football anyone? as in soccer...

[ThatIsNotCricket]

I saw one of those “this economist has predicted the last three world cups” blah blah blahs recently.   His prediction was an all Europe semis: England vs Portugal, Netherlands vs I forget, with Netherlands beating Portugal in the Finals. 

Would be hilarious for Ronaldo to lose in the finals.  Still have a lot of loathing in my heart for him from 2006

Haha. Yeah, no, we are not coming anywhere close to the semi-finals. We'll make the quarter finals if we're lucky.

I believe the draw/bracket allows for a quarter final Argentina-Portugal. That would be an historic match regardless of outcome.

Is there a chance of Morocco-Senegal along the way? That would be fantastic. 

[V Badun]

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Im sure argentina will do well enough.. it’s not easy to win tight games against them when they get one penalty per game and they constantly get a pass for rough play. Last wc was a joke for that. But whatever, marketing is everything and money completely took over the game.

[close]

Haha. Sure, buddy. Look, I'm Dutch, and although I was also annoyed at Argentina clearly ramping up the tension by misrepresenting what van Gaal etc. said pre-match (which in itself is a big achievement: finding the one time van Gaal was not being a tool, and then claim he was being a tool), it's really weird behaviour to play the victim of some sort of giant plot to make Argentina world champions.

I think I underestimated how strong Argentina is (with new stars arriving like Nico Paz and Simeone, and the break-out stars of 2022 having had a really strong four years and grown into absolute world class players). And maybe I've overestimated Brazil a little. It seems they're still in a pretty mediocre spell for their standards.

Probably the biggest robbery on that tournament.. Argentina was immune to 2nd yellow cards.. ITS REALLY WIERD BEHAVIOR to think there is match fixing in FOOTBALL? I don’t believe anyone made them the world champions but they did dragged them to the finals which was the plan I’m sure. France choked that’s it.. but hey me and few millions of people share the same opinion who knows maybe we are al crazy.

Check this video out and tell me would ANY of these be given in premier league or against Argentina?

https://youtu.be/zriNh7yXvig?is=AwLCdaHqffJ_tIKa

[ThatIsNotCricket]

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Im sure argentina will do well enough.. it’s not easy to win tight games against them when they get one penalty per game and they constantly get a pass for rough play. Last wc was a joke for that. But whatever, marketing is everything and money completely took over the game.

[close]

Haha. Sure, buddy. Look, I'm Dutch, and although I was also annoyed at Argentina clearly ramping up the tension by misrepresenting what van Gaal etc. said pre-match (which in itself is a big achievement: finding the one time van Gaal was not being a tool, and then claim he was being a tool), it's really weird behaviour to play the victim of some sort of giant plot to make Argentina world champions.

I think I underestimated how strong Argentina is (with new stars arriving like Nico Paz and Simeone, and the break-out stars of 2022 having had a really strong four years and grown into absolute world class players). And maybe I've overestimated Brazil a little. It seems they're still in a pretty mediocre spell for their standards.

[close]

Probably the biggest robbery on that tournament.. Argentina was immune to 2nd yellow cards.. ITS REALLY WIERD BEHAVIOR to think there is match fixing in FOOTBALL? I don’t believe anyone made them the world champions but they did dragged them to the finals which was the plan I’m sure. France choked that’s it.. but hey me and few millions of people share the same opinion who knows maybe we are al crazy.

Check this video out and tell me would ANY of these be given in premier league or against Argentina?

https://youtu.be/zriNh7yXvig?is=AwLCdaHqffJ_tIKa

A. No one said there's no match fixing in football anywhere. B. I think your take is even weirder than I thought: so everything was fixed for Argentina to win, the entire tournament, but for the final they said 'nah, that one's probably gonna be an easy win, no need to fix anything more'. C. Good point; there's not been any instance in which millions of people were wrong about something, ever. Can't argue with that one.

Anyways, as a Dutchman I can't sit here and cry foul when we go got away with a yellow here:



And we got a penalty here:

[Alan]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/06/iraq-aymen-hussein-questioned-us-entry-world-cup

"Iraq’s World Cup striker, Aymen Hussein, was held and questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after arriving with the squad early on Saturday, an Iraqi sporting official said.

Hussein was finally allowed in, but the team’s photographer was barred from entering the United States, said the official who works for the Iraqi Olympic Committee, but has close contacts with the team.

There was no immediate comment from the Iraqi Football Association, or from Hussein, a talismanic figure who scored the goal that secured the team’s qualification for the finals.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the reported questioning that was also covered by Iraqi media."

[V Badun]

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Im sure argentina will do well enough.. it’s not easy to win tight games against them when they get one penalty per game and they constantly get a pass for rough play. Last wc was a joke for that. But whatever, marketing is everything and money completely took over the game.

