World Cup Match Thread and talk (merged)

Not a fan of either but a great game to watch, delighted France didn't win back to back World Cups or we would never have heard the last of it.

The next Euro's should be interesting, we have nothing to fear with our young players coming through and gaining experience at the highest level imo.

One of the all time great finals in any competition, won by the team captained by the man who is now almost certainly the greatest footballer of all time (international, club and personal honours put him far ahead of anyone for the Pele etc fans). I’d imagine Ronaldo has probably started on the mince pies, cheese board and port a few days early this year!

A fairly decent World Cup all in all - very good group stage with some great upsets (including the winners getting humbled), fairly average knockouts though but the final more than made up for it. No real stand out teams over the competition as a whole though. Might be something to do with the timing of the tournament though that.

I’m sure some will still go on abut Pele being the greatest ever but sadly, that ship has sailed, it sailed for me when Zidane came along but this World Cup win just catapults Messi in to another universe.

Ronaldo’s cat will have taken some kicking tonight that’s for sure. Mbappe is well on his way to being the best player in the world, he just need a move away from the comfort of PSG. To score a hat trick in the World Cup final and not win is minging too.

Difference between Messi/Mbappe and ronaldo? It’s not about them during the game, it’s about the team. Stepping up, taking that first penalty, that’s for the team, not for them.

I’m not buying the guff about it being w great World Cup but watching that final yesterday, I’ve now seen the second greatest game of 2022…thankfully I was at THE greatest game of 2022…

Quoted from aldi_01

Difference between Messi/Mbappe and ronaldo? It’s not about them during the game, it’s about the team. Stepping up, taking that first penalty, that’s for the team, not for them.

…

I agree Aldi it's about the team but sometimes you can't tactically stop magic, the only thing you can do is try to contain it as in the case of Messi and others throughout the history of the game. The issue with this is putting  bodies on one man or swarming him when he gets the ball  creates space for others to exploit the gaps.

GOAT World Cup final. GOAT player for me.

Pleased France didn’t take back to back tournaments because that would have secured greatness for a team that I don’t think have been outstanding this time. Sure, they have been good - you need to be to reach a World Cup final, but they rode their luck against us and they were diabolical for 75 minutes of the final.

Argentina were cracking for the most part yesterday. England would have struggled that’s for sure. Breakaway second goal was about the best I can remember from the tournament as well. They have the perfect blend of craft and determination. Getting pegged back to 2-2 took huge character to then take the lead again, only to go to the well once more to win a shootout.

Makes me laugh to think how upset Ronaldo must have been to see Messi collect the trophy in his cape. Portugal were capable I think but Ronaldo would rather lose and it be all about him than win and play a supporting role.

Infantino is a disgusting bloke, ain’t he. I didn’t know much about him prior to taking over from Blatter other than he seemed like the smiley secretary. I was so hopeful of change within FIFA, excited for an end to the corruption and placing football back at the forefront. It’s just more of the same though isn’t it.

For all the concerns about Mbappe’s pace, none of his Golden Boot goals came directly from his pace.  Ok, his penalty against Argentina after he was brought down whilst sprinting.  

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Ronaldo and other very talented players have been described as making passes that other players don’t want to make or risk.

Messi makes passes that other top players can’t see, can’t do, or can’t see and do.  A good recent example was against Croatia.  He was running and dribbling at pace.  He also had the vision and quick-thinking to see that a forward pass was on.  

In a split second he decided when to release the ball and to whom.  He threaded a long pass directly forward to Alvarez. The pass was perfectly weighted to feet, and very close to defenders.  It was also unexpected and therefore impossible to defend against. Genius made to appear simple. Teamwork at its best.  

Brilliant

Where's Golly? Not seen him on here for a while and he lost a bet!

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Where's Golly? Not seen him on here for a while and he lost a bet!

indeed!!!!