World Cup 2026

[Willo of Whiteley]

Egypt’s Manager has had a mad one saying they deserved to win.

They absolutely shat the bed for the last fifteen minutes, looked knackered, stopped tracking back and devoid of ideas.

They lost because they totally capitulated.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Saint NL said:

 

Egypt manager could be in a spot of bother after trying to activate the racism protocol erroneously. He was doing the crossed arms signal to the ref when his team were under pressure, trying to force a pause in the game. Then completely forgets about alleged abuse, not a good look for him.

I didn't realise he was doing it before the ref had gone over. I only saw him doing it when the ref was there.

Honestly, I thought he was declaring his fandom of a girl band with the gesture. I forgot that was the racism one until the end. Then I thought he was indicating that it was racism against all of Egypt.

I checked with the FIFA arbitration panel, all of whom are called Ptolemy, and they said that's nonsense.

[LiberalCommunist]

Frustrating how they let the argies off the hook, but its down to them, not the ref. Some of the last minute defending was criminal. Painful to watch unfold. 

[Turkish]

8 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Argentina vs England final - written in the stars. Or is that in Infantino’s fairytale storybook?

err it's not 😂

[Turkish]

Difficult to see beyond France really, they've got so much quality going forward they'll have too much for anyone else. If we get past Norway which is by no means going to be easy you'd like to think we'd beat Argentina, hopefully the closeness of the games will start to take it's toll on their older team. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

They've got a pretty fair grievance in fairness. If VAR is going to intervene and disallow that Zico goal for a very minor foul in the build up, then they have to at least review Argentina's 3rd goal as well for consistency. 

The argument against that is that if they had deemed it a foul on Salah and disallowed the goal, then the ref has to award a penalty to them and it wasn't enough of a foul to justify that. But we've seen VAR give penalties for less in this tournament - like the one they gave Mexico against us.

The tators said that there's a different threshold for a penalty review to the foul leading to the disallowed second. Apparently a penalty review is it's own thing.

No idea if that's right or not.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Personally I'm struggling to see anything happening other than a Morocco v Switzerland final.

[Saint NL]

I know we all love stats, XG being a particular favourite, but the Fouls Per Card (FPG) stats show a curious trend.

 

 

(Insert your own conspiracy theories here)

[Saint Pete]

10 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

I don't know why players attempt these stupid 'run up and thump it' penalties. Just do a stuttering run up and stick it the other side of the keeper FFS!!

Well, actually if you watch the pens again, both Davinson Sanchez and Akanji did stutters in their run ups to their awful penalties! 

[Saint Fan CaM]

10 hours ago, washsaint said:

errr.....hate to break it to you but that's impossible as England will play Argentina in the semis if both get through the quarters

Yeah that was kind of my point - the man can make things happen. Fell a bit flat though. 😂

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, Saint NL said:

I know we all love stats, XG being a particular favourite, but the Fouls Per Card (FPG) stats show a curious trend.

 

 

(Insert your own conspiracy theories here)

Not even in respect of these stats, but i find it hard to believe there is anyone who doesn't think there is a least a degree of interference and fixing in this world cup. The integrity of the whole competition just feels incredibly tarnished to me.

[washsaint]

29 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Yeah that was kind of my point - the man can make things happen. Fell a bit flat though. 😂

😄

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Yeah that was kind of my point - the man can make things happen. Fell a bit flat though. 😂

Never look back. Never explain. 🙂

[Disco Stu]

5 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

My mate said the Sam’s just before Argentina scored their first.

He is now firmly ridiculed in the chat and if we lost say to Argentina in the semis, it’ll probably go down as ridiculously as the time another of my mates said Harry Kane is a one season wonder. 😂

Some things will always be brought up, and never lived down.

I said it after Argentina scored their third. We're a stronger side than Egypt. We shouldn't be worrying about Argentina.

Edited yesterday at 12:17 by Disco Stu

[skintsaint]

3 hours ago, Turkish said:

Difficult to see beyond France really, they've got so much quality going forward they'll have too much for anyone else. If we get past Norway which is by no means going to be easy you'd like to think we'd beat Argentina, hopefully the closeness of the games will start to take it's toll on their older team. 

Think Spain have the tools to do France, but the winner of that game will definately win the thing.

[Saint86]

6 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Think Spain have the tools to do France, but the winner of that game will definately win the thing.

Don't know what you're talking about Skint, "its coming home!!!!"

[skintsaint]

3 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Don't know what you're talking about Skint, "its coming home!!!!"

If its any consolation, my predictions on anything football related these days don't pan out 😅

Edited yesterday at 12:27 by skintsaint

[whelk]

3 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I said it after Argentina scored their third. We're a stronger side than Egypt. We shouldn't be worrying about Argentina.

