The World Cup starts soon, anybody cares?

[maybetrollingmaybenot]

Third forum where I'm asking about this. I've been saying this for ages: music is the greatest art, physics the greatest science and the greatest sport: football.

Roughly one month to kick off.

 

[Cherubino]

Yeah definitely ... is your country qualified?

 

[maybetrollingmaybenot]

^ Croatia yes. Back in the days I used to live in italy for over a decade so...I'd rut for them but now it's impossible lol. Spain then.
Have a feeling France will re-win it.

 

[Cherubino]

"England in the final" from me ... the fact they've had the most powerful league has to bring about some outcome at some point ... as with Spain a decade ago and Italy before

 

[TropicalStarfish]

Americans tend not only, to not appreciate football/soccer; but, actively put it down.

I dig soccer though. I don't actively keep up with it though. I'm not big on spectating sports in general.

 

[Cherubino]

 

[maybetrollingmaybenot]

"England in the final" from me ... the fact they've had the most powerful league has to bring about some outcome at some point ... as with Spain a decade ago and Italy before

Yeah, most of their best players in the PL are foreigners though. Foden and Kane a ok-ish, Slabhead is a comedy though. Curious if Benzema will play in France who just got the golden ball unsurprisingly and Mbappe being the "new Messi". Actually historically speaking I can't think of any team that I remember who deserved the win entirely, maybe Brazil's golden generation: Roberto Carlos, "fat" Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Juninho back in the days.

 

[user 139760]

Americans tend not only, to not appreciate football/soccer; but, actively put it down.

I dig soccer though. I don't actively keep up with it though. I'm not big on spectating sports in general.

Canadians too. Well not put down, but not be that much fans. I personnally like football over soccer, but I don't like either overly. Not as much as wrestling

 

[user 135671]

the fact they've had the most powerful league has to bring about some outcome at some point .

The Premier League is by far the most watched and most popular league in the world but for me that doesn't equate to being the most powerful or best.

Although the Premier League is based in England (and Wales), it has essentially become an international league, especially in recent years. The majority of owners, managers, players and worldwide supporters are from foreign shores.

Generally speaking, the players in La Liga are more technically gifted than their Premier League counterparts. Furthermore, most would agree that the Bundesliga too is of equal or greater technical quality to the Premier League. This is not a recent development. Certainly the English national team have exposed the lack of emphasis on technical ability in comparison to the rest of Europe over the last two decades. Now that English teams can no longer play at a greater tempo than their Spanish, German and Italian counterparts, their technical deficiencies have become more apparent.

 

[Forgottendanfan]

No, I can't stand it. Over hyped and overpaid immature boys, chasing after a ball.

 

[Cherubino]

The Premier League is by far the most watched and most popular league in the world but for me that doesn't equate to being the most powerful or best.

Although the Premier League is based in England (and Wales), it has essentially become an international league, especially in recent years. The majority of owners, managers, players and worldwide supporters are from foreign shores.

Generally speaking, the players in La Liga are more technically gifted than their Premier League counterparts. Furthermore, most would agree that the Bundesliga too is of equal or greater technical quality to the Premier League. This is not a recent development. Certainly the English national team have exposed the lack of emphasis on technical ability in comparison to the rest of Europe over the last two decades. Now that English teams can no longer play at a greater tempo than their Spanish, German and Italian counterparts, their technical deficiencies have become more apparent.

Yeah, most of their best players in the PL are foreigners though. Foden and Kane a ok-ish, Slabhead is a comedy though. Curious if Benzema will play in France who just got the golden ball unsurprisingly and Mbappe being the "new Messi". Actually historically speaking I can't think of any team that I remember who deserved the win entirely, maybe Brazil's golden generation: Roberto Carlos, "fat" Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Juninho back in the days.

Still England reached semifinals at 2018 WC and the final of 2021 EC (well penalties is a curse for them) so it's a greatest generation for the English national team, only surpassed by that of 1966 ... and when you play the Champions League semifinals with ALL FOUR teams that goes deeper than that I think ... also I have a feeling the Queen will be their protector from above

 

[9006]

Normally football I can take it or leave it, but I like the world cup going to watch the matches, the atmosphere is always great.

 

[Galen]

It's going to feel weird with the WC being held during the winter months. But I better start preparing myself for it all the same. Time difference shouldn't be that great for those in the UK (I hope) lol

 

[Cherubino]

I dislike more the format for the next 2026 WC ... 3 (big) host countries and 48 teams ... 32 is the perfect number

 

[user 135067]

The only cup I'm interested in is the one with my coffee in it.

 

[Galen]

This coming World Cup looking likely to be an even greater sportswashing shitshow than that last one in Russia. Fifa's el-presidente, Infantino urging teams to stick to football and not to make any political statements and then slagging of Western countries of hypocrisy due to the reporting of Qatar's human right's record.
As if he's a paragon of virtue. ********.

Right, now for some important questions : who'll win, who'll be top scorer, who'll be the surprise package, and how the hell did they manage to get away with it by building a stadium looking like a ******?

 

[Cherubino]

England, France, Brasil, Argentina in the semifinals ... but I didn't check if it's technically possible

 

[Galen]

England, France, Brasil, Argentina in the semifinals ... but I didn't check if it's technically possible

France, Brazil, Argentina in the semis, yes. But England.....depends on how lucky they get. Mind you they do have a piss easy group.
One thing though, I can see Belgium choking once again and bombing out...say quarter finals.

 

[Cherubino]

Definitely Belgium keep trying ... England is the birthplace of skepticism that's why they keep losing at penalties haha

 

[user 135671]

Argentina to beat Germany in the final, Messi for the win, followed by a tearful, heartfelt speech about the dubious moral nature of this World Cup and instant retirement. This feels like Argentina’s time, a battle hardened squad with a strong sense of mission (Messi) and an ability to grind out results.

Given injuries, fatigue and the lack of preparation time, this feels a very hard World Cup to predict. Argentina and Brazil are both in great form, albeit having played limited European opposition and should meet in the semis, but the back of Brazil’s midfield is a worry, whereas Argentina, even without Giovani Lo Celso, have a nice balance and the narrative thrust of Lionel Messi in his final World Cup. Germany and Spain look the most coherent European teams and should both make the semis but Germany perhaps have a little more experience.

Arsène Wenger’s maxim, that the team with the best keeper wins the World Cup, holds more often than not.

Karim Benzema ( is he injured? ) looks a good shout for the Golden Boot, particularly considering France’s group and they are in by far the weaker half of the draw, or Cristiano Ronaldo, on the basis he is unlikely to bow out quietly.

For England this could be Jude Bellingham’s tournament. Only 19, he's having the best goalscoring season of his career, nine already for Borussia Dortmund, and his range of other attributes is staggering.