FIFA World Cup 2026 Results & Discussion Thread [R]

Zidane05 · Jul 20, 2026

4x4s said: ↑

He missed the Spanish goal as he had left his seat at that moment.

I think he's a bit of a donkey but he's a legendary football player so what are you gonna do.
Click to expand...

He didn't he was right there, to the right of David Villa, and there shots that show him hugging Villa.

Shay Z · Jul 20, 2026

I saw a video of him rushing out from the back and joining the celebrations with Villa and others. Can't speak to the timing of it all as you can't see the pitch but everyone is celebrating. Maybe he stepped inside briefly. Regardless i found it very wholesome to see them all sitting together. All greats of the Spanish game......... and Xavi.

I read that Capdevilla asked Cucu to bury a coin in the pitch which is what he did in the last WC final they won. Cucu did it too.

hala_madrid722 · Jul 20, 2026

Me today feeling like a million bucks

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da_uH64IL3P/?l=1

Zidane05 · Jul 20, 2026

Shay Z said: ↑

I saw a video of him rushing out from the back and joining the celebrations with Villa and others. Can't speak to the timing of it all as you can't see the pitch but everyone is celebrating. Maybe he stepped inside briefly. Regardless i found it very wholesome to see them all sitting together. All greats of the Spanish game......... and Xavi.

I read that Capdevilla asked Cucu to bury a coin in the pitch which is what he did in the last WC final they won. Cucu did it too.
Click to expand...

Cucu is such a loveable guy, how can anyone in the world hate that beautiful face?

4x4s · Jul 20, 2026

Shay Z said: ↑

I saw a video of him rushing out from the back and joining the celebrations with Villa and others. Can't speak to the timing of it all as you can't see the pitch but everyone is celebrating. Maybe he stepped inside briefly. Regardless i found it very wholesome to see them all sitting together. All greats of the Spanish game......... and Xavi.

I read that Capdevilla asked Cucu to bury a coin in the pitch which is what he did in the last WC final they won. Cucu did it too.
Click to expand...

It's widely reported that he missed the goal. It happens, I know people that missed the Ramos CL final goal either by accident or by leaving the room.

Raul-7 · Jul 20, 2026

756 - Most successful passes in a single FIFA World Cup in the last 60 years:

756 - 🇪🇸 Rodri in 2026
671 - 🇪🇸 Pau Cubarsí in 2026
638 - 🇪🇸 Rodri in 2022
616 - 🇪🇸 Aymeric Laporte in 2026
596 - 🇪🇸 Xavi in 2010

Roja. pic.twitter.com/5H00vudmL3
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 20, 2026

122 - 🇪🇸 Rodri made 122 line-breaking passes at the 2026 World Cup, the most by a player since 🇪🇸 Xabi Alonso in 2010 (126).

Threaded. pic.twitter.com/6mXeQGiPnF
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 20, 2026

0.30 - 🇪🇸 Spain allowed their opponents an xG of just 0.30 per game at the 2026 World Cup, the lowest of any side in a single edition on record in the last 60 years.

🔒 Locked. pic.twitter.com/A4QcgK9ABm
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 20, 2026

Raul-7 · Jul 20, 2026

1 - 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí led all players in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for:

Touches (139)
Passes successful (121)
Passing accuracy (96%)
Line-breaking passes (21)
Clearances (6)

Unfazed. pic.twitter.com/C7oMgwIcgo
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 19, 2026

38 - Spain are now unbeaten in their last 38 matches in all competitions, the longest ever run by any European or South American team in history.

Premier. pic.twitter.com/39qqwS6G0d
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 19, 2026

2 - Spain’s Ferran Torres was just the second substitute to score the winning goal in a FIFA World Cup final, after Germany’s Mario Götze in 2014, which also came against Argentina.

Repeat. pic.twitter.com/bpjvttmOCB
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 19, 2026

1 - Spain have conceded just one goal in their eight games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the fewest goals conceded by any team in a World Cup winning campaign.

Immovable. pic.twitter.com/udt85Clixt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 19, 2026

Shay Z · Jul 20, 2026

4x4s said: ↑

It's widely reported that he missed the goal. It happens, I know people that missed the Ramos CL final goal either by accident or by leaving the room.
Click to expand...

I get it.

Brother if i tell you the story of how i lived that final especially the end of the second half onwards your jaw would drop. The story is too personal to share here but even though i didn't miss the goal but i was half paying attention. Smh. One of the most magical games for a Madridista and i couldn't enjoy ET at all because of extended family BS. I should have watched it at home by myself.

AppleBob86 · Jul 20, 2026

boeder said: ↑

Click to expand...

