# 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:** 170
**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, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3381 "2026-07-07T01:55:34Z")
Take the shot Balogun! ---
**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, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3382 "2026-07-07T01:55:37Z")
+4 on the clock. ---
**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, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3383 "2026-07-07T01:56:53Z")
Subbed with Two Extra Minutes Left, The Haji Wright Story. ---
**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, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3384 "2026-07-07T01:57:06Z")
Lukaku ragdolls the U.S. central defense. 4-1. ---
**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, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3385 "2026-07-07T01:57:21Z")
I blame it on Trump. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3386 "2026-07-07T01:58:08Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > 5-0 Belgium tonight! My bet! (or rather, my dear wish) Ha! Bet you feel pretty silly. ---
**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, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3387 "2026-07-07T01:58:21Z")
**Everything Trump Touches Dies** ---
**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, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3388 "2026-07-07T01:58:42Z")
Tough loss for u.s.. ---
**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, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3389 "2026-07-07T01:58:51Z")
American certainties: Death, taxes, and losing in the round of 16. ---
**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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3390 "2026-07-07T01:59:18Z")
At this point Trump will intervene to stop the game before Belgium scores again… ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3391 "2026-07-07T01:59:50Z")
Excuse me. We’ve failed to get out of the group stage plenty of times, thank you very 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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3392 "2026-07-07T01:59:51Z")
Honestly don’t think Belgium played that well. 2 goals were just handed to them and the other 2 were extraordinarily soft defensively. Worst I’ve felt after a US game since failing to qualify I think. ---
**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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3393 "2026-07-07T01:59:52Z")
I just hope we stick with Potecchino. ---
**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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3394 "2026-07-07T01:59:54Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > This is all total bullshit. I’m really angry now. @Pardel-Lux was right early in the thread, FIFA and Trump are pushing and manipulating the cup for the USA to win. I hope they get a beating by Belgium, just because. Hah! Congrats Belgium, mission accomplished! ---
**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, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3395 "2026-07-07T02:00:29Z")
Frankly I wanted the U.S. to get farther, so they could feel how good it feels, but not after Trump contaminated everything. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3396 "2026-07-07T02:00:37Z")
I don’t really follo soccer and only watched the games from this past week and even I could tell that Belgium was clearly the superior team. US looked so bad there. Rooting for Norway now, they were awesome in their game. ---
**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, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3397 "2026-07-07T02:00:40Z")
US have done really well and had some great moments in the tournament. But they didn’t turn up today. Two shots on target in the entire game I think. Sloppy defensive errors costing goals. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3398 "2026-07-07T02:01:39Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I blame it on Trump. No doubt he will claim that Belgium cheated. I rarely watch soccer, but I enjoyed this game. Really impressive how Belgium controlled the ball. Somebody upthread said something like, “Belgium is playing as a team; the US is playing as individuals,” and that’s how it seemed to me. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3399 "2026-07-07T02:02:31Z")
Congrats Belgium. Unlike the clowns in the US Men’s Hockey Team, we won’t be seeing team USA in the White House fluffing Trump since he doesn’t like losers. ---
**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, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3400 "2026-07-07T02:02:55Z")
He definitely got the hang of international managing as he went along, but I don’t know if US Soccer has the kind of scratch that it would take to keep him away from a superclub. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=169) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=171)