My initial thought was “no way he’d do that.” But he could delay Real Madrid a year and still spend his whole prime there. And he already delayed them for money (I’m skeptical he stayed at PSG for the project).
but they did a video
PSG left Mbappe out of their pre-season tour to Japan and very much wish to sell him, rather than see him leave on a free next summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 38 years of age, is on $214,534,727 a year at Al-Nassr, so Mbappe, the current best player in the world, will surely command more.
I want on record that I think we’re going to be hearing pundits say “I think Onana should have done better there.” A LOT.
He’s an indoor keeper who likes to bring the ball up. I am not satisfied with his shot-stopping. At. All.
Not sure if this has been discussed, but… what do people think, or what do people hear the pundits saying, about the format for the 2026 World Cup?
As I understand it, it’s 48 teams, so 12 groups of 4. 24 1st and 2nd place teams advance, along with 8 3rd place teams. Is this correct?
If so, I hate hate HATE it. The group stages are always a bit boring to begin with, but at least there’s often a group of death where a team that has a legit shot at a deep run will get sent home early, adding some tension. If most of the 3rd place teams make it through as well, then why even WATCH the group stage games?
A vastly better idea, imho, would be to have only 1st and 2nd place teams advance, with the 8 1st place teams with the best records getting a bye through the first round. This keeps the basic purity of top-two-advance, but also gives a team that is clearly winning the group an incentive to still go all out on match 3, etc.
Has this been discussed/debated in the fandom?
I hate it as I usually do attempts to reinvent the wheel
I don’t know, but I do really like your idea. Unfortunately, FIFA will never go for it because it would mean fewer games (and hence less money for the TV rights).
Like many lifelong football fans, I’m thinking of basically giving up on top-tier professional football - for the last 30 years it’s been all about the money, but always getting worse. Watching lower-tiers is not only far cheaper, it’s often much better entertainment. Of course, you’re then not watching the absolute best in the world - but I can live with that. It’s not like I’ve ever followed a team religiously anyway, so it’s a fairly easy decision for me to make.
I’m fine with at least one look at the new format, I’d like to see what teams rise to the surface who wouldn’t have before. There’s nothing that forces me to watch many of those games, but I might, and ultimately the World Cup winner would’ve played an extra match as I understand it.
I’m not a fan of the new format, but it’s better than the original proposal of 16 3-team groups. 48 teams is just an awkward number for a tournament like this, so there’s going to be downsides to whatever format is chosen.
More teams in the WC is nice for the countries that wouldn’t otherwise get in. I’m happy for more fans to get to see their team on the big stage. But it also devalues the qualification tournaments, which have always been great themselves.
Thank-you, Kylian:
Likely on to Real Madrid?
Damn, I was hoping he was going to slide into irrelevancy before the 2026 WC, no such luck.
/jk
If he accepted I think it would’ve have been with the idea to leave after 1 year. Will RM be able to bring him in this year after signing Bellingham? If not, and it’ll be next year on a free transfer, then I would think Saudi would be even more attractive. I don’t think PSG is in a great position for a UCL title. A chance, sure, but they’d be underdogs.
Messi’s abusing his stature in the current game. He should have been sent off before half. He did get a yellow on the first clear foul, but the ref’s are really giving him leeway and anyone else would have gotten a yellow for the second one as well.
This?
When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
Yeah. It’s off the ball and he goes it to break up a play.
The Ronaldo one is weird. He gets fouled on that play first, but then that’s a clear red on him.
Jordi Alba getting subbed on as I type this. Surreal.
On behalf of 45 million Argentinians I find myself in the obligation to request you to cease and desist in any comparison between Lionel Andres Messi Cuccitini AKA The Messiah, who sits at the right hand of D10s and the entity known as Donald J. Trump.
If you persist in this course of action we reserve the right to retaliate with anything up to and including drone strikes (we’ll have to get some drones but I bet we can manufacture some if we put our minds to it).
Respectfully.
A grateful nation.
Man City doing Man City things, namely Haaland scoring a brace and KDB getting injured.
Inter Miami just qualified for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. One step closer to playing a River Plate or Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup.
Riddle:
Why do Manchester United goalkeepers wear 007 as their number?