Match 102 [SF] : ENG : ARG - ELFATH (USA)

When the median join date of posters in a thread on a niche forum is likely approaching 20 years, "joined yesterday" really does stand out. Sure lurkers exist, but the odds of an old-school lurker finally being pushed over the edge to needing to reply at this point, well that's absurd.

Almost certainly someone who joined long ago, but also used up all their old burner accounts (or lost the email/passwords). I mean if I wanted to go that route, I'd check to see if Segroves has any unused old burner accounts on BigSoccer that he could give me the login info to. Of course it would still show a massive gap in posting/activity history, but how many folks look that deeply into an account that "Joined in 2011"?

 

The referee's job is to enforce the laws, not to minimize the risk of injury. You complain about Pino, but the shoulder charge that caused his sprain was legal. The outcome was unfortunate, but the call was correct.

The tackle that injured Williams resulted in a YC, which was defensible even though some preferred red. Regardless, this was in minute 93 and was more about Uruguay's imminent elimination than anything the referee did.

 

I’d be interested in hearing your opinion on this. Wasn’t there a clear foul by Messi on Spence in the build-up to Argentina’s second goal?



To me, Messi deliberately fouls Spence to stop him from following him, giving all the time he needed to go for another cross.

I'm not sure there are any freely accessible link, but I guess you have your own access to the replay.

 

This absolutely should have been called back. Never got a good look at the contact until this image. Admittedly, still images can be deceiving, but this image coupled with how Spence reacted immediately afterwards, I would be shocked if the video replay showed something different.

 

If referees are told not to produce cards for offences that ordinarily would lead to bookings because of worries over suspensions haven't FIFA got this the wrong way round? Produce the cards but remove the suspensions. Only suspend players for red cards or three yellows. By allowing more fouling than usual they're degrading the game quality and risking both injury and reprisals.

Over the years cards the number of offences that attract cards has increased. This is because it is believed to protect skillful players and increase the quality of matches. It also means that suspensions are more likely. We don't need suspensions for yellow cards. I think we do need yellow cards to be used where the laws generally legislate for them.

Yesterday no player could be suspended for yellow card accumulation. If a player cannot control themselves after picking up a yellow and risks a second that is on them or their manager.

 

Check out this image:

 

I don't think it was deliberate, but stepping on a foot is still a foul, no? I did not realize that he injured his other foot in the tackle. In which case, this may not be as bad as the still image shows (which I already said could be the case).

 

On the action, Messi stares at Spence's foot, he's absolutely not on the ball. He perfectly knows what he's doing.

Nuevo video de un aficionado muestra claramente el contacto de Messi con el pie de Spence 5 segundos antes del 2ndo gol.

Argentina robando como siempre y FIFA y el VAR sin aparecer.

Recordemos que con Egipto el VAR se regresó 2 minutos a ver una jugada a 80 metros.

Asqueroso pic.twitter.com/iE12yNuzOj

— FERMOR (@FERMOR_23) July 16, 2026

 

https://www.gettyimages.in/detail/n...attle-for-news-photo/2285662346?adppopup=true

the original photo; this other one was made with AI.

 

What's the source for this photo? I saw some people on social media saying this specific still is AI generated and it does not reflect the socks Argentina wore for the match accurately, because there is no visible Adidas logo in the front of the sock (and it exists).

 

There was a second shooter. /s

 

Do you have any image of Messi's foot touching the floor instead of Spence?

There's no way you can think Messi bothers about the ball on this, no matter the footage. And Spence's reaction is immediate. That litterally stops him.

Frankly I don't even see how we can read the action in any other way.

 

There are a lot of folks and a lot of AI tools out there who seem to be intentionally misrepresenting content to try and establish a narrative. I'm not entirely sure the twitter video you posted yourself is not edited.

The VAR team had multiple officials and access to quite a few angles. They did not send it down, and this was a scenario where they would have had there been sufficient amount of contact for a foul since it was a change in possession that directly led to a goal.

I cannot conclusively say that there is zero contact looking at HD highlight videos, but if there is any contact, it appears to be extremely slight before Messi pulls his left leg up and out of the challenge. Messi definitely does not transfer his full weight into Spence's planted foot based on the video available in official highlights.

 

And the world stood still; the only thing that changed was the position of their feet—even the ball paused to savor the moment.

 

There might be another image showing something different, but people taking an image and modifying it with AI certainly doesn't help much.

 

I'm totally open to other interpretations, but then why Spence stops everything instead of challenging Messi? Messi is left all alone to get the ball and go for another cross.

Because spence was simulating for a foul? Is that your understanding?

 

Forget the image, I've been stupid enough to get fooled by it. Blame that on me.

Look at the action closely, and you can clearly see that Messi’s attention is not on the ball when he goes in on Spence. At the very least Messi is late and that is still to be called a foul. He bothers about the ball again only once he knows Spence eliminated.

 

Spence's reaction is that the foot that is pinned under his body is hurt

 

Regarding AI, the 2030 tournament should be fun.

 

So there's no foul because it's his other foot that is hurt? That's not what is told in the laws of the game.

What was doing Messi on the action? An airwalk?