The Official Football (Soccer) Thread (v. It's starting again!)

[MirrorMask]

I know it's a one off and while I think the idea behind it isn't that bad, it's still a mess if a tournament is held from Spain to Scandinavia to almost Asia (Azerbaijan). Extreme travel distances, different time zones, different climates etc.

Which is exactly what happens during the qualifications - all teams travel to the other's home, the only difference is that both teams will travel to pre-selected cities and there won't be an "home" team.

But then you have the problem of countries simply being too small (with not enough stadiums) to actually host such a tournament.

Exactly. Everyone with the right organizing skills and with a nation bigger than Luxembourg or Monaco deserves a chance to host a big tournament. Morocco is trying since forever to host a World Cup. If the only thing that is against them is "you don't have enough stadiums and cities", that's a bit unfair.

[Evermind]

South Korea/Japan was bullshit.

What's next? Australia/Austria? North America/North Korea? South America/South Africa?

You make it sound like South Korea & Japan are located on opposing ends of a continent, while they're in fact at the furthest point 400-500 kilometers apart. That's the same distance a team would need to travel within France for instance.

I mean, Moscow and St. Petersburg are like 650 kilometers apart.

[rumborak]

After getting over the initial shock of Germany dropping out, I am almost glad it happened this way. Would have been horrible to watch that abomination of soccer any further, and now German soccer is forced to do a clean cut. Only thing I'm bummed about is that this was finally Reus' first international competition, and he plays well, but the rest of the team lets him down.

[Nekov]

It also reduces the possibility to repair your own mistakes. Argentina could, Germany couldn't but if they had won against South Korea they would have went through. You make one mistake in a single match and you're home before you know it.

What's next? Spain, Portugal and France co-hosting? all the nordic nations of Europe hosting together? Chile, Argentina and Uruguay south-south American bid?

Regarding the first part, think about the teams that will be added. You'll get some South American and European teams that will be good, but what are Africa and Asia going to bring to the table? Or North America for that matter? Panama, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco. All those teams made it this time and sucked big times, what are the teams that come under them going to do? You have a guaranteed loser in every group so unless someone reaaaaaaally fucks up then all the good nations should get by pretty easily.

On the second part, as Elite pointed out handling a world cup with so many teams will be impossible for a single country. Not only that, with the current format the only nation that hasn't lost money organizing a world cup lately was Germany and that's because their infrastructure was already there. That's why you get multiple countries bidding in, to shed cost.
And it's Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay that are planning to bid for 2030 

After getting over the initial shock of Germany dropping out, I am almost glad it happened this way. Would have been horrible to watch that abomination of soccer any further, and now German soccer is forced to do a clean cut. Only thing I'm bummed about is that this was finally Reus' first international competition, and he plays well, but the rest of the team lets him down.

I'm really bummed about Marco too. He is one of my favorite players in the world.

[ariich]

I think the problem is the timing. First round finished yesterday, and the next round starts tomorrow. If you had a draw today, teams would have little time to plan flights and hotels or whatever else they needed. Same thing would happen with fans and that would be worse. The way it is right now you have at least a couple of days to find hotels and how to get there.

I'm not sure it's necessarily about logistics so much as it would mean even more discrepancy in how long teams have between their final group stage match and their second round match. The predetermined brackets mean that all teams have a broadly similar gap.

It works in the Champions League because all games are played concurrently (well ok over two nights) and the next round is weeks later.

[MirrorMask]

I think the problem is the timing. First round finished yesterday, and the next round starts tomorrow. If you had a draw today, teams would have little time to plan flights and hotels or whatever else they needed. Same thing would happen with fans and that would be worse. The way it is right now you have at least a couple of days to find hotels and how to get there.

I'm not sure it's necessarily about logistics so much as it would mean even more discrepancy in how long teams have between their final group stage match and their second round match. The predetermined brackets mean that all teams have a broadly similar gap.

I didn't think of this. Having all the tournament mapped out indeed makes for equal resting time between all matches.

Still, while I understand TV rights and how important they are.... while one finalist has to rest one more day than the other with the two semi finals occouring a day apart?

[Elite]

Because the finals are always three-four days later than the semi-finals anyway. That's plenty of time for a world-class athlete to 'rest'.

[MirrorMask]

France vs. Argentina has all the ingredients for a great spectacle ...


... so it will probably be a snooze fest which ends in a penalty shootout 

And luckily it was not!!!! SEVEN goals!!! France going on top then going under then going up again with a vengeance! kickass goals all around and the final thrill of Argentina scoring! whoah, what a match!!!! 

I don't really care for France or Argentina but damn, this was awesome!

No Ronaldo vs Messi in the quarter finals,  I would have loved to see that.

[Elite]

Great match indeed!! Loved seeing France play at their best and they fully deserved the win. Sad for Messi, but the rest of his team just didn't match up.

[faizoff]

That Argentinian team really needs to grow up and play with a little more professionalism. When they scored the 3rd goal with just under a minute left, why start fighting and wasting more time? Several of these incidents throughout the game and even prior games too. France played fantastic and they can honestly go all the way through.
But man what a game, the back and forth along with some amazing playing made for one of the best games I've seen so far.

Obviously bummed for Messi but he can't be Lebron and carry the entire team.

Hope this Uruguay Portugal is a worthy followup.

[Train of Naught]

I followed the first half on and off through commentary at the beach, and then missed the first 25 minutes of the second half biking home.. so I only missed like, 4 FUCKING GOALS

Uruguay vs. Portugal has all the ingredients for a great spectacle ...


