World Cup World Cup haters thread

[tonyw]

I'm probably totally biased but I can't see how this can be anywhere close to London 2012, that was probably the best few weeks of my life in this country.

Watching on TV, this comes across pretty well but still a feeling of indifference from a country that will never get football.

I went to sixteen different events at London 2012 - it was magical. Went to four games at this World Cup, and the vibe was exactly the same. Joyful, colorful, friendly and diverse. Just a celebration of the sport that the whole world loves.

Sure there's a large swathe of the US population that won't ever get football. But there's tens of millions here that do (as well as immigrants and visitors from all over the globe)

 

[Emilio]

I went to sixteen different events at London 2012 - it was magical. Went to four games at this World Cup, and the vibe was exactly the same. Joyful, colorful, friendly and diverse. Just a celebration of the sport that the whole world loves.

Sure there's a large swathe of the US population that won't ever get football. But there's tens of millions here that do (as well as immigrants and visitors from all over the globe)

The fact that it's probably only the 4th most popular sport there isn't at all an issue for me with them hosting it, as their population is so large that it still leaves them a huge number of fans. My problems with this WC are entirely at an administrative level. I'm sure many of the host cities must have a really fun carnival feel, both from travelling fans and from locals!

 

[unification]

World Cup hate: Sia’s ‘Titanium’ blaring out before each game.

Unlistenable yelling dressed up as singing.

 

[Boris]

Unlistenable yelling dressed up as singing.

That's my jam

 

[unification]

Australia v Egypt
Argentina v Cape Verde

Have they tacked on another round of group fixtures? No way should those be knock out matches.

I don’t fancy staying up for the Messi-love in as Argentina end the fairytale.

 

[Berliner]

Australia v Egypt
Argentina v Cape Verde

Have they tacked on another round of group fixtures? No way should those be knock out matches.

I don’t fancy staying up for the Messi-love in as Argentina end the fairytale.

All four teams finished second or higher in their groups, everyone deserves to be there today.

 

[holdsteady]

Australia v Egypt is probably the lowest quality knock out game ever at a World Cup but I am looking forward to it, it’s like a cup final for them both so at least winning will mean something to them.

 

[chuckbert]

Australia v Egypt
Argentina v Cape Verde

Have they tacked on another round of group fixtures? No way should those be knock out matches.

I don’t fancy staying up for the Messi-love in as Argentina end the fairytale.

(Still trying to work out if you’re dissing Oz or Egypt, or both, here).

And … do you really want to miss Cape Verde turning Argentina over?

 

[Paul Cannell]

Egypt have won AfCon 7 times, says Wikipedia. I suppose we can discount that because all the participants are shithole countries.

 

[holdsteady]

Egypt have won AfCon 7 times, says Wikipedia. I suppose we can discount that because all the participants are shithole countries.

But their World Cup record prior to this tournament is so bad its Scottish.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Better than Scotland's in AfCon.

 

[holdsteady]

Better than Scotland's in AfCon.

Only because the gingers in Scotland's squad die within five seconds of entering Africa.

 

[Paul Cannell]

I can assure you that's not literally true.

 

[WE Yellow]

Not sure I'll have ever supported a neutral team (whoever Swindon are playing aside) more than I will Cape Verde tonight.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I'd love Cape Verde to win - but they won't. I know 'anything can happen in football' - but not so much in this case.

 

[Emilio]

Especially with FIFA's decision to let Messi get away with savage fouls without repercussions. Similar in trend to waving Ronaldo's suspension just so that he could take part - an exception that would not have been made for less marketable players.

 

[tonyw]

I don’t fancy staying up for the Messi-love in as Argentina end the fairytale.

Well, more fool you!

The result might not have been what we all wanted, but it was a stone cold World Cup classic. Definitely Top 10 in my (40 year) World Cup watching lifetime.

 

[SteMerritt]

Well, more fool you!

The result might not have been what we all wanted, but it was a stone cold World Cup classic. Definitely Top 10 in my (40 year) World Cup watching lifetime.

Come on then, let's have the list...

 

[Emilio]

Come on then, let's have the list...

I'm interested to see how many (if any) featured England. Possibly against Argentina in 98?

From a biased perspective, Germany v Italy, 2006 semifinal tops it for me.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Well, more fool you!

The result might not have been what we all wanted, but it was a stone cold World Cup classic. Definitely Top 10 in my (40 year) World Cup watching lifetime.

Gah, I went to bed when Argentina scored their second!

 

[Chris on a Bike]

Is this still the WC Haters thread?

 

[OtteryYellow]

I'm interested to see how many (if any) featured England. Possibly against Argentina in 98?

From a biased perspective, Germany v Italy, 2006 semifinal tops it for me.

I was at that game after a mate randomly got some tickets in the ballot.

It was so nice to see the Germans in pain

 

[OtteryYellow]

For me it would be Argentina - Cameroon in 1990 for so many reasons but the three player takeout of cannigia was worth the admission money alone.

 

[tonyw]

Come on then, let's have the list...

OK, how about:

1986 - Final
1990 - Cameroon vs. Argentina
1990 - Cameroon vs. England
1994 - Bulgaria vs. Germany
1998 - England vs. Argentina
1998 - Netherlands vs. Argentina
2014 - Germany vs. Brazil
2018 - Portugal vs. Spain
2022 - Final
2026 - Argentina vs. Cape Verde


That's not necessarily the ten best World Cup games of the past forty years, but the ten that stick in my mind the most - either amazing, quality games of football or thrilling giant-killings or near giant-killings.

The one that maybe doesn't quite fit is the Dutch beating Argentina in 1998.....that one is on the list entirely because of the Bergkamp winner, which I still reckon is just the most sublimely beautiful goal I've ever watched (especially as it came in the last minute to knock out cheating Simeone and his cronies).

Should maybe have added England vs. Argentina in 1986......but it's still too raw even forty years on.

 

[Paul Cannell]

As Shakespeare knew, drama takes time. It begins and ends with Italy's win in 1982 for me.

From "morte a Paolo Rossi" on walls in Messina through Paolo Rossi (the one who had returned from a ban for betting, not the Prime Minister) finding space in the group games while scraping through second to Poland and being written off.

Beating Argentina and stuffing Brasil with a Rossi hat-trick, 2 more Rossi goals removing Poland and thrashing Germany, who's Schumacher had inflicted life-changing injury on Patrice Battiston in the final.

Beauty and justice. Nothing in football will match that.

 

[Emilio]

As Shakespeare knew, drama takes time. It begins and ends with Italy's win in 1982 for me.

From "morte a Paolo Rossi" on walls in Messina through Paolo Rossi (the one who had returned from a ban for betting, not the Prime Minister) finding space in the group games while scraping through second to Poland and being written off.

Beating Argentina and stuffing Brasil with a Rossi hat-trick, 2 more Rossi goals removing Poland and thrashing Germany, who's Schumacher had inflicted life-changing injury on Patrice Battiston in the final.

Beauty and justice. Nothing in football will match that.

I've heard this story many a time from my uncles, and only wish I had been born a few years earlier so to have witnessed it.

 

[Emilio]

As if it couldn't get mor farcical...

World Cup 2026: US striker Folarin Balogun's one-game red card ban suspended by Fifa

Folarin Balogun is available to play for the United States in their World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium after his one-game ban is suspended by Fifa.

www.bbc.co.uk

Fifa said that the automatic one-match ban will be suspended for a year.

"In line with article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year," it said in a statement.

"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

 

[SteMerritt]

Making it up as they go along.

 

[Marked Ox]

FIFA, the joke that keeps.on giving.

I expect any country that has a player sent off will be very vocal about expecting the same treatment.

 

[tonyw]

I mean, it is the correct decision - the ridiculous part was using VAR to send him off for something that was clearly accidental in the first place!