Given the politics and in the England game and then the end of the Spain game, there is going to be some lengthy bans.

benny_madridista · Jul 20, 2026

Lyra said: ↑

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.”
Click to expand...

What a pointless argument.

celito · Jul 20, 2026

hala_madrid722 said: ↑

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.
Click to expand...

This really should be in the hall of fame of bad analogies.

Bizarre to expect a 39 year old to take over a game in futbol specially when his team is clearly outmatched. Ragging on Messi at this stage is really a silly and petty endeavor.

And just to add to this, Spain made a prime Mbappe as invisible as a 39 year old Messi. Messi had 33 touches on the ball while Mbappe had 36. And that's with Mbappe having a much better team behind him. So perhaps this just had a lot do with Spain's quality.

Rubenlonganiza · Jul 20, 2026

AppleBob86 said: ↑

Given the politics and in the England game and then the end of the Spain game, there is going to be some lengthy bans.
Click to expand...

I doubt it, honestly. Argentina seems completely shielded right now. Not sure why that's the case, but it is what it is. I don't see them taking any serious action about this. Maybe a couple of thousands of dollars in fines.

robertocarlos3 · Jul 20, 2026

Like many have said and written, football won yesterday.
Argentine NT is such a despicable group of players. Nothing by a glorified Paraguay with Messi, which is a despicable little man. What he tried to do to Cucu was such a cowardly act.

Saeta Rubia · Jul 20, 2026

🚨💣 BREAKING: CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez has ANNOUNCED that the 2030 World Cup will have 64 NATIONS. pic.twitter.com/tC5ZSBS7CH
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 20, 2026

Rubenlonganiza · Jul 20, 2026

celito said: ↑

This really should be in the hall of fame of bad analogies.

Bizarre to expect a 39 year old to take over a game in futbol specially when his team is clearly outmatched. Ragging on Messi at this stage is really a silly and petty endeavor.

And just to add to this, Spain made a prime Mbappe as invisible as a 39 year old Messi. Messi had 33 touches on the ball while Mbappe had 36. And that's with Mbappe having a much better team behind him. So perhaps this just had a lot do with Spain's quality.
Click to expand...

I see lots of commentators still calling him the best player in the world, which I find just as silly and petty.
I knew that as soon as Messi faced a serious team, he would disappear. He is old. He is still good and his teammates would probably murder people to protect him, so he got to shine against smaller teams. But I knew he would fade away as Argentina faced tougher opponents.

Messi should have been sent off in the first game as well.

His team worships him and the whole tournament gave him and his buddies carte blanche to be rougher than usual. That helped him score some goals and provide some assists, but at some point, this whole environment would reach a limit where he wouldn't be able to shine anymore. Tuchel blew it, but he was already at his limit against England. Spain made it impossible for that environment lead Messi to another title.

WhiteRM · Jul 20, 2026

Saeta Rubia said: ↑

🚨💣 BREAKING: CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez has ANNOUNCED that the 2030 World Cup will have 64 NATIONS. pic.twitter.com/tC5ZSBS7CH
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 20, 2026

Click to expand...

This is one of the dumbest decisions ever made in world football. Expanding the World Cup to 48 teams means adding 16 more teams compared to the previous format, with no real sporting justification. In practice, it only dilutes the quality of the tournament and looks far more like a political move designed to appease the football confederations in Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania than a genuine attempt to “make the World Cup more global” or “protect its sporting integrity.”

Shay Z · Jul 20, 2026

🇦🇷 Argentine newspaper Clarin: 'As never before, the Argentine team displayed, both on and off the field, a range of values that are rare these days. From the pitch and beyond, they gave several lessons and showed the face of a country that we would like to see away from the… pic.twitter.com/3heYTAJtAB
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) July 20, 2026

Rubenlonganiza · Jul 20, 2026

WhiteRM said: ↑

This is one of the dumbest decisions ever made in world football. Expanding the World Cup to 48 teams means adding 16 more teams compared to the previous format, with no real sporting justification. In practice, it only dilutes the quality of the tournament and looks far more like a political move designed to appease the football confederations in Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania than a genuine attempt to “make the World Cup more global” or “protect its sporting integrity.”
Click to expand...

If that means less qualifying games and NT breaks, I'm perfectly fine with it.

celito · Jul 20, 2026

Rubenlonganiza said: ↑

I see lots of commentators still calling him the best player in the world, which I find just as silly and petty.
I knew that as soon as Messi faced a serious team, he would disappear. He is old. He is still good and his teammates would probably murder people to protect him, so he got to shine against smaller teams. But I knew he would fade away as Argentina faced tougher opponents.

Messi should have been sent off in the first game as well.

