FIFA World Cup 2026

[El Guapo]

The world cup has the global appeal but with tournaments going to Qatar, Saudi, winter world cups, clear corruption I think the romance of the competition is long gone.

That also may be true for you a 40s cynical (no insult intended) sports lifer..

I am firmly in the same bracket

but it's no exaggeration to say this world cup has had a transformative effect on my young fella. He's 8, I've spent the last 8 years bringing him to every live sporting event imaginable

playing with him in the Garden, bringing him training he just never took to ball sports ever. he'd deliberately goof around or fuck the ball into the Ditch as a joke to hide his clumsiness

Until 3 weeks ago. When he went outside by himself and spent an hour kicking the ball to himself and the next 2 playing ball with me and that has been the same every night except for the 2 he spend actually watching matches from start to finish or building fucking Mbappee lego.

it's actually unbelievable and I would be sceptical if I hadn't seen it for myself.

Panini stickers are unbelievable

 

[El Guapo]

It fucks up the clocks imo!

only when it's on over Christmas

 

[BettyDoesMallow]

Messi was scrubbed in the club game at 36.

Argentina benefitted from appalling reffing to win in Qatar. Just like this competition again where he should have been off in the first game.

Judging success at International level is ridiculous tbh. You're discounting a plethora of talent on the basis of nationality. Kvaradona for instance probably one of the standout players in the club game with the last years but almost certainly never going to play at a world cup.

Nice posting a pic FAIL too.

You can't count missing World Cups against a player but you can judge a player by his performances at World Cups.
Ronaldo had one excellent World Cup, 2018, one good one in 2006 and 4 poor ones.

He has some damning statistics against him:
• 2 assists in 31 World Cup Appearances.
• 0 goals and 0 assists in all his games in the last 16 or beyond.
At the business end of the tournament, the elite players really stand out.
Contrast that to Pele, Maradona, R9 and Messi.

Up until the last World Cup I felt Messi had also underperformed, with his 2014 Golden Ball undeserved, but his last 2 World Cups have totally changed that.

 

[Colonel Lee Fields]

That also may be true for you a 40s cynical (no insult intended) sports lifer..

I am firmly in the same bracket

but it's no exaggeration to say this world cup has had a transformative effect on my young fella. He's 8, I've spent the last 8 years bringing him to every live sporting event imaginable

playing with him in the Garden, bringing him training he just never took to ball sports ever. he'd deliberately goof around or fuck the ball into the Ditch as a joke to hide his clumsiness

Until 3 weeks ago. When he went outside by himself and spent an hour kicking the ball to himself and the next 2 playing ball with me and that has been the same every night except for the 2 he spend actually watching matches from start to finish or building fucking Mbappee lego.

it's actually unbelievable and I would be sceptical if I hadn't seen it for myself.

Panini stickers are unbelievable

2030 is going to be their last. Won't have the license anymore

 

[Jim Comic]

World Cup 2026: Portugal confirm departure of coach Roberto Martinez

The Portuguese football federation (FPF) confirm the departure of national team coach Roberto Martinez following Portugal's last-16 loss to Spain.

www.bbc.com

 

[MerchantOfEnnis]

Serious lack of ball on today.

On the plus side all the kick offs from now are at reasonable times, apart from Argentina vs Switzerland.

It's looking like Argentina vs England in the semi, which is a worry. In normal times you'd fancy Argentina but these two teams are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of form, so England could be going to the final here.

And tbh even if they meet France, they're in the kind of form where they could beat anyone on their day. This could be the year.

I'm going to start convincing myself now that I don't care if they win.

 

[El Guapo]

2030 is going to be their last. Won't have the license anymore

yerah Merlin will surely step in for a few years

 

[Colonel Lee Fields]

You can't count missing World Cups against a player but you can judge a player by his performances at World Cups.
Ronaldo had one excellent World Cup, 2018, one good one in 2006 and 4 poor ones.

He has some damning statistics against him:
• 2 assists in 31 World Cup Appearances.
• 0 goals and 0 assists in all his games in the last 16 or beyond.
At the business end of the tournament, the elite players really stand out.
Contrast that to Pele, Maradona, R9 and Messi.

Up until the last World Cup I felt Messi had also underperformed, with his 2014 Golden Ball undeserved, but his last 2 World Cups have totally changed that.

Lol you are literally trying to make an argument against the greatest goalscorer in the record books.

Go back to sleep

 

[jeepers]

Lol you are literally trying to make an argument against the greatest goalscorer in the record books.

Go back to sleep

He's a cod. A flat track bully. Can't do it at the world cup. He's in a team with some excellent players and he brings nothing to the table at this stage. He's been in loads of good Portuguese teams at World cups, and he's been Cork hurling every time. Wake up.

 

[BettyDoesMallow]

Lol you are literally trying to make an argument against the greatest goalscorer in the record books.

Go back to sleep

So highest scorer proves everything and performances in the world's marquee competition can be glossed over?

Somebody let Cillian O'Connor know, there's unequivocal proof that he's the greatest Gaelic Football player of all time.