... so it will probably be a snooze fest which ends in a penalty shootout 

[MirrorMask]

Anyway, no matter the competition or the continent, one thing always stays the same: a player of the winning team being replaced always, ALWAYS walks in the slowest possible way to lose some time. It never fails to happen, at every single match.

[Elite]

That Argentinian team really needs to grow up and play with a little more professionalism. When they scored the 3rd goal with just under a minute left, why start fighting and wasting more time?

I didn't get this either, not at all.

[Evermind]

Really like Uruguay's style so far! Hopefully they win this one.

[Elite]

Wow! That was an exciting match indeed

Really glad with the result

[faizoff]

Amazing game again. A treat to see back to back exciting games. That Uruguay defense is like a fortress, didn't help Portugal that most of their shots were wide and several crosses went flat.

France and Uruguay will be a great game to see.

[Evermind]

Indeed it was! Cavani is a beast, holy shit. Hopefully he can play next game.

[RoeDent]

Two epic games today, something I didn't expect, especially from France who have been quite dismal to watch before they finally turned up today.

The bottom half of the bracket is so fascinating. If Spain don't get to the final, then one of Russia, Denmark, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, Colombia or England will be a World Cup Finalist. Crazy to think about, really. The seven of them have clocked up a total of TWO World Cup Final appearances, Sweden in 1958 and England in 1966.

[MirrorMask]

Messi and Ronaldo go down together in the same day without scoring a goal, while the other stars, Mbappè and Cavani, owns them. And of course Cavani is injured and so for France it will be easier 

I already fear a France vs Spain final, for an italian, and of course speaking only of football rivalries, it's the worst possible final ever  the only good thing about such a final - at least one of them is sure to suffer 

Today: go Russia go, show Spain what it's like to come to Russia with high hopes and have them crushed! 

(And I still root for Denmark for touristic reasons)

[Evermind]

Yeah, hopefully it won't be France vs Spain.

Rooting for Russia and Croatia today. Probably won't watch the second game, but definitely gonna watch Russia - Spain.

[Train of Naught]

For today, Ruslan, we aren't friends. Good luck to Russia of course, but I have to root for my team

[Tomislav95]

If Croatia win today, one of you two isn't my friend anymore
I'd like to see France in final as I liked their style yesterday and I hope they will play more similar to that than their games in group phase. But of course, Brazil or Belgium will probably be on their way so...
Would like to see someone "new" in finals though. Let's say Uruguay vs Croatia

[Evermind]

For today, Ruslan, we aren't friends. Good luck to Russia of course, but I have to root for my team

My prediction is that Spain wins 4-1. But I hope I'll be wrong.

[MirrorMask]

Kinda random comment but one of the funniest things to see (like it happened during Portugal vs Uruguay) is when the goalkeeper, at the end of a match that's being lost, comes forward for the final action.

The sense of desperation, the "nothing to lose" factor, the off chance that the goalkeeper becomes a hero scoring a goal or disturbing enough the action to allow other players to strike (or, on the other hand, the supreme lulz of scoring from 60 meters like South Korea did to Germany)... they're always exciting moments 

I wish goalkeepers would do that more often.

[Tomislav95]

Kinda random comment but one of the funniest things to see (like it happened during Portugal vs Uruguay) is when the goalkeeper, at the end of a match that's being lost, comes forward for the final action.

The sense of desperation, the "nothing to lose" factor, the off chance that the goalkeeper becomes a hero scoring a goal or disturbing enough the action to allow other players to strike (or, on the other hand, the supreme lulz of scoring from 60 meters like South Korea did to Germany)... they're always exciting moments 

I wish goalkeepers would do that more often.

You should see this, goalkeeper scores in 96th minute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA13rZEpLQ0 Even though I saw it live (my brother and father are fans) I'm not really sure why he risked getting forward though, it's not like it was the last match of the league (and it was Croatian league, not cup)

[MirrorMask]

Probably he was just a bit crazy. Like Higuita and his scorpion kick thing, goalkeepers can be insane 

[Tomislav95]

I know, I was a goalkeeper

[Train of Naught]

Very..... 'interesting' decision of Spain to leave out the best player of the team thus far, Iniesta, out of the starting 11. What the hell

[Evermind]

Aaaaand here we go.

[Tomislav95]

Very..... 'interesting' decision of Spain to leave out the best player of the team thus far, Iniesta, out of the starting 11. What the hell

At least it's Asensio... and he assisted for goal

[Train of Naught]

Not gonna lie, that was a preeeetty boring first half.

2 goals (own goal and a penalty) and what, 1 shot on goal total? (Costa in the very last minute of the first half)

Anyway, gonna miss the first few minutes of the second half, hope I don't fall into another France Argentina scenario today

[Zantera]

Very..... 'interesting' decision of Spain to leave out the best player of the team thus far, Iniesta, out of the starting 11. What the hell

Isn't he like 35 now? Surely there's better options...

First half kinda boring mainly cause Russia going on the defense and Spain passing it sideways for most of first half...

[Evermind]

Yeah, that was really boring so far tbh.

[faizoff]

Spain with a super boring passing only strategy. Barely any shot at goal pfff. Just in the last couple of minutes have they played with some urgency. Iniesta with a cracker of a shot. This thing looks like it's going to penalties.

[MirrorMask]

That's also 30 minutes more in the legs for the team that will win. Not that I think for athletes of this level it's gonna be such a big difference, but still....

Oh and I totally look forward to penalties and Russia pwning Spain