# FIFA World Cup 2026 - discussion etc **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [October 14, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962 "2025-10-14T15:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 166
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3301 "2026-07-07T00:23:56Z")
I was rather thinking that Pierluigi Collina cloned himself. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3302 "2026-07-07T00:24:56Z")
US has settled in a little at least. Pretty sure Dest was getting fouled on that last play before the ad break, but refs are really letting them play this tournament. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3303 "2026-07-07T00:25:41Z")
Really? Perhaps like Argentina fans enjoy their last World Cup a bit less as FIFA essentially handed it to Messi. Or the previous one with the obvious handball by Maradona. Yeah, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3304 "2026-07-07T00:26:57Z")
Other than ignoring whoever it was kicking the ball into the Dutch bench, what was Argentine favoritism? ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3305 "2026-07-07T00:27:28Z")
The U.S. so far has looked like a directional college that accepted an offer to play Alabama. They need to get SOMETHING going offensively. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3306 "2026-07-07T00:27:29Z")
Well I’m a bit odd. And also a bit of a dbag. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3307 "2026-07-07T00:27:40Z")
OK, if we keep playing like shit my narrative is that Trump fucked everything up by creating a distraction to make it all about him. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3308 "2026-07-07T00:28:13Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I was rather thinking that Pierluigi Collina cloned himself. The venerable saint himself! Not even close. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3309 "2026-07-07T00:29:05Z")
We don’t think the 2022 WC was handed to us, we almost died in several matches. And Maradona’s hand of God was a work of art that transcends football. We _are_ a bit ashamed of the 1978 WC, even if nothing as blatant as Trump’s intervention happened (YMMV regarding the supposedly arranged game against Peru) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3310 "2026-07-07T00:29:36Z")
At least this ref doesn’t look like he’s wearing shoulder pads. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3311 "2026-07-07T00:30:42Z")
Pretty soft foul, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3312 "2026-07-07T00:30:55Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Crybaby Ronaldo will never win the WC, hehehe! I don’t follow football normally, but I’ve been paying attention to this WC, so forgive this naive question: I don’t think I’ve seen a single Doper say anything good about Ronaldo, yet I gather he is a huge “star.” Why does everyone loathe him so much? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3313 "2026-07-07T00:31:25Z")
He’s extraordinarily full of himself. Also maybe a rapist. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3314 "2026-07-07T00:31:58Z")
He’s the Tom Cruise of football/soccer. Extremely good at what he does, but also quite a dbag. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3315 "2026-07-07T00:32:01Z")
Tillman becoming the set piece leader for the US this World Cup. Tied at 1. ETA: Courtois got wrong-footed by a deflection off a Belgian head. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3316 "2026-07-07T00:32:04Z")
1-1 now. Tillman. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3317 "2026-07-07T00:32:07Z")
TILLMAN SCORES fuck you board, learn what a complete sentence is, jesus ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3318 "2026-07-07T00:33:04Z")
Nice to see a Bayern youth player do well. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3319 "2026-07-07T00:33:29Z")
Deflected by a defender, which is why the goalie was so out of position. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3320 "2026-07-07T00:33:29Z")
Instant reposte [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=165) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=167)