FIFA World Cup 2026 - discussion etc

Ketchup is only good on fries (mayo is fine, so is bbq sauce); it’s a sin on eggs. What, you run out of hot sauce?

I think the worst celebration ever was the player pretending to snort the goal line as if it was cocaine. But the pregnant ball with the thumb sucking comes close.

The Belgians have me worried. If they manage that well without Lukaku, what is going to happen when he is substituted in?

It’s a habit formed of many years being served powdered eggs on submarines. And yes, sometimes we ran out of hot sauce and ketchup was the only way to get them down.

Who was the player snorting the goal line? I surely don’t remember that! And the pregnant thing is such an old meme, I’ve long stopped complaining about that.

Eh, he was mocking people for claiming he was on drugs, I thought it was kinda funny.

Reminder that Yamine Lamal turns 19 in 3 days…

It was Lamal? Now that’s funny from an 18 year old.

It was Robbie Fowler in the 90s. I was just struck by Lamal’s age watching him fly around the pitch.

Ah, I see.

Now Lukaku is on the pitch. Statistically it doesn’t take long until he scores.

Lukaku coming on might give the Spanish defence something to think about but surprised with Trossard leaving the pitch. Spain are looking better but Belgium are giving a really good showing here.

I’m sort of fascinated by this term. I can see how “pommes” fits in (even if it’s technically “apples” without the -de-terre), but why “Schranke”? There’s a wall of condiments between you and potatoey goodness?

For me a Schrank is a type of cabinet, I had to look this one up. I’ll let EH fill you in, just noting I was also confused.

Thrilling stuff with Yamal really on fire. Spain looks the better team but Doku/Lukaku could absolutely steal it for Belgium.

Well, Pommes comes from the French pommes frites, and Schranke, well…A barrier at a railroad crossing in Germany is called “Schranke” and is normally painted red and white, like mayo and ketchup on fries. That’s all there is to it.

A Schranke looks like this:

In Berlin they are called Pommes Rot-Weiss (red & white).
A Schrank is indeed a cabinet, but a Schranke (noun, f) and a Schrank (noun, m) are completely different things.
ETA: Ninja’d, of course. And correctly so.

Courtois off injured. Damn.

Now with all that “Schranke” business, I have missed why Courtois had to be subbed. Was it a muscular injury?

If I may make a slight correction: substitute the word ‘best’ for the word ‘worst’ :laughing:

Belgium are now without their two first choice holding midfielders and the world’s best goalkeeper (although I think that title should belong to the goalkeeper on the Spanish bench).

I knew “Schranke” was a barrier, I just couldn’t quite make the connection.

Anyway, I will endeavor to save my linguistic meanderings for the match interregnums.