2026 FIFA World Cup Thread
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OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Thierry Henry is the best studio analyst on television right now, and it really isn’t even close. He and Rebecca Lowe clearly carry Zlatan and Lalas.
Zlatan is like Barkley on NCAA tournament games. Totally unprepared and just tries to get by on vibes. Lalas is, well Lalas. Zlatan has had some value with some of his verbal takedowns of Lalas.
I will say though that this World Cup has shown how weak an analyst Alexi is compared to the other two. You could tell early on that Thierry and Zlatan were not taking seriously anything he was saying.
I guess football's not coming home this year.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
People were burying Spain after the 0-0 draw with Cape Verde...
Joel Goodson
- it's all ball bearings, nowadays
Lalas and the American match callers (particularly Strong) should be relegated to AYSO
This match is going to be Spain vs. The World... in this sense...
The Hollywood ending is for Messi to win it one more time and end his World Cup career on top as the ultimate winner. And most probably the Futbol GOAT. Everything is set up for that kind of dramatic finish.
But Spain fans care little for that. Their club has climbed the mountain and prevailed against all challengers including favorite France. They have every right to take this singular opportunity to claim the Cup as Theirs. But wouldn’t much of the World see that as a sour ending? It would. It sure isn’t the Hollywood one.
I don’t know how Messi and his club can match the drama that They have already manifested in this epic tournament. But Messi – in that most rarified athletic-realm as a Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky – never ceases to amaze. While we cannot order-up amazing endings-to-go on a delivery app... we can just give our hope that Messi plays another fine game and win or lose goes out with the joy and class that he has always played as.
Maybe a Penalty-Kick finish with Messi taking the final attempt? Hey, if we’re writing Hollywood endings – that isn’t a bad one.
wettsten
- Chicago
for once, we agree. put me down for Team Spain.
wettsten
- Chicago
he's been waiting for this for so long
Well, nobody really WANTS to be here:
See for me this is just whiny and pathetic. There are somewhere in the vicinity of 200 national teams who would kill to trade places with you, and all you can do is whine about it?
I get that they wanted to win the whole thing and they're disappointed, but it's one more opportunity for guys who didn't get to play as much. One more opportunity to get young players World Cup experience. And for both teams there are guys who won't ever play in a World Cup again, and it's one more opportunity for those guys. There's always something to play for.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Lots of England players not playing. Mbappe starting for France.
I get Mbappe is trying to win the Golden Boot, but if i were Real Madrid I would not be happy seeing him start.
From what I can tell, England isn't playing Kane or Pickford.
Nor Bellingham.
Meh, I can blame either side for feeling this way, especially France.
After we lost to UCONN last year, a game vs Zona without Wagler, probably without Drej, without Peat, etc....that game would mean less than a preseason game vs Jackson State.
wettsten
- Chicago
i know i may be an arsenal homer, but we've had 2-3 arsenal players in the pitch (all attacking) against france and scored 5 goals. there's been an arsenal player involved in every goal. meanwhile there was no answer for argentine with no arsenal players since rice was withdrawn 3 minutes prior to their first goal.
That’s the best game I’ve seen since Inter—Barcelona
All 10 goals:
(It’s crazy that it got to 10… but man, they missed sooo many chances. Especially France, but both teams really.)
(It’s crazy that it got to 10… but man, they missed sooo many chances. Especially France, but both teams really.)
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