World Cup 2026

[Sheilbh]

It belongs in a museum!

Well, that's England needs to take it home. 

Maybe this is why we got on with Mexico in the tournament so much - we have relatively clean hands there

It's like the British Museum's recent run of exhibitions of collections we probably didn't steal: Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Bayeux.

[Sheilbh]

As an aside - the BBC editors who do sports montages are just fantastic

Montage for the end of the World Cup/closing credits after the last game (the one after the Azteca game and when England were knocked also particular triumphs):

[Syt]

I think it's no coincidence that the Austrian TV placed the end credits where they did ....




Video: https://www.reddit.com/r/Austria/comments/1v1xjld/danke_orf_f%C3%BCr_diese_abspannplatzierung/

[HVC]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbDMmhlxyjw/


This world cup has changed my mind about AI

[Sheilbh]

[Duque de Bragança]

As an aside - the BBC editors who do sports montages are just fantastic

Montage for the end of the World Cup/closing credits after the last game (the one after the Azteca game and when England were knocked also particular triumphs):

Nice. 

[Norgy]

Some notes about the World Cup. Like they say when there is a burial in Game of Thrones. "The world may never see his like".

I was sure France would win it. I really was, after their masterclass against Norway. We had our scare against Morocco in a somewhat-friendly, which is a very, very strong team.

I think, from my point of view, the hydration breaks were more of a necessity than we as spectators see. How do you feel after 22 minutes of jogging, jumping and running?

FIFA is topping the IOC corruption-wise. And it was not a great tournament in any way. When an almost 40 year old Lionel Messi can cheat and play innocently AND be praised by all, I think we are at a low, football-wise.

I think the country which I call home made a mark. The team did not play like 94' or 98' Norway, but like footballers wanting the ball at their feet. Haaland was a monster like everyone thought he would be. I still think it was Keane who said "I'd rather have Kane" or Wrighty said it. Does not matter, I would like Kane too. Keano's probably loathing Alfie Haaland's move to Switzerland, as Roy's never been able to be neutral about anything.

"Ro!" will probably stick until the Euros, so, I am sorry about that.It will be the tournament when Haaland is at his prime age-wise, and Ødegaard and Berg to supply him.

Did the best team win? I am unsure. The least sporting made a final. So did the most boring.
I do not think there were any clear winners in this World Cup.

[crazy canuck]

Even with all of that, I have a more upbeat view of what happened

We got to see Scotland invade New England and drink their pubs dry while showing the citizens of the northeast of the United States, how to party and remain civil.

We got to see a whole nation of Norway, literally pulling together.

Americans got to see Muslim nations playing in their country and perhaps some Americans might even have cheered for them.

We got to see an amazing game between England and Mexico.  That kind of spoiled us for what was going to happen next.

Canada not only made it into the elimination round, but actually scored some goals and in the first half against Morocco look like they were the better team.

Cabo Verde-need I say more

While everything you said is entirely accurate, I actually think this is the best World Cup I've ever seen.

[Sheilbh]

Some notes about the World Cup. Like they say when there is a burial in Game of Thrones. "The world may never see his like".

I was sure France would win it. I really was, after their masterclass against Norway. We had our scare against Morocco in a somewhat-friendly, which is a very, very strong team.

As perverse as it is for a semi-finalist and a quarter-finalist (and partly because of what came next I think France and Morocco are my biggest disappointments of the tournament. As I say I had late 90s/early 2000s Brazil vibes with France - just such a phenomenal, gifted line of attackers and thought this would be like 2002 and they'd be pretty imperious throughout.

It wasn't and they went out in a surprisingly timid way. Similarly I thought the quarter-final might be the end for Morocco but the lack of fight surprised me and I hoped for more. A good team can lose any time that's not necessarily a shock but the nature of those defeats did surprise me.

I think, from my point of view, the hydration breaks were more of a necessity than we as spectators see. How do you feel after 22 minutes of jogging, jumping and running?

He dead.

I think they were necessary for the fairness of the competition in that I think there were some venues - Miami - where they were absolutely necessary and then if you're running a tournament and some venue have hydration breaks and others don't I think that has an impact on integrity. So all have them or none do. They're not needed in air conditioned Dallas but in the context of the competition need to happen. Which is one of the reasons why, regretfully, the World Cup should never return to the United States.

Having said that I know data nerds have stats to say this is nonsense - but hyrdration breaks absolutely, 100% changed the momentum in games.

FIFA is topping the IOC corruption-wise. And it was not a great tournament in any way. When an almost 40 year old Lionel Messi can cheat and play innocently AND be praised by all, I think we are at a low, football-wise.

I think the real low is that despite all of this Gianni Infantino is currently running unopposed for his next term.

I can't remember where I read it but someone made the point that whatever else you say about them Havelange and Blatter were very big on being President of FIFA. They felt an important prestige from and for that role and could bring its power to bear. Infantino is just an invertebrate.

I think the country which I call home made a mark. The team did not play like 94' or 98' Norway, but like footballers wanting the ball at their feet. Haaland was a monster like everyone thought he would be. I still think it was Keane who said "I'd rather have Kane" or Wrighty said it. Does not matter, I would like Kane too. Keano's probably loathing Alfie Haaland's move to Switzerland, as Roy's never been able to be neutral about anything.

