The World Cup

[CarlMcBlade]

Assuming they are talking about extending to 64 teams, its more overall games (of lower quality) but it wouldn`t increase the number of games any individual team would play - as presumably you'd end up with 16 groups of 4 and the top 2 qualifying.

And this is a clear play for more votes from (non Euro and South America) confederations. As the expansion to 48 teams was.

Look, I have been pleasantly surprised by the success of the new 48 team WC format. But I feel expanding it to 64 teams would be crazy.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

According to the Wall Street Journal, England/Argentina is the greatest rivalry in the history of sports.

https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/england-argentina-world-cup-maradona-c9b4d29c?mod=bluesky

Sky TV interviewing a lot of Argy fans in the US who are really whipped up about the Falklands. Watch out with no segregation..
Falklands chants promised for intense unsegregated England match

https://news.sky.com/video/share-13563329

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

I think it was the last World Cup where the pundits/commentators picked up on this. Messi was wandering round without breaking into a run but he was constantly looking around to see where the other players were. His legs may not be as quick as they once were but his footballing brain is streets ahead of most. This is where he differs from C. Ronaldo, who is all about him scoring whereas Messi is all about the team scoring. Two phenomenal players but wildly different.

World Cup 2026: The evolution of Argentina's Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is looking to beat England and reach a third World Cup final with Argentina. Guillem Balague looks at the evolution of one of the game's all-time greats.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[BerksBlade]

There's football rivalries and then there's out-and-out war:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_War

 

[Harry's Game]

Conversation overheard on The Tram this evening by two kids sat in front of me.

Kid 1 “you know that “it’s coming home song”

Kid 2. ‘“Yeah?”

Kid 1. “Why do they sing a bit about a “nobhead dancing” ?

Kid 2. “Dunno.. I think it’s something to do with the Scottish”

 

[Selly]

Sky TV interviewing a lot of Argy fans in the US who are really whipped up about the Falklands. Watch out with no segregation..
Falklands chants promised for intense unsegregated England match

https://news.sky.com/video/share-13563329

I heard something earlier, can't remember where, that we see England v Argentina as a football rivalry, whereas they see it far more as a political thing.

I suspect that has a lot yo do with the respective losses suffered in the 80s (the Argentinians a political loss, us a footballing one)

 

[Upton_Blade]

I heard something earlier, can't remember where, that we see England v Argentina as a football rivalry, whereas they see it far more as a political thing.

I suspect that has a lot yo do with the respective losses suffered in the 80s (the Argentinians a political loss, us a footballing one)

Personally I've hated the c*nts ever since that fat little twat cheated at the 1st WC I can remember.

My opinion wasn't made any better when a combination of Simeone and Batistuta got Becks sent off.

The fact we dicked them in The Falkland's War just makes the odd time we beat them just that little bit sweeter.

I see them as a bunch of cheating twats and this WC isn't making me change my mind with how FIFA are so obviously setting them up to win it.

 

[Cheeky Blade]

Like boiling a frog that. Well done Spain.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Nobody happier than me!

I work in a French company and all those onion soup slurpers have been telling me how they're going to win the World Cup haha.

Sacreu Bleu!

I hope all their manky sawdust-esque croissants go mouldy.

Beret wearing, garlic juggling, moulin rouge attending, arrogant fucking tosspots!

 

[Captain Obvious]

Nobody happier than me!

I work in a French company and all those onion soup slurpers have been telling me how they're going to win the World Cup haha.

Sacreu Bleu!

I hope all their manky sawdust-esque croissants go mouldy.

Beret wearing, garlic juggling, moulin rouge attending, arrogant fucking tosspots!

Blimey…Sounds like you might be happier working somewhere else

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Blimey…Sounds like you might be happier working somewhere else

I agree!

 

[Kenilworth]

Blimey…Sounds like you might be happier working somewhere else

Why do you think he spends so much of his time on here?

 

[Gimli]

Nobody happier than me!



Beret wearing, garlic juggling, moulin rouge attending, *Kirkwood loving, arrogant fucking tosspots!

This is the unsaid truth…

 

[Greenwich Blade]

I was so out of it, I slept through the entire France Spain game. Upon coming 'round and learning the result, the sheer seismic nature of the upset reminded me of learning that Italy had eliminated Brazil in 1982 with a 3-2 win and a Paolo Rossi hattrick. That time, I'd been playing cricket all evening for Sheffield Bankers. This time, I was totally and utterly knackered!

 

[Dkc]

I feel like one of those is not like the others...

Yeah Beckham was decent but not a game changer like the others

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

My opinion wasn't made any better when a combination of Simeone and Batistuta got Becks sent off.

Beckham did deserve to be sent off though.

You can't kick out at a player like that and get away with it.

The biggest injustice was the Sol Campbell disallowed goal for a bit of routine jostling in the box.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

David "you know" Batty

 

[radio]

Plenty of time to make yourself a cuppa during the break in The Final on Sunday ,, Half-time due to last between 20 and 25 minutes

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

View attachment tweeload_6wm4736m.mp4

 

[SwissBlade]

I think it was the last World Cup where the pundits/commentators picked up on this. Messi was wandering round without breaking into a run but he was constantly looking around to see where the other players were. His legs may not be as quick as they once were but his footballing brain is streets ahead of most. This is where he differs from C. Ronaldo, who is all about him scoring whereas Messi is all about the team scoring. Two phenomenal players but wildly different.

