World Cup 2026 World Cup 2026 - USA/Mexico/Canada

[Webzcas]

So I hope I don't blow their chances, but I am backing Spain in the final on Sunday. They are a quality side. Besides Argentina were dirty last night, lots of fouls going unpunished for one.

As for Saturday's 3rd Place Match. I doubt I will watch it :-(

 

[Webzcas]

 

[itsme123]

Tuchel panicked and played his hand too early. The Burn and O'reilly change let Argentina know that and you could almost sense the change in them from being under pressure to equalize to playing like it was a training session where they had to score 2 in 10 mins.

Nothing actually changed they had been on top for a while by then but those subs were like broadcasting loud and clear that England were now shitting themselves and just trying to hold out.

Only took them a few minutes to equalize after that.

England did well to get as far as they did simply because every match they looked like a team of randoms who have never played together and are trying to figure it out as they go.

I'm also wondering if Kane is not the man for the business end of tournaments. He takes penalties so gets on the score sheet a lot but he seemed to disappear the last two games and doesn't really seem to be a striker who can do it by himself like Haaland/Mbappe.

Bellingham stepped up and without him England would have been out a lot earlier. Gordon showed a lot of class too. Barcelona were smart to get the deal done before the world cup.

Agree with most of this but not the Kane bit- his goal against DRC was top drawer and he did it all himself.
In hindsight Tuchel hasn’t been an upgrade on Southgate , beaten by Japan before the World Cup , scraping a draw against Ghana which probably should have been a defeat if the ref had opened his eyes to the obvious penalty, scraping results against DRC and Mexico was probably as good as he could manage.
£8 million for a downgrade on the previous manager is a serious mistake and somebody needs to take a bit of responsibility for the appointment.

Time to break the bank and get Pep.

 

[jimHorn10]

Tuchel panicked and played his hand too early.

I think this is probably the biggest criticism of Tuchel from that game. The substitutions looked like a message to the players that they were defending a lead rather than trying to win the match. Against a team like Argentina, inviting pressure for 20 minutes is basically asking for trouble. What worries me more is that England still seem to lack that killer instinct. They have players who can hurt anyone, but when the pressure arrives they often become too cautious.

 

[Guntis]

 

[Webzcas]

In light of several Argentina players holding and displaying a banner stating that the Falklands are Argentinian. Someone on Twitter has posted this. I must admit I did laugh a bit!

 

[pereblue]

Let's see which "colony" takes the trophy home!

 

[Webzcas]

haha. FWIW I want Spain to win

 

[pereblue]

Good "Tapas" granted... ;D

 

[2Slots]

Will be interesting.

Seems clear cut that Spain should win but it could turn into a very interesting match.

I think one thing the Eng/Arg match proved is that Argentina aren't just fluking those late wins, they really do come on strong toward the end of the match or extra time.

I don't think doing it four times in the knockouts is just luck or bias.

The same way Spain can make any team completely choke by being so well drilled and confident in their style Argentina just relentlessly keep going and teams eventually break.

 

[dunover]

Spain and Argentina can link arms and have a whinefest over Gibraltar the Falkland Islands after the game.

P.S. That flag the Argie players were holding after the England game looks very similar to the one they raised up over Port Stanley in June 1982, only they've put some writing over it???

 

[Guntis]

Ticket prices for Spain vs Argentina. The capacity of MetLife Stadium is over 82,000.

 

[Guntis]

A Twitter joke about the upcoming FIFA winners

 

[Guntis]

I was also thinking - India has over a billion people, so why can’t they find 11 who can play football and qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

 

[satchnz]

I’ve never really been into football, but as I’m currently living in England, I’ve been taking a keen interest given I’m in the land of football. Being originally from where the national sport is rugby perhaps my opinion is tainted, but JFC football players are a bunch of pussies. The constant hollywood acting and playing up if slightly touched by the opposition is pathetic. Then they get the penalty and up they are running to their spot like nothing happened. Some performances are Oscar worthy.

I know this is a big part of the sport but I’m not sure why it is allowed. I love sports but football just isn’t the sport for me.

I was rooting for England as I felt that winning the cup would have done wonders for the morale of this country. Argentina bringing politics into it was pretty lame and only made them look like sore winners.

