Football (Soccer) Thread

[Duque de Bragança]

Viper st'un Nordique.

 
D'où la référence à un, ou au grand rival d'alors.

[Duque de Bragança]

Interesting. Looks to have been during F1 weekend. Montreal's not hosting anything World Cup related.

Or just AI generated nonsense

If only...

[crazy canuck]

Interesting. Looks to have been during F1 weekend. Montreal's not hosting anything World Cup related.

Or just AI generated nonsense

If only...

Perhaps an idea AI suggested to the FIFA marketing team

[Sheilbh]

I really don't think we need to look to AI for responsibility of insane FIFA marketing ideas, given that they've previously produced a two hour drama about sports bureaucracy starring Gerard Depardieu as Jules Rimet organising the first World Cup, Sam Neill as Joao Havelange properly internationalising FIFA and Tim Roth as Sepp Blatter expanding FIFA's range of sponsorship deals
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/04/united-passions-review-tim-roth-sam-neill-gerard-depardieu

Weirdly I think there probably is a good movie to be made about FIFA but it's probably more of a business thriller involving deals and corruption and the constant tension of stated idealism and what they actually do. But they made a sports film where the heroic/Rocky moment is Sepp Blatter negotiating a deal with Adidas

I'd go so far as to say that introducing AI throughout FIFA may increase its honesty, trustworthiness and morality.

[Duque de Bragança]

I really don't think we need to look to AI for responsibility of insane FIFA marketing ideas, given that they've previously produced a two hour drama about sports bureaucracy starring Gerard Depardieu as Jules Rimet organising the first World Cup, Sam Neill as Joao Havelange properly internationalising FIFA and Tim Roth as Sepp Blatter expanding FIFA's range of sponsorship deals
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/04/united-passions-review-tim-roth-sam-neill-gerard-depardieu

Weirdly I think there probably is a good movie to be made about FIFA but it's probably more of a business thriller involving deals and corruption and the constant tension of stated idealism and what they actually do. But they made a sports film where the heroic/Rocky moment is Sepp Blatter negotiating a deal with Adidas

So bad it's good classic in some circles. Your kilometrage may vary, of course
https://www.nanarland.com/chroniques/nanars-gnangnan/sportif/united-passions-la-legende-du-football.html


The True story of the World Cup. 
French link. For Viper, maybe? 

I'd go so far as to say that introducing AI throughout FIFA may increase its honesty, trustworthiness and morality.

Let us not get overboard. A Gianni's FIFA-trained (even just selected by ) AI may (might?) increase its honesty, trustworthiness and morality? 

P-S: Jules Rimet did not deserve that. OTOH, Sepp Blatter...

[Sheilbh]

Oh yeah - I mean if it's training data is FIFA then it wouldn't be good. But if it was a more ethical business like, say, Enron it would be an improvement.

[Duque de Bragança]

Damning with faint praise again. 
Knowing Gianni, he would make it worse.

[Norgy]

Infantino is one of the few who'd make Hermann Göring Werke's HR record worse.

I will probably try and find that movie, just for a laugh.

[Josquius]

Norway win the best official team photo competition.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7333438/2026/06/04/norway-world-cup-viking-photo/

[Norgy]

Yeah, we're going all in on the viking aesthetics now, which I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, it is good to take that back from the far right, who've expropriated the Norse imagery since before 1905. On the other hand, it gets a bit much. During the warm-up friendly against Sweden a week ago, the Norwegian fans had a blast co-ordinating shouts of "Row!" and "rowing" in the stands.

I do fear that this attempt at conquering North America will be as ill-fated as the Vinland colony. But we'll do better than Sweden. And England.

 

[HVC]

In the continuing social media battle of where's hotter, NA or europe, there's new memes of soccer players struggling in the heat. Not even like southern state heat, but places like massachusetts

[Norgy]

Norway's team looked a bit on the warm side in New Jersey yesterday. And, also, out of place, given that 80 percent of the spectators were Morocco fans. 

[Duque de Bragança]

It's happening!

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/shooting-kansas-city-england-world-cup-camp-b2991412.html

Shooting near England team's World Cup base in Kansas City leaves nine with injuries
Base camp is roughly eight kilometres from incident though England players and staff were in Florida at time of shooting


Ariana Baio
Sunday 07 June 2026 22:47 BST

Multiple people were injured in a mass shooting that took place Saturday morning, nearly eight kilometres from England's World Cup base in Kansas City, Missouri.

At least nine adults were taken to nearby hospitals after police responded to reports of shots fired on 79th Street and Troost Avenue around 4 a.m. Saturday, police said. The intersection is roughly 4.6 miles from England's base camp in Swope Soccer Village.

All of those injured were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to survive, Captain Jake Becchina of the Kansas City Police Department said in a statement. No suspects are in custody at this time, but the Kansas City Police Department is investigating the shooting.

England's players and staff were not on-site during the incident, as they are currently training in Florida.

Kansas City Police Department Officer Alayna Gonzalez stressed that the incident "did not occur near a World Cup venue or anything else World Cup-related," including England's base.

At least nine adults were injured in the shooting that took place in Kansas City, the city where England's World Cup base camp is located (Getty)
The hotel where England's team is staying is located even further from the area of the shooting, approximately 15 miles, police said.

Police responded to calls of shots fired near 79th and Troost Avenue and found a large crowd scattering. Three women, who had been struck by gunfire, were then transported to nearby hospitals. Law enforcement later received calls that another six people were injured. They were also taken to nearby hospitals via private vehicles with non-life-threatening injuries.

It's unclear at this time what led to the gunfire.

Kate Fowler, who lives near the site of the shooting, told the Kansas City Star that she and her husband woke to a bullet hole in a front window of their home. She later learned that gunfire had rung out between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Friday in addition to Saturday morning's shooting.

Fowler told the newspaper that it's not uncommon to hear gunshots in the neighborhood at least once a week.

"It's just unfortunate circumstances with some of the businesses around here," Fowler told the Kansas City Star.

England played New Zealand in Tampa, Florida, at the time of the shooting in Kansas City as part of friendly matches ahead of the World Cup beginning
open image in gallery
England played New Zealand in Tampa, Florida, at the time of the shooting in Kansas City as part of friendly matches ahead of the World Cup beginning
Another shooting occurred in Kansas City Saturday evening, just miles from the one on Troost Avenue. Two people were killed in that incident, according to KMBC News 9.

Though England's team is based in Kansas City, the team was in Florida at the time of the shooting, preparing for a friendly match against New Zealand ahead of the World Cup.

England beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on Saturday afternoon. They'll face Costa Rica in Orlando later this week before flying back to Kansas City for the remainder of the tournament.

England is among several teams that chose Kansas City as their base camp due to its central location in the middle of the U.S. and the quality of its training facilities. Algeria, Argentina and the Netherlands are also based in Kansas City.

The Athletic was the first to report that the shooting occurred near England's base camp.

[garbon]

A shooting in America is noteworthy?

[Duque de Bragança]

A shooting near the English base camp is. 
One could argue however the English squad is getting the United Statesian experience, however.