Football (Soccer) Thread

[Duque de Bragança]

Groupe H :
 Portugal
 Uruguay
 South Korea
 Ghana

No new team to play for Portugal. Two teams with a Portuguese coach, as in last World Cup.
There's revenge to be taken against South Korea (2002) by giving them the Juche Korea treatment.

[Duque de Bragança]

Group F/

Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

So certainly not a group of death, but a draw lacking much in the way of rivalries or drama.

Belgium is of course always good.  No idea about Croatia and Morocco.

Croatia were runners up in 2018 and Belgium were third placed - so not great.

Having said that I assume this'll be Modric's last tournament? And I feel like with both Croatia and Belgium there's a bit of a generation shift going on.

It's last chance or Belgium's Golden Generation actually. Croatia is bearing the brunt of the generation shift, despite having Modric for the last time.

[Barrister]

I didn't even think of this: the US-Iran game is of course being played in Qatar, just a short distance from Iran.  But Sunni Qatar is very much opposed to Shia Iran.  Crap that has all kind of layers there...

[FunkMonk]

Hoping for Scotland or Wales to qualify so Group B is maximum meme.

[Duque de Bragança]

I didn't even think of this: the US-Iran game is of course being played in Qatar, just a short distance from Iran.  But Sunni Qatar is very much opposed to Shia Iran.  Crap that has all kind of layers there...

Not exactly. Regional rivalries do play a part of course but not that way.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar were until recently at odds with Saudi Arabia blaming Qatar for being still open to Iran, subjecting Qatar to some kind of embargo.
Saudi Arabia even created and broadcast a pirate version of the Qatari-owne BeIN sports channel.  BeoutQ

[Duque de Bragança]

Danes will be happy to know that their squad plays les Bleus twice before the World Cup, for the Nations League tournament.

[Barrister]

I didn't even think of this: the US-Iran game is of course being played in Qatar, just a short distance from Iran.  But Sunni Qatar is very much opposed to Shia Iran.  Crap that has all kind of layers there...

Not exactly. Regional rivalries do play a part of course but not that way.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar were until recently at odds with Saudi Arabia blaming Qatar for being still open to Iran, subjecting Qatar to some kind of embargo.
Saudi Arabia even created and broadcast a pirate version of the Qatari-owne BeIN sports channel.  BeoutQ

Ah yes I recall that now... still a very combustable mix.

[Duque de Bragança]

Hoping for Scotland or Wales to qualify so Group B is maximum meme.

Nah, we need Ukraine!

Hoping for Scotland or Wales to qualify so Group B is maximum meme.

No, we need Ukraine!

[Duque de Bragança]

I didn't even think of this: the US-Iran game is of course being played in Qatar, just a short distance from Iran.  But Sunni Qatar is very much opposed to Shia Iran.  Crap that has all kind of layers there...

Not exactly. Regional rivalries do play a part of course but not that way.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar were until recently at odds with Saudi Arabia blaming Qatar for being still open to Iran, subjecting Qatar to some kind of embargo.
Saudi Arabia even created and broadcast a pirate version of the Qatari-owne BeIN sports channel.  BeoutQ

Ah yes I recall that now... still a very combustable mix.

I would not be surprised if Iran played almost as a home team to be honest.

[HVC]

Propane heaters are not green-friendly 

Not arguing with the immigrant argument albeit I would point out that Italians are out this time again and they are quite famous for bringing football fever to Toronto.

Lots of Portuguese too. Historically* little Italy and little Portugal were neighbours. That's why they hate each other here.

*italians moved north in second and third generation, and in the last decade or so a lot of Brazilians have moved into the Portuguese part.

[crazy canuck]

Good draw for Canada I think.

Good for Belgium and Croatia sure, but for Canada - that is a pretty high bar to get over to get to the second round.

It would be one hell of a generational shift if Canada goes through over one of those nations.

[FunkMonk]

Good draw for Canada I think.

Good for Belgium and Croatia sure, but for Canada - that is a pretty high bar to get over to get to the second round.

Eh, it's the World Cup and Canada was in Pot 4. There were worse possibilities. I can see them in 2nd behind Belgium. Croatia aren't what they were four years ago. Belgium aren't either, but they have better players across the board than any of the other teams in the group.

Assuming Canada beats Morocco, which you will have to to have a chance, get a draw against Croatia and hope the other results go your way.

[Duque de Bragança]

*italians moved north in second and third generation, and in the last decade or so a lot of Brazilians have moved into the Portuguese part.

Lots of Portuguese too. Historically* little Italy and little Portugal were neighbours. That's why they hate each other here.

That's dumb if you ask me but then Europe does not work that way, with no Little ethnic enclaves until recently, at least for European immigration.
I remember hearing about the Greek-Portuguese alliance in Orléans vs Turks once. 

Neighbours so competition for jobs and housing between immigrants?

*italians moved north in second and third generation, and in the last decade or so a lot of Brazilians have moved into the Portuguese part.

Reverse grand remplacement? 

[crazy canuck]

Good draw for Canada I think.

Good for Belgium and Croatia sure, but for Canada - that is a pretty high bar to get over to get to the second round.

Eh, it's the World Cup and Canada was in Pot 4. There were worse possibilities. I can see them in 2nd behind Belgium. Croatia aren't what they were four years ago. Belgium aren't either, but they have better players across the board than any of the other teams in the group.

Assuming Canada beats Morocco, which you will have to to have a chance, get a draw against Croatia and hope the other results go your way.

Perhaps.  There is also a chance Belgium looks past this group to the second round and gets caught taking the games too lightly.  I think I would like to be playing them first.

[The Larch]

Spain - Germany?

I hope Germany fears us more than we fear them.