What’s the definition of “diving”
Messi was awarded a free kick for this:
Messi was awarded a free kick for this:
2026 FIFA World Cup Thread
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These semis are gonna be terrific.
Last time they were bad: Croatia—Argentina and France—Morocco. Neither game was ever in doubt.
Last time they were bad: Croatia—Argentina and France—Morocco. Neither game was ever in doubt.
If it was rigged for FRANCE, then that Paraguay game would not be the way it was.
Just wrong. Defender did nothing wrong.
Just like the U.S. game when they switched yellow cards due to flopping. They need to keep doing that so they eventually can stop the flopping which makes watching so annoying and I like soccer. College basketball needs to stop the flopping too. It is so annoying to reward players for flopping.It is by rule a yellow card. Once you determine he took a dive there the ref literally cannot do anything except give him a yellow card. That's the rule.
Just can't disagree more. If it's a yellow card it's a yellow card and it doesn't matter when in the game it happens, what the score is, or if the guy already has a yellow. Drives me crazy when a player already on a yellow gets special treatment because the ref is too scared to send someone off. It's Embolo's job to remember he already has a card and keep himself from getting another, not the ref's.
That's a foul. You can't just impede an attacker by cutting off his path, you have to stop the ball not the player. That was the correct call and in no universe was that a dive.
blackdog
- Champaign
Yea thats a foul 100 out of 100 times at every level.
It sucks for the Swiss the rule is written the way it was but once they went to review it was obvious what would happen. The only thing that can be argued is why ref even gave a yellow in the first place.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
The only issue is that the Laws and current VAR protocol tie the officials’ hands here. This was reviewed under the “mistaken identity” clause. This means if you identify one player getting a yellow and the other player should get it because of simulation, then you can’t make up something to get out of the yellow for the Swiss player.
FIFA made this a black and white, objective thing. If you card the defender and you then have “mistaken identity” by definition you have to give the caution to the correctly identified player. I think this is a “good in theory, bad in practice” application, but it’s in the Laws and must be followed as written.
Had the referee not carded the Argentina player, nothing happens. So he blows a call and then has to give a card that altered the course of the game
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This is all correct. But the one thing I'll just stress here is it only feels like the yellow card is wrong because most of the time refs are too reluctant to give out yellow cards for simulation, which is why players dive all the time. Nobody likes the diving. But the only way to stop it is to actually punish it which nobody seems to want to do either.
Refs just have to enforce the rule more often. I get not calling simulation when there's some contact and the guy goes down too easy, but if someone is falling down with no contact refs need to bring out the card every time. Giving the ref discretion on the VAR so he can pocket the yellow and not punish the simulation is not a move in the right direction.
I am in 100% agreement with all of this. It's my #1 issue. If you want to enforce the rules, I'm all about it. Let's just be consistent.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Instead of this backdoor “mistaken identity”stuff, I’d respect FIFA and IFAB (the law-making body) much more if they would have just said “simulation is subject to VAR review, period.”
This “give a caution, then check for mistaken identity” is a mess, even if you get to the ultimate right decision.
This “give a caution, then check for mistaken identity” is a mess, even if you get to the ultimate right decision.
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
France in danger.
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
The French are officially toast now.
Big turning point:
1-0 England
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
It is never, ever coming home! LOL
Joel Goodson
- it's all ball bearings, nowadays
Tuchel parking the bus killed his team
A tale as old as time.
I never understand when a quality team does this. I get it when a clearly outmatched team does, but I feel like every time a quality squad does it, it backfires. Probably too much of a departure from how they normally play (as opposed to a team like Paraguay who plays like that every single game).
Big difference trying to bunker against a team with Argentina’s quality compared to Mexico. Two goals, two posts and a great Pickford save without reply.
This weekend should be one for the Ages. Two clubs that both seem to have destiny riding on their shoulders. And a fine Cup send-off for one incredible athlete still riding a most remarkable career.
It’s been a very successful tournament these past weeks mostly on American soil. And that in itself is a big surprise for much of the World audience who didn’t think America even deserved to host the spectacle.
And one more exclamation point to come.
It’s been a very successful tournament these past weeks mostly on American soil. And that in itself is a big surprise for much of the World audience who didn’t think America even deserved to host the spectacle.
And one more exclamation point to come.
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