Football (Soccer) Thread

[Sheilbh]

With that goal Giroud has become France's all time top scorer.

I love it. I love how unfancied he is as a player and in his way unglamorous - but also so decorated and scoring some really important goals. It's great.

[Duque de Bragança]

It's because there is too many leagues and top talent is too distributed among them.

You're aware that the Premier League exists, right?

Yes. 1 top league amongst 55 top leagues in UEFA.

There's only 1, Rashford, of the current 6 3 goals scorers at the WC that plays in the PL.

I guess you never heard of the big 4, really more of a 2+2, i.e EPL+Liga + Bundesliga + Serie A, with the others behind : Ligue 1 without Qatari gas, Primeira Liga, Eredivise, Ligue Jupiler etc. trying to exist.

Last time a non Big 4 or even Big 5 side won the CL was in 2004.
Only Superleague band wagoners/footixes would want less uncertainty.

[Duque de Bragança]

Well, Poland put up quite some resistance, until the second goal, having some chances they did not use but now it's 3-0, two goals by Kyky. Competent play by les Bleus, specially in the second half.

[Duque de Bragança]

Penalty for Poland to at least score a goal.

Very badly taken by Lewandowski but second chance given since French players entered too son.

Second attempt is successful however, almost taken the same way.

[FunkMonk]

With that goal Giroud has become France's all time top scorer.

I love it. I love how unfancied he is as a player and in his way unglamorous - but also so decorated and scoring some really important goals. It's great.

I've always loved Giroud. Even after he dunked on Arsenal in Baku, I still have still have a soft spot for him.

Wenger plucked him out of France and created a monster 

[Duque de Bragança]

With that goal Giroud has become France's all time top scorer.

I love it. I love how unfancied he is as a player and in his way unglamorous - but also so decorated and scoring some really important goals. It's great.

I've always loved Giroud. Even after he dunked on Arsenal in Baku, I still have still have a soft spot for him.

Wenger plucked him out of France and created a monster 

With that goal Giroud has become France's all time top scorer.

I love it. I love how unfancied he is as a player and in his way unglamorous - but also so decorated and scoring some really important goals. It's great.

I've always loved Giroud. Even after he dunked on Arsenal in Baku, I still have still have a soft spot for him.

Wenger plucked him out of France and created a monster 

Now that he has managed to keep his elbows under control, unlike 2014 WC, he's fine now, just as long you don't listen to him speaking French. 

[The Larch]

Mbappe is 23 and has already scored 33 international goals, 19 less than Giroud, so at some point before he's even 28 or so he should become France's top scorer and keep that spot for ages.

[Duque de Bragança]

No question about that, Giroud did not score a single goal in the 2018 World Cup, for instance.

The question how Mbappé will handle his later career, around 30 or so, when his running is no longer as fast as today.

[The Larch]

No question about that, Giroud did not score a single goal in the 2018 World Cup, for instance.

The question how Mbappé will handle his later career, around 30 or so, when his running is no longer as fast as today.

If he's smart he should model his late career on Messi rather than CR, with whom he admittedly shares more of a profile with.

[The Larch]

BTW, I can imagine some Qataris feeling all bothered up by this Mbappe and Giroud's goal celebration.

[Sheilbh]

If he's smart he should model his late career on Messi rather than CR, with whom he admittedly shares more of a profile with.

I think he'll be fine and will be able to shift his game. But I basically just think him and Haaland are cheat codes for the next decade.

[The Larch]

If he's smart he should model his late career on Messi rather than CR, with whom he admittedly shares more of a profile with.

I think he'll be fine and will be able to shift his game. But I basically just think him and Haaland are cheat codes for the next decade.

Yeah, top players nowadays take so much care of themselves that I feel they'll have great longevity.

[Grey Fox]

It's because there is too many leagues and top talent is too distributed among them.

You're aware that the Premier League exists, right?

Yes. 1 top league amongst 55 top leagues in UEFA.

There's only 1, Rashford, of the current 6 3 goals scorers at the WC that plays in the PL.

I guess you never heard of the big 4, really more of a 2+2, i.e EPL+Liga + Bundesliga + Serie A, with the others behind : Ligue 1 without Qatari gas, Primeira Liga, Eredivise, Ligue Jupiler etc. trying to exist.

Last time a non Big 4 or even Big 5 side won the CL was in 2004.
Only Superleague band wagoners/footixes would want less uncertainty.

Too. many. leagues.

[Duque de Bragança]

No question about that, Giroud did not score a single goal in the 2018 World Cup, for instance.

The question how Mbappé will handle his later career, around 30 or so, when his running is no longer as fast as today.

If he's smart he should model his late career on Messi rather than CR, with whom he admittedly shares more of a profile with.

Problem is he is not that skilled compared to both, Cristiano Ronaldo was never just a foot runner somewhat skilled with the ball, and successfully changed his play style, for a more efficient role, difficult end of career notwithstanding.
It's not that Messi's pre-retirement in a Qatar-owned club is very convincing compared to his Barça career.

The Mbappé clan already caused some problems in the French squad, with the Rabiot clan (Rabiot is even more of a momma's boy), so he will have to deal with that as well, compared to the twitter storms in a teapot caused by CR sisters or mother.

[Duque de Bragança]

It's because there is too many leagues and top talent is too distributed among them.

You're aware that the Premier League exists, right?

Yes. 1 top league amongst 55 top leagues in UEFA.

There's only 1, Rashford, of the current 6 3 goals scorers at the WC that plays in the PL.

I guess you never heard of the big 4, really more of a 2+2, i.e EPL+Liga + Bundesliga + Serie A, with the others behind : Ligue 1 without Qatari gas, Primeira Liga, Eredivise, Ligue Jupiler etc. trying to exist.

Last time a non Big 4 or even Big 5 side won the CL was in 2004.
Only Superleague band wagoners/footixes would want less uncertainty.

Too. many. leagues.

Not everything has to NBA bling bling style, you know.
6-8 really relevant ones for Europe is not that much.