Don’t worry we’d be winning Euros and WC every two years if we’d just had a decent manager. All other countries are piss poor and we never attacked them hard enough 

[Disco Stu]

2 hours ago, whelk said:

Don’t worry we’d be winning Euros and WC every two years if we’d just had a decent manager. All other countries are piss poor and we never attacked them hard enough 

While it would be interesting to know how we might have done in our last two Euros finals with a manager with some tactical nous, we shouldn't dwell on hypotheticals 😂

Edited yesterday at 17:31 by Disco Stu

[Disco Stu]

France and Spain look stronger than anyone on our side of the draw. It's theirs to lose you'd imagine.

Edited yesterday at 18:18 by Disco Stu

[Winnersaint]

10 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Egypt’s Manager has had a mad one saying they deserved to win.

They absolutely shat the bed for the last fifteen minutes, looked knackered, stopped tracking back and devoid of ideas.

They lost because they totally capitulated.

A bit like us at OT in 24/25 season.

[RedArmy]

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

France and Spain look stronger than anyone on our side of the draw. It's theirs to lose you'd imagine.

Will be interesting to see how Spains defence holds up against a team that’s scored 12 goals in their last 3 games. 
 

They’ve been nothing special going forward, but yet to concede a goal and that has dragged them to the quarter finals. 

[Gloucester Saint]

8 hours ago, Saint86 said:

Not even in respect of these stats, but i find it hard to believe there is anyone who doesn't think there is a least a degree of interference and fixing in this world cup. The integrity of the whole competition just feels incredibly tarnished to me.

Whilst I don’t agree with the Egyptians that they were robbed, although sympathetic to them losing last night late on as I wanted them to win, there’s disquiet from the French camp that an all Argentine officials group has been chosen tonight for their game v Morocco.

Infantino has form for chicanery which helps Messi - eg World Club Championship when it should have been Galaxy as the MLS Shield winners but he invited Inter Miami instead. 

He gets on with Trump for good reasons - you can’t trust either of them any further than you could throw them. Corruption is in the bloodstream.

Not seen direct evidence of match fixing bar the Balogun cheating by him and Trump yet I have to say, but is Infantino capable of it? 100%.

Edited yesterday at 19:11 by Gloucester Saint
Form, not firm

[Saint_clark]

7 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I said it after Argentina scored their third. We're a stronger side than Egypt. We shouldn't be worrying about Argentina.

Agreed, I don't fear Argentina. Norway however can keep it solid and compact defensively and have an absolute machine up front in Haaland. 

[Sheaf Saint]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce8m526mjmeo

"A golden boot race for the ages... battle that feels genuinely generational... sharpened by numbers and defined by rarity".

Nothing whatsoever to do with the expanded format and the number of shit teams with shocking defensive records that qualified then huh?

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce8m526mjmeo

"A golden boot race for the ages... battle that feels genuinely generational... sharpened by numbers and defined by rarity".

Nothing whatsoever to do with the expanded format and the number of shit teams with shocking defensive records that qualified then huh?

More evidence that this is the greatest World Cup ever (tm)

Edited 23 hours ago by AlexLaw76

[The Kraken]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce8m526mjmeo

"A golden boot race for the ages... battle that feels genuinely generational... sharpened by numbers and defined by rarity".

Nothing whatsoever to do with the expanded format and the number of shit teams with shocking defensive records that qualified then huh?

It’s a bit from both columns tbf. 

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce8m526mjmeo

"A golden boot race for the ages... battle that feels genuinely generational... sharpened by numbers and defined by rarity".

Nothing whatsoever to do with the expanded format and the number of shit teams with shocking defensive records that qualified then huh?

The entire tournament and any associated records have been hugely devalued. Let alone with the blatant corruption and manipulation by fifa.

[SaintsBarry74]

With VAR there is a better control of the narrative as they can conveniently decide when to / or not to intervene.

CR7 at the 2022 WC was awarded a very soft pen after VAR review, I still remember it because it made no sense that VAR would look into it - 0-0 at the time, forgot the opponent.

Argentina got 5 pens, 4 were soft/dodgy. Messi continuing in the tournament drives viewership and revenue.

[LiberalCommunist]

VAR still adds no real benefit to the game. We have more controversies than before its implementation. Decisions are still unclear, but now we just give more people more opportunity to make a subjective decision that can be result critical.

And now we've seen it roll back play further to include incidents which shouldn't be in the same phase. We've seen refs allow play to continue, only for one team to be so vocal and demanding, that it influences the officials into looking for infringements.

You could ague that's correct, but surely a more passive team like say Japan who don't get in their face and argue and debate every contentions decision will not be officiated the same way. I despise what it has added to the game. The Governing body seemingly have a mechanism that allows the cream to float to the top, and that is the opposite reason it was brought in for, or so we were told.........

Edited 11 hours ago by LiberalCommunist

[Turkish]

Morocco are a a decent side and will give France a game tonight, France will probably win but think it'll be a decent game. 

[Roo1976]

33 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

VAR still adds no real benefit to the game. We have more controversies than before its implementation. Decisions are still unclear, but now we just give more people more opportunity to make a subjective decision that can be result critical.