 

[racingcat]

those ticket price are an absolute mess, i hope gianni suffocates to all his hoarded cash^^

i think spain will win but if messi keeps his form from after bellingham taunted him the west falklands might have a chance

 

[Guntis]

 

[mcgameboy]

View attachment 224438

Well tbh, they SHOULD be thinking that way.

This is a ZERO CONSEQUENCES match. So just go all out attack...BOTH teams.
Fuck the result, just put on a show. Have it finish 6-4 or whatever.

Let's face it, the final is going to be cagier than a thousand cages locked inside a very, very big cage.
I can't see any chance of seeing a repeat of the 2022 final when it finished 3-3 and went to penalties.

 

[Guntis]

Well tbh, they SHOULD be thinking that way.

This is a ZERO CONSEQUENCES match. So just go all out attack...BOTH teams.
Fuck the result, just put on a show. Have it finish 6-4 or whatever.

Let's face it, the final is going to be cagier than a thousand cages locked inside a very, very big cage.
I can't see any chance of seeing a repeat of the 2022 final when it finished 3-3 and went to penalties.

Hah, kind of. But if England lose to France, loads of actors will be saying all England did through the tournament was beat a few countries where football isn't really a thing.

I'd say if England beats France, that'd matter a lot. Personally I think France is more dangerous to play against that Argentina.

 

[mcgameboy]

Hah, kind of. But if England lose to France, loads of actors will be saying all England did through the tournament was beat a few countries where football isn't really a thing.

I'd say if England beats France, that'd matter a lot. Personally I think France is more dangerous to play against that Argentina.

I think no matter what England choose to do, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
The critics/pundits/journos are going to spin the outcome any way they choose to fit their own agenda and to get their likes and clicks.

So....if faced with a no win situation where the critics are concerned, they may as well try to do something positive to at least entertain the PAYING fans and viewers.
So try and help Kane (or Jude) win the Golden Boot.
Go out ON their shield, instead of hiding BEHIND it.

Besides, they simply do not have the defensive nous to keep a supremely pissed off France out, including an especially super pissed off Mbappe, who WILL want to win the Golden Boot, consolation prize that it is.

So their only option is to try and outscore them. And if they tried, they just might.

 

[sufferinsilence]

The French team doesn't have paying fans or viewers? Kind of a skewed logic there.

But I agree that the final is going to be cagey, as finals usually are. Let's hope the match for 3rd will be entertaining, I don't particularly care who wins but you can be damn sure it matters to both teams. It's a game for both 3rd place and potentially having the topscorer of the tournament.

 

[Guntis]

I think no matter what England choose to do, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
The critics/pundits/journos are going to spin the outcome any way they choose to fit their own agenda and to get their likes and clicks.

So....if faced with a no win situation where the critics are concerned, they may as well try to do something positive to at least entertain the PAYING fans and viewers.
So try and help Kane (or Jude) win the Golden Boot.
Go out ON their shield, instead of hiding BEHIND it.

Besides, they simply do not have the defensive nous to keep a supremely pissed off France out, including an especially super pissed off Mbappe, who WILL want to win the Golden Boot, consolation prize that it is.

So their only option is to try and outscore them. And if they tried, they just might.

1 goal and that's the golden boot for Mbappe (if Messi blanks against Spain). Kane and Bellingham would struggle to get close. Both on 6, Mbappe already has 8.

My observation is that England, in general, want to be "better" than France at certain things. So beating France's top football team at the World Cup would matter not to look right losers

 

[mcgameboy]

The French team doesn't have paying fans or viewers? Kind of a skewed logic there.

But I agree that the final is going to be cagey, as finals usually are. Let's hope the match for 3rd will be entertaining, I don't particularly care who wins but you can be damn sure it matters to both teams. It's a game for both 3rd place and potentially having the topscorer of the tournament.

I wasn't discussing the French team, I was discussing the England team.

Are you seriously suggesting that I DON'T think the French team has paying fans or viewers, given their population (like England) is somewhere close to/north of 60 million? I mean, come on SIS, REALLY?!

If anything, the French critics/journos, in particular L'Equipe, would be even more critical of the French team than the English press would be of the English team.

L'Equipe has a reputation for scathing criticism that is rarely matched.
That is, until you discuss French cyclists who doped in the period between 1990 and 2005, in which case they suddenly go "la la la, nothing to see here"

 

[mcgameboy]

1 goal and that's the golden boot for Mbappe (if Messi blanks against Spain). Kane and Bellingham would struggle to get close. Both on 6, Mbappe already has 8.

