FIFA World Cup

[Kimbo]

We count the nations league as a major trophy now? I had to look up what their second trophy was.

[Geordie Ahmed]

48 minutes ago, astraguy said:

 

 

They qualified for 2002 without Ronaldo and Pauleta was the top scorer in qualifying for them

 

Pauleta was top scorer again when they qualified for 2006 

 

When qualifying for 2010 they had to go through a play off, with Simao as top scorer, don't think Ronaldo scored a goal 

 

For 2014 he was their top scorer but they needed a play off to get there 

 

For 2018 he was their top scorer

 

For 2022 he was top scorer in the group stage but they needed a play off, where Bruno F was top scorer 

 

 

They qualified for Euro 96 and 2000 without him, they hosted in 2004 and have qualified since

 

Portugal benefitted from both the WC and Euro expansion, combined with increase in talent (before Ronaldo), so this idea that he's dragged Portugal up makes for a lovely tweet but scratch beneath the surface and reality is very much different 

 

 

 

 

[LFEE]

 

[TenkoDaLuz]

https://sports.yahoo.com/company-faces-major-loss-buying-125936596.html

 

Who the fuck is "sure" they'll be world champions at the 4 finals?

 

To make this kind of decision, and looking at the design of the shirt, something tells me this "manager" is your typical "I care only for the NT" football fan who watches football every 4 years and is absolutely clueless. 

 

“I have been really impressed with England’s performance in Qatar and was sure they would win this year’s tournament. When approached by a supplier to sell the shirts, I simply couldn’t say, ‘No.’"

 

- Yes you could, mate. 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by TenkoDaLuz

[The College Dropout]

I think too much is being made of the referee.

 

I like the fact VAR is leaning heavily on the referee's in game decision. The foul on Saka was definitely a foul but it happens such a long time before the goal that i'm not overly upset over it. There was a lot of football to play and defending to do. The biggest issue was being overly concerned with Mbappe, midfielders being too deep and allowing Tchou the free shot.

 

The Kane foul, was a foul but not a penalty. The ref missed it, play on - it wasn't a penalty.

 

The fact he didn't blow for the penalty was annoying but VAR corrected it.

 

Biggest issues was over focus on Mbappe and Southgate not making substitutions based on what was happening on the field and game state. He had Walker babysitting Mbappe for 100 minutes. Shaw ended up being the best crosser of the ball when we were chasing and a right-side of Walker and Sterling. We needed Trippier/Trent and to leave Saka on until his legs went. Rashford needed to come on earlier. And we shouldn't have ended the game with Rice & Bellingham. Silly penalty aside - we didn't create any good opportunities at 2-1 down.

[joeyt]

 

 

[LiquidAK]

8 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

 

What the fuck, there's 2 other "sightings" in the comments under that going back to 2014. Some kind of fan-for-hire?? So weird

[tgarve]

2 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

What the fuck, there's 2 other "sightings" in the comments under that going back to 2014. Some kind of fan-for-hire?? So weird

Wonder if he’s a setup for the cameras 

[cubaricho]

Reminds me of that movie with Ed Helms called The Clapper or something like that. He gets hired to be in crowds clapping.  
 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by cubaricho

[triggs]

Preparing myself to cry with either happiness or sadness in front of my mates in some redneck bar in the Australian outback at 4am on Sunday night watching the final

[Jaqen]

6 hours ago, tgarve said:

Wonder if he’s a setup for the cameras 

 

Goes to every tournament and when England get knocked out he just joins in with whatever fans he thinks are having the most fun. 

 

Had a look on his Instagram and it looks like he has a blast wherever he goes to be fair to him. 

[TheBrownBottle]

On 13/12/2022 at 05:53, astraguy said:

 

Sounds rather less impressive when you realise that:

 

The majority of WCs before Ronaldo only had 16 teams qualify; and from 82-94 only 24 did, reducing Portugal's chances

All Euros before Ronaldo only had 8 teams qualify - actually, before 80 it was only 4.  Which made it very difficult to qualify.  And one of the Euros where they qualified with Ronaldo, they qualified as hosts.  So unless he put together Portugal's bid package, it was only 4 Euros.

