Ya that looks like the case, we should be favorites if that was the case but the way we are playing I don't feel confident vs anyone at the moment.
I still think we find a way to beat Peru and Bolivia and that should be enough to put us in 4th one would think. But yes, if no one steps up and scores we can be eliminated by anyone. Gotta get out of this funk.
Exactly. Iran and Saudi Arabia being undefeated so far in qualifying leaves them in strong position with four games left and SK and Japan (the two countries that have dominated this qualifying for years) also in for the moment. It's almost better this way though as the play off is being played in Qatar and you wouldn't want to play a Middle East team there with the whole stadium against you.
going to make fun of my cousins if Italy doesn’t make it again have to see how we do they were dicks about 2002,2006 and 2010
Greece 04 euro champs and 06 WC - bye felisha Colombia 01 Copa america champ and 02 WC - well, you know… World Cup needs Ronaldo to participate, so the refs will likely see to it Portugal goes through
Ahead of Italy? If it's between them - that's an awesome game and a crazy outcome to have one of them miss either way...
The World Cup does not need Ronaldo. The World Cup does not really need Italy either although romantic nostalgic people will be bummed. For FIFA the money is already in the bank from TV Networks and Sponsors. Having Italy or Portugal there makes not monetary difference really.
They were fun to watch in the Euros. From the very first minute they played I thought they would win. Since then in WCQing though they have looked so mediocre. A lot like us when it comes to taking chances and creating for their forwards against teams they should have beaten.
Eh I'd have to disagree, plenty of contracts have stipulations in them on viewership numbers or other metrics that need to be met. Even if you assume that its already all locked up and no more juice can be squeezed by Fifa there's always the next World Cup and the next cash grab and that's always going to rely on how the game grows and how many people are tuning in and showing up to World Cup. I hate Ronaldo but he's a huge economic draw, one of if not the biggest individual player who draws the most attention in world soccer and absolutely helps FIFA's bottom line. Italy as well is a big draw as a team, and missing out on one of these teams is not ideal for FIFA, monetarily wise its absolutely adds up if not directly in this World Cup then over time for sure, businesses are always going to be closely scrutinizing the most intricate of metrics and trends.
Same, as a team they play really well under Mancini, press like dogs and stay on the offensive. Really think they got a bit cocky after Euro's and their lack of a good all-round 9 hurt them somewhat.
The next World Cup is an expanded World Cup so what happens in this World Cup has little to no bearing on the next one. In fact the contracts are already signed in many of the major markets for 2026. It does not matter if Italy or Ronaldo do not make it this time around. FIFA is getting paid big time.
This is just wrong, like uber wrong, trends are constantly monitored and presented by both sides in a negotiation for business. You think FIFA has coddled the big countries, the big stars and given them arguably as many advantages as possible because it doesn't matter who shows up and is front and center on the biggest stage for their business/sport? If you think that Ronaldo not at a World Cup doesn't matter to FIFA's bottom line then I guess nothing matters to the World Cup being successful, and years of businesses paying billions to associate beside the biggest sports stars in the world is just charity for those athletes. Ronaldo is what 1 or 2 in world wide athletes and has a brand valued in the billions most likely.
It does not matter to the bottom line. They have money in the bank when it pertains to this World Cup and some money already in the bank when it comes to the next one. In 2026 due to expansion there's more chances for ratings and growth since there are more matches and more possible countries/ markets that may make it. (If China somehow makes it for instance that will give them a huge boom too.) FIFA is not going to care if either Ronaldo or Italy miss this World Cup at all. It will just be some fans and people on TV that will make a stink about it.
I mean its all a game of margins. All FIFA care about is money and making their sponsors happy and lining their pockets, and you do that with the Ronaldo's and the Messi's. Sure they will have money, they won't have as much if world cup's don't have the star power to bring in max viewers. Expanded World Cup is exactly so that they don't miss out on big teams and big stars, its absolutely an argument for Ronaldo and the Italy's not making the World Cup matters to FIFA. They are willing to annoy lots of people and water down the competition, let in a bunch more shitty teams and make the product overall worse, because at the end of the day people are dumb and like to see the Ronaldo's because they recognize the brand.
But most of Europe and other major markets are going to watch whether Ronaldo or Italy are there. It is an either or situation we have. Now if both were knocked out maybe it would have a little impact but even then I don't think it would be much. There was not much of an impact financially when Italy and Netherlands missed out on Russia.
The way they make money in 2026 is similar to NFL playoff expansion. Neither Sports care who makes it. IT is more to do with more games to charge Networks and Sponsors. and new markets that may be a part that would not in the first place. Star Power has more to do with ticket sales and jersey sales which FIFA does not make much on compared to the other streams of revenue.
All businesses like these care about is market growth and metrics they can point to that shows that there is growth to then sell to their sponsors at top dollar. All businesses want constant growth, for FIFA they get that by having stars, sure most people will still watch but when you're trying to sell your game to a sponsor and make your current sponsors happy to keep their business then you need to show the growth. Every World Cup some big teams won't make it, you better believe that FIFA was really pissed when USA didn't make it, even if they are shit they draw a lot of money because of their market. They have changed the World Cup specifically to make sure they don't miss out on many big teams or big stars. FIFA gets a cut of everything in soccer, tickets sales, shirt sales all the way down the line, they are like the mafia.
I am not talking about generalities. I am talking about the situation at hand and the impact of either Portugal or Italy not making it along with the money already committed for this World Cup and the next one. As for the USA it had a little bit of an impact too but FIFA had already received their money from TV and Sponsors prior to the elimination so it was not all the bad for FIFA. IT was bad for FOX and Telemundo in some ways but they got a deal on 2026 due to other reasons I will not get into so they are both kinda happy with that.
Yes most contracts will have incentives to be met, smart businesses don't just give their money without trying to hold the other party accountable. People don't throw around billions of dollars without getting everything they can in return and that means viewership and lots of other metrics, also tv ad times are not already bought, those are still to be sold in lots of markets. The next World Cup its absolutely gonna show up in metrics and growth which again is all that businesses care about. Your argument is that nothing matters they will get paid, that's not really an argument that makes any sense given these are some of the biggest brands in the world who are very good at business and analyze things down to the most minute details.
You are speaking in generalities again. My argument is that whether Ronaldo or Italy miss out on the World Cup FIFA won't really care about it. Especially within the context of expansion.