# 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:** 88
**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:** [April 9, 2026, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1742 "2026-04-09T14:45:43Z")
I think VAR was a bad idea in general, I supported it initially but after seeing it in action I think we can do without the constant interruptions and uncertainty. There are better uses for tech in football, like checking if the ball has crossed a line (that is already in use) or for detecting players in offside position (May be some sort of locator gizmo for all players and the ball?) ---
**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:** [April 9, 2026, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1743 "2026-04-09T14:55:11Z")
It seems to me the main problem with VAR is inconsistency of interpretation and application, but that definitely also existed before VAR. On the other hand, I recall a lot of incredibly obvious fouls and offsides (or non-offsides) that happened before it was implemented, and which are now caught, and so I see it as a net positive. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2026, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1744 "2026-04-09T14:59:54Z")
IMHO the positives do not outweigh the negatives. It used to be that when your team scored a goal you could celebrate immediately, now you have to wait just in case the father of the scorer ran a red light when driving the mother to the hospital for his birth and thus the goal is not valid… I’m aware that many, probably most, people feel that VAR is worth it nonetheless but I don’t. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1745 "2026-04-11T20:59:08Z")
Bayern break their own more than 50 years old record of 101 goals in a Bundesliga season in the game against St. Pauli. They now have 105 goals for the season, with still 5 games to go and will smash the record. Leon Gorertzka scored the record breaking goal. ETA: I think Bayern are playing their strongest season since 2020, the Covid year when they smashed everybody, and are a hot contender for the Champions League title again. Vincent Kompany seems to be a perfect fit as a coach. Kudos to Bayern to have trusted him in the first place as a relatively inexperienced coach. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2026, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1746 "2026-04-11T21:36:40Z")
For perspective, they approached Xabi Alonso, Nagelsmann (again), Rangnick, and offered to discuss staying with Tuchel, and were turned down by all, before going with Kompany [ETA: I think I also read that Oliver Glasner was in the mix as well]. It’s genuinely nuts how good he’s been, and how incredibly tactically flexible they are under him, and it turns out they were lucky to land him. Goretzka will remain a top 10 favorite Bayern player for me, and I was really glad to see him with the goal. It will be a bittersweet goodbye when he leaves at the end of the campaign. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2026, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1747 "2026-04-11T21:43:59Z")
Goretzka is a great player and person, I never understood why he never really broke through at Bayern. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1748 "2026-04-11T21:59:00Z")
I may have said this before, but I’ll always appreciate when Hungary was bitching about Pride armbands before the DFB Euro match, and when Goretzka scored he ran down to the Hungary corner of the pitch and flashed them a heart sign. [![](https://i.imgur.com/aA763Zx.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/aA763Zx.png) He always had good competition at the #8 spot, and he changed his game to be more box-to-box and did get playing time, but he was often better as a sub. Also, Tuchel crushed his confidence, so there’s that. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2026, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1749 "2026-04-11T22:30:47Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I may have said this before, but I’ll always appreciate when Hungary was bitching about Pride armbands before the DFB Euro match, and when Goretzka scored he ran down to the Hungary corner of the pitch and flashed them a heart sign. Yeah, that’s also what I will remember him for, that gesture. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1750 "2026-04-12T11:25:45Z")
Tottenham travels north to Sunderland today, needing a win to escape the relegation zone for the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1751 "2026-04-12T15:45:17Z")
And they lost… when Arsenal bottle the title (again), I can at least take solace that Spurs might be going down. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1752 "2026-04-12T16:37:33Z")
Article on five other big name clubs that had to deal with relegation. > **[Tottenham, be warned: These five clubs thought they were too big to go down](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7116138/2026/04/12/tottenham-clubs-too-big-go-down/)** > > From Atletico Madrid to Manchester City, The Athletic looks back at the most shocking relegations in the history of football ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1753 "2026-04-12T16:41:55Z")
One of these was my fault, I have to confess. In or around the late nineties someone asked me “If River had to be relegated but in exchange Argentina wins the world cup again would you…?” “YES!” I answered. It took time but eventually came true. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1754 "2026-04-12T16:47:27Z")
Well done. Next time relegate Real Madrid, if you don’t mind, would you be so kind? And how are those tattoos progressing? ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1755 "2026-04-12T16:55:14Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Well done. Next time relegate Real Madrid, if you don’t mind, would you be so kind I will gladly exchange Real Madrid relegation for another World Cup for Argentina… heck I would gladly exchange it for a Copa America… or for River to win the Libertadores, or for a Superclasico, or an alfajor (and I don’t like alfajores)… you know what? I’ll be magnanimous and give you Madrid’s relegation for free 😃 > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > And how are those tattoos progressing? > [@Teach me about tattoos](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/99): > > “Lo prometido es deuda” [[image] ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3siy5gcqa34ugidu2uecpj4h/bafkreieeg245ctuk3c3cdltf6hjuua5m724uiidzsgdun7o3a7tphwwjzi@jpeg) ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1756 "2026-04-12T17:02:35Z")
Lovely! Cinco de copas, copa, wink, wink, very fitting! And now the folks who think a 45° slanted square is a diamond and a black clover leaf is a club will wonder about the **[Spanish / Argentinian card decks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_card_suit)**. 😆 Very generous too, thanks a lot. Now let the magic work. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1757 "2026-04-12T17:18:51Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Lovely! Cinco de copas, copa, wink, wink, very fitting! There’s lore behind it: > [@Teach me about tattoos](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/47): > > That would be cool, but I don’t know if it fits with the reason I chose that card. Legend tells that during the 2021 Copa America, in the player’s residence, they were playing a game, taking ten cards and trying to predict at least one of them. Messi chose the 5 of Cups, and won. It’s not clear if he chose that for any specific reason, but the legend soon overtook reality. Messi had played 4 finals with Argentina, and lost all 4, Copa America 2021 was the fifth one, and he won. Messi had pla… ---
**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:** [April 13, 2026, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1758 "2026-04-13T11:04:22Z")
The other side of the coin: Coventry City has effectively clinched promotion to the Premier League. They were in League Two (the fourth division) as recently as 2018. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1759 "2026-04-13T16:06:19Z")
I was half hoping Wrexham would make it too, but their challenge seems to be sputtering. They were playing non-league football in 2020! ---
**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:** [April 13, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1760 "2026-04-13T16:10:42Z")
I don’t have anything against Wrexham, and the owners do seem like nice chaps, but the excessive coverage from British sport media is pretty nauseating. And it would increase tenfold if they did go up. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1761 "2026-04-13T16:24:17Z")
Hence half hoping. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264.md?page=87) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264.md?page=89)