 

Portugal has always been a major football country - no-one looks at Holland's lack of WC wins and writes them off as non-entities.

[TheBrownBottle]

18 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

I think too much is being made of the referee.

 

I like the fact VAR is leaning heavily on the referee's in game decision. The foul on Saka was definitely a foul but it happens such a long time before the goal that i'm not overly upset over it. There was a lot of football to play and defending to do. The biggest issue was being overly concerned with Mbappe, midfielders being too deep and allowing Tchou the free shot.

 

The Kane foul, was a foul but not a penalty. The ref missed it, play on - it wasn't a penalty.

 

The fact he didn't blow for the penalty was annoying but VAR corrected it.

 

Biggest issues was over focus on Mbappe and Southgate not making substitutions based on what was happening on the field and game state. He had Walker babysitting Mbappe for 100 minutes. Shaw ended up being the best crosser of the ball when we were chasing and a right-side of Walker and Sterling. We needed Trippier/Trent and to leave Saka on until his legs went. Rashford needed to come on earlier. And we shouldn't have ended the game with Rice & Bellingham. Silly penalty aside - we didn't create any good opportunities at 2-1 down.

Yep, this all feels like classic English scapegoating to me re the referee.  We created very little from open play despite France really not being on their game.  The Kane foul wasn't a pen, so couldn't be brought back.

 

It didn't especially feel like a football robbery to me - England huffed and puffed and created nowt, and fell asleep for the two French goals.

[LFEE]

 

[Disco]

Team of the tournament IMO:

 

Bono

Hakimi - Varane - Gvardiol - Acuna

Bellingham - Amrabat - Ounahi

Griezmann

Messi - Mbappe

[Kid Icarus]

Racking my brains thinking someone must have been better than Acuna, but no one immediately comes to mind. Would have said Hernandez but he's been rash in the box and should have given away another pen last night.

[Disco]

19 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Racking my brains thinking someone must have been better than Acuna, but no one immediately comes to mind. Would have said Hernandez but he's been rash in the box and should have given away another pen last night.

 

Slim pickings for most positions tbh, normally have to put a bit of thought into it but Bellingham v Enzo was the only one where someone didn't immediately spring to mind. Shaw would be a pretty decent shout for LB, or maybe Blind.

[The Prophet]

I'd go something like...

 

Livakovic

 

Hakimi 

Saiss

Gvardiol 

Acuna 

 

Amrabat 

Tchouameni

Enzo 

 

Greizmann 

Mbappe 

Messi

 

Honourable mentions to Dumfries, Ounahi, Bellingham and Alvarez.

[Jaqen]

Feel like Mac Allister should probably get in there. 

[LiquidAK]

The Messi doc on iPlayer is so good. Man I hope this ends with him lifting the cup

[Ben]

Is Roy Keane just Larry David ? 

[Kid Icarus]

Larry David's funny 

[Kid Icarus]

On 15/12/2022 at 19:11, LiquidAK said:

The Messi doc on iPlayer is so good. Man I hope this ends with him lifting the cup

Just watched it myself and it's really good but I'm always left wanting more.

 

Can't wait until there's a Last Dance length documentary on just him.

[gbandit]

I think it’ll be tough to make a long series documentary about Messi as his character for the vast majority of his career has been shy and withdrawn. I can’t imagine him wanting to take part in lots of interviews or if he did, actually disclosing that much. Would happily just watch a documentary that goes through season-by-season his best moments and other people commentating on how he did incredible things, especially his opponents who had to defend against him 

[Kid Icarus]

I'd prefer that really. His life story is worth knowing but I've heard Balague and Graham Hunter tell the same story and speak for him enough. 

 

Not enough is made of his form immediately after 2014 World Cup imo and it's probably my favourite version of Messi, so I'd like to see that in a bit more depth.