His team worships him and the whole tournament gave him and his buddies carte blanche to be rougher than usual. That helped him score some goals and provide some assists, but at some point, this whole environment would reach a limit where he wouldn't be able to shine anymore. Tuchel blew it, but he was already at his limit against England. Spain made it impossible for that environment lead Messi to another title.
Click to expand...

Agree with the exaggerated superlatives. But you're always going to have people doing those.

But I will say this ... if Argentina had a team that could push Spain, and create openings for Messi, I wouldn't put it past him deciding the game even at his age. And I am not talking about tap ins. The guy is still damn good at scoring a goal form inside or outside the box and still incredibly precise at delivering passes and crosses into the box. It's still quite amazing what he did in this WC at his age.

Seoul Villan · Jul 20, 2026

Rubenlonganiza said: ↑

If that means less qualifying games and NT breaks, I'm perfectly fine with it.
Click to expand...

This isn’t designed to decrease games. It’s to increase. FIFA is trying to make more money.

if they can get China into a WC, along with India and Nigeria. Even more money can be stolen.

WhiteRM · Jul 20, 2026

Rubenlonganiza said: ↑

If that means less qualifying games and NT breaks, I'm perfectly fine with it.
Click to expand...

I’m genuinely curious what you’re basing that conclusion on. Could you share your reasoning and the actual facts that make you think that’s what's going to happen?

Rubenlonganiza · Jul 20, 2026

WhiteRM said: ↑

I’m genuinely curious what you’re basing that conclusion on. Could you share your reasoning and the actual facts that make you think that’s what's going to happen?
Click to expand...

Oh my God, your pedantic internet nerd lingo makes me so moist

I don't usually start my conclusions with "If..." by the way.

I'm just guessing. There is a limited number of countries in the world. If more countries will qualify to the WC, that should mean less qualifying games, no?

Jpows · Jul 20, 2026

celito said: ↑

Agree with the exaggerated superlatives. But you're always going to have people doing those.

But I will say this ... if Argentina had a team that could push Spain, and create openings for Messi, I wouldn't put it past him deciding the game even at his age. And I am not talking about tap ins. The guy is still damn good at scoring a goal form inside or outside the box and still incredibly precise at delivering passes and crosses into the box. It's still quite amazing what he did in this WC at his age.
Click to expand...

I agree. And I think this is where hindsight bias creeps in. Against weaker teams it was "he's only performing because the tournament is protecting him", against the best team in the tournament it's "see, he disappeared." Meanwhile, prime Mbappé was almost just as anonymous against Spain while playing on the favorite team to win it all.

Messi still had an objectively outstanding tournament, competing for the Golden Boot and assist lead against some of the best players in the world, 10-15 years younger, despite missing two penalties. Bar the final, you could argue he had a better World Cup than he did four years ago.

Sometimes the simpler explanation is that Spain were exceptional, not that everything before that was an illusion. Put this same 39-year-old Messi in a stronger side like France, Spain or Portugal, and I doubt we'd be hearing that he was suddenly "finished" after one quiet game.

WhiteRM · Jul 20, 2026

Rubenlonganiza said: ↑

Oh my God, your pedantic internet nerd lingo makes me so moist

I don't usually start my conclusions with "If..." by the way.

I'm just guessing. There is a limited number of countries in the world. If more countries will qualify to the WC, that should mean less qualifying games, no?
Click to expand...

Before trying to mock someone, it's probably a good idea not to guess things in the first place.

Yes, the number of countries is finite. There are roughly 54 in Africa, 48 in Asia, 44 in Europe, 23 in North America, 12 in South America, and 14 in Oceania. That doesn't change anything.

Expanding the World Cup doesn't automatically reduce the number of qualifiers or international breaks. In Europe, for example, it could simply mean that, instead of only group winners qualifying automatically, some of the best runners-up would qualify as well, or UEFA could adjust the Nations League pathway. The qualifying campaign would still exist.

In Africa, which already has one of the toughest qualifying campaigns in world football, expanding the World Cup would simply make qualification less difficult by giving more teams direct spots. It doesn't eliminate the need to play qualifiers.

The same logic applies elsewhere. More qualification spots don't automatically mean fewer qualifying matches, they often just mean that more of those matches become less decisive because more teams qualify.

boeder · Jul 20, 2026

Jpows said: ↑

Put this same 39-year-old Messi in a stronger side like France, Spain or Portugal, and I doubt we'd be hearing that he was suddenly "finished" after one quiet game.
Click to expand...

1 non-PK G/A in 8 World Cup + Copa America finals is not "one quiet game".

0 shots on target in a WC final of 130 minutes is a historic disgrace.