World Cup '26 - in game discussion.

[1995hoo]

It would nice nice if whichever fan base is singing the same monotonous chant over and over again during this Dutch–Japanese game would learn a second song.

[welch]

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo al Paises Bajos, by Virgil Van Dyke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[welch]

Dutch defense is awful, 2-2

[welch]

Japan looks more like a team.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Both were pretty entertaining. Maybe the Dutch got too passive with the second 2-1 lead.

[English Natsie]

When Curacao equalized, against Germany, we all hoped to dream...Never mind, reality had to kick-in...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

For Welch and other Spurs fans:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/sunday-notes-jake-burger-is-a-diehard-tottenham-fan-watching-the-world-cup/

[Natsinpwc]

Spain struggling to get past Cape Verde.  I had to look the country up on the map.  I figured those islands belonged to one of the other countries.

[welch]

For Welch and other Spurs fans:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/sunday-notes-jake-burger-is-a-diehard-tottenham-fan-watching-the-world-cup/

Burger just became my favorite non-Nats player.

[Natsinpwc]

Spain just can’t break through

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Awesome 

It's a shame that game wasn't in Boston. 

[imref]

Spain just can’t break through

nobody expected that...

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Comfy chair!

nobody expected that...

[Count Walewski]

I can only imagine what kind of insanity is happening in the streets of Somerville, MA right now.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Vozinha's clean sheet at age 40 versus the 2nd ranked team in futbol is never going to be topped.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I love Lukaku but he's kind of like Ovie now...amazing tools but no longer capable of sustained speed.  But that's OK when you have Doku and Trossard zipping around.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I can only imagine what kind of insanity is happening in the streets of Somerville, MA right now.

and New Bedford

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Senegal should be up by 3 at the half, France is lucky.

As the favourites all botch their first games I turn to thinking that "finally this is the year for a surprise winner" before everything regresses to the mean once again.

To borrow a phrase from Gary Linekar, “Football is a simple game, twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.”

[English Natsie]

There's obviously something about the WC that brings out the best in Mbappe...

[Natsinpwc]

Terrible goal to give up by Iraq after tieing it up.  Haaland is joining Mbappe

[English Natsie]

Senegal should be up by 3 at the half, France is lucky.

It's the way 'Les Bleus' have played, under Deschamps - coast along for a significant part of the game, then move through the gears and play 15 to 20 minutes of excellent soccer, then coast along to the end. You just always have to wonder when the good section will be...

[English Natsie]

Terrible goal to give up by Iraq after tieing it up.  Haaland is joining Mbappe

Love the Norway 'home' shirt - the Runic lettering is a good touch.

[English Natsie]

Messi 3 - Algeria 0. Straight contest between Messi and Pele for the 'GOAT' title...

Already looking like a France - Argentina final again... (which was the expectation of the draw...).

[Natsinpwc]

Love the Norway 'home' shirt - the Runic lettering is a good touch.

Yes it is.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Pickford reminds me of Oliver Kahn and Jose Luis Chilavert, always halfway up the field.  Neuer does it too.  Love this kind of keeper.