FIFA World Cup 2026 Results & Discussion Thread [R]

That’s muscle memory. The players cover their mouths due to years of habit. It will take time for them to unlearn it but they will do so. And it will be good for the game.

It’s like the defending with the hands behind the backs when going to close crosses. They learned to do it it for a specific reason and as soon as the handball rules are changed they will unlearn the habit.

 

Still not as funny as this. This should be in the Louvre

 

This keeper is one of the most cringe and offensive footballers on the planet but hey, let’s introduce Ronaldo to the argument

 

I don't buy into the sanctimonious narrative that the coach and captain were somehow anomalies and distant from the douchbaggery that we saw from Argentina in two consecutive World Cups, the whole: poor Scaloni and Messi were stuck with this bunch, look at what they had to put up with, etc.

I think they were both integral enablers and catalysts of Argentina's sh!t.

 

Cry some more..

 

Mate, you're already crying.

Nobody mentioned Cristiano yet here you are with the whole "yeah but Ronaldo"..

 

I didn’t mention Messi. He is a snide player on the pitch and it’s clear his “humility” crap is an act.

The coach might have encouraged or enabled the thuggery but I didn’t see him cross the line with any public statements or actions (granted I haven’t been paying attention to what he has been saying recently). Same cannot be said for his players and many others on his staff.

 

Fr, so many A list celebs attended, but he overshadowed all for me...

The argument was whether CBs like Eric performing worse on metrics merited selection over Huijsen, not whether Spain could survive with them barely leaving the bench. You’re confusing “his omission didn’t cost spain” with “his omission was justified.”

 

It cannot be overstated enough how awful Messi was yesterday. Historically awful performance.

Imagine Michael Jordan in a title clinching game coming up that small, would never happen in a million years.

I read that Messi had as many touches yesterday as Unai Simon, insane to think especially because Simon didn’t really have to do much all game yesterday.

 

He didn't have to, he had +30 kunts doing it for him, even members of his staff were throwing punches at FT e.g. Ayala like you mentioned..you always need that faux "good" dude to close the loop with the manufactured victim storyline..

 

Loser mentality. If you don’t respect the man respect the office. Nobody forced him to come to the US or lose the final. But I think Argentina went above and beyond to show the world who they are.

 

He wasn’t a ruthless competitor yesterday

 

I learnt two things during this tournament about Barcelona players.

Pau Cubarsi is better than i thought and you can see he's maturing already. He's gonna be a problem for a while.
Yamal isn't as good as his hype. He is still so young so he can also get better but he's not as good as people hype him up to be. And that's not his fault.

Lastly, not a Barcelona player but Rodri still has it - if there was any doubt. We should sign him. His two years of good work here will set us up well for the next 5.

 

Hard to be a ruthless competitor when you're doing light cardio like a retired Miami grandpa just waiting for Infantino's VAR booth to drop you a care package.

 

I don't think Yamal was even 50% fit. Nico Williams wasn't either, Fabian Ruiz was injured for most of 2026, Pedri completely off-form but De la Fuente's system carried them, the man had an idea of what he wanted and who he wanted to make it happen

In the end the only real gap in their squad was a striker, someone like David Villa to end games when the you are clearly the dominant team.

 

To be fair, MJ was with the Wizards, not even making the playoffs, at Messi's age.

 

I recall a time before Cristiano and Messi when you would barely ever hear anyone say some team was "carried" by one player. Everyone understood you can't win football by yourself. Then the hype era started and now if a player doesn't "carry" he's not good enough. Anyway, it's besides the point. De La Fuente coached his ass off and deserves all the plaudits but at the end of the day, players play. Fair point about Yamal, perhaps he was not fully fit.

Enzo Alves is coming.

 

Wow, the delusion is on another level.

Cognitive dissonance is strong with these folks.