# 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:** 216
**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, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4301 "2026-07-14T21:03:26Z")
Then we’ll have to play England without him, it’s ok, not like the entire team depends on him or anything like that… ---
**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, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4302 "2026-07-14T21:03:59Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > At least whatever happens Argentina’s solitary 3 star position in the list of champions is safe. But not Germany’s (and Italy’s) four star position… 😉 ---
**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, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4303 "2026-07-14T21:04:12Z")
ANULO MUFA! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4304 "2026-07-14T21:04:42Z")
Unless, of course, they pull even with Germany and Italy… Edit; ninja’ed! ---
**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, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4305 "2026-07-14T21:05:34Z")
_ **makes all sort of hex symbols desperately trying to stop any kind of jinx** _ ---
**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, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4306 "2026-07-14T21:07:23Z")
Anyway the worst of this is that we’ll probably lose to England and, for our sins, have to face France _again_ ---
**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, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4307 "2026-07-14T21:14:13Z")
Someone upthread asked if they were watching a good defensive game or of it was just boring. This was a good defensive game. Great circulation and counter-pressing from Spain. ---
**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 14, 2026, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4308 "2026-07-14T21:22:02Z")
I’m finally at odds in this tournament. I really want to see Spain take Argentina apart (sorry **Frodo** ), but I’m still rooting for England tomorrow. The thing I love about Spain is that there is no Spanish monster that is the focus of every game. The whole team is a collective monster. ---
**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, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4309 "2026-07-14T21:23:58Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > (sorry **Frodo** ) No offense. But I think that this Spain team is way better for Argentina, in the unlikely case that we reach the final, than France. ---
**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 14, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4310 "2026-07-14T21:31:50Z")
Spain looked very solid; they would have had another two if they had stayed onside. I was shocked at how few good scoring opportunities the French earned. It reminded me of PSG a few years back - three of the worlds best players but middling results - a strange case of one and one and one adding to 1.7 Of course PSG beat Arsenal for the Euros this year. But France just didn’t play to their potential this game. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4311 "2026-07-14T21:33:47Z")
And I think that Argentina is way better for Spain than England, so do your work. Our interests align… until Sunday. > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > France just didn’t play to their potential this game. You only play as well as the rival lets you. Spain has morphed from tiki-taka to CONTROL. ---
**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, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4312 "2026-07-14T21:34:34Z")
Unlike PSG the French players actually had to play lots of games in a short period of time. The PSG players are used to being rested for their league games so they get long long gaps to recover. ---
**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, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4313 "2026-07-14T21:37:18Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > The PSG players are used to being rested for their league games so they get long long gaps to recover. Huh? In the crunch time of every season, they will have at least two games a week, not counting probable international games for their respective countries for many players. So what are you up to, or am I being whooshed again? ---
**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, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4314 "2026-07-14T21:41:59Z")
Don’t PSG heavily rotate because they wrap the league up with 6 games to spare every year? ---
**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, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4315 "2026-07-14T21:42:12Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Our interests align… until Sunday. 😒 ---
**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, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4316 "2026-07-14T21:44:01Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Don’t PSG heavily rotate because they wrap the league up with 6 games to spare every year? They dominated Ligue 1 in the last several years, but not as much as Bayern the Bundesliga. ---
**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, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4317 "2026-07-14T21:44:07Z")
Damn that water was COLD! Well, I’ve done all I can, the rest is in the hands of D10s, el **Messi** as and the apostles, if they remember to show up for once, and I’m talking to _you_ Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis McAllister and Enzo Fernandez!. ---
**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, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4318 "2026-07-14T21:44:50Z")
I was being a bit tongue in cheek about the PSG players not being used to playing so many games in a short period, because I’m an imbittered Arsenal fan. But it’s true, PSG have so much of that oil money they almost have two squads - one for their domestic league and one for the Champions League. Their domestic league is hardly that testing. Dembélé started only 11 of their 34 Ligue 1 games; Neves, Mendes and Fabián Ruiz made 13 starts each; Kvaratskhelia 18, Doué and Hakimi 16, and Marquinhos 11. ---
**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, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4319 "2026-07-14T21:45:57Z")
Ah, I understand now, I don’t follow Ligue 1 close enough to have known this. ---
**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, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4320 "2026-07-14T21:49:20Z")
How do they have Kvaratskelia, Doue, Dembele, and Barcola? Insane. Barca keeps buying and getting linked with wingers though, so maybe that’s the way to go. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=215) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=217)