World Cup 2026

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Really enjoyed the Cape Verde match. They play without any fear. Fun to watch. 

[benjii]

I've changed my mind about the format. Shit loads of teams is good.

Still don't like the hydration station, though. 

[Osvaldorama]

7 minutes ago, benjii said:

I've changed my mind about the format. Shit loads of teams is good.

Still don't like the hydration station, though. 

 

I agree actually, I was thinking adding more teams would devalue the competition.
But actually, the ‘weaker’ teams have been surprisingly good. Even Curacao managed to score and hold out for ages against Germany. (I know they eventually got pumped, but it was a great effort from them)

[Patrick Bateman]

8 minutes ago, benjii said:

I've changed my mind about the format. Shit loads of teams is good.

Still don't like the hydration station, though. 

Agreed - I've enjoyed some of the random matches more!! Canada vs Qatar and Uruguay vs Cape Verde were both particularly decent to watch.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Read this article multiple times and still not sure why it exists as a news story. Is it something to do with football? Is it that rare for people to holiday in the same place?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5j89drz81o

[Holmes_and_Watson]

57 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Read this article multiple times and still not sure why it exists as a news story. Is it something to do with football? Is it that rare for people to holiday in the same place?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5j89drz81o

"Richard's other passion is singing karaoke at the park's club. His favourite is Penny Arcade, by Roy Orbison, and once he starts, it can be hard to get him off stage, according to staff."

May I suggest a water cannon?

 

[East Kent Saint]

Danso in for Austria  , that will do it😄

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Close call on the penalty 

[Window Cleaner]

That should bé a double penalty. Chopped down from 2 sides.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Is the Austrian keeper Simon Pegg?

[adrian lord]

That was much more of a penalty than a lot of the ones that the pundits seem to think were nailed on yet they didn’t agree with that one. It was potentially broken ankle time with two sets of legs man-trapping his feet. Missed it anyway!
 

Edited 3 hours ago by adrian lord

[SNSUN]

Stuttering run up wanker. Not many things I hate more in football currently than the stuttering run up. Deserved to miss that Messi. Penalty award was a bit harsh anyway. 

[benjii]

Danny Murphy is awful.

Give me the tactics lass any day.

[Window Cleaner]

5 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Is the Austrian keeper Simon Pegg?

The bloke from Fairport Convention?

Ah non that was Dave Pegg, played a mean fiddle.

Edited 3 hours ago by Window Cleaner

[adrian lord]

Messi having a mare!

[East Kent Saint]

6 minutes ago, Window Cleaner said:

The bloke from Fairport Convention?

Ah non that was Dave Pegg, played a mean fiddle.

Carried on playing with an oxygen bottle on stage ! Loved his playing and Fairport.

[East Kent Saint]

11 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

Stuttering run up wanker. Not many things I hate more in football currently than the stuttering run up. Deserved to miss that Messi. Penalty award was a bit harsh anyway. 

Kane and Messi showing how not to do it !

[whelk]

5 minutes ago, adrian lord said:

Messi having a mare!

Got to smile at Danny Murphy giving him advice when to shoot though

[East Kent Saint]

I thought this would be a good football match of quality but seems to be constant loss of possession like the other games .

[whelk]

7 hours ago, benjii said:

I've changed my mind about the format. Shit loads of teams is good.

Still don't like the hydration station, though. 

If they go to 64 teams next WC I imagine will be hard to find a country with infrastructure to host 16 groups of 4. Although will be more obvious rewards in games 2 go through, 2 go out. Won’t suit Scotland 

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

Carried on playing with an oxygen bottle on stage ! Loved his playing and Fairport.

I went to a Teddy Thompson gig last week (son of Richard Thompson).... True, if slightly dull, story...

[whelk]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

I went to a Teddy Thompson gig last week (son of Richard Thompson).... True, if slightly dull, story...

