# 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:** 205
**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 12, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4081 "2026-07-12T02:44:17Z")
I agree. Sitting back cost Argentina even though they seemed to be happy with it. ---
**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 12, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4082 "2026-07-12T02:44:44Z")
He sees the tackle coming, so he’s preparing to make the most of it. Except the tackle didn’t come as hard as he thought, no contact ensued, and so he ends up embellishing nothing. ---
**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 12, 2026, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4083 "2026-07-12T02:46:41Z")
A calculated risk that didn’t pay off? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4084 "2026-07-12T02:47:03Z")
That didn’t look like offside to me. ---
**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 12, 2026, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4085 "2026-07-12T02:52:45Z")
Pretty much. For all the talk of flopping in soccer, most of the time it is more making an actual foul look worse, either to make sure the ref calls it in the first place or to influence the ref to be harsher on the player. In this case, Paredes has committed a number of fouls already, so making another foul look bad convinced the ref that Paredes deserved a yellow card for persistent infringement. Except Paredes didn’t actually foul this time, so the VAR intervened and the inadvertent dive got the card instead. ---
**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 12, 2026, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4086 "2026-07-12T02:54:30Z")
Is Switzerland in a low block at this point? ---
**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 12, 2026, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4087 "2026-07-12T02:55:51Z")
Pretty much. Argentina is the aggressor now and Switzerland mostly waiting to counterattack. ---
**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 12, 2026, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4088 "2026-07-12T02:56:41Z")
Thank you for that answer. I see that I still need to adjust my NHL centric views ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4089 "2026-07-12T03:01:59Z")
Great Switzerland save at the end of 90. ---
**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 12, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4090 "2026-07-12T03:04:10Z")
Who thinks this will go to penalty kicks? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4091 "2026-07-12T03:12:02Z")
I’m often wrong, but with an extra man I think Argentina can take it before 120 minutes… ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4092 "2026-07-12T03:12:53Z")
He fairly belted that one, so close . ---
**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 12, 2026, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4093 "2026-07-12T03:24:04Z")
Is Argentina allowed to score without Messi being involved? ---
**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 12, 2026, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4094 "2026-07-12T03:33:08Z")
That was pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4095 "2026-07-12T03:33:10Z")
there’s a consistent gap in the Swiss defense on their right. Argentina should be able to run a 2 person pass with a left footer. But they just took a different route and scored. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4096 "2026-07-12T03:34:16Z")
Frodo… Lives!! Again! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4097 "2026-07-12T03:34:24Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Is Argentina allowed to score without Messi being involved? I’m going with yes. ---
**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 12, 2026, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4098 "2026-07-12T03:37:28Z")
Until that last goal, it wasn’t clear. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4099 "2026-07-12T03:39:18Z")
McAllister having sympathy pains with Martinez imaginary pains ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4100 "2026-07-12T03:42:02Z")
And that’s the ball game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=204) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=206)