# 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:** 68
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1341 "2026-06-20T18:16:45Z")
It’s the 1986 final yes, I think it’s Matthäus but I don’t know who’s the other one. Maradona had, among others, the incredible talent of appearing in lots of incredible photos. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1342 "2026-06-20T18:18:48Z")
That looks almost like a rehearsed dance move! I’m not a big Maradona fan, but he certainly was magical in his day. Incredible sleight of hand, too! ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1343 "2026-06-20T18:18:55Z")
So Sweden routs Tunisia 5-1, and now Netherlands is routing Sweden 4-0. Just how bad is Tunisia? ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1344 "2026-06-20T18:21:42Z")
I was going to say that it was only 2-0 but checked The Guardian before just in case… 4-0!. Rivalry or not rivalry if “what we all want and do not say” doesn’t happen I wouldn’t mind Netherlands wining the WC, they deserved it many times and fell just short. (The fact that in that case the number of WCs won by those below Argentina will not threaten our number and the number of those above will not become unreachable has something to do with it too…) ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1345 "2026-06-20T18:22:17Z")
He was a wizard, in many different ways 😃 ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1346 "2026-06-20T18:25:47Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I don’t know who’s the other one. I’m quite sure it was Ditmar Jakobs, a no-nonsense, no quarter center half playing for HSV who had a tragic accident that lead to the end of his career. From wiki: > [@](#): > > Jakobs’ career ended prematurely on 20 September 1989 in a game between Hamburger SV and [Werder Bremen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werder_Bremen "Werder Bremen"). When an attacker lobbed the Hamburger SV goalie, Jakobs lunged feet-first into his goal and scraped the ball off the line. However, he fell into the hooks fixing the goal to the ground (at that time, the hooks were not stipulated to be under the earth). He hung there for 20 agonising minutes, the hook deeply embedded in his flesh. Finally, the team doctor cut the hooks from his back with a scalpel. With this, the nerves in his back were cut. Because of this horrible accident, he was forced to end his career. However, he regards himself lucky, as the hook missed his spinal cords by a mere two inches. > **[Ditmar Jakobs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ditmar_Jakobs)** > > Ditmar Jakobs (born 28 August 1953) is a German former footballer who played as a defender. He played as a centre-back, a classical libero in the mold of Franz Beckenbauer or Willi Schulz. > Jakobs played 493 games from 1971 to 1990 for Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Tennis Borussia Berlin, MSV Duisburg, and Hamburger SV. With Hamburger SV, he won the 1987 DFB-Pokal. In 1982 and 1983, he became German champion and in 1983, he won the European Cup. > Jakobs was a member of the Germany national team that was... ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1347 "2026-06-20T18:31:02Z")
Football doesn’t work that way, may be The Netherlands will suffer to get a 1-0 against Tunisia or even draw. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1348 "2026-06-20T18:32:15Z")
Exactly. Football isn’t logical, every game is a new situation. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1349 "2026-06-20T19:06:34Z")
5-1 final, the Clockwork Orange is back. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1350 "2026-06-20T21:13:39Z")
The part earlier where I said the referees are not at all calling shoves from behind? Still looking like the case. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1351 "2026-06-20T21:23:26Z")
**Côte d’Ivoire** leading 1-0 at 60 minutes. And they are just all up in Germany’s shit. I do think the early German goal should not have been disallowed, but I’m not up on the nuances and was watching in a pub where I couldn’t hear the commentary. Overall though, great game so far! ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1352 "2026-06-20T21:23:35Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Why do refs (at least, this happens in England, so I assume it has been happening in the World Cup too) always hold up the corner to go and chat to the players about the wrestling? Just let them get on with it and if there is a foul when the ball is in play, give a free kick or a penalty. There was a time when this was the prevailing refereeing philosophy, that what happens happens and the referee is just there to deal with the aftermath, but modern referees, and especially so at the highest levels, are expected to “manage the temperature” of the match. Defusing situations like aggressive jockeying for position on corner kicks is just one of many ways they do that. I’m somewhat ambivalent about it myself, but I would say that it does lead to better sportsmanship, more entertaining matches, and fewer injuries when done well. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2026, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1353 "2026-06-20T21:32:42Z")
Ugh, Ivory Coast has been outplaying Germany, that was an excellent goal but I don’t know if they deserve the draw. I hope Ivory Coast can score again. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1354 "2026-06-20T21:48:52Z")
Would a Netherlands-Ivory Coast matchup in the knockout rounds be sponsored by Fanta Orange soda? I suspect the Ivorians are playing for the tie at the moment, because they’re not pushing their transition opportunities, but they’ve been pretty impressive all in all. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1355 "2026-06-20T21:57:56Z")
Is it me or is the German coach just very unlikable? ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1356 "2026-06-20T21:58:44Z")
Germany finally capitalized after numerous chances. Gonna be a tough loss for the Ivorians. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1357 "2026-06-20T22:01:46Z")
Yeah, Germany played much more aggressively as the game went on. Still rooting for CIV to get through to the knockouts which should be doable against **Curaçao** as long as Germany takes care of business against Ecuador. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1358 "2026-06-20T22:05:41Z")
We talked a lot about monsters the last few days, big monsters like Haaland, Messi, Mbpappé and such, but Undav is a small monster too, especially when he starts from the bench. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1359 "2026-06-20T22:05:56Z")
Ivory coast have to be massive massive favorites for making the knockouts no matter what happens between Germany and Ecuador. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1360 "2026-06-20T22:06:49Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > Is it me or is the German coach just very unlikable? I don’t know what triggered your question, but yeah, Nagelsmann always has an air of arrogance. Like he thinks he’s always the brightest one in a room, at least about football. I don’t like him personally, but professionally I have few doubts about him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=67) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=69)