FIFA World Cup 2026 Results & Discussion Thread [R]

hope so, very fun to watch

 

makes sense, tbh I am really surprised on the women's game countries aren't using all the college athletes in the US to stack their rosters while they figure it out. there are a lot of very good athletes with no path to the US WNT who could play for some of these countries and immediately improve the results which would attract more domestic interest, which would improve funding and so on.

 

It will be really interesting game. Hope that Belgium doesn't ruin it somehow.
France look invincible even though Upamecano still produces a couple of brainfart moments in each match no matter how dominating they play. I still think that Spain will take control of the game and the question will be whether they can limit France's offensive force. Spain looks weaker in attack in comparison with 2 years ago and that will be the deciding factor for me.

 

Well not home, but off to Miami for 3rd place game against England.

I can already envision Cucurella or Cubarsi giving a stupid foul/penalty to Argentina to hand Messi his 2nd world cup.

I give no chance to Switzerland nor Belgium to progress. Only Norway may upset England because the latter are serial chokers. Maybe Kane+Bellingham will buck the trend (finally).

 

France will win

Argentina has been mid other than showing grit

 

🚨 Real Madrid’s 17 goals at the World Cup so far:

• Kylian Mbappé: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
• Jude Bellingham: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
• Viní Jr.: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
• Arda Güler: ⚽️

The club is 2 shy from breaking the all time record of 18 goals scored by players from one team. @diarioas pic.twitter.com/yJwrrAJqGn

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) July 10, 2026

 

Will be broken

Jude has at least one left

and of course king of world cups Mbappe

 

🚨🗣️Dembélé: The play? Kylian told me to stay central, and as soon as we got the chance, we’d hit them on the counterattack.

That’s what happened. Then he made a great run as well to create space for me.

I saw I had a bit of room, so I just tried to keep my shot on target, and… pic.twitter.com/3WlCHES1w1

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 9, 2026

 

Yamal cooked Theo in that semi final match. Maybe Digne will do a better job.

 

That works for Spain. They can make the opponents to fall asleep with that style and then hit them. France can't rush against Spain. I think it can be a boring game.

 

🚨🗣️ 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Thierry Henry's message to the France squad after reaching the World Cup semi-finals:

"Honestly, guys, we're running out of words.

In possession, you're extraordinary as always. But what impresses me the most is how quickly this team wins the ball back.

What you… pic.twitter.com/b7bUjXmjvX

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) July 10, 2026

 

Here is my take. France will hammer Spain

 

🚨🎙️Thierry Henry on Ayyoub Bouaddi after France's midfield battle with Manu Koné:

🗣️"People were already calling Bouaddi the next great midfielder, but football humbles you very quickly. Manu Koné gave him a lesson tonight. Every duel, every second ball, every transition—Koné… pic.twitter.com/15z3nkpG98

— ArsenalBlog (@_Arsenalblog) July 9, 2026

 

Digne isn’t gonna stop Yamal 1v1. All things considered Spain winning the World Cup is good for Madrid so have to be pulling in that direction.

Sadly the club is hell bent on always finding the next best thing and borderline discriminates against its own academy developed players and a great analogy went from producing the Captains and Manager of (World Cup winning) Spain to getting completely snubbed from representation in the team and having no one to blame but itself.

 

These are the kind of dumbasses CR7 had to deal with in Portugal. No wonder Argentina is succeeding and Portugal is out.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8G4Ayhd/

 

I have been begging for Kone for so long. Crazy how hes right there in front of our nose but we ignore it.

 

These world cups are a show, a Eurosong if you will. Maybe twenty-thirty years ago the football was similar to the club level, but now it's astonishing just how weaker it is compared to the latter stages of Champions League. That is also the reason why talented players shine during world cups, but can struggle if not in the right environment at the club level.

 

I don't even think it was the same level as elite club football even 25 years ago. I vaguely recall watching the latter stages of the 98 WC and then after that watching Real Madrid a year later and thinking damn Real Madrid must be the best team in the world, how do they play better than Brazil.

Because its every four years and only for a few weeks we overlook that because it's entertaining. I definitely agree with your point about the great players seeming even greater in the WC because of the overall level of the opposition. It's fun, as long as it doesn't devolve into toxic patriotism and the nasty stuff we saw coming from Paraguay.