World Cup Match Thread and talk (merged)

The goalkeeper was absolutely terrible and Netherlands could easily stick 10 past them. They are so bad, their challenges are clumsy and late which does present an injury risk to their opponents.

Ecuador should have rifled a few long shots at that keeper.

Anyone seen they've suspended first bookings in certain games? Apparently they're threaten to give yellows for rainbow armbands to captains. Some lad I have in a what'ssap group has 3 captains to be yellow carded £15k if it comes in (put it on before it got suspended) I hope this comes in 😂

Quoted from Hagrid

Fixed as intercourse

And theres still idiots that say they have “ world cup fever”. This is a disgrace

Harsh Hagrid. Corruption in all walks of life albeit some far greater than others.

The world cup has been going since 1930 and has traditionally given a lot of joy to many over the years myself included. Hopefully the tournament being held in Qatar is the catalyst for change eg greater worker rights and conditions alongside gay rights. There's been promising signs already that some things have changed for the better albeit still a way to go .

Lip service, Rick. That's all it is from the Qataris. They'll continue to treat their migrant workers like shite for as long as they need them there. It might be marginally less like shite than it was, but shite all the same. I suppose they do at least allow their migrants to work, however.

FIFA has been as corrupt as intercourse since Havelange paid his way into power in the 70s. Blatter happily continued in the same manner (though mostly by turning a blind eye to the shenanigans of others as long as it kept him in charge). Infantino looks like he's going to be following in the footsteps of his compatriot.

After thinking about it, I'll probably watch the odd highlight show (assuming they have them) and maybe a big game or two in addition to the England matches. Can't see me getting the opportunity to see much else. Also can't say I'm overly excited about the tournament, either!

Hopefully Qatar will have spent 200 billion plus in building and bribes etc and will lose every game and fail to score a single goal.

Quoted from Maringer

After thinking about it, I'll probably watch the odd highlight show (assuming they have them) and maybe a big game or two in addition to the England matches. Can't see me getting the opportunity to see much else.  

Don't know if you saw the pre coverage of the world cup this afternoon on the BBC prior to the  game starting  but it was staggering how much had been spent on this world cup in 2022 compared to one's in previous years.

Quoted from toontown

Hopefully Qatar will have spent 200 billion plus in building and bribes etc and will lose every game and fail to score a single goal.

They have spent years building an international team from more or less scratch. I remembered reading this 2018 book about them luring talented kids over from Africa, and it sounded like a shambles at the time.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Away-Game-Search-Footballs-Superstars-ebook/dp/B07BN8BPCG

Hadn't even thought about the book for a few years until I remembered it today, prompted by their pathetic rent-a-crowd bunch of phoney fanatics.

It's the equivalent of buying a football team and transporting it to another location, in their case a tinpot place (by international standards) that should by rights be a total minnow.

Can't wait for them to get stuffed in every game and they have completely wasted not just a huge amount of money, but years of effort.

I watched the game and agree Qatar were rubbish but enjoyed the match and thought Ecudor played decent football and should have scored more.

Wow

https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/20.....12/?ito=newsnow-feed

Apparently the Qatar fans left after 70 minutes.  Exactly why a big football tournament shouldn't be held there.