World Cup 2026

[Sheilbh]

There is, however, much football left to be played. Australia are through, and have one of the better chants of the tournament. "Aussie boys are on a bender, Donald Trump is a sex offender".

There is a far more x-rated/rude English chant about Trump too

[Norgy]

Does it include the words "piles" and "files" and almost a mention of Canute?   

[Sheilbh]

Does it include the words "piles" and "files" and almost a mention of Canute?   

That's the one.

Edit: Should say I heard about it with English fans - but suspect it may be a British chant because I can well imagine Scots getting involved in that

[Sheilbh]

Heard a couple of complaints about it - I think raised by France for example - but the pitch at this stadium doesn't look good. So inevitably it's the one hosting the final

Also looks like it's pissing down and very grey so couldn't do without those hydration breaks

[HVC]

Glad they decided not to use a sun/rain guard on the on field camera in the england game. Rain drops on the lense give a nice gritty cinema feel. Who needs to watch the action

[HVC]

Also while unlikely a Panama victory would be hilarious. Would quiet down the annoying subsection of "it's coming home" english fans.

[Norgy]

That subsection has existed long before Baddiel and Skinner made the song.

After 1966, I believe there were 20 years where the English just could not fathom that other countries improved. Failed to qualify during the period English teams were rampaging through the European Cup. And before. Knocked out by Poland for the 1974 World Cup. This seemed a low ebb, I suppose, but worse was to come.

[Sheilbh]

That subsection has existed long before Baddiel and Skinner made the song.

After 1966, I believe there were 20 years where the English just could not fathom that other countries improved. Failed to qualify during the period English teams were rampaging through the European Cup. And before. Knocked out by Poland for the 1974 World Cup. This seemed a low ebb, I suppose, but worse was to come.

Yeah - I think the nadir was Roy Hodgson's team being knocked out of the Euros by Iceland at the tail end of a "golden generation". Then Sam Allardyce coming in. And of course the song itself is bittersweet, though the use may not be (hardly the first song to be wistful and ironic and turned into something triumphal by stadiums joining in - see the entire career of Bruce Springsteen ). Plus it's from the 96 Euros so it's also part of football cleaning up its act and properly clamping down on hooliganism and racism as well as, from 1990 becoming more middle class/national.

It's interesting the perspective overseas - there's a BBC adaptation of the James Graham play about Southgate, Dear England (totaly aside he also wrote Sherwood which is a fantastic post-miner's strike drama). Haven't seen the show but the play was fantastic. And it kind of gets the cultural reset under Southgate which was partly about expectations being so low that there wasn't pressure which allowed England to play well - which is where the recent revival comes from (starting in 2018). It started as a joke and then grew. I think at this point is almost trying to get that moment of surprise back (while the expectation/pressure on the team has crept back in). It's why if we go any further or have good performances I quite like the new songs coming in like Wonderwall and Hey Jude v that and Sweet Caroline.

On that side there's a documentary recently about the "golden generation" and just how much they hated playing for England, didn't like each other, felt hounded by the press. I think at the Ghana game they mentioned at the start stuff like Tuchel and Kane going to a baseball game (and Tuchel throwing the first pitch) and it looking like a nice, slightly relaxing team-building exercise. Wayne Rooney was one of the pundits and he said that's exactly what it is - but it was worth noting that if the teams he was in had done that they'd have been crucified by the media for not taking it seriously/slacking. And he's right (the England team being merely one of the many institutions almost utterly destroyed by a feral press).

[mongers]

That England victory was against one of the half-dozen worst performing teams in the WC, so hardly convincing.

[HVC]

Well I can tell you that Colombia's defense is better than Uzbekistan's

[Sheilbh]

Poor Uzbekistan

Edit: Spoke too soon But still feel for them.

[Sheilbh]

Colombia-Portugal is very fun.

Loved James Rodriguez when he was with us - but also a player I slightly forget about between World Cups. And still very good.

[HVC]

Started slow. Last 10 or so minutes picked up.

[HVC]

Slowed down again

[HVC]

Way offside again. I blame Duque