Soccer, Sports and Politics - Part Deux

The bottom of the Premier League is looking very “Spursy”…

 

So where are we up to with the number of World Cup teams whose domestic fans are banned from attending the finals?

 

LOL Argentina is fücked. Not getting out of the group stage now.

 

Imagine someone like me, who has looked forward to another cup for years and years. And the one we get has too many teams, and our politics have a very good chance to be the biggest storyline. It’s like a Greek myth or a wish on a monkey’s paw.

 

I'm curious how they got out? Iraq's players might be facing the same issue in a couple of weeks as they need to fly out to Mexico for the WC qualifier. Most of their squad plays club football in Iraq.

 

Now the US just needs to start bombing Mexico and Colombia and tickets will be available for all the interesting games. Well played FIFA!!!

 

Iraq team and their coach can't get out of the ME for the deciding play off match.

 

I can't even think on a real problem this new format is meant to solve. It's all just a money grab.

 

I see you've met FIFA leadership.

 

Just do it!!!

 

Should we start a “pistolero eating faces” thread for this?

 

These countries just recently started footballing to join the WC?

 

Not sure how that grows the sport to be honest. If anything it dilutes the quality and makes the tournament even more elitist as it puts greater constrains on who can effectively host it.

Also, it cheapens the value of qualifying, in my opinion. Although this last point may be just me being bitter that my country crashed and burned out of what should have been the easiest qualifiers ever

 

It was highlighted in another thread in this sub forum that F1 drivers and crew had the same issue yet still got to Australia for this weekend's Grand Prix. Seems like this problem can be overcome, especially given that they have three weeks to figure it out, though Formula 1 has more money than the Iraqi NT I assume.

 

it “solves” Italys failure to qualify, add more spots and you guarantee they always qualify. Its just that

 

He skipped being at a ceremony for Trump giving him a medal.. Now that Trump gave Argentina millions I wonder if there was “gentle pressure” for him to be there.. for the sake of optics

 

it explains the red marks on the tangerine tyrants neck

 

No

 

Am not so sure. Looks like Italy might have exceeded the escape velocity of the red supergiant that is the World Cup.

 

Good old-fashioned brawl in the Mineiro state championship.

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1rojrgv/brawl_breaks_out_between_cruzeiro_and_atletico/