World Cup 2026

[Duque de Bragança]

Jokes aside, does anyone think that Argentina is being favoured by the refs/VAR? And if so, why?

Two wrongs don't make a right, but Messi made a red card-worthy foul against Algeria in the first game.

Would not have happened were the situation reversed.

Yet Argentina was clearly superior.

Argentina was not clearly superior to Cap Vert, and were not clearly superior to Egypt today, yet they keep being given these extra margins. I don't get it.

It's not like Messi is the one dude keeping the popularity of football alive lol. It was the biggest sport in the world before he was even born.

I meant compared to Algeria, past the first 10 minutes.

[Sheilbh]

We were talking about the decline of Brazil over rhe last 20 to 30 years, but have goalies gotten significantly better over the same time frame? Or is that just my selective memory? I mean we've always had a stand out or two,  but now it just seems every goalie is better. Except for Zidanes kid

Love the (correct) theory that Brazil's decline is because most of their players are now evangelical Protestants not Catholic

I agree though I think keepers are better and asked to do more too.

[The Minsky Moment]

Thank God they don't play cricket.

Some of them think they do.  But it's just not cricket.

[HVC]

We were talking about the decline of Brazil over rhe last 20 to 30 years, but have goalies gotten significantly better over the same time frame? Or is that just my selective memory? I mean we've always had a stand out or two,  but now it just seems every goalie is better. Except for Zidanes kid

Love the (correct) theory that Brazil's decline is because most of their players are now evangelical Protestants not Catholic

I agree though I think keepers are better and asked to do more too.

Protestants ruin everything!

Bring back the poor slum catholics.  Bring back the samba!

[celedhring]

I don't think so, but I will certainly defer to the people here who are much more knowledgeable.

Tbf, Argentina doesn't have much pull with FIFA nowadays. Doesn't mean the ref wasn't biased, but I don't think there's much of a conspiracy.

Argentina are pretty mediocre, surprised they got this far although they got a very nice bracket.

[Gups]

Thank God they don't play cricket.

Some of them think they do.  But it's just not cricket.

Nice

[Zoupa]

Impressed by how the Swiss have been playing this tournament. I think this is the blueprint South American teams like Paraguay need to emulate if they want to improve instead of being cheating asshole actors.

[HVC]

I always forget the Swiss have a good team because it makes no sense to me

[Zoupa]

They're very solid and organized without any superstars. Very few mistakes.

On the subject of penalties, I just read Messi got 8 penalties in his last 11 WC games lol.

[HVC]

The had a record 5 penalties last world cup.

2 so far this year, but still more games to come.

[Duque de Bragança]

We were talking about the decline of Brazil over rhe last 20 to 30 years, but have goalies gotten significantly better over the same time frame? Or is that just my selective memory? I mean we've always had a stand out or two,  but now it just seems every goalie is better. Except for Zidanes kid

Love the (correct) theory that Brazil's decline is because most of their players are now evangelical Protestants not Catholic

Interested by this theory.
Any links?

[Zoupa]

 

[Gups]

Brazil have been a European styles team for at least 30 years. Better coaching, nutrition, fitness. Like most things in football perspiration is more important than inspiration in the long room, even if the latter makes for better stories.

[HVC]

 

Not even trying to hide it this year

[Duque de Bragança]

 

Not even trying to hide it this year

Are you insinuating they tried to hide it in 2022?