# 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:** 230
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4581 "2026-07-15T21:07:08Z")
I hope the English coach doesn’t start shooting his players ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4582 "2026-07-15T21:07:14Z")
What happened after England scored? Did England lose its motivation, or did Argentina decide they actually needed to play? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4583 "2026-07-15T21:07:26Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Possibly the most English way ever to go out. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4584 "2026-07-15T21:07:32Z")
Wild how much more successful the latter year Messi Argentina teams are vs the more talented early year teams. Coaching + fight + teamwork making up for the (relative) less talent. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4585 "2026-07-15T21:07:49Z")
I was working, walking up and down the stairs to the TV. I knew they were tied and then saw 2-1 and the last few seconds of the match! Yes! It will be a nice time on Sunday for me and my family. If France can beat England as well, that will make it even sweeter. I wish France had made it to the final, but I will take this instead. `//i\\` ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4586 "2026-07-15T21:08:49Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Possibly the most English way ever to go out. I would have thought that would be losing in penalties. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4587 "2026-07-15T21:09:26Z")
Got your cardiologist on speed dial? ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4588 "2026-07-15T21:10:43Z")
I don’t think anyone can blame FIFA or favoritism for that loss. England just seemed to lose attacking passion after their goal and Arg had it in spades . ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4589 "2026-07-15T21:11:13Z")
Would have been nice/more interesting if Kane was fed the ball more. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4590 "2026-07-15T21:12:45Z")
Yeh you’re right. But losing after defending a lead on the edge of our box for half an hour is a close second. That last 30 minutes was pathetic. I got so wound up first half with the Argentina antics but second half they actually came out to play, and we just didn’t compete. Best team won. ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4591 "2026-07-15T21:13:46Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I hope the English coach doesn’t start shooting his players Funny watching Tuchel taking notes. Never seen a footy coach actually sitting down with pen and pad. (hockey - only “Badger” Bob Johnson) ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4592 "2026-07-15T21:14:14Z")
England showed no belief after a few minutes of Argentina pressure. And that was led by the manager’s changes. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4593 "2026-07-15T21:14:40Z")
As I saw it, England’s low block defense didn’t provide them with enough opportunities to sustain some possession to relieve the pressure, so Argentina was able to just recycle and keep attacking. The few times England got possession of a clearance, they didn’t have the personnel or the numbers to make a really good scoring opportunity to try to make it 2-0, so Argentina stayed in the game and eventually solved that England defense. If Spain goes ahead, they will be a much tougher nut to crack. ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4594 "2026-07-15T21:19:03Z")
Jeez, look at this passing map for England: [https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed\_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3kmyeu4ic4asefuvh22kzbyh/bafkreihauzn6ilft6ood6cad6dmze5bjn2uz5hk3bb5f4i7yrf65yya6lu](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3kmyeu4ic4asefuvh22kzbyh/bafkreihauzn6ilft6ood6cad6dmze5bjn2uz5hk3bb5f4i7yrf65yya6lu) ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4595 "2026-07-15T21:19:32Z")
England played well for seventy minutes, and then decided to stop playing offence while only leaving Jordan to play defence. Argentina deserved the win. But England could have won that game. After the fourth big save, time to substitute. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4596 "2026-07-15T21:21:33Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > What happened after England scored? Did England lose its motivation, or did Argentina decide they actually needed to play? Obviously some of both, but I think Tuchel’s subs were atrocious. I generally hate shifting from a back 4 to a back 5 in the middle of the match - the CBs tend to lose track of who they are marking. Taking Gordon off for Konsa seems to be the exact opposite of what you want to do up 1-0. Argentina will press and Gordon is the perfect outlet for a transition attack. Or put more succinctly, England ended up changing 3/4 of their backline during the match. ETA: You also end up very narrow because you only have the wing-backs wide. Messi had tons of time to pick out both the pass to Fernandez (waiting until he had drawn two defenders to him) and the cross to Martinez for the winner (on which somehow 5’9" Martinez gets between the 6’2" Stones and 6’0" Ezri Konsa to win the header). ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4597 "2026-07-15T21:23:08Z")
Absolutely awful by England after the first goal. They would have been better off not scoring at all. It was cross after cross, and at least one goal was inevitable. England played like they were up 2-0, which we know is the most dangerous lead to have (and it’s 100% true). I snuck out to the bar for the 2nd half, and I told my neighbor (an Argentine) that “don’t worry, you guys got this”, after watching England for 5 minutes after the 1-0 lead. He didn’t want to hear it, but it was obvious that at least 1 goal was coming from Argentina. ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4598 "2026-07-15T21:24:12Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Can’t stand your bloody team though! 🤣 And that’s exactly how we liiiiike it 😃 ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4599 "2026-07-15T21:30:36Z")
This absolutely unbelievable, if you told me, in 2018 after getting knocked out against France playing horribly, that we would be in the next 2 finals I would’ve tried to get you commited. Lautaro and Enzo will go in mi left leg, now, let’s see who else. ---
**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 15, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/4600 "2026-07-15T21:31:34Z")
Well done, **Frodo**. So glad that Messi got to win this last important match of his career. See you on Sunday. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=229) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=231)