World Cup 2028

[Steve]

Can Croatia stop the Messi-Machine?!?!

Ha!

[Ithilan]

Can Croatia stop the Messi-Machine?!?!

Apparently so goodbye Messi, this is Ronaldo's tournament Very eventful game and what a goal from Modric. This is the world cup of drops and VAR penalties though, horrible error from Caballero.

Also a bad game again from Denmark, good first twenty minutes and then they just gave the iniative to Australlia. A fair VAR decision, but man this is frustrating as hell to watch. It is a grey zone what decisions get reviewed and with some expectation it would make things more balanced and fair, it comes short and might favor even more diving and putting pressure on the match officials to review incidents? If you stay on your feet and keep going for the ball, they just ignore it afterwards it seems.. meh.

France was a bore to watch as well, no risks taken, passive side ways football and a few explosive runs from Mbappe. Team of individuals with little relation to each other and lack of any consistency in their build up play. A few glimpses of class and star quality but with their efforts in the past two games, I think Denmark can get a point from them and advance to the next round

[Progressive-Psy]

I am very disappointed in the matches I've seen, world-class players diving, I saw the Portugal match yesterday, and I lost everything for Ronaldo, and what was Pepe doing when he got patted on the back? Falling to the ground? Cause someone padded him ON THE BACK, same with Marocco's keeper, he jumped to the ground whining when someone ALMOST stepped on his toe. Use the VAR to punish those players as well, hand them the red card and its done. These players diving are ruining the game.

How can a player like Ronaldo act like that? Is this what he wants us to remember him for? A bunch of you probably remember Rivaldo, he was really good, I know that. But all I remember him for is this.



It annoys me that they get away with ruining the sport.

And no I am not a Messi fan, he probably does it as well!

[Nyeleni]

I don't remember Messi doing it but yeah everybody does it. Ronaldo is famous for diving, there is even a compilation of famous dives and Ronaldo is in it twice. Pepe has a history of diving too. Another one is Busquets. You only have to blow in his direction and he falls like a leaf in fall.

Sometimes though it is not diving. If you are really fast a slight touch might bring you out of balance and struggling to stay on your feet.

Still. I agree on punishing the cheaters with the VAR.

As far as the rudest game so far it is Croatia against Argentina. No surprise on Argentina though they made it only in the last match to qualify for the World Cup. Sampaoli didn't even bring all the best players and has a few favourites. With such a coach you cannot win.

Croatia otoh is the team to watch so far. Modric and Rakitic are owning the midfield like no other.

And yes Denmark and Urugay are some of the teams who stole their points so far. But luck is part of the game. The first and prolly the last championship for Spain was only won playing 1-0 in the knockout stage.

[Nyeleni]

Neymar: what a hateful personality. He is very unfair! Good thing he left Barcelona.

South America doesn't convince so far at all. They will struggle to reach the last knockout stages of this tournament if they don't improve a lot.

Argentina is an oddball case where it's said that Messi actually runs the show, for example
I had heard Simeone had been considered for manager before Sampaoli but Messi vetted him, obviously because El Cholo is more of a personality and wouldn't stand for a 10 man show + Messi on top.

Their organisation AFA is a hotbed of corruption too. FIFA has threatened a few times to exclude Argentina from qualifications and tournaments.

[Ithilan]

Messi cant stand for the pressure they put on his shoulders, he doesnt have the character to find motivation in it. Fifa might sing him praises, but his career on the national team is not exceptional at all and his presence is more of a hindrance to so many other quality players they have, than a boon.

How they reached the final in 2014 still has me confused, most boring team of the WC then, didnt deliver anything better this time around. I hope they crash out of the world cup.

Plenty of diving and petty players around these days, from Neymar to Mbappe, Dele Alli and Sterling. The list is rather long sadly and so many of these are young super talents and prospects, I hope someone confronts them with their distasteful approach to the game, for some of them though it seems to go beyond. As you say Nyeleni, Neymar is a hateful personality or at least he comes off that way. I cant stand the guy and his smug arrogant attitude towards other players, he conducts himself entirely without humility or dignity towards clubs or players, friends or opposition it doesnt matter. I hope he returns to spain and never comes to england, sorry Nyel

Edit: and omg that rivaldo clip, I remember him for nothing else as well Progressive-Psy. He made me lose all sympathy for brazil back then, despite having Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, the phenomenon! <3

[Steve]

Ouch. Iceland failed that round.

I don't like Neymar's hair.

And like...does anyone care about Swiss or Serb?!? It's not like either are Croatia!!!

[Nyeleni]

I care about the Swiss! And they won!

And btw. Rakitic was born in CH.

[Progressive-Psy]

Deutschland! Deutschland! Deutschland!

[Steve]

A LOT of nervous biers are being drunk right now!

[Valefort]

Soooooo good, the dramatic tension Sorry for Sweden though !

[Steve]

One has to admit that was a fantastic setup on the final kick.

Those Germans...so tricky!

[Ithilan]

Kroos. The best player at 2014 wc, shows class when Germany need it most. Don't feel sorry for sweden and guidetti :p hate that guy.

[Lockonnow]

Germans are know for luck in Footbold

[Nyeleni]

Kroos. The best player at 2014 wc, shows class when Germany need it most. Don't feel sorry for sweden and guidetti :p hate that guy.

LOL a Dane hating a Swede, how odd. That guy did a good job with Celta though.

And Kroos only showed some class in the last minute. He was awful all the game long. 2 very bad passes, and the first one led to the 1-0 for the Swedes.

Him and Gündogan who was making the Germans look slow should be exchanged for the next matches.