Holy ********ing shit dude. You literally “no one said that” multiple times. People evidently did say that. End of discussion. You don’t get to decide how the English language works. Also, get over yourself. I was speaking about people who put Ronaldo over the country, which there are unfortunately lots of. Don’t blame me because you put yourself in that category. I didn’t mention your name once.
You're right. He said it, I didn't. So your "they" was wrong, but you are right, and I was wrong, he did say it. Or implied it, at least. Which I don't agree with.
Again, you’re saying the same boring ass shit. The guys who do this professionally have a different opinion therefore I must change opinion. Do you even watch sports? Half the fun is discussing it and having opinions on it. Imagine being in a bar and everyone is upset at a sub, and you go “well actually Martinez knows more than everyone here, so no one is allowed to be upset”
Except it’s not just Martinez. You sidestepped the point of the post where I said if it was a single coach you’d have a better point. But It’s Deschamps, Ancelotti, Tuchel, etc. that disagree with your reasoning. So yes, I will side with the many multiple guys who know this game infinitely more than you do. Not blindly, it simply makes sense when you see it from their point of view and not yours.
Fair enough. Thinking about it though, I’m not sure what the point of this discussion is. I do think if you decide to go to a MLS or Saudi in your prime, you’re sending a pretty strong message that playing at the highest level isn’t a priority and I’m not convinced that mentality should be rewarded, especially playing week in week out against absolutely garbage competition. But I don’t think, and have never said, that Ronaldo shouldn’t be called up. I just don’t think he should still be treated like the star of the team, with the whole game going through him, and playing 90 minutes of every single game. He’s just not that guy anymore. Shit even LeBron passed the torch to Luka. Everyone knows LeBron is way better in his prime, but he’s not anymore. Let someone else be the focus. Put the team first.
I don't think in Ronaldo's case it is "Playing top level isn't priority", it's that he probably believes he can't play at that level consistently week in and week out over a full season in a top league (physically and probably wouldn't really be an option unless for a mid-table, lower level team). He has always been extremely meticulous about reserving himself for certain moments. At Real Madrid, he would routinely not play La Liga games to be more refreshed for Champions League games. He could very well believe playing consistently week in, week out, in a mid league, is better than being a sub in the top league, or that he can't physically play every week in a top league and then be in a proper state for the World Cup, and I'd agree with him - that way he can stay consistent enough in a less demanding league and then contribute to Portugal, which is clearly his top priority. And he's proven in the last year he can do that. The Saudi league isn't the Thai league. It's still reasonably competitive with plenty of talent that top coaches give some weight to. Enough to call players from there for the World Cup. That is not nothing. And the Lebron to Luka example is fine but it doesn't apply here because Ramos is not Luka, not even close. Ramos is a good player but going from a substitute striker at PSG who can only score 6 goals in a season, to being the focus of our World Cup campaign is a massive step-up. Not to mention his best role at PSG has been as a sub, not as a starter. This is widely accepted and understood among the PSG fanbase, and even then, he's not seen as a supersub really and they aren't exactly upset if he leaves. This discussion has been framed as one side stating "CR7 is the man, we should always trust him, forget everyone else" and that's, at least, not my stance at all. It's, "Our options up front for a striker are genuinely terrible, old CR7 included. Given the options, however, between an aging CR7 and Ramos, I defer to CR7, not because of his historical greatness, but because he just scored 28 goals in a season in a competition given weight by the biggest coaches in the world and because he scored important goals for Portugal in their most recent competition win, and in World Cup qualifying, all within the last year." Those are reasonable achievements. If Ramos did all that, we'd say he has more than a good shout to start. But Ramos simply doesn't have any real good points going for him comparatively. Both options suck, in my opinion, compared to the rest of the squad. In my opinion, Ronaldo sucks less as an option. But that option still kinda sucks.
Plenty of professionals and analysts who "know the game" also criticize such selections, so this argument that the managers must know what they're doing better than we do is meaningless. As if a coach's judgement is beyond reproach just because they're the one in charge. Such a laughable thing to say to anyone who follows sports. I'm sure Martinez taking the likes of Nelson Semedo, Samu Costa etc. is just because he knows so much more than us, or pretty much the whole of Portugal.