I have had lots of holidays in the summer and sometimes football competitions are on. True story 

[whelk]

Beautiful goal

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Was that a foul early in the build up for Austria?

[East Kent Saint]

Just now, whelk said:

Beautiful goal

An actual good bit of football !

[East Kent Saint]

21 minutes ago, trousers said:

I went to a Teddy Thompson gig last week (son of Richard Thompson).... True, if slightly dull, story...

I remember the Richard and Linda Thompson concert at Canterbury University with affection .

Slight disappointment going to see Traffic as Steve Windwood had left the band , likewise when we saw Thin Lizzy at the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone as Phil Lynott had left the band at that time. Gary Moore did well to lead the band.

Edited 2 hours ago by East Kent Saint

[benjii]

Could be a good red card in this match.

[Gloucester Saint]

44 minutes ago, Window Cleaner said:

That should bé a double penalty. Chopped down from 2 sides.

#4 won the ball but #5 got the man first.

[whelk]

Pundits without socks- remind me to write a letter to Points of View. Come on BBC you can do better

[John Boy Saint]

Oh dear looks like Austria just ran out of ideas at the end of the first half 

[East Kent Saint]

4 minutes ago, whelk said:

Pundits without socks- remind me to write a letter to Points of View. Come on BBC you can do better

I saw Sally Nugent this morning , as they panned away for regional news , with bare feet ! 

[trousers]

5 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

I saw Sally Nugent this morning , as they panned away for regional news , with bare feet ! 

They looked human to me...

[benjii]

6 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

I saw Sally Nugent this morning , as they panned away for regional news , with bare feet ! 

Urgh. Disgusting.

[SNSUN]

11 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

I saw Sally Nugent this morning , as they panned away for regional news , with bare feet ! 

Wikifeet has her feet rated at 4.61 stars. Which is high. Good feetsies.

https://wikifeet.com/Sally_Nugent

[SNSUN]

I'm going to put this out there... there have been better games than this in this tournament. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

27 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

I saw Sally Nugent this morning , as they panned away for regional news , with bare feet ! 

A lady?! Baring her feet?! Without a chaperone?! I am offended on behalf of all those upstanding citizens who did see it, blinded themselves in shame, and now struggle to write strongly worded letters.

[John Boy Saint]

24 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

I'm going to put this out there... there have been better games than this in this tournament. 

Wish it was the later game and I could have watched it in bed and been bored off to sleep 💤

[benjii]

Austria are shite.

[whelk]

Ronaldo just loving this 

[East Kent Saint]

3 minutes ago, benjii said:

Austria are shite.

Esp in final third , BTW Danso looked competent , good blocks and good header into the box 

[Osvaldorama]

Messi is ridiculous. 

Just strolls about then decides to bang in a goal every now and then. What a guy 

[SNSUN]

9 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Messi is ridiculous. 

Just strolls about then decides to bang in a goal every now and then. What a guy 

Lasted the whole match too. If he hadn't been such a prick with the penalty run up he'd have another hattrick

[Osvaldorama]

Surely that’s the Ronaldo v Messi debate put to bed now?
 

In my mind it was over long ago, but these world cups have been ridiculous 

[Window Cleaner]

2 hours ago, East Kent Saint said:

Carried on playing with an oxygen bottle on stage ! Loved his playing and Fairport.

Fairport died with Sandy, but played on I suppose.

[LiberalCommunist]

I always found Ronaldo to be more entertaining than Messi. Even when his team mates weren't on it, he'd still be able to make a difference and influence a result. Some of the headers he scored over the years were sensational, his ability to hang in the air was incredible. But alas, the debate is now over. Messi has proven to be the the all time great. He owns all the key stats,and has a consistency that has followed him into his twilight years.

Perhaps it was his return to Utd that caused Ronaldo damage. Or his time in the desert. But seeing his team mates have stopped believing in him, makes me wonder if he might have lost some self belief as well.

Time to hang it up. Don't wait for them to ask you to leave the party. That's not how a king leaves.