The World Cup 2026 thread!

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I see Belgium having a good chance against Spain to take themselves to the seni-final.

I see France having their way with either of them.

 

[Imrahil]

I see France having their way with either of them.

I fully agree

Grrr, Imrahil

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I fully agree

Grrr, Imrahil

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

With Spain moving through, does France finally have a worthy challenger??


UPDATED: this is the order of the teams in terms of how much I WANT them to win it all (not who I think will win, but who I want to win):

1. Argentina
2. Norway
3. Canada
4. Brazil
5. Switzerland
6. England
7. Spain
8. Belgium
9. USA
10. Mexico
11. Egypt
12. Paraguay
13. Columbia
14. Morocco
15. France
16. Portugal

 

[Killer Angel]

On the plus side, the entire bottom half of my list, save for one, has been wiped out. But on the negative side, that one (France), is currently the most likely to win it all.

yeah, that's my main issue with the current situation

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

yeah, that's my main issue with the current situation

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I lost one favourite, but one goes through. I guess I'll take it. Argentina really made me sweat for it though. With all the upstarts out of the tournament, it comes down to one of four football giants. Somebody will add to their tally. But who?

UPDATED: this is the order of the teams in terms of how much I WANT them to win it all (not who I think will win, but who I want to win):

1. Argentina
2. Norway
3. Canada
4. Brazil
5. Switzerland
6. England
7. Spain
8. Belgium
9. USA
10. Mexico
11. Egypt
12. Paraguay
13. Columbia
14. Morocco
15. France
16. Portugal




I am so happy about this:


Clear and obvious dive. With the replay, there was no shadow of a doubt. This is why we need VAR, in years gone by, the Argentinian player would have been stuck with a yellow card for doing absolutely nothing. I'm glad we're past those days. I hope it haunts Embolo! The dude was already on a yellow and flagrantly tried to cheat. Zero football IQ. He may have cost his team the game.

 

[WildColonial Boy]

Two things I've taken from the world cup:
1. FIFA is still corrupt
2. Every goal keeper has been brilliant.

 

[Killer Angel]

I lost one favourite, but one goes through. I guess I'll take it. Argentina really made me sweat for it though.

I fear argentina is still strong but not the same team of 4 years ago.
They struggled against Capo Verde, Egypt and Switzerland... no one can really criticize someone that reaches the semi-finals, but i wouldn't be surprised if the final will be France - England.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

1. FIFA is still corrupt

You mean wiregate?

(some of you might not be able to see the video, but it looks as though the ball hit the spidercam wire, fell short, and led to England's first goal)

I fear argentina is still strong but not the same team of 4 years ago.
They struggled against Capo Verde, Egypt and Switzerland... no one can really criticize someone that reaches the semi-finals, but i wouldn't be surprised if the final will be France - England.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you might be right... but I really hope that you are wrong.

On the flip side, England as looked vulnerable too. They very easily could have lost that game to Norway.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

 

[Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl]

I am so happy about this:
View attachment 175412

Clear and obvious dive. With the replay, there was no shadow of a doubt. This is why we need VAR, in years gone by, the Argentinian player would have been stuck with a yellow card for doing absolutely nothing. I'm glad we're past those days. I hope it haunts Embolo! The dude was already on a yellow and flagrantly tried to cheat. Zero football IQ. He may have cost his team the game.

As am I... to be honest I was hoping for Switzerland to win here so that England wouldn't have to face the famed Argentinian side, but Embolo's dive was inexcusable, and, indeed, could well have cost Switzerland the win... if they had still had him as their 11th man they could have potentially stopped those last-minute Argentinian goals. Instead, he tried to get away with a dive, and was rightly punished for it. What's worse is how emotional he was getting in trying to override the ref's decision, even when the evidence was fully against him. A serious example of how diving culture has become deeply ingrained in professional football, how footballers openly think they can get away with such behaviour without penalty, and how it needs to be stopped. I honestly hope we see a lot more crackdowns on blatant dives in future.

I fear argentina is still strong but not the same team of 4 years ago.
They struggled against Capo Verde, Egypt and Switzerland... no one can really criticize someone that reaches the semi-finals, but i wouldn't be surprised if the final will be France - England.

You mean wiregate?

(some of you might not be able to see the video, but it looks as though the ball hit the spidercam wire, fell short, and led to England's first goal)



I have a sneaking suspicion that you might be right... but I really hope that you are wrong.

On the flip side, England as looked vulnerable too. They very easily could have lost that game to Norway.

It'll certainly be an interesting game... Argentina have Messi, but he hasn't always showed off his skills this time, particularly in the Switzerland match when he didn't score a single goal. They've certainly ridden their luck as a team this time, allowing complacency to let other, more obscure teams get early goals in against them and forcing them to play catch-up.

Similarly, I cannot deny we played lazily against Norway... we went back to the same old kicking-the-ball-in-triangles game that has cost us so many chances in World Cups since the early 2010s. We were lucky really that Bellingham has really come on as a player of late, and that our defence was generally solid, but we can't keep going on like this. This is a national team, treating the most prestigious football tournament as if it was just a Saturday morning kickabout in the park. Look at how such complacency finished off Brazil, normally World Cup legends only to be sent home by Norway, one of many young upstarts in global football. Honestly, Tuchel was right to be critical, and I certainly hope he gives the team a kick up the backside to up their game. We've seen what they're capable of in the match against Mexico, and they really should be bringing that more aggressive and competitive mindset into this match against Argentina.

I think this match will be very much down to which team is the most complacent, and which can take most advantage of the complacency of their opponents.


It'll also be interesting to see who wins out of Spain and France... two footballing juggernauts. I'd laugh if Spain sent the lauded French team home

 

[Killer Angel]

On the flip side, England as looked vulnerable too. They very easily could have lost that game to Norway.

Yep, England is far from perfect.
Of course, if they manage to reach the final, at least i will stand side by side with @Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

What's worse is how emotional he was getting in trying to override the ref's decision, even when the evidence was fully against him.

I wonder if he really believes what he is arguing. Surely he must know that he is completely guilty, but then again, some people (especially in the heat of the moment) are completely delusional.

Argentina have Messi, but he hasn't always showed off his skills this time, particularly in the Switzerland match when he didn't score a single goal.

To be fair, Messi still played quite well against the Swiss. He got an assist and nearly scored a bunch of times. Like usual, he created opportunities.

England are not without their superstars. Kane and Bellingham have performed very well.

It's a tough game to call. Either team could win.

Of course, if they manage to reach the final, at least i will stand side by side with @Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl

After Argentina, England are the next favourite on my list of teams I'd like to see win. However, it might be hard to cheer for them if they were to knock off my very favourite team after just having knocked out my second favourite team.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

 

[Killer Angel]

After Argentina, England are the next favourite on my list of teams I'd like to see win. However, it might be hard to cheer for them if they were to knock off my very favourite team after just having knocked out my second favourite team.

But of course, if they face France your bitterness may soften...

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

But of course, if they face France your bitterness may soften...

Likely, because the natural disparity between the two is great , but if they were to face Spain...

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

My interest rises and falls with Argentina, but this is funny...

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I'd laugh if Spain sent the lauded French team home

You never know. On paper they are the biggest challenge France has faced thus far. They've only conceded a single goal all tournament long.

I think France has the edge, but we will see.

 

[Killer Angel]

Likely, because the natural disparity between the two is great , but if they were to face Spain...

oh, that would be nice