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FIFA WC 26 - Other Nations LIVE Match Thread ⚽

jimshady said:
Just saw that alternate angle of the “pulling back” foul accusation against Argentina. Massive dive should have been a yellow card to Egypt attacker.
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On all three counts the referee and VAR got it right. I don't mind a discussion on whether VAR should be making the decisions it is now making or the damage FIFA has done to people's trust in these things. It's just a shame that all of that has detracted from what was a stunning turnaround and very near miss for Argentina. Messi's mental strength and leadership after missing penalty were inspirational. The belief and resilience of the team was something to behold.

All that said, that is two of the toughest knock-out games so far. It will be interesting to see whether Argentina can bounce back physically and emotionally. I don't have the stats but the side that took the field and finished the game would be one of the oldest left in the tournament and the tears and emotion at full time show a level of emotional investment that could easily tip into exhaustion.
 
HonestSpursFan said:
I must’ve been misunderstood.

There currently aren’t US troops shooting up entire cities in Cuba or Venezuela. Trump also isn’t invading Iran, he’s bombing it. Putin on the other hand has done so with Russia attacking Ukraine.

Again, if Trump decides today that he’ll forcefully invade another country, then we can compare it. But currently, the US is only making threats and attacking from the outside.
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Gold Jerry, gold!!!
 
I've been frustrated by assessments of Argentina’s centre-back pairing, Romero and Martínez, which often rest on a couple of misconceptions. Martínez is undersized and Romero lacks consistent game time, but neither point makes them a shaky partnership.

They play in a very traditional Argentine style – think Passarella, Ruggeri, Ayala, Samuel, Sensini. The instinct is to attack the ball early, win it before the forward can turn, and kill the move before it develops. Modern centre-backs are often judged on how well they hold their position and stay goalside; these guys are happy to step out and take a risk if it means stopping the attack at source and much more comfortable with getting off their feet for last ditch defending. If you're not used to it, it can look reckless, but it's by design.

They also do a lot more than most modern centre-backs. They're expected to break lines with their passing, step into midfield when Argentina have the ball, and contribute going forward. You give up a bit of size and positional conservatism for that trade-off, but so far it's worked pretty well. Between them they've already produced two goals and two assists in this tournament.
 
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Punchanello said:
I've been frustrated by assessments of Argentina’s centre-back pairing, Romero and Martínez, which often rest on a couple of misconceptions. Martínez is undersized and Romero lacks consistent game time, but neither point makes them a shaky partnership.

They play in a very traditional Argentine style – think Passarella, Ruggeri, Ayala, Samuel, Sensini. The instinