Given how much every big side incl France has struggled in attack against highly organised defences I think it’s a systemic problem for international tournament football. It’s just much easier for the top 35 teams or so to defend to a very high standard.
The average temperature the next ten days in Marrakesh is over 100F. Ditto Seville. Madrid is just under 100F. We gonna get many more “hydration breaks”
My preliminary look at the yellow card tarrif seems to indicate a massive Argentina tilt Does anyone have figures for fouls/card totals incl. last nights games?
Now that I think about it, it's probably for the best that Brazil stick to their domestic leagues' best players as an experiment rather than depend on their European contingent.
He said, let’s see if they can keep the ball away enough that our attack won’t bury them. I love a dare. https://t.co/MzckYCATpn— Zito (@_Zeets) July 14, 2026 True stylistic diversion in this game. France betting a lot on their ability to counter Spain, Spain betting a lot on their ability to keep the ball.
France will overpower them I think Olise and dembele will have a field day with cuccarella Can’t see Spain troubling France
Feel like if France score early that the floodgates could open but that if it's 0-0 or 1-1 late that France could try to force attacks and that's when they have been opened up.
Concacaf with a big early call. And a correct one. Giving Spain a FK right on the edge of box. 12" away from being a penalty!
And speaking of Concacaf refs, I just found out that another one is in charge of the other Semi: Ismail Elfath from USA. Interesting that FIFA gave the 2 semis to Concacaf. And tomorrow's match cold be feisty, so it's a big vote of confidence for Ismail. Hope he's up for it! p.s. And as I write that today's ref Ivan Barton just made another huge call, awarding a PK to Spain. Seems fair.
Absolutely a penalty, Digne had no awareness of who was around him and throws a leg out. Not sure why the French players are complaining.
Funny how the penalty map showed all his pens went usually to his left and sometimes down the middle, the commentary team saying surely the keeper dives that way and instead he shoots to his right and the keeper guesses correctly but just can't get to it.
Not that France were going to sit off anyway but now they really have to come out swinging. Feel like they are going to need at least 2 because MM9 is 100% coming on and scoring an 87th minute flick on goal.
Yeah it was just TOO GOOD a PK. That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it! I.e. bag the stutters boys.
It's crazy to me how much commentators think that goalkeepers are just playing rock-paper-scissors on penalties. Like, they can see the shooter and most of them can anticipate where the shot is going based on what they see pretty well.
That's not very Big Willy Style of them. That's probably Salibas WC done, get him home and on the couch so he is back by the international break.