# World Cup 2022 - discussion, predictions, and thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [November 6, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476 "2022-11-06T20:37:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/601 "2022-11-28T11:40:12Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > That said, has Brazil faltered so far this WC? With only one match played it wasn’t quite ready to say that, but sure, they haven’t faltered yet. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/602 "2022-11-28T12:56:00Z")
I’ve mainly watched live on Peacock, which has meant Spanish speaking commentators. I have seen a few replays on Tubi and I do not like the commentators I’m hearing there. British, I think? Very generic, one man and one woman with no real insight. Super dull. I feel like I could do what they are doing. Even though I do not speak Spanish, I actually prefer their voices over the whole thing. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/603 "2022-11-28T13:12:12Z")
Probably that’s **because** you don’t speak Spanish, football commentary is usually inane-to-awful. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/604 "2022-11-28T13:21:23Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > wow has anyone seen pics of the Belgium riot? i never thought that could /would happen there … i mean Spain brazil the UK **the US** sure but Belgium ? The US? Not over soccer. At most we’ll have some people (such as myself 😜) calling for the coach to be fired if the US ends up with another 0-0 draw. Most Americans probably don’t even realize that we’re in the World Cup, much less how the team is performing. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/605 "2022-11-28T13:23:52Z")
I only get the regular Fox channel, not FS1, but when I do watch on Fox, the commentators are incredibly bad. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/606 "2022-11-28T13:26:50Z")
I thought that was going to get called back on handball, but it looked like his upper arm on review. Go Ghana! ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/607 "2022-11-28T14:27:01Z")
South Korea has quickly evened the match against Ghana. Could be a great finish. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/608 "2022-11-28T14:29:44Z")
Ghana back up. We got to witness that rare instance when someone completely whiffs going after a goal, and the next man is able to punch it in. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/609 "2022-11-28T16:03:08Z")
Today’s Brazil-Switzerland game taking place in Stadium 974, a temporary stadium made from 974 recycled shipping containers. [![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WkGwjvv3oRVeaHUeuLcSNB.jpg) ](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WkGwjvv3oRVeaHUeuLcSNB.jpg) > **[Stadium 974](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadium_974)** > > Stadium 974 (Arabic: استاد ٩٧٤, romanized: ʾIstād 974, previously known as Ras Abu Aboud Stadium) is a football stadium now slated for dismantlement in Ras Abu Aboud, Doha, Qatar, about 10 km east of Doha. Opened 30 November 2021, it is a temporary venue, made from 974 recycled shipping containers, that hosted matches during the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, after which dismantlement began. It was the first temporary venue in FIFA World Cup history. > The stadium was designed by ... ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/610 "2022-11-28T16:20:41Z")
Switzerland playing with fire trying to pass between defenders so close to their goal and against Brazil. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/611 "2022-11-28T16:23:26Z")
German commentators are the worst, I am sure that has not changed this World Cup. They can remain silent for five minutes while something interesting is happening on the field, and then they say something about something else completely unrelated. I bet @EinsteinsHund can confirm this. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/612 "2022-11-28T16:25:47Z")
Argentinian commentators NEVER shut up, often talking about some irrelevant fact while a goal is developing. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/613 "2022-11-28T16:29:13Z")
OK, I can see how this is bad too. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/614 "2022-11-28T16:30:34Z")
Derek Rae and Aly Wagner have been pretty good so far on Fox’s Brazil/Suisse broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/615 "2022-11-28T16:31:50Z")
I will go against the grain and say I LIKE the FOX commentators. I’ve heard a lot of the A team of John Strong and Stu Holden (they are the FOX A team for MLS as well) and I really like them. They do the balance between the dull British commentary (where they say nothing except names for a while) and the too much Mexican and South American commentary (where they keep going like an Energizer bunny). ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/616 "2022-11-28T16:34:30Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > German commentators are the worst, I am sure that has not changed this World Cup. They can remain silent for five minutes while something interesting is happening on the field, and then they say something about something else completely unrelated. I bet @EinsteinsHund can confirm this. Well, I’m not quite as critical as you, some are bad, some are better, it depends. But I know the phenomenon you describe all too well. At least it’s better today than the stiff commentators of the seventies when they went like “Netzer. Beckenbauer. Beckenbauer auf Müller. Und Tor.”, delivered without any emotion. ETA: I strongly prefer radio commentary to TV. My weekly pleasure during season is listening to the Bundesliga conference broadcast every Saturday from 3:30 to 5:15 PM on WDR2. Those guys and gals are really good and much livelier than their colleagues from TV. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/617 "2022-11-28T16:50:57Z")
I missed the first twenty minutes, but what I saw from the BRA-CH game was a bit disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/618 "2022-11-28T17:01:51Z")
Random comment about Sports commentator, since I have never heard non-American World Cup games announced, but I assume it is the same general crop. And that is the amusing general difference between American and British announcers. U.S announcers are generally “a Company man” for the broadcast. Meaning they are payed to do every thing then can to keep eyeballs watching the game and pretend it is a close-fought battle, even when it has been absolutely done for half an hour. But watching British announcers,(Premier league, F1 etc), it seems like they have a bonus for the earliest they can call it “surely over now”, when often it very much isn’t. I haven’t watched that many events called by Brits really, but the number of times a team:“surely done now” has come back to win, tie, or at at least challenge very hard, seems like 20 % of the games. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/619 "2022-11-28T17:04:41Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > U.S announcers are generally “a Company man” for the broadcast. Meaning they are payed to do every thing then can to keep eyeballs watching the game and pretend it is a close-fought battle, even when it has been absolutely done for half an hour. Generally, German commentators don’t do this. They call it if a game is bad. This wouldn’t fly with the audience anyway, there’d be endless complaints and ridicule if some commentator pulled that off. Remember, we are a nation of 82 million national coaches who all know better than anybody else, including the experts. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/620 "2022-11-28T17:27:37Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > But watching British announcers,(Premier league, F1 etc), it seems like they have a bonus for the earliest they can call it “surely over now”, when often it very much isn’t. I haven’t watched that many events called by Brits really, but the number of times a team:“surely done now” has come back to win, tie, or at at least challenge very hard, seems like 20 % of the games. It makes it feel more dramatic when there is a comeback. British football fans will watch to the bitter end regardless. Even if it’s killing us inside. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=32)