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FIFA World Cup - Qatar 2022

nebo1ss said:
Discounting Mbappe. Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar have been the best players in football and none of them have ever won the World cup. Messi now has a chance to change that and also to change the conversation in Argentina which has always been that Maradona won the cup for Argentina but Messi never has. Most of us Brits dislike the Argentinians because of the Falkland war, and I can see that. However, i spent some time in Argentina specifically Buenes Aires and loved it. Very European in fact you would swear you are in Italy.
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I think you will find that many Brits have a disliking for Argentina was because even when shown picture proof that Maradona used his hand to score a goal against England which had the end result of knocking England out of the World Cup, no one in Argentina wanted to accept the fact that their idol Maradona had cheated in a game to get a team kicked out of the World Cup, not the man himself, not the team, not the manager and not the Argentinian people. Even still today there has never been a truely heartfelt apology from any Argentinian regarding what Maradona do. All they care about is that their team knocked England out of the World Cup.

Also at the 1998 World Cup when it was England v Argentina when David Beckham was heavily barged into by an Argentinian player which resulted him being knocked to the ground which caused Beckham to lift his leg and kick out at the Argentinian player with the Argentinian player going like a sack of potatoes which resulted in Beckham getting sent off. It was delibrate play acting by the Argentinian player to get Beckham sent off. Yes Beckham should not have kicked out but it certainly was not strong enough to knock the Argentinian player down.

Luis Suarez and Uruguay have the same problem when at the 2010 World Cup he deliberately handballed a goal bound shot to prevent Ghana from scoring in the hope that Ghana would miss the penalty when it was given and as we all know, they did miss the penalty with the end result being they lost the game. Even still to this day no one from the team, the manager or the countries people have felt are sorry for what Luis did. Even the man himself refuses to apologise for what he did and adding insult to injury blames Ghana for missing the penalty!!!.

When players cheat to win games and neither their team mates or their countires FA acknowledges the cheating behaviour and does not apologise for it then yes, people will have issues and hold a grudge.

Now Argentina are in the final I have no doubt many people are now routing for the underdogs Morocco to beat France to get to the final to then beat Argentina 🙂
 
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Argentina do have a history of poor sportsmanship on quite a few occasions, I think it doesn’t really belong in the beautiful game. A world cup should be a celebration of sport, not a to-the-nails battle for winning.

For me, Brazil are the team that should have won this World Cup. They had so much talent that at times they took it a little too easy. Croatia, however much I like them for being the plucky little outsiders, didn’t really have the forwards to make it an even game, against Brazil or Argentina.

But you can’t really deny Messi the chance to make it “his” World Cup, he has been brilliant for such a long time, and he has the talent to unlock even the best defenses, if given room. I would like to see a Argentina v France world cup final, it would be a more even contest.
 
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Luis Suarez is not a likable character to say the least but those situations aren't the same.

He didn't cheat (this time...), he took a last resort measure for all to see and was punished within the games rules. It's common to see defenders or the GK deliberately fouling someone to stop a promising play or even an imminent goal. It's the literal application of taking one for the team.

Scoring with your hands like Maradona or Henry is to expect the rules to fail and profit illegally.
 
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Bodhitree said:
Argentina do have a history of poor sportsmanship on quite a few occasions, I think it doesn’t really belong in the beautiful game. A world cup should be a celebration of sport, not a to-the-nails battle for winning.

For me, Brazil are the team that should have won this World Cup. They had so much talent that at times they took it a little too easy. Croatia, however much I like them for being the plucky little outsiders, didn’t really have the forwards to make it an even game, against Brazil or Argentina.

But you can’t really deny Messi the chance to make it “his” World Cup, he has been brilliant for such a long time, and he has the talent to unlock even the best defenses, if given room. I would like to see a Argentina v France world cup final, it would be a more even contest.
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Yes, I can - absolutely, emphatically, and utterly and totally and entirely - deny Messi the chance to "make it his World Cup".

It is not "his" World Cup unless he is a part of a team that wins the final and thus, gets to lift the trophy.

While the footballing romantic in me salutes Morocco, at this stage, I want France to win today and on this coming Sunday, not least because I believe that they can defeat Argentina.
 
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Well, if that is what you want to carry in your heart, then that’s up to you. But I’m more minded to live and let live, to forgive people’s attachment to the well and woe of their team. I think its better to be big-hearted, than to care about every slight from past and present.

If Argentina win on Sunday, I’m perfectly ok with letting them have their moment.
 
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daneoni said:
Back to back extra time matches probably took its toll on Croat...they're not exactly the youngest side.
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Possibly, but Argentina also started with a 4 man midfield in a diamond formation, so they always had the extra man to crowd out Croatia's midfield 3. In the second half when Croatia threw on more attackers, Argentina effectively countered by subbing in Lisandro Martinez for the extra midfielder. Very good game management by Scaloni, in a tournament that has been more marked by coaching mistakes.
 
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I'll be rooting for Messi on Sunday.

I've been fortunate to watch A LOT of the tournament, and from the first game, France has always looked like the best team to me. England gave them all they could handle, but they have looked dominant in the other games. I know that Brazil looked really good for awhile and so did a couple of other teams, but it always felt like France has just been on another level to me. I expect them to win against Morocco and to win on Sunday as well.
 
Even when England closed down Mbappe France still showed they are capable of winning without him being effective. can the same be said for Argentina if/when Messi is closed down and thus made ineffective?
 
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A France had what everyone had been missing, a bit of luck.
An error and some happy rebounds.
And of course for France one offer is enough.
 
"On top" as in dominating the recent run of play, though Morocco has yet to make it pay, largely thanks to Hugo Lloris.

Lloris has really been on his game at this World Cup. Otherwise, France has been somewhat underwhelming. They're clearly missing Rabiot in midfield today.
 
Silencio said:
"On top" as in dominating the recent run of play, though Morocco has yet to make it pay, largely thanks to Hugo Lloris.

Lloris has really been on his game at this World Cup. Otherwise, France has been somewhat underwhelming. They're clearly missing Rabiot in midfield today.
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Yup finishing the half strongly.
 
And thats that.
Grizi MOTM for me.

Arg v Fra.

Im telling you its written in the stars.

Messi wins his 1st World Cup and Great Pele departs from this world.
 
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Morocco deserved better, too bad they were never able to be actually dangerous, they did play a really good, tough match though.
 
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