How is it meaningless? You're citing professionals and analysts as sources of authority but then abstaining from granting authority to the actual people above those professionals and analysts, who are the actual professionals in charge of such selections because of their knowledge and experience. Completely illogical move. You also keep citing Martinez but it's Ancelotti, Deschamps, Tuchel, etc. So 4 of the Top 5 or so favorites taking Saudi league players. But sure, let's listen to a writer from the Guardian or ESPN or whoever as more reasonable because they agree with you and are also totally operating without an agenda for clicks, and the like. Spain also started Laporte at Euro 2024 while playing in the Saudi league so major teams have actual experience winning with such players. Seems the actual people in charge, with their interest only being to win the tournament, disagree with your reasoning but they're definitely wrong and you're definitely right.
Little man.. Take your own advice, get over yourself. You sound like a petulant child. Did your daddy not show you enough love? ACKTUALLYYYYY.. Lmao go sit on your thumb in Tim Horton's and kvetching about America.. Maybe one day they will let you in.. Goofball.. No way you actually hold Portuguese DNA for how much of a giant gaping p*ssy you are.. Specifically, no one with Azorean DNA talks and acts like you. What a sad little clown..
Unable to watch the game. None of the usual links for me are working. Oh well. Red card for both Leão and Román. Both playing 10.
If you need a link next time let me know, I can share my vix with you. I usually just re activate my account for out of market games like this that aren’t on cable or main stations.. Then I cancel it right away so I only end up paying like 10 bucks for the month. The World Cup games to my knowledge will all be on Fox, ESPN, I think even Peacock is streaming all games.
Recently comments here were about the Colombia match and any off the ball stuff. Today was a good test and not surprisingly many years at Milan turned Leao's brain to mush he failed the assignment.
Our team doesn't back down, today they stood on business. Even with our B team lol. I said it last week, we NEED aggression, garra.. Yall are mad at Leao, in reality he played alright, hit the post and returned the energy to the dirty Chile players and the dude flopped onto the ground crying like a b*tch. Leao barely moved as the Chilean player pushed with all his strength, while two others tried to gang bang Cancelo with no success. Say what you want but I want those hombres starting for us in the WC. Cancelo is a tough SOB, look into his back story, very sad what happened to his family (fatal car accident) and then years later he protected his family in an armed robbery. Veiga, Leao, Cancelo.. They all have that savage ruthless demon time in them.. Chile is a dirty team but they knew what to do today, injure as many players as possible, low block and pray for a counter attack with their 2 shots on net. Again let's not fret too much, this was our B/C team especially after halftime.. Argentina only beat Chile 1-0 last year in WC qualifier match. If our luck played in favor of us today, we win 4 or 5-1.. Chile GK also turned into prime Lev Yashin, Leao hit the post, Cancelo bicycle worldie tapped out last second and tbh there should have been a penalty for us when Cancelo was tackled from behind with a famous Chilean flying elbow. All I'm saying is, this game prepared us for the dirty tactics South American teams play with. Colombia doesn't and never did scare me.. Our squad is tough.
Thanks dude! Its really for the friendly matches. I have ESPN and Fox so I should be good for the important games.
Why are we still in Lisbon and not the US? wonder if it’s because the first 2 games are indoors? I feel like this might be another 2002 and 2014 WC where we went late to the host nation and didn’t seem acclimatised
Are you serious? Because we have a friendly in Leiria on Wednesday vs Nigeria lmao.. Otherwise we would be in the US. Also don't forget we play a full week after the opening WC match. Maybe half the guys are already there at base camp. Vitinha, J Neves, Mendes, Ramos, Leao, Bruno, Ronaldo.. Doubt any of those dudes are playing in the Nigeria friendly nor are they gonna sit in Portugal and watch when they could be here doing some individual recovery and training.
lol I'm pretty sure he was partly saying "Why do we have a friendly in Portugal the day before the tournament starts".
I don't want to say it's badly planned but it seems kinda badly planned. They'll be flying in and getting settled with the tournament underway. That seems really odd to me. There's jet lag concerns and the like. Climate adjustment. Seems weird honestly.
Could've been better planned, I agree But I don't think it's that big of a deal, they'll get there this Thursday and play next Wednesday. Plenty of time to catch up on some zzz's and settle in
The whole squad is still in Portugal... why not play a friendly in the US instead? How is playing in Leiria simulating the current weather in the US summer? We have a history of preparing badly for world cups.