# 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:** 73
**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 21, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1441 "2026-06-21T18:22:59Z")
Yeah, he’s a madman! But our own Antonio Rüdiger also likes a little trash talk from time to time… ---
**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:** [June 21, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1442 "2026-06-21T19:13:37Z")
If someone likes reading devastating critiques of incompetent performers as much as I do, even when they are unknown to me, they could enjoy this: > **[The French aristocrat and the all-American idiot: Henry v Lalas is the World...](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thierry-henry-alexi-lalas-fox-world-cup)** > > Fox’s broadcast at the tournament has become a story of two contrasting styles. And there is one clear winner Yes, I also like reading devastating critiques of restaurants, books, movies… as long as they are acerbic and caustic. ---
**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:** [June 21, 2026, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1443 "2026-06-21T19:19:50Z")
Am I right to assume the booing and jeering of the Iranian national anthem would have come from Iranian’s living in the US who are supporting the team but hating on the regime? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1444 "2026-06-21T19:35:24Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Yes, I also like reading devastating critiques of restaurants, books, movies… as long as they are acerbic and caustic. Me too. An enjoyable read. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1445 "2026-06-21T20:03:11Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > [The French aristocrat and the all-American idiot: Henry v Lalas is the World Cup’s most compelling battle | World Cup 2026 | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thierry-henry-alexi-lalas-fox-world-cup) Alexi Lalas commentary is just like they way he played: Boorish and with brute force. There’s no finesse with Lalas. ---
**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 21, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1446 "2026-06-21T20:19:51Z")
Lalas is unpleasant and should be gone immediately, but a kind of cottage industry has sprung up around dunking on him. I guess it gets the clicks. ---
**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 21, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1447 "2026-06-21T20:20:18Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Am I right to assume the booing and jeering of the Iranian national anthem would have come from Iranian’s living in the US who are supporting the team but hating on the regime? Probably, they’ve also been trying (sometimes successfully sometimes less so) to smuggle in lion flags. ---
**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 21, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1448 "2026-06-21T20:34:31Z")
How is that just not a yellow. ---
**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 21, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1449 "2026-06-21T20:35:10Z")
Belgium had been dominating the second half, and the Iranian goalie has been magnificent in keeping them scoreless. Now a dubious red card has given Iran a big advantage. ---
**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 21, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1450 "2026-06-21T20:37:06Z")
On replay looks more DOGSO. ---
**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 21, 2026, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1451 "2026-06-21T20:40:20Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > DOGSO As an aside, I’m glad that we don’t have such an unwieldy acronym for that. We just call it “Notbremse”, “emergency brake”. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1452 "2026-06-21T21:02:46Z")
What the German language being known for, of course, is a lack of “unwieldiness”. ---
**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 21, 2026, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1453 "2026-06-21T21:03:15Z")
Belgium, the No. 10 ranked nation in the world, has just drawn to two underdogs. 1-1 Egypt, 0-0 Iran. ---
**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 21, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1454 "2026-06-21T21:05:50Z")
ChatGPT tells me that never have all six games in a group competition ended in draws. Group G, which has Belgium, Iran, New Zealand, and Egypt, is halfway there. I will be rooting for a draw in the New Zealand/Egypt game tonight. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1455 "2026-06-21T21:08:19Z")
If a group finishes with all draws AND all teams score the same number of goals, what’s the tie breaker? There’s no KFTM in group play, so do they draw straws/lots? Highest bribe advances? Steel cage death match? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1456 "2026-06-21T21:09:49Z")
Fair play (yellow and red cards), followed by FIFA ranking. ETA: Which makes Belgium’s red card potentially extremely impactful. ---
**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 21, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1457 "2026-06-21T21:19:05Z")
Jingoistic Americans would be my bet, with some exiled Iranians. ---
**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 21, 2026, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1458 "2026-06-21T21:20:14Z")
“Ultimo hombre” (Last man) in Spanish ---
**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 21, 2026, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1459 "2026-06-21T21:21:14Z")
So, how did Iran play? did they went toe to toe with Belgium or did they use the understandable tactic of “Park the bus and Allah as number nine”? ---
**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 21, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1460 "2026-06-21T21:27:44Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > how did Iran play? They pretty much packed the defensive area and their goalie played magnificently. Until the red card, then they got more aggressive on offense. Belgium had many more scoring chances than Iran, and they controlled the ball far longer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=72) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=74)