# Omnibus World Football Thread 2020-2022 (edited) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [August 16, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264 "2020-08-16T15:38:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 78
**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 28, 2025, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1542 "2025-07-28T00:38:17Z")
Only the women’s team. ---
**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:** [July 28, 2025, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1543 "2025-07-28T02:10:56Z")
I don’t want to generalize based off of two samples alone, but we’ve had England and Spain miss a combined 50% of their PKs and England and Sweden also missed 9 out of 14 shots in the shootout weeks ago. Are women’s penalty kicks statistically likelier, in general, to result in missed kicks or saved shots than men’s? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1544 "2025-07-28T05:01:39Z")
Saw an article today that for this tournament the success rate was 52%. That’s very low, even for a high-level tournament (men’s Euro 2024 had a 77% success rate). I certainly noticed that the women in this tournament seemed to be trying to just hit the net, and also didn’t shoot particularly hard (Chloe Kelly aside, who just crushed hers today). Most of the saved ones today were not particularly great saves, just weak shots and an easily-saved height - I wonder if the coaches just emphasized hitting the net. It’s actually a bit backwards, as one of the main criticisms of the women’s game is that the smaller stature of the goalies make long-distance shots more successful (since the goalies just can’t get to well-placed shots from distance). But even with that penalties are being saved/missed at a shockingly high rate. ETA: I would also say that very few women seem to do the hop-skip-jump approach where the taker delays until the goalie moves and then shoots the other way. This is often very effective (if annoying) in the men’s game but I haven’t seen any of the women try it. ---
**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 29, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1545 "2025-07-29T01:44:52Z")
Do women keepers tend to try to anticipate the shot and jump, or react? If the latter, the hop might not be an effective strategy. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1546 "2025-07-29T11:01:44Z")
In the run up to this tournament, women were marginally (but probably not statistically meaningfully) more successful at penalties than men in the same tournaments. > **[Euro 2025: Pressure and better keepers - why penalties are being missed?](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c86gxqy5pyzo)** > > The penalty shootout between England and Sweden at Euro 2025 will go down as one of the most dramatic in football history - but it was not an outlier at the tournament. BBC Sport investigates why spot-kicks are being missed. Lots of food for thought in that article, including some coaches who feel very outdated and who do not prepare for penalties. ---
**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 29, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1547 "2025-07-29T13:51:36Z")
Time for a link to a David Squires cartoon: > **[David Squires on … trophy-loving Trump crashing Chelsea’s Club World Cup party](https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2025/jul/15/david-squires-on-donald-trump-club-world-cup-final-trophy-chelsea-cartoon)** > > Our cartoonist on the US president’s central role in the final of a tournament that seemed like it would never end OK, make it two. Give the Lionesses some joy , even if it is sad for the Spanish Women: > **[David Squires on … the story of England winning Euro 2025](https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2025/jul/29/david-squires-the-story-of-england-winning-euro-2025-cartoon-lionesses)** > > Our cartoonist looks at how the Lionesses retained their crown as European champions ---
**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:** [August 4, 2025, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1548 "2025-08-04T07:54:07Z")
Now something I did not see coming: Barça has signed a contract to receive 44 million €uro from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Barça will wear a sign in their training equipment (not the one they play games with) reading **“RD Congo: Coeur d’Afrique”** (that is French for: Democratic Republic of Congo: The Heart of Africa). > **[FC Barcelona seals deal as DR Congo's third international sports tourism sponsor](https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/fc-barcelona-seals-deal-as-dr-congos-third-international-sports-tourism-sponsor/j36lgjt?op=1)** > > FC Barcelona has announced a four-year strategic sponsorship agreement with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), becoming the third elite European football club, after AC Milan and AS Monaco, to formalize a partnership... My Bullshit’O’Meter is off the charts: > The DRC will also be designated as the **“Official Empowerment Partner for Sports and Culture,”** reflecting a shared vision to promote athletic development and cultural exchange. > “_This agreement signifies a shared commitment to fostering multi-sport development within the DRC_,” the club said in an [official statement.](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/news/4328585/fc-barcelona-and-the-government-of-the-democratic-republic-of-congo-partner-to-promote-culture-and-innovation-in-sports-in-the-african-country) “_The collaboration will contribute to enriching the training of the country’s young athletes by transferring its ecosystem of values, an indisputable pillar of the Barça model and style.”_ > With this latest agreement, the DRC continues to position itself at the intersection of sports, culture, and international diplomacy, leveraging football’s global reach to promote a [renewed image of the country](https://africa.businessinsider.com/sports/football-rwanda-becomes-arsenals-official-tourism-partner/l9x6ly3) as youthful, ambitious, and open to the world. Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh dear… Is this not just indecent? And I say that as a Barça fan… ETA: The Athletic has more details, and mentions other deals by Arsenal and Bayern Munich with Rwanda, for instance. Probably paywalled: > **[Barcelona’s €44m DR Congo sponsorship: How was the deal signed and why could...](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6497789/2025/07/30/barcelona-kit-sponsor-dr-congo/)** > > The sponsorship ensures the central African nation's logo of "DRC, coeur de l'Afrique" will appear on the back of all Barca training kits. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1549 "2025-08-04T17:49:08Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > The Athletic has more details, and mentions other deals by Arsenal and Bayern Munich with Rwanda, for instance. As long as Arsenal continue to accept Rwandan money, I’ll refrain from buying their shirt. That sponsorship deal makes my love for the team a little uncomfortable. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2025, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1550 "2025-08-09T07:21:39Z")