Another article on how Messi has adapted his game.

Most players decline. The elite ones find ways to adapt. Ronaldo reinvented himself as a penalty-box predator when his pace went.

Messi has not adapted to decline. He has adapted so he can dominate and stay ahead of a game that has always been chasing him.

At this World Cup, he has been creating more but moving less. He has had 33 shots and created 21 chances, the most combined (54) since Diego Maradona in 1986.

He has managed this despite walking 47% of the distance he's covered, the highest percentage of any outfield player.

Messi has averaged the shortest distance of all Argentina outfield players to have featured for 20-plus minutes at the tournament - covering just 8.2km per 90 minutes.

The stats do not stop there. He is averaging just 2.7 sprints per match, compared to 5.3 just four years ago.

World Cup 2026: The evolution of Argentina's Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is looking to beat England and reach a third World Cup final with Argentina. Guillem Balague looks at the evolution of one of the game's all-time greats.

www.bbc.com

 

[Kenilworth]

David "you know" Batty

I recall Brian Moore (dreadful commentator IMO) asking Kevin Keegan whether Batty would score or miss just before the pen. He pressured him for an answer, so Keegan just answered “Yes.”
At the time I thought that was tempting fate and thought Moore was an utter chuff for asking.
Up steps Barry and power puffs it.

It’s always worse when you’re younger, that sort of situation. If it happened now I’d probs shrug and get on with it. I hated Boring Brian Moore after that.

As someone pointed out in another post, it would have been utterly joyous had England won a major tournament when you’re a kid. The excitement, pride, and emotions would have been a real high. It’s be great if England do win this tournament. It would be fantastic for the country (big ask considering what is still in front of us) and whilst I’d be brilliant, I won’t be doing cartwheels in the buff to celebrate.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Song 2 by Blur would have been a perfect choice for our goal music

The perfect choice for goal music would be the crowd cheering. Gary Sinclair would be in his element at this World Cup.

 

[Flippity Gibbert]

Conversation overheard on The Tram this evening by two kids sat in front of me.

Kid 1 “you know that “it’s coming home song”

Kid 2. ‘“Yeah?”

Kid 1. “Why do they sing a bit about a “nobhead dancing” ?

Kid 2. “Dunno.. I think it’s something to do with the Scottish”

I’ve mentioned it before but when it first came out my Mrs asked, “why do they sing about three lines on a shirt and what are the jewels in May?”

 

[metalblade]

So Mbappe and his superstars are out, well beaten by Spain who played as a team and never really gave them a look in.
All we want tonight is England to play as a disciplined team and resist getting involved with the Argie cheating tactics and bounce Messi and his crew out of the competition. Already they are mentioning the Falkland Islands and the referee is Messi's favourite, he has never been on the losing side in 5 games with this ref in charge, probably all of them will be diving and rolling about playing the victim if an England player goes near them. I think we may be up against 12 men so we need to be on it from the kick off.

 

[Kenilworth]

So Mbappe and his superstars are out, well beaten by Spain who played as a team and never really gave them a look in.
All we want tonight is England to play as a disciplined team and resist getting involved with the Argie cheating tactics and bounce Messi and his crew out of the competition. Already they are mentioning the Falkland Islands and the referee is Messi's favourite, he has never been on the losing side in 5 games with this ref in charge, probably all of them will be diving and rolling about playing the victim if an England player goes near them. I think we may be up against 12 men so we need to be on it from the kick off.

What are the chances of an England red card for, effectively, nowt?

 

[brownblade]

David "you know" Batty

Good share that. Quite an interview. I don't recall ever seeing Batty talk, though presumably did at some point in the 90s.

He's notoriously out of the spotlight and hard to contact ever since he retired. Wasn't really into football as such.

 

[mattbianco1]

I recall Brian Moore (dreadful commentator IMO) asking Kevin Keegan whether Batty would score or miss just before the pen

 

[Davalon]

It's never coming home. Lots of reasons why but at least we've become fixtures in the latter stages recently.

Like others, I fully expect some controversy before the tournament ends. If it was our football or the Euros I'd laugh at such suggestion but FIFA are as bent as they come.

 

[CrookesBlade]

It's never coming home. Lots of reasons why but at least we've become fixtures in the latter stages recently.

Like others, I fully expect some controversy before the tournament ends. If it was our football or the Euros I'd laugh at such suggestion but FIFA are as bent as they come.

I fear we are in for the mother of all VAR stitch ups tonight.

 

[Davalon]

I fear we are in for the mother of all VAR stitch ups tonight.

It wouldn't surprise me.

As much as I'm desperate to see us win something in my lifetime, I have to acknowledge we've rarely been good enough.

If we get through tonight, i wouldn't be confident against Spain (or France for that matter). They were the two stand out teams before and are that notch above us imho. Nonetheless you've got to be in it to win it.

I'll be disappointed if we lose fair and square tonight but if it's something controversial, that will really leave a bitter taste, especially considering previous encounters.

What's bothering me is that it's Messi's last WC and FIFA won't want two European teams in the final.