[close]

Haha. Sure, buddy. Look, I'm Dutch, and although I was also annoyed at Argentina clearly ramping up the tension by misrepresenting what van Gaal etc. said pre-match (which in itself is a big achievement: finding the one time van Gaal was not being a tool, and then claim he was being a tool), it's really weird behaviour to play the victim of some sort of giant plot to make Argentina world champions.

I think I underestimated how strong Argentina is (with new stars arriving like Nico Paz and Simeone, and the break-out stars of 2022 having had a really strong four years and grown into absolute world class players). And maybe I've overestimated Brazil a little. It seems they're still in a pretty mediocre spell for their standards.

[close]

Probably the biggest robbery on that tournament.. Argentina was immune to 2nd yellow cards.. ITS REALLY WIERD BEHAVIOR to think there is match fixing in FOOTBALL? I don’t believe anyone made them the world champions but they did dragged them to the finals which was the plan I’m sure. France choked that’s it.. but hey me and few millions of people share the same opinion who knows maybe we are al crazy.

Check this video out and tell me would ANY of these be given in premier league or against Argentina?

https://youtu.be/zriNh7yXvig?is=AwLCdaHqffJ_tIKa

[close]

A. No one said there's no match fixing in football anywhere. B. I think your take is even weirder than I thought: so everything was fixed for Argentina to win, the entire tournament, but for the final they said 'nah, that one's probably gonna be an easy win, no need to fix anything more'. C. Good point; there's not been any instance in which millions of people were wrong about something, ever. Can't argue with that one.

Anyways, as a Dutchman I can't sit here and cry foul when we go got away with a yellow here:



And we got a penalty here:

I said that final was up for grabs and not given to them but their road to finals had many bad decisions . You don’t have to be so cynical and yes you said 20 times that you are Dutchman. 👌

[ThatIsNotCricket]

I'm Dutch, and I have to say there's little more cynical than thinking the whole World Cup 2022 was fixed, just because one or two decisions in the match against my country, the Netherlands, went Argentina's way.

p.s.: I am Dutch

[excitableboy]

Eriksen of pro football now I would guess. Dreadful, but he walked off the pitch by himself apparently. Modern medicine is utterly incredible.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

Eriksen of pro football now I would guess. Dreadful, but he walked off the pitch by himself apparently. Modern medicine is utterly incredible.

Damn, hadn't seen that yet. Jezus man, not again..Good to read he's conscious and seems okay. Yeah, I think it'll be a farewell to football for him now. I'm sure he was planning for this to be his last Denmark tournament anyway (not sure how old he is exactly). Hope he can just tag along with them throughout on the bench, soaking up the atmosphere and all for the last time. Well, could actually see him become a manager or something in the future.

[excitableboy]

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Eriksen of pro football now I would guess. Dreadful, but he walked off the pitch by himself apparently. Modern medicine is utterly incredible.

[close]

Damn, hadn't seen that yet. Jezus man, not again..Good to read he's conscious and seems okay. Yeah, I think it'll be a farewell to football for him now. I'm sure he was planning for this to be his last Denmark tournament anyway (not sure how old he is exactly). Hope he can just tag along with them throughout on the bench, soaking up the atmosphere and all for the last time. Well, could actually see him become a manager or something in the future.

Denmark didn't qualify actually.

[brycickle]

Glad his ICD worked as designed.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

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Eriksen of pro football now I would guess. Dreadful, but he walked off the pitch by himself apparently. Modern medicine is utterly incredible.

[close]

Damn, hadn't seen that yet. Jezus man, not again..Good to read he's conscious and seems okay. Yeah, I think it'll be a farewell to football for him now. I'm sure he was planning for this to be his last Denmark tournament anyway (not sure how old he is exactly). Hope he can just tag along with them throughout on the bench, soaking up the atmosphere and all for the last time. Well, could actually see him become a manager or something in the future.

[close]

Denmark didn't qualify actually.

Denmark didn't qualify?! Damn. When did that happen? Same night as Italy's collapse?

[Atiba Applebum]

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Eriksen of pro football now I would guess. Dreadful, but he walked off the pitch by himself apparently. Modern medicine is utterly incredible.

[close]

Damn, hadn't seen that yet. Jezus man, not again..Good to read he's conscious and seems okay. Yeah, I think it'll be a farewell to football for him now. I'm sure he was planning for this to be his last Denmark tournament anyway (not sure how old he is exactly). Hope he can just tag along with them throughout on the bench, soaking up the atmosphere and all for the last time. Well, could actually see him become a manager or something in the future.

[close]

Denmark didn't qualify actually.

[close]

Denmark didn't qualify?! Damn. When did that happen? Same night as Italy's collapse?

Yes to Czechia

[OldieButFrenchie]

->ThatIsNotCricket
I was about to write a long reply, but I am so over this.... Again, it's been 6 years. And I don't know why you seem to think this a gotcha moment. Again I stand by what I said and none of it is racist. Unlike the false sentences you tried to attribute to me at first. So if anyone lied here, it was you, not me.

Anyways! back to football. You seemed to extend an olive branch, I'll take it, let's move past this.
If France don't go all the way, I would like Portugal to take it. They never won it and their midfield is full of PSG players!
I will also support Colombia, my bio-family's team, that has a pretty solid squad it seems.

As for rivalries, the main one for France used to be Germany, cause they used to always knock us out in big competitions and the Batiston-Schumacher "incident" traumatized the older generations (my first memory of football!!). For younger fans, I'd say the main rivalries are Argentina, followed by Belgium a distand second maybe. But honestly the bad blood with Argentina is crazy deep, when you take into account: the 2018 game, the 2022 final, the olympic games quarter final in 2024, their racist chanting after Copa America in 2024.... The fact that they were even thinking of France while winning the Copa America just shows deep this shit is really.

[Atiba Applebum]

Cannot get behind Portugal winning bc of Cristiano Ronaldo

[Síota]

Never forget:



So won't be backing France even thou I live here. Yes I know it was 2009 but still.

[OldieButFrenchie]

Never forget:



So won't be backing France even thou I live here. Yes I know it was 2009 but still.

ha totally understandable! I still haven't forgiven Germany and that was 82....
by far the worst offense I've ever seen on a football pitch. Assault basically. and no card, no penalty. for those who have never seen it:

[Síota]

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Never forget:



So won't be backing France even thou I live here. Yes I know it was 2009 but still.

[close]

ha totally understandable! I still haven't forgotten Germany and that was 82....
by far the worst offense I've ever seen on a football pitch. Assault basically. and no card, no penalty. for those who have never seen it:

Way before my time, but that kit is dope! If it ends up France vs England, I'll back France of course.

[Atiba Applebum]

The only thing I really want out of the tournament is England v Mexico in the Quarterfinals.   Possible, but perhaps not likely.   A rare matchup that would be huge to get my group back together

[OldieButFrenchie]

did you guys see this?? holy shit....



cantona with the seagulls killed me! zlatan too....

[V Badun]

I hope Iran gets far ♥️

[Atiba Applebum]

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Never forget:



So won't be backing France even thou I live here. Yes I know it was 2009 but still.

[close]

ha totally understandable! I still haven't forgotten Germany and that was 82....
by far the worst offense I've ever seen on a football pitch. Assault basically. and no card, no penalty. for those who have never seen it:

[close]

Way before my time, but that kit is dope! If it ends up France vs England, I'll back France of course.

Just learned two of the three lions on England’s crest likely stand for Normandy and Aquitane so backing England is kinda like backing 2/3 France

[Alan]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/06/iraq-aymen-hussein-questioned-us-entry-world-cup

"Iraq’s World Cup striker, Aymen Hussein, was held and questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after arriving with the squad early on Saturday, an Iraqi sporting official said.

Hussein was finally allowed in, but the team’s photographer was barred from entering the United States, said the official who works for the Iraqi Olympic Committee, but has close contacts with the team.

There was no immediate comment from the Iraqi Football Association, or from Hussein, a talismanic figure who scored the goal that secured the team’s qualification for the finals.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the reported questioning that was also covered by Iraqi media."

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-refused-access-to-the-united-states

[ThatIsNotCricket]

https://www.tiktok.com/@wrightyofficial/video/7649294620186234134

Ian Wright once again showing he's a legend and an example.

Just seen some clips about the Senegal team getting searched and patted down in a line on the airport tarmac, but I can't find it back.

[whale]

Anybody know the time slot for the final? Or any of the knockout stages?

[Alan]

lol eat shit you ghoul

[Atiba Applebum]

lol eat shit you ghoul

Infantino makes you miss Sepp Blatter the way Trump had people wistful for Dubya’s reign

[ThatIsNotCricket]

lol eat shit you ghoul

Is that a hint of self-awareness from this fool, at the end? 'Maybe he's better than me'. Exáctly Gianni, he's better than you.

I saw a little doc about him recently, and I had totally forgotten about that whole insane 'today I feel Qatari' speech he did in 2022. Utterly compromised, delusional fool.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

Anybody know the time slot for the final? Or any of the knockout stages?

They should be on the FIFA website, no? I could use a handy overview/calendar type thing actually. Brings me back to pre-internet days where you'd cut them out of a magazine and hang them on the wall to keep track of everything.

Edit: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/scores-fixtures?country=&wtw-filter=ALL

Dates and time are already given in the place you're browsing from I think.