And now we've seen it roll back play further to include incidents which shouldn't be in the same phase. We've seen refs allow play to continue, only for one team to be so vocal and demanding, that it influences the officials into looking for infringements.

You could ague that's correct, but surely a more passive team like say Japan who don't get in their face and ague and debate every contentions decision will not be officiated the same way. I despise what it has added to the game. The Governing body seemingly have a mechanism that allows the cream to float to the top, and that is the opposite reason it was brought in for, or so we were told.........

Top statement is very true,there are more views and opinions that don't need to be listened too  and muddy the thought process,for instance have you seen how many bloody refs are involved in just putting up a bloody sub board this tournament? its ridiculous.  Imagine that scene in grass roots football on a Sunday  on hackney marshes............Var is no longer clear and obvious to even the football pundits on TV............the refs are now so reliant on the Var they don't really stick to their own views just let the TV refs decide.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

VAR would work better if the 3 VAR officials all sat in seperate rooms with no communication with each other. They then have, say, 30 seconds from anything that happens on the pitch to press a button to overturn whatever the ref has (or hasn't) given on the pitch. Only if all 3 VAR officials are unanimous would anything happen.

If only 2 (1, or none) of them think something should be overturned then it's presumably not "clear and obvious".

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Even if my excellent idea was implemented, the whole idea of VAR is still, and always will be, shit.

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Morocco are a a decent side and will give France a game tonight, France will probably win but think it'll be a decent game. 

Probably be the first game I’ll watch.

[Osvaldorama]

14 hours ago, Saint86 said:

The entire tournament and any associated records have been hugely devalued. Let alone with the blatant corruption and manipulation by fifa.

cheer up

[sadoldgit]

9 hours ago, SaintsBarry74 said:

With VAR there is a better control of the narrative as they can conveniently decide when to / or not to intervene.

CR7 at the 2022 WC was awarded a very soft pen after VAR review, I still remember it because it made no sense that VAR would look into it - 0-0 at the time, forgot the opponent.

Argentina got 5 pens, 4 were soft/dodgy. Messi continuing in the tournament drives viewership and revenue.

I’m not sure how it works if they are deliberately trying to give Argentina pens in this WC given that Messi misses half of them. If he had any, Infantino would be pulling his hair out.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

I’m not sure how it works if they are deliberately trying to give Argentina pens in this WC given that Messi misses half of them. If he had any, Infantino would be pulling his hair out.

How do you think he lost his hair? 

[AlexLaw76]

 

[Badger]

9 hours ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

VAR would work better if the 3 VAR officials all sat in seperate rooms with no communication with each other. They then have, say, 30 seconds from anything that happens on the pitch to press a button to overturn whatever the ref has (or hasn't) given on the pitch. Only if all 3 VAR officials are unanimous would anything happen.

If only 2 (1, or none) of them think something should be overturned then it's presumably not "clear and obvious".

Sounds like the format for a reality tv show.

And to really get the public attention, teams have a joker to play on any decision . The trick being not to use it too early in the tournament. 

[Scummer]

Quansah given a 2 match ban for his red card, would also miss the semi final. It's almost like FIFA want Argentina to go through. 

Also just saw an interesting story on the athletic, that Michael Oliver isn't allowed to referee Argentina games because of the Falklands war, which was before he was even born....

Edited 2 hours ago by Scummer

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Scummer said:

Quansah given a 2 match ban for his red card, would also miss the semi final. It's almost like FIFA want Argentina to go through. 

Also just saw an interesting story on the athletic, that Michael Oliver isn't allowed to referee Argentina games because of the Falklands war, which was before he was even born....

Is there a similar restriction on an Argentinian ref if they’ve got any there for an England game? 

Breaking news : West Germany want 1966 to be replayed due to potential bias of a Russian linesman.

[Scummer]

1 minute ago, Badger said:

Is there a similar restriction on an Argentinian ref if they’ve got any there for an England game? 

Breaking news : West Germany want 1966 to be replayed due to potential bias of a Russian linesman.

Yes there is, which is equally stupid. If we can't have refs from countries we've had wars with, there's not many options left 😂

[ChristopheVAFC]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Luckily, I don’t live in Paris lol 🤣

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Luckily, I don’t live in Paris lol 🤣

Glasgow?

[Turkish]

Coldplay to perform in half time show at the final. That’ll ensure the bars are full 

Edited 2 hours ago by Turkish

[Saint_clark]

Quansahs suspension following his red has been extended to two games 😂 fuck off FIFA you bunch of pricks.

[SWLondon Saint]

39 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Quansahs suspension following his red has been extended to two games 😂 fuck off FIFA you bunch of pricks.

It's like they can't even be arsed to pretend they're not corrupt any more, there's actually no way for the FA to even appeal the ban. 🤡 show.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

51 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Quansahs suspension following his red has been extended to two games 😂 fuck off FIFA you bunch of pricks.

Almost like we'd potentially have to play the Argies in the semis...

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

Quansahs suspension following his red has been extended to two games 😂 fuck off FIFA you bunch of pricks.

I mean, that is just bollox isn't it.