FIFA World Cup 2026 Results & Discussion Thread [R]

What in the "we’re all in this together" kumbaya monologue is this?

You are literally lecturing an international message board about the deep spiritual essence of Spanish patriotism. We don’t hold Spanish passports sweetie! I support Real Madrid, not the Spanish FA's PR department.

I'd drag you harder for that advice on living in a country that won a majot trophy, but I'm a little too busy manifesting it coming home tonight to let you gatekeep football from your tweed lil armchair.

You can continue writing wattpad fantasy about Madrid and Barca players braiding each other's hair and holding hands across the aisle, the rest of us are just here to watch Jude save the sport from Infantino's heavily scripted sitcom

 

This forum is like reality tv sometimes

 

Grasping at absolute straws trying to pretend England’s normal match moments are anywhere near Infantino's VIP script for his butt buddy. Put down the tin foil hat because the desperation is showing.

 

Translation: "I have absolutely zero football arguments left but my ego physically requires me to get the last word."

If you genuinely didn't car you wouldn't be hate reading my replies and foaming at the mouth trying to gatekeep a football fandom. Same energy as the meme of the guy crying behind the smiling mask.

And yes, Real Madrid is geographically located in Spain. Thank you, Dora the Explorer. But trying to gatekeep the fandom to pure local Spanish patriotism is hilarious when Perez has spent the last 25 years building a ruthless, global corporate empire.

 

Ok I must be getting old

but what are we even arguing here? Whether Madrid fans in Spain support their national team?

or is it why?

or are we arguing for the sake of arguing? lol

 

Exactly. I am surprised to see so much hate towards Spain, from Madrid fans board. It does not have to be your favorite team, but at least it would make sense not to hate it.

 

4x4s is saying basically Spain winning is the best possible outcome for Real Madrid to which discussion started whether a team with Madrid player representative in it winning would be more appropriate alternative...(Mbappe and Tchou , so france or Jude- so England)

If England brings it home, it doesn't establish the Premier League as the premier address. It does the exact opposite.

It proves that the best English player of his generation had to pack his bags and move to the Bernabeu to actually reach legendary status.

It’s the ultimate flex over English football. It tells every top talent in the world that the PL is just a stepping stone and Real Madrid is the final boss.

 

ahh
As a Madrid fan not in Spain

I root neither for Spain nor for Madrid players’ national teams. I will first and foremost root for my own country. Perhaps my own region as to preserve the essence and value of our football and its impact in the sport

but I will likely just be neutral and pick a team who I’ve enjoyed watching and find deserving and root for them. I’ve historically rooted against England due to the overhype, arrogance, and media. But I like what I’m seeing and I like Kane, Jude, Gordon. So I’m rooting for them

 

Sure , I understand that. But even if people support Spain, my point was this

 

I've been rooting for Spain ever since I became a Real Madrid fan, even though I have no personal connection to Spain. The only exception was Euro 2004, since that was the last time Bulgaria qualified for a Euros or a World Cup.

I also genuinely enjoy the way the Spanish team plays, for the most part. I'm with 4x4s on this one - it ultimately benefits both Spanish football in general and Real Madrid.

 

I can understand international Madrid fans that might hate the national team since it features heavily from rival clubs.

Similarly it makes sense Spanish Madrid fans would support the team no matter the Madrid representation in the team.

 

England's best players don't even play in the Premier League.

 

Loosely applied to international football, Spain follows Barca's approach. We follow France/England's approach. Real Madrid represents the anti Spain philosophy in Spain, Barcelona represents the Spain philosophy (even though ironically nominally anti Spain with the Catalan thing). Spain winning will not change Madrid's approach, not while Florentino is around. So cheering for somebody based on some highly abstract calculations (Spain wins--->more money/attention domestically--->Real Madrid benefits) that you percieve to be rational, are actually not rational at all. Madrid will not change because of Spain winning. Hell, Spain won a bunch of times in the last decade and it changed nothing, the difference in philosophies actually became more prominent as we can see now.

Personally, even though I would like Madrid to follow Spain as a model, I know that isnt happening any time soon, so as someone who lives in the present, I'd rather cheer for England to win it because of Bellingham. I cant really care about diffuse effects, especially since they are so unpredictable. Maybe England winning means more influx of English culture in club football, whatever English culture is? Who knows.

But I think 4x4s romanticizing national culture and overestimating its importance in a highly global era. Spain does not play the way it does because of its culture, it plays like that because of very deep football concepts and methods. It doesnt have anything to do with some unique Spanish cultural traits. This type of argument is close to the level of the idiocy I witnessed recently with the argument that Brazil became worse because they are less catholic and more evangelical these days. Total BS.

 

Yea. Ultimately it comes down to the coaching choices as well. Barca's football culture comes from Rinus Michels and Cruyff. And they mostly had coaches who have prioritized offensive football for several decades. Kompany is a proper disciple of Pep ball while Arteta went total opposite to win PL.

Dutch football changed so much from Cruyff, Michels days that Koeman who played under both went with a defensive formation against Morocco. Dutch doesn't even lose by bad luck after playing good football anymore.

 

Which club is more popular in Spain?
I know worldwide is us by a good margin, but in Spain?

 

The way the broadcast announcers and pundits hype up Yamal (here in the states) on a constant basis is why I don’t particularly care for Spain to win. They are slobbering over him when he’s not even the 6th or 7th best player on that team right now. Had he been playing well and deserved the praise, sure that’s reality. But the clear agenda from FIFA is Yamal is the next one to be sprinkled with the Messi dust immunity is too much.

 

RM used to have a huge lead 20-25 years ago in non-Basque and non-Catalonia regions when Spain NT were winning nothing, ETA terrorist incidents were frequent and Barca used to push for Catalan independence more often publicly. Gap has narrowed down significantly according to surveys in the last decade probably owing to calmer political climate and the success Spain had from 2008-12 with many players from Barca.