FIFA World Cup

[ramirez]

Jordan is no stranger to being pumped. 
 

Jamaica and Suriname the last two in that mad tournament. This is going to play havoc with the panini album, will cost about a grand to complete.

[TheBrownBottle]

2 hours ago, Stifler said:

It’s still officially part of the Netherlands.

It also has some very ‘interesting’ laws re prostitution.  Effectively legalised trafficking 

[The College Dropout]

4 hours ago, The Butcher said:

22 of 23 players in their squad born in Holland

So what?

[SteV]

17 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

So what?

So does it really feel like an independent, sovereign country?

 

I can’t be arsed to start a debate about the merits of these principalities / territories having their own teams, and if you’re all for them, then fine, but surely you could see why someone could take a different view, even if you disagree?

[tgarve]

6 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The NL teams are the biggest pisstake of all.  Trying to think of a more desperate, stupid and convoluted way of doing what should be a relatively straightforward tie between group runners-up.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m still thinking. 

What ?

[SteV]

45 minutes ago, tgarve said:

What ?

If you win your Nations League group and don’t qualify for the WC outright or for the playoffs, you still automatically get a place in the playoffs.

 

See Sweden, North Macedonia, Romania and Northern Ireland.

[Optimistic Nut]

Can understand the Nations League maybe helping qualification to the Euros, but World Cup is a stretch. 

[tgarve]

34 minutes ago, SteV said:

If you win your Nations League group and don’t qualify for the WC outright or for the playoffs, you still automatically get a place in the playoffs.

 

See Sweden, North Macedonia, Romania and Northern Ireland.

That was known at the time though. And they play the top seed it’s not that critical 

[Astroblack]

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

So what?

Did England ever try with Erling? We should have but I’m sure Norway probably had him wrapped up early. I remember there was a time Mikel Arteta was close or trying to get the paperwork in to get in to the England team.  
 

Would have been nice tbh. Think we were playing Barry and Parker those days. 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2025 by Astroblack

[The College Dropout]

3 hours ago, SteV said:

So does it really feel like an independent, sovereign country?

 

I can’t be arsed to start a debate about the merits of these principalities / territories having their own teams, and if you’re all for them, then fine, but surely you could see why someone could take a different view, even if you disagree?

 

1 hour ago, Astroblack said:

Did England ever try with Erling? We should have but I’m sure Norway probably had him wrapped up early. I remember there was a time Mikel Arteta was close or trying to get the paperwork in to get in to the England team.  
 

Would have been nice tbh. Think we were playing Barry and Parker those days. 

 

 

 

That's a weird comparison to make. Most of the Curacao players are descended from people born and raised in Curacao. Coming from enslaved people brought by the Dutch 500 odd years ago. What's that got to do with the Haalands?

 

Curacao is more similar to Wales as it's part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. If Wales and Scotland are allowed to be independent nations in football then I think it's fine for Curacao.

 

[SteV]

8 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Curacao is more similar to Wales as it's part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. If Wales and Scotland are allowed to be independent nations in football then I think it's fine for Curacao.

Fair enough. 
 

But if 95%+ of the Wales squad were born in England, you could at least see why people might question their independence, regardless of ancestry.

[Optimistic Nut]

What a guy Craig Gordon is by the way. Was pretty much retired at 30 due to injuries, was doing punditry and helping coach Cowdenbeath before coming back after 2 years with no football. Had a double leg break at 40 year old and now looks like he could be number 1 during the World Cup at 43-years old. Unreal. 

[leffe186]

Ukraine, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland please.

[SteV]

5 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

What a guy Craig Gordon is by the way. Was pretty much retired at 30 due to injuries, was doing punditry and helping coach Cowdenbeath before coming back after 2 years with no football. Had a double leg break at 40 year old and now looks like he could be number 1 during the World Cup at 43-years old. Unreal. 

Credit to him for everything you’ve just outlined.

 

But it’s a fairly damning indictment of the state of Scottish goalkeeping that a 43 year old is the countries No.1 choice, and from my limited knowledge, it doesn’t seem like there’s anyone particularly close in terms of challenging him.

[Astroblack]

1 hour ago, The College Dropout said:

 

That's a weird comparison to make. Most of the Curacao players are descended from people born and raised in Curacao. Coming from enslaved people brought by the Dutch 500 odd years ago. What's that got to do with the Haalands?

 

Curacao is more similar to Wales as it's part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. If Wales and Scotland are allowed to be independent nations in football then I think it's fine for Curacao.

 

 

I'm just looking for as many loopholes I can find to field the best England team possible tbh. 

 

After I saw Danny Higginbotham playing for Gibraltar, I'd like to exploit the rules like other nations do. 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2025 by Astroblack

[The College Dropout]

58 minutes ago, Astroblack said:

 

I'm just looking for as many loopholes I can find to field the best England team possible tbh. 

 

After I saw Danny Higginbotham playing for Gibraltar, I'd like to exploit the rules like other nations do. 

 

 

 

There's a vast difference in the lineage of people from Curacao - mostly descendants of enslaved people brought to that island 500-600 years ago by the Dutch. In the last 50 years, some have moved to Netherlands.

 

It's not really the same as Higginbotham playing for Gibraltar is it?

[ramirez]

Hope as many of the home nations can qualify in the play offs, would like Italy to be there as well though.  Bolivia and Suriname from the play offs.

[Coffee_Johnny]

Chuffed Scotland made it. Had a great drinking session with the Tartan Army on Saturday in Athens. 

[Fak]

26 minutes ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

Chuffed Scotland made it. Had a great drinking session with the Tartan Army on Saturday in Athens. 

 

On the Mythos?

[Coffee_Johnny]

1 hour ago, Fak said:

 

On the Mythos?

And the Ouzo and the Mastic and Whisky (oh! And a cocktail with absinthe and cognac…) 🤕 

[Kanj]

Mythos is >>>>>>>>>

[midds]

 

I think? 

[cubaricho]

So many fucking teams  

[MagPar]

Norway in pot 3, nae luck to the "higher ranked" teams that get drawn with them.

[toon25]

40 minutes ago, cubaricho said:

So many fucking teams