Cubarsi, Spain
-Golden Ball: Rodri, Spain
-Golden Boot: Kylian Mbappe, France
-Golden Glove: Unai Simon, Spain
-Young Player Award: Pau Cubarsi, Spain
You can't really run the counterfactual, but pretty unfair to Spain to suggest this outcome was determined by that card. They dominated this match from the first whistle to the last. And if the ref keeps the card in his pocket on a clear yellow card situation just because it's the final 1) that's a travesty and 2) Argentina is emboldened to play even more physically in their attempt to force penalties. I think that's far worse for the sport than what ended up happening.
Every card given in this match was deserved, including the red, and the better team won. I'd have liked a more entertaining match, but zero issues with how things unfolded other than that.
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Dude, what are you talking about? What would be bad for the sport is Argentina committing that foul and getting away with it.
The refs didn't determine the outcome; Argentina's reckless play did.
I interpreted the comment merely as preferring that the match finish 11v11. Did it deserve a yellow? Yes. Did the ref make the right call? Yes. Would it have been a more enjoyable finish to me as a neutral viewer if A) Fernandez hadn't made a foolish challenge or B) he wasn't already on a yellow? Also yes.
Whose fault was it? Fernandez's.
If he didn’t fall like that, probably wouldn’t have been a yellow. But he did, and it was a reckless challenge.
I mean, does this deserve to be his first yellow?
wettsten
- Chicago
Also this video going around of Messi trying to trick the refs into calling a red card:
If that's the interpretation, why is there a "this is bad for the sport" claim?
blackdog
- Champaign
You mean the shameless dirty Argentines got exactly what they deserved by being run into the ground the entire game before losing? They played like thugs the entire tournament and them attacking the Spanish players celebrating was just the cherry on top. If there was true karma they would have lost in the group stages.
Enzo with a clear dive. Deserves yellow, ref decides to cut him a break (already been over this, but refs should stop doing this). Instead of accepting this lucky break, Enzo dissents, which can also be a yellow. Ref decides not to cut him a break on that one. Enzo does enough to get a second yellow when he sarcastically applauds the ref, gets another break.
Guy got one yellow card for three offenses that are cardable.
KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
Argentina should have been down to 9 men. No idea how Paredes was still on the pitch when the match ended. And, based on what he did after the last whistle, I hope he gets a significant ban.
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