This thread doesn't have any rules about spoilers, so you may want to stay away from the thread until after the game.
IMO the VAR is changing the game. So many PKs (so many own goals) and so many set piece goals. Very few goals through the run of play. They're not penalizing flopping, so we're getting foul-drawing soccer. This will favor defensively disciplined and tall teams (i.e. Europe).
The camera just caught Portugal’s Guerrero showing the ref the finger marks on his abdomen. It looks like the Moroccan player must have had a Russian Death Grip on him ( WWE fans will get the reference ). This from a play in which the Moroccan player goes down in the box trying to get a call.
He’s deserved a couple more assists but his teammates screw up their touches. He should be on the downhill side of his effectiveness, but the last 3 seasons have been remarkable. He’s the only reason Portugal have the halftime lead today. Morocco has outplayed Portugal to this point.
Gotta feel bad for Morocco. They outplayed both of their opponents yet lost both games. It can be a cruel sport.
you can't win if you don't score. Morocco gets the ball to the 18 well enough but is awful with the final product
Morocco wasn't a serious bid. Everyone knew that. For Morocco to host the World Cup, they would had to build a whole bunch of all new stadiums and FIFA didn't want another Qatari "Oh, we will build all new stadiums with air conditioning to play in the summer" fiasco, so the USA got the World Cup. Also with the field being expanded to 48 teams, FIFA wanted to try it out in a country that could easily host a 48-team World Cup without breaking a sweat and see how it goes. Picking Morocco to host a 48-team World Cup would have been a disaster. As bad as a small country like say, Qatar, hosting a 32-team World Cup in the summer.
I was listening to Grant Waul podcast and the United bid lobbied other countries that could never host a world cup on it's own. if the United bid can host a successful world cup, then this proves your country can also get a regional bid together and host a world cup. This was apparently receptive among a lot of countries
Really? Wow! Qatar is already going to be hosting a possible shit-show in 2022 as it is and they want to add more teams to the fiasco.
Qatar is planning on having 8 stadiums and building infrastructure for 32 team. I dont think they currently have enough for 48 reams, unless it is opened up for a regional tournament. But Qatar and its neighbors are not getting along so a regional tournament is likely a no
Croatia up against Argentina at the moment. This is not a great time to be a Messi fan, several of which I'm watching with.
He's not the GOAT. The GOAT is on the field in this game. Messi isn't. Oh, he is? Coulda fooled me. I also want to use this game for any of those "Argentina just defers to Messi" types out there. They don't. In fact, in this one Messi isn't asserting himself enough. This has to be one of the worst officiated matches I've ever seen. The refs reluctance to go to the book in the first half completely ruined any semblance of flow. It was like the 30th minute and there were something like 25 fouls, they said. That's absurd. To be up front: I love watching Argentina lose. A team with this much talent should not be this bad yet they are and it's hilarious to me. Meanwhile, Portugal has about 4 players worth a damn and Ronaldo and wins.
Luckily for me, I'm NOT a Messi fan. I'm firmly in Team CR7. So I'm trying not to be insufferable as I watch with my coworkers.
gonna laugh my ass off when Argentina wins next week but doesn't advance because of that last goal they gave up.
For me, Messi is the GOAT. Part of that is that I just personally like to watch his style of play more than Ronaldo's. And part is that on virtually all stats he's just better (see: Lionel Messi is Impossible). I feel for Messi because his style of play depends really heavily on getting lots of reps with the team around him, so it doesn't translate as well to the national team. With his speed and strength, Ronaldo is more built to shine in World Cup games. That's not to take anything away from Ronaldo. He's been magic this World Cup so far, and has clearly stepped up when it counted the most. I hope he keeps killing it, because it's beautiful to watch. I still feel for Messi, though. What I don't get is the Messi hate by Ronaldo lovers, and the Ronaldo hate from Messi lovers. Regardless of who you think is better, it's hard not to appreciate how amazing they both are, isn't it?
If the 2 players didn't play in the same league on teams that are huge rivals, you wouldn't see the hatred from one camp to the other. If Ronaldo was still playing in Manchester, they would both be considered great players, but wouldn't have nearly as much, if any comparisons between each other. Also, Ronaldo would likely not have reached the same level had he stayed in England as the whole level of the league is better than Spain outside of the top 4 or 5 Spanish teams.