So my England review is pretty positive. Again 2/3 semi-finals at World Cups since 2018 and two Euros finals. This is a very different England from the one I grew up watching (and better in every sense).

I think the France game helped get over the Argentina performance - not because it mattered but just by being fun and showing an attacking side of England. I think we're likely to improve (though Kane is over 30 now...) because I think Argentina was a very brutal lesson for Tuchel either about the mentality of England which he needs to change, or that they're not a group of players/team wher you can simply throw on more defenders and they will hold a result (I think Spain absolutely could).

Also I think England were involved in 2-3 of the most entertaining games of the tournament (v Croatia, v Mexico and, if you count it, v France). I think the game at the Azteca is the greatest game of football involving England I've ever seen - and I like our new Anglo-Mexican friendship and the FA are trying to organise a friendly with Mexico at Wembley to deepen it. I've never got tickets to a friendly and don't really care for international football outside the major tournaments - but I will try and get a ticket or that game.

"Ro!" will probably stick until the Euros, so, I am sorry about that.It will be the tournament when Haaland is at his prime age-wise, and Ødegaard and Berg to supply him.

Did the best team win? I am unsure. The least sporting made a final. So did the most boring.
I do not think there were any clear winners in this World Cup.

Now we are safely past the post-final moment I do think that Spain have won it twice and neither of those two finals were delights for the neutral.

I think the expanded World Cup is a winner, Cabo Verde were a winner (who would have qualified in a smaller world cup anyway). I hope this will be a turning point for Germany and Brazil as Brazil finally have to move to a post-Neymar era (thank God) and it feels like maybe a nadir for Germany that will prompt change.

One thing that slightly disappointmented me was the African teams, as an AFCON enjoyer I went in hoping for a good run particularly from Morocco and Senegal. All the African teams were knocked out earlier than I'd hoped and all of them I think were wnning with 15 minutes to go which was pretty disappointing. With Senegal especially I think there was a sense of too much trying to milk the last of an old golden generation rather than bringing in new young talent and I hope that changes - but looking forward to next year's AFCON in any event which moves to a summer tournament schedule which will be nice.

[Norgy]

I agree about Cabo Verde. They were the big surprise. Curacao had some moments.

I had two days in Berlin last week. Two shirts in particular were on sale. Germany home and away. There must be a lot of soul searching in Germany, Portugal and especially Italy in the football communities.

There have been small debates in Norway about how to best use the positive image of Norway from the World Cup. I think it is being used well already. Norway fans behaved well, and were only second to the Scottish ones. Norway is in the top eight in the world in a major sport, not something like biathlon or cross-country skiing.

I will hand out some kudos to fans and officials who did not go insane about wiregate against England and put that disallowed goal behind them. Gotta admit, though, I miss the World Cup. There is the EPL to look forward to, but, I have a bad feeling about Forest the coming season.

[Duque de Bragança]

I agree about Cabo Verde. They were the big surprise. Curacao had some moments.

I had two days in Berlin last week. Two shirts in particular were on sale. Germany home and away. There must be a lot of soul searching in Germany, Portugal and especially Italy in the football communities.

In Portugal, there's already a new, and much better, coach already. His teams, clubs since he never trained a national squad, always have delivered regarding playstyle. Now, results that's another matter.
He is also famous for his language skills that would make HVC sound articulate in Portuguese. 
Still, he already retorted that he is a football coach, not a Portuguese teacher.

The question is simple and has nothing to do with soul-searching: bench Ronaldo, assuming he still wants to play.
Germany and Italy, of course have much bigger problems, the latter even more so.

[Norgy]

Nottingham Forest have had such a lot of Portuguese influences, and Brazilian ones, I am definitely not a hater.
I found it both strange and somehow demeaning that Vitor Pereira had to leave the club.

I can only think of one Portuguese player who disappointed at the City Ground. Fabio Carvalho. He was supposed to be a 10 was until the EPL was a fact for Forest the most expensive signing at 15 million Euro or so. I think his career at Forest ended with him being loaned out to Olympiacos.

I would be surprised if Portugal did not take a medal in the next Euros. The four semi-finalists seem obvious: Spain, England, France, Portugal.

[Josquius]

Ronaldo will be even slower by the next euros. And he's no Messi.
Though there's a question. Portugal vs Argentina. With and without the stars. Who wins.
Obviously not football but....

[celedhring]

Ronaldo will be even slower by the next euros. And he's no Messi.
Though there's a question. Portugal vs Argentina. With and without the stars. Who wins.
Obviously not football but....

Portugal are a far better team than the current Argentina. They will be fine without Ronaldo, much more so that Messi-less argies.

UEFA feels strange at the moment, with Germany, Netherlands and Italy being at such a low point.

[Duque de Bragança]

Ronaldo will be even slower by the next euros. And he's no Messi.
Though there's a question. Portugal vs Argentina. With and without the stars. Who wins.
Obviously not football but....

Next Nations' League, he will probably play, as for the next Euro... Too early to tell. 20-
30 minutes at most, ideally. The Portuguese Federation certainly loves him for the marketing power (jerseys etc.) the new coach will have to deal with that issue.

He's not as popular with referees as Messi though, I'll grant you that. 

The Albiceleste faces a much tougher renovation challenge than the Selecção.