# 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:** 211
**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 14, 2026, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4201 "2026-07-14T16:46:11Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > ETA: it’s interesting how many important people have been competitive goalies: Niels Bohr , Karol Wojtyla, Julio Iglesias… Javier Milei… 🤮 ---
**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 14, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4202 "2026-07-14T17:01:44Z")
John Paul 2 was a GK and a big fan of Polish football! ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4203 "2026-07-14T17:15:38Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Karol Wojtyla > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > John Paul 2 ---
**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 14, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4204 "2026-07-14T17:19:41Z")
omg (smacks forehead) ---
**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 14, 2026, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4205 "2026-07-14T17:29:04Z")
Did John Paul ever play for the Vatican National Team? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4206 "2026-07-14T17:30:22Z")
Surely it would have been considered cheating to field an infallible goalkeeper. ---
**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 14, 2026, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4207 "2026-07-14T17:30:57Z")
But he was only infallible when playing on the Ex Cathedra Stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4208 "2026-07-14T17:49:35Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Did John Paul ever play for the Vatican National Team? Were the red papal shoes precursors to the pink cleats? ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4209 "2026-07-14T17:49:51Z")
It is still one of my favorite graphics when the world cup was in Brazil and Argentina was facing Germany. Someone had put both the Popes (the current one at the time (Argentine), and previous one (German)) on each shoulder of the Christ the Redeemer statute each whispering into his ear. `//i\\` ---
**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 14, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4210 "2026-07-14T18:39:48Z")
Excited to find out if one of these two teams was overrated. Bluesky seems to think it hinges on whether Rodri has the legs for it. ---
**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 14, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4211 "2026-07-14T18:45:15Z")
My wife just wandered into the room, glanced at the muted TV, and said “the dress style of that guy on the right is just eww.” Alexi catching drive-bys even from perfect strangers 😄 ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4212 "2026-07-14T19:06:41Z")
Boy did France transition quickly into attack. Just sitting back letting Spain pass hoping for a mistake and than off to the races in a split second. ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4213 "2026-07-14T19:08:42Z")
Yamal’s been easily bodied off the ball twice. Going to need to bulk up a little. ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4214 "2026-07-14T19:10:20Z")
Meanwhile, get put in situations where he can speed away from the physicality. ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4215 "2026-07-14T19:13:14Z")
How after all these years can he not pronounce _Upamecano_ correctly? ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4216 "2026-07-14T19:15:32Z")
Olise lucky there. No yellow, but that’s arguably red. ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4217 "2026-07-14T19:20:15Z")
I don’t have the stats, but I have the impression that ball possession so far is quite balanced. Unusual for Spain. ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4218 "2026-07-14T19:20:47Z")
Penalty upcoming for Spain! ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4219 "2026-07-14T19:21:11Z")
Fox has it as 66 for Spain. ---
**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 14, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4220 "2026-07-14T19:21:26Z")
Someone asked upthread if national teams are better than clubs teams. Luca Digne is evidence that they have weaknesses. He is not a great player IMO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=210) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=212)