My observation is that England, in general, want to be "better" than France at certain things. So beating France's top football team at the World Cup would matter not to look right losers

I agree totally that the odds are very much against Kane and/or Bellingham.
But they have both demonstrated that they can score twice in the same game.
So there is a chance, albeit quite a small one.

For me, Mbappe is the favourite to win the Golden Boot ahead of Messi.
And I don't believe that Mbappe will want to settle for merely 1 goal tomorrow either.
He'll want to put the matter beyond Messi's reach, if at all possible.

 

[Guntis]

Turks usually make meaningful shite for X lol

 

[2Slots]

Something that has amused me is that Olise is likely to play against England in the third place match.

During the tournament I found out that he is London born and doesn't seem to have much connection to France but chose them over England/Algeria/Nigeria as he could choose from four countries due to his parents.

I saw comments that stated he chose France because they had a better chance of major trophies than England.

His thinking was probably correct but it's ironic that it didn't quite work out as expected this time.

 

[Guntis]

What's notable is that there are two top goal scorers across the tournament from the same country, both have 6 goals. Kane and Bellingham.

 

[mcgameboy]

I think Gaybar and Whiny Jr are the ones that belong IN the boot, personally....

Legends? Of/at what exactly? Increasing sales of dummies/pacifiers, canoes and diving equipment in Brazil?

It sure as fuck ain't football.,,,unless it is LEGENDS IN THEIR OWN MINDS, of course.

Maybe get Pele, Carlos Alberto, Messi, Maradona, Mattheus and Beckenbauer in the vehicle and chuck that sorry bunch of "legends" (except Mbappe - who has actually WON a World Cup) out.

Turks usually make meaningful shite for X lol

 

[sufferinsilence]

Something that has amused me is that Olise is likely to play against England in the third place match.

During the tournament I found out that he is London born and doesn't seem to have much connection to France but chose them over England/Algeria/Nigeria as he could choose from four countries due to his parents.

I saw comments that stated he chose France because they had a better chance of major trophies than England.

His thinking was probably correct but it's ironic that it didn't quite work out as expected this time.

Balogun has the American nationality just because his Nigerian mom wasn't allowed back on the plane to London due to being in the late stages of her pregnancy.

Another one who could choose for 3 countries and chose the one where it was the easiest to get in the senior national team I guess. He played for the international English youth teams and never lived or played in the USA.

Rather hypocritical of the US government to "go to war" for him to get his suspension overturned since it's the kind of person they don't want to have the American nationality

Most of the Moroccan players have 2 nationalities too. A lot of them are born in France, Spain, Belgium or the Netherlands. A lof of them also played for their respective international youth teams.

IMO once you've played for a youth team you have chosen. But those aren't the rules.

 

[Guntis]

I think Gaybar and Whiny Jr are the ones that belong IN the boot, personally....

Legends? Of/at what exactly? Increasing sales of dummies/pacifiers, canoes and diving equipment in Brazil?

It sure as fuck ain't football.,,,unless it is LEGENDS IN THEIR OWN MINDS, of course.

Maybe get Pele, Carlos Alberto, Messi, Maradona, Mattheus and Beckenbauer in the vehicle and chuck that sorry bunch of "legends" (except Mbappe - who has actually WON a World Cup) out.

If i remember correctly, i was 4 when black and white TV showed a big torte they made for Pele and put in the centre of the pitch. So I guess those Turks just made something relevant for X to nowadays

 

[Guntis]

Trump shared his football understandings

 

[Guntis]

A cat appears from the bottom when you google Marc Cucurella

 

[Wait!What?]

Is the Third place coming home?

 

[geordiecolin]

Is the Third place coming home?

I honestly do not give a toss except that I have a few free bets so I have gone for England to win by 2 goals and Kane to score.
It has been the most corrupt tourniment I have ever witnessed

 

[racingcat]

i agree that there were many suspicious decisions, mostly in vargentinia games... this special name is well deserved ^^
i really hope that spain repeats the game vs france and doesnt let em stand a chance.

for todays game i think that we´ll see lots of goals, game for 3rd place is great to watch historically, even though the teams would rather be home already.

i d say its 75/25 for france to win since the had 1 more day to wash away their tears

 

[Mr Shine]

My only outstanding bet is Mbappe to get the golden boot and I don't give a stuff about the difference between 3rd/4th so I'm all in on Mbappe for this match.

Any England players not called Kane or Bellingham who want to score a few goals, that's fine too.

 

[dunover]

Who is actually going to watch this pointless charade?? The game no fucker wants to play or be at.

Third place play off indeed. More like the WGAF tie.

 

[mcgameboy]

Who is actually going to watch this pointless charade?? The game no fucker wants to play or be at.

Third place play off indeed. More like the WGAF tie.

I will. Mainly because of the Golden Boot angle.

While I would mostly agree with the sentiments that "no fucker wants to play it", there have been many third place playoff matches that have featured Golden Boot contenders.

Hristo Stoichkov in 1994 springs to mind. Watching him lose his shit as Bulgaria got hammered 4-0 by Sweden, while he tried and failed to score the goal he needed to win it outright (he shared it) was borderline hilarious

Oh....and watching Brazil and Gaybar getting their asses handed to them on their home turf for the second time in five days was to put it mildly, a FUCKING DELICIOUSLY SATISFYING experience.

Also, the WGAF final is rarely lacking in goals.
Uruguay vs Germany in 2010 had Forlan and Thomas Muller fighting for the golden boot.
Both of them scored, Germany won a pretty entertaining game 3-2 and Muller won the boot ahead of Forland and two others because he had more assists.

So yeah...I will give it a chance at least and watch it from the start.
If it gets dull, I can always switch off.

PS Besides, having looked at the Freeview TV listings and seen what else is on offer *, I think the WGAF looks like a pretty sound choice.

* New: Love Island: Unseen Bits (erm....I think all the "bits" have been seen already actually!!)
Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out
Gogglebox
Shallebritee Googlebox
Top of the Pops (from 2001)

Good bloody grief...TV is so f*cking SHITE these days!!
Oh well, at least there is no sight of that pair of Geordie tw*ts, C*nt and D*ck on my TV screen.

 

[sufferinsilence]

Golden boot angle? Only Mbappé is playing, Kane and Bellingham both on the bench...

Both sides not fielding their best 11 is a bit of a fuck you to fans that paid thousands for tickets, accomodations, etc. IMO.

 

[Guntis]

Empty chairs and tables around

 

[mcgameboy]

Golden boot angle? Only Mbappé is playing, Kane and Bellingham both on the bench...

Both sides not fielding their best 11 is a bit of a fuck you to fans that paid thousands for tickets, accomodations, etc. IMO.

I wasn't aware of that until after I had done my post.

Are you going to be nit picking at every single detail in my posts from now on?
Or is this just a temporary fad?

 

[sufferinsilence]

I wasn't aware of that until after I had done my post.

Are you going to be nit picking at every single detail in my posts from now on?
Or is this just a temporary fad?

Just temporary

Only wanted to point out if I was a fan of either side and paid to be there I'd be pissed off.

Nice goal by Rice tho.

 

[mcgameboy]

Just temporary

Only wanted to point out if I was a fan of either side and paid to be there I'd be pissed off.

Nice goal by Rice tho.

I get your point. That said, sometimes the third place playoff can be better than the final.

Just look at some of the finals we have had. 1990, 1994 and 2010 in particular were awful games.

So even if the teams in WGAF finals are largely made of "second XI" players, they are still pretty good players.

And then because the game is a zero consequences for losing type game, the players can play with a bit more freedom, which usually leads to the games being higher scoring.

WTAF? 2-0 England?

 

[mcgameboy]

If Kane and Bellingham knew the French were going to defend like this, they'd have been on their knees begging Tuchel to let them start.

 

[Guntis]

England put players out against France who'd barely had a kick in previous games - and now they're doing their magic. I'd say 1 more goal and France is done for sure.

 

[mcgameboy]

That young French girl with the pigtails looks like she has been told that she can't have any ice cream because it's 800 bucks for a Flake 99.....

 

[Guntis]

England should've let Rashford out vs Argentina.

 

[sufferinsilence]

Tactical masterpiece by Tuchel. It has to be said.

French went from laughing at the hydration break to being humiliated at half time

 

[Guntis]

Yeah, it's a clever move becaue if England lost they could say oh we put out players who usually sit on the bench, and if they win - we beat France without even using our best.

 

[Guntis]

Saka: at least 10 minutes today?

Tuchel: yeah, go and fecking do whatever you want lol