# 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:** 68
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1341 "2022-12-09T18:07:06Z")
What a stunning upset! Brazilian fans are hysterical I’m sure. Maybe the team should land home in the middle of the night and quietly scatter without any fanfare. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1342 "2022-12-09T18:15:48Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > You are forgetting 1990, rest assured we will never do so 🙂 I thought you were Argentine? > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > D’oh, yes I forgot. My excuse is that I just had a new girlfriend who never cared for football and that’s the one WC I didn’t follow as closely as the others, because my girlfriend was even more attractive than watching the games. 😄 Did you triumph like Die Mannschaft. > [@Jasmine](#): > > What a stunning upset! Brazilian fans are hysterical I’m sure. Maybe the team should land home in the middle of the night and quietly scatter without any fanfare. Nobody is gong home. They will fly to their clubs individually. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1343 "2022-12-09T18:21:22Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > What a stunning upset! Not that stunning really, I’d have had Brazil as perhaps 60/40 favourites but the general opinon was that Croatia were going to be a big step up from previous opponents. They got to the final last time on absolute merit and were always going to be a tough nut. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1344 "2022-12-09T18:22:09Z")
I don’t think it was very close either. If someone described it as dominant, I wouldn’t argue too much. Fotmob has the xG as 0.66 - 2.63. If Neymar never gets a WC, how much does that stain his legacy? He has the skills of an all-time great, but maybe people will think of his as just another skilled winger without it. > [@AK84](#): > > Nobody is gong home. They will fly to their clubs individually. This is my favorite thing about the Dope /s ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1345 "2022-12-09T18:22:23Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Where’s Modric rank in midfielders this century? Lets call Zidane a 20th century guy. Top 5, right? What even is a midfielder this century? Messi and Ronaldo are technically midfielders. As is Mueller. That said as a classic CM/CAM I can’t think of many better this century. My top 3 are Xavi, Iniesta and Modric and if he wins the WC, he has to be spoken in the same level as they are. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1346 "2022-12-09T18:27:19Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Nobody is gong home. They will fly to their clubs individually. Wow, right back to work, hey? I guess it’s for the best. ---
**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 9, 2022, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1347 "2022-12-09T18:29:34Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Wow, right back to work, hey? I guess it’s for the best. Yes, it’s right back to work this time, because we’re in mid-season (at least in most European leagues). There’ll be a short Christmas break for most, but the leagues continue in January. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1348 "2022-12-09T18:30:40Z")
Modric? well he’s held down a pivotal midfield position at one the greatest ever clubs for a decade. That doesn’t happen if you aren’t one of the best of the best. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1349 "2022-12-09T18:30:53Z")
Messi and Ronaldo (Robben, RIbery, etc) were wide forwards/inverted wingers. Messi is sort of a midfielder now while Ronaldo is a standard striker. Other candidates for me would be: Xabi Alonso, N’golo Kante, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Pirlo, Claude Makelele, Kevin de Bruyne, Toni Kroos, Arturo Vidal, Michael Ballack. Vieira, Keans, and Nedved are probably last century guys if Zidane is. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1350 "2022-12-09T18:32:52Z")
Interesting to hear FOX pronounce it as “van Hall” when you’d think they might just go the typical van Gogh pronunciation route, with a hard G. I mean, I know they have to pick something, they’re not going to say “v’n Ckhchall” without requiring a medical intervention. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1351 "2022-12-09T18:34:12Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > If Neymar never gets a WC, how much does that stain his legacy? His legacy? 🤣 Neymar will forever be remembered as the Justin Bieber of football. He has the moral rectitude of Elisabeth Holmes and is a staunch supporter of Jair Bolsonaro, therefore I salute the football Gods for once. Schadenfreude swelling up here! ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1352 "2022-12-09T18:39:41Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Modric? well he’s held down a pivotal midfield position at one the greatest ever clubs for a decade. That doesn’t happen if you aren’t one of the best of the best Yeah, but depending on how strict you are about how good a club is, this describes most of my list. He’s definitely one of the best of his generation, very few would argue against that. Sports fans tend to like rankings so I was curious where other people put him. Looks like **AK84** and I rate him about the same. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1353 "2022-12-09T18:44:12Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Yeah, but depending on how strict you are about how good a club is, this describes most of my list. He’s definitely one of the best of his generation, very few would argue against that. Sports fans tend to like rankings so I was curious where other people put him. Looks like **AK84** and I rate him about the same. I don’t disagree, he is up there with the very best of his generation. Definitely up there with the list you gave and I’d personally put him in the top ten midfielders of the century so far. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1354 "2022-12-09T18:45:56Z")
I said before that the FOX announcers were terrible, but it turns out I really like Aly Wagner…she keeps throwing in tactical analysis. I didn’t know a thing about her before this. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1355 "2022-12-09T18:51:31Z")
That shot of the Brazilian player on the ground while the Croatia team runs around him on the field to celebrate is a great sports moment. In terms of capturing “the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat”, I’ve hardly seen a better captured moment. Here it is if you want to see it: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/V5wEQK9IYL8/maxresdefault.jpg "Croatia vs. Brazil Highlights | 2022 FIFA World Cup | Quarterfinals") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5wEQK9IYL8) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1356 "2022-12-09T18:55:12Z")
5 mins. Is anyone thinking Messi looks a bit pale? 😉 ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1357 "2022-12-09T18:55:32Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > Is anyone thinking Messi looks a bit pale? Is this a reference to something? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1358 "2022-12-09T18:57:02Z")
Wishful thinking from a Hollander. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1359 "2022-12-09T19:00:01Z")
Can’t work out who I want to win this. Normally I would side with the Netherlands but an all-European set of semi finals wouldn’t make this feel like a World Cup anymore! (I know Morocco are still in it and I’ll be routing for them against Portugal) ---
**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:** [December 9, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1360 "2022-12-09T19:01:39Z")
6 CBs out there. Hmm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=67) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=69)