# 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:** 90
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1782 "2022-12-14T20:39:43Z")
Morocco have fought well but that should be the game.Brilliant by Mbappe. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1783 "2022-12-14T20:39:44Z")
And that is that ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1784 "2022-12-14T20:45:32Z")
At this point Morocco should just be chipping it over the defense and hoping for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1785 "2022-12-14T20:51:19Z")
I was on Wikipedia looking up more info on Randal Kolo Muani, the player who scored France’s second goal, and I learned the following: > [@](#): > > He scored his first international goal in the World Cup semi-final vs Morocco, pissing everyone off as it looked as if Morocco might get an equaliser. What a dick. ---
**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 14, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1786 "2022-12-14T20:53:27Z")
The Moroccans still don’t give up. Commendable. And nice to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1787 "2022-12-14T20:54:02Z")
Yikes. Morocco coming _that_ close. One thing about France, they don’t waste opportunities. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1788 "2022-12-14T20:56:25Z")
You can’t say Morocco wasn’t in the fight. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1789 "2022-12-14T20:57:35Z")
Morocco fought bravely till the end but the French were just too good especially inside the box. Morocco were definitely more impressive than Croatia in their semi and I hope they can finish 3rd and end their campaign on a high note. ---
**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 14, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1790 "2022-12-14T21:05:33Z")
Well, the French prevent the advance of the Moroccans. This is not a repeat from 732. (/history 🤓) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1791 "2022-12-14T21:17:17Z")
Sacre Charlemagne! (Qui avait cette idee folle?) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1792 "2022-12-14T21:21:12Z")
So Kylian Mbappe is a pretty decent player. ---
**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 14, 2022, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1793 "2022-12-14T21:36:09Z")
He also morphed into a Super Saiyan. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1794 "2022-12-14T21:41:19Z")
The betting lines started out set with France being a marginal favorite, which I think is a fair assessment. ---
**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 14, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1795 "2022-12-14T22:15:14Z")
538 has Argentina as slight favorites. I have to agree with the France assessment though. Messi might be the only player on Argentina that would start for France? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1796 "2022-12-15T01:49:26Z")
That’s nonsense, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1797 "2022-12-15T02:10:19Z")
This has the makings of a classic final. Can Messi finally bring it home for Argentina? Will Mbappe come through for France and put himself right there next to Pele? Can Giroud finally get a shot back on goal? I still think France is going to pull it out. It just isn’t in the cards for Messi. Like CR7, he’ll go out as one of the greats that never won the big enchilada. I’ll be more than happy to eat my words though, as I’d like to see the little guy have the glory. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2022, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1798 "2022-12-15T02:20:58Z")
Whistling annoys me even more than those vuvuzuelas of yore did. Save of the tournament? Lloris off that bicycle kick? (had it gone in, would’ve rivalled Richarlson’s goal against Serbia) Also Ounahi tested him to his lower left, earlier) Even though he was on the losing side, defender Achraf Dari might have been the luckiest player on the pitch for not getting cautioned on at least two blatant occasions. Sure, moot, but might’ve been a factor had there been a different result. I thought Griezmann was soild. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1799 "2022-12-15T03:12:49Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Messi might be the only player on Argentina that would start for France? Alavez probably starts over Giroud. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1800 "2022-12-15T03:13:51Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > I thought Griezmann was soild. As a CB! 🫣 ---
**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 15, 2022, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476/1801 "2022-12-15T03:19:24Z")
Maybe? That’s basically a style question. Target guy vs pressing. But either way France are better at most positions. That being said, France have been vulnerable. Should be a good one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=89) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2022-discussion-predictions-and-thoughts/974476.md?page=91)