Official Worldwide Football (Soccer) Discussion Thread (5 Viewers)

[BonScot]

What would the tie breaker have been

Discipline/Fair Play record

This is from the BBC Sports page. Never knew it had happened before…

 

[Marius L]

Rough day on the job for Lukaku today..

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

Unfortunately I was right about Belgium, we'll see about Germany in a few minutes

 

[umbkcshah]

As long as Spain gives 75% effort, Germany will do away with Costa Rica easily.

 

[Thomacetti]

Unfortunately I was right about Belgium, we'll see about Germany in a few minutes

Yes, end of a golden generation…not easy to die with grace on the pitch but they are still hero‘s to us.

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

KDB is still the best player in the world imo

 

[Marius L]

As long as Spain gives 75% effort, Germany will do away with Costa Rica easily.

This is getting exciting! How crazy would it be if Japan and Costa Rica end up going through from this group

 

[Eriks]

WTF is going on??

 

[Eriks]

Where’s that yank that said nothing happens in football?

 

[Eriks]

’scuse me, soccer

 

[RocAFella1]

Does FIFA really want to do away with this group stage format?

 

[VivasTable]

Wild day of group play

 

[umbkcshah]

US Coverage awful. Announcers of Spain/Japan going on a good 30 seconds about Spain being out with current 2-1 and 3-2 score lines. Only later to learn about GD.

 

[VivasTable]

wow

 

[umbkcshah]

This is where Germany needs to just gift CR 3 goals.

They did just enough, but Spain didn't pull off the minimum draw I expected.

 

[BonScot]

This World Cup is mental. Japan Australia final

 

[BonScot]

First club to be hit by the new FFP rules. Their board resigned the other day. Now there’s rumours that they could be relegated for financial irregularities (again).

 

[BonScot]

All four Celtic players at the World Cup are through to the next round.

 

[BonScot]

 

[Kid_Eastwood]

First club to be hit by the new FFP rules. Their board resigned the other day. Now there’s rumours that they could be relegated for financial irregularities (again).

View attachment 1032893

This entire story of relegation is BS requested by LaLiga and Gravina corrected Tebas lol.

They also requested their immediate elimination of the current UCL (although they were already relegated).

 

[BonScot]

 

[Mr Winberg]

Does FIFA really want to do away with this group stage format?

That sucks, but more teams means more money I guess.

The past two days have given great drama as to who goes through. Like Poland would have gotten screwed if Argentina scored, or Mexico scored... or if they had picked up a few more yellow cards (which is easy to do when forced to defend against Argentina).

The Euros counts the game between two sides before looking at goal difference (e.g. had Japan drawn against Spain it wouldn't have mattered how many goals Germany scored, Germany would still not have gone through with UEFA's rules) which IMO is fairer but doesn't provide as many interesting scenarios.

So this is the last time we can experience such scenarios in football! Sad... :-(

I think 32 teams is perfect for the world cup. With 48 teams and 3 per group, how are they going to avoid collusion (e.g. like Germany vs Austria 1982)?

 

[Kid_Eastwood]

I also feel 32 is the right number.

 

[BonScot]

I also feel 32 is the right number.

Used to be 24 and it was a mess. 32 is perfect. 48 would be a shambles.

 

[Kid_Eastwood]

Used to be 24 and it was a mess. 32 is perfect. 48 would be a shambles.

24 makes it too easy to qualify to the KO stages.

But I've to say that the WC I preferred so far in terms of atsmosphere, ... was USA '94. It was not because it was a 24-team tourney though ahah.

 

[BonScot]

24 makes it too easy to qualify to the KO stages

Scotland would beg to differ. 6 attempts. None successful

 

[Mr Winberg]

But I've to say that the WC I preferred so far ... was USA '94

I agree... and so do all of my countrymen! Except those old enough to remember '58

 

[Mr Winberg]

With 48 teams and 3 per group, how are they going to avoid collusion (e.g. like Germany vs Austria 1982)?

Since it'll be 3 per group with 2 proceeding to the next round, the last game will be played between 2 sides who know exactly what it takes to qualify, while the third gets to watch from the sidelines. Unless the third team has already qualified, there's gonna be debate before each and every "game 3" whether or not they will collude. And after the game, if both qualify, there's gonna be debate whether or not they colluded. It's gonna trigger a lot of hate between countries!

 

[BonScot]

Since it'll be 3 per group with 2 proceeding to the next round, the last game will be played between 2 sides who know exactly what it takes to qualify, while the third gets to watch from the sidelines. Unless the third team has already qualified, there's gonna be debate before each and every "game 3" whether or not they will collude. And after the game, if both qualify, there's gonna be debate whether or not they colluded. It's gonna trigger a lot of hate between countries!

So 16 groups of 3? That’s a joke.

 

[Mr Winberg]

So 16 groups of 3? That’s a joke.

The reasoning was that they wanted to keep down the amount of games (so the time frame and impact on the hosting nation isn't too large) and that no team plays more than 7 games, just like now (pressure from the clubs so their players don't get injured).

Now it's 6 games per group, so 48. Then 16 teams in the knockout stages, meaning another 16 games.

2026 it will be 16 groups with 3 matches per group, so 48 games like now. 32 proceed to the knockout stages meaning another 32 games. Also, 32 teams will get 3 matches, just like it is now.

Only 16 more games when adding 16 teams while guaranteeing that the same amount of teams are guaranteed 3 games is mathematically pretty neat, but it comes with collusion problems and that the final round drama won't be as profound.