# 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:** 50
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/981 "2022-12-02T20:54:34Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > And is there a difference between “backpass” and “ricocheted off friendly player, and the last body part it touched was a foot”? Yes, it happens all the time. I guess ultimately it is a judgment call, but usually pretty obvious to distinguish. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/982 "2022-12-02T20:57:24Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Hey, random rules question: the rule that a goalkeeper can’t pick up a ball that is passed back to them with their hands… what’s the penalty for it? And is it context dependent? If a keeper randomly just picks up a ball that was passed back, as a total brainfart without being under pressure or any reason to think there was any advantage to be gained, can they just get off with a warning? > > And is there a difference between “backpass” and “ricocheted off friendly player, and the last body part it touched was a foot”? The penalty is an indirect free kick in the box. And it doesn’t make a difference if the keeper has a brain fart or not, the rule is that it has to be an intentional back pass to the keeper that they pick up with their hands. If it’s a ricochet or any unplanned deflection, it’s not a forbidden back pass. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/983 "2022-12-02T21:01:33Z")
So nobody won all three games. Is that normal or unusual for the opening round? ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/984 "2022-12-02T21:03:12Z")
Very unusual. I think it had never happened before in fact. At least since the World Cup is played with the current format. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/985 "2022-12-02T21:03:17Z")
Well, the round robin is over, and you are correct, ever since there were 32 teams at the world cup (1998) there were teams that managed to win all their 3 games in their opening round robins. This is the first time since then where no team has won all their 3 games. ’ (And I had to edit the reply as I was ninjaed by @Frodo and @wolfman) ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/986 "2022-12-02T21:17:40Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > This is the first time since then where no team has won all their 3 games. For all: is this an indicator that the overall level of play is improving? Is the rest of the world catching up to Europe & South America? There are five former World Cup winners left in the final 16. Is this less than typical since the knockout rounds expanded to 16? ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/987 "2022-12-02T21:19:16Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > There are five former World Cup winners left in the final 16. Is this less than typical since the knockout rounds expanded to 16? This is more or less typical, there is usually one or two former winners that get eliminated in the group phase/quailifiers, and there are 7 winners. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/988 "2022-12-02T21:23:32Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Oh, please. Offensive linemen will commit a blatant holding penalty to prevent a certain quarterback sack, knowing they will get flagged. A basketball player will commit a hard foul in an attempt to stop an opponent from making an easy basket, knowing a foul will be called. This stuff happens frequently and nobody says boo about it. Sure, ordinary fouls in the run of play happen all the time. That’s not the same thing. I’ve seen a football game where one team was leading with about ten seconds left. They had to punt from deep in their own territory. They snapped the ball to their punter, and then their linemen just grabbed and tackled all the other team’s rushers. The whole point was to waste those last ten seconds; the punter ran around in his own end zone, then stepped out to give up a safety, but the game was over. How 'bout something even more blatant? It’s the last play, and a player is running down the sidelines for an easy touchdown to win the game. An opposing player who’s not supposed to be on the field steps in from the sideline and tackles the runner. He’ll probably be ejected and the team penalized, but do they still win the game? It’s rare that the perfect situation arises to expose these loopholes in the rules. They may not be considered cheating. As I said before, it seems to be against the spirit of competition to reward a team for an excessive, deliberate foul. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/989 "2022-12-02T21:33:06Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > How 'bout something even more blatant? It’s the last play, and a player is running down the sidelines for an easy touchdown to win the game. An opposing player who’s not supposed to be on the field steps in from the sideline and tackles the runner. He’ll probably be ejected and the team penalized, but do they still win the game? In that case the player’s team would probably be disqualified from the tournament. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/990 "2022-12-02T21:36:39Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > He’ll probably be ejected and the team penalized, but do they still win the game? Actually, yes. There’s something in the rules called a ‘palpably unfair act’, which gives the officials the discretion to award a penalty as they see fit, including a touchdown. From the NFL rule book: > ARTICLE 4. PALPABLY UNFAIR ACT. A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair. > Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The Referee, after consulting the officiating crew, enforces any such distance penalty as they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The Referee may award a score. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/991 "2022-12-02T21:40:01Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > This is more or less typical, there is usually one or two former winners that get eliminated in the group phase/quailifiers, and there are 7 winners. 8 former winners (one of them only since 2010), but I get your point. I suppose I’m wondering if there’s some kind of long term trend of former winners going out early, but there’s probably not enough data over the past 6 or 7 cups to say definitely, especially since some third place teams could qualify before 2006. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/992 "2022-12-02T21:43:17Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > US Soccer announces that Pulisic has been cleared to play tomorrow versus Netherlands. Pulisic says he took a knee to the pelvic bone, not his balls. > “I didn’t get hit in the balls,” Pulisic said at a press conference. > > “I’m all right. It was very painful and that bone is there for a reason to protect you and I hit it well, and it was sore. But like I said, I’m getting better.” Hmmm, sounds to me like what someone would say after getting hit in the balls. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/993 "2022-12-02T21:43:54Z")
Yeah, I forgot about Spain, I’m from the time when we were only 6, no Spanish or French interlopers. > [@SunUp](#): > > but there’s probably not enough data That’s the mantra of Football predictions, we try to make sense of it but there are just too few data points. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/994 "2022-12-02T21:46:15Z")
I was going to Google it, but with so many experts here, perhaps someone knows: Has any WC champion ever win every single game with needing Extra Time or Penalties. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/995 "2022-12-02T21:48:05Z")
Not an expert, but yes, because penalties and Extra time are modern innovations that weren’t used in the first world cups. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/996 "2022-12-02T21:51:03Z")
On second thought may be not, because you specified “win every single time” and they have lost or tied in a group phase. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/997 "2022-12-02T21:53:58Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > There’s no rule that says a dog can’t play soccer. If you get a yellow card for taking off your shirt imagine what would happen if you liked your balls. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/998 "2022-12-02T21:57:29Z")
Not an expert either (the dog-goalie probably knows more than I do) but I believe Brazil won 6 from 6 in 1970. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2022, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/999 "2022-12-02T21:58:48Z")
I think you’re getting the soccer World Cup and NFL rules threads mixed together? ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1000 "2022-12-02T22:06:17Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > How 'bout something even more blatant? It’s the last play, and a player is running down the sidelines for an easy touchdown to win the game. An opposing player who’s not supposed to be on the field steps in from the sideline and tackles the runner. He’ll probably be ejected and the team penalized, but do they still win the game? Happened to the Rice Owls in 1954 against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl, though it wasn’t exactly a close game, Rice won 28-6. Dickie Maegle was running over Alabama (265 yards on 11 carries). He was flying down the sideline again when Tommy Lewis came off the bench, tackled him, then tried to hide. Maegle was awarded a touchdown. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Sw-brk5zyx0/maxresdefault.jpg "60th Anniversary of Dicky Maegle's Cotton Bowl Run") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw-brk5zyx0) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=49) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=51)