Want another thing that sucks? UEFA has paid over 11 million as “solidarity funds” to Russian clubs since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, but has denied those same payments to Ukrainian clubs: > **[Russian clubs continue to receive UEFA solidarity payments | ⚽ Eurofootball.com](https://www.eurofootball.com/football-news/russian-clubs-continue-to-receive-uefa-solidarity-payments/)** > > Although Russian clubs are disqualified from UEFA competitions, clubs from this aggressive country continue to... Have I mentioned yet that UEFA (and FIFA, of course) is an amoral corrupt organisation and that I hate and despise them? ---
**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:** [August 9, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1551 "2025-08-09T14:17:07Z")
And CONMEBOL, CONCACAF… ---
**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:** [August 9, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1552 "2025-08-09T14:25:51Z")
Don’t forget IOC. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1553 "2025-08-09T18:31:52Z")
Damn, my Southampton appeared to have been pretty fortunate to beat just promoted (and everyone’s darling) Wrexham today. Just after I read an ESPN piece about the financial disadvantages they will be up against in the Championship. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1554 "2025-08-18T17:39:24Z")
I watched a few matches from the Premiership’s opening weekend and noticed something that struck me as odd. Post-match, as the players were wandering around on the pitch, a LOT of them were covering their mouths while talking to each other, as if they were on the sideline coaches of a pointyball (NFL) game calling plays. Are they shielding their conversations from lip readers? If so, what are they saying to each other? ---
**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:** [August 18, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1555 "2025-08-18T18:34:02Z")
> [@ricepad](#): > > Are they shielding their conversations from lip readers? If so, what are they saying to each other? Yes, they do. It has been a thing for at least ten years, they don’t want to get their speech analyzed by lip readers. Coaches and managers do it, too, they are afraid of revealing tactical secrets. And maybe prevent anyone from hearing them trash talking. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1556 "2025-08-22T18:44:34Z")
Sorry the article is in Spanish, but the video is in… huh… English, I guess you can call it. It is only 58 seconds, you won’t suffer for long, I promise! Gianni (Johnny, insisted the host) Mafiantino in the Oval Office, sliming it up to an old and tired looking trump, a “real winner!”, with JD, Noem and a couple of others irrelevancies, none of them wearing a tie: > **[La surrealista visita de Infantino al despacho de Trump: una gorra enorme,...](https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/mundial-futbol/surrealista-visita-infantino-despacho-trump-120858087)** > > Donald Trump anunció que el sorteo del Mundial 2026 se celebrará el próximo 5 de diciembre en el Kennedy Center de Washington con un vídeo que quedará para la historia They announced that the draw for the World Cup will be held in the Kennedy Center on the 5th of december, a “terribly beautiful place” that is, “because we (sic!) are spending a terrific amount of money to make beautiful”. Sorry if the backtranslation sounds stoopid, I fear the original was too, judging by the excerpt in the video. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2025, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1557 "2025-08-23T19:33:46Z")
Apparently Ronaldo just scored his 100th goal for Al Nassr, making him the first player in history to score 100+ with 4 different teams. I can’t imagine anyone will ever do that for 5 . ---
**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:** [August 23, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1558 "2025-08-23T20:00:04Z")
Score 100th goal, lose Super Cup. One hero can only do so much. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1559 "2025-08-24T00:54:45Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I can’t imagine anyone will ever do that for 5 . Seeing as how only 25 players have ever scored 500 goals total, I think that’s a safe bet. 9 of those scored 500 for a single club! ---
**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:** [August 24, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1560 "2025-08-24T02:00:23Z")
Yeah, you’d have to plan your career around it, which would be an extremely weird thing to plan your career around. If you were on pace to score 100 goals for your first pro team by like 21-22, you’d definitely be poached by a bigger team. Organically it would have to be something like Luis Suarez where you go hometown team → ~Netherlands → bigger team → world class team → drop in quality a bit → finish back at hometown team to pad stats. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1561 "2025-08-28T20:25:25Z")
Man U and its £765m payroll fall to 4th-tier Grimsby and its £3m payroll in the English League Cup (which is a knockout tournament amongst everyone from the top 4 tiers of English soccer). They were tied 2-2 at the end and went straight to penalty kicks; after TWENTY SIX penalty kicks they won 12-11. I only watched the highlights, but how fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264.md?page=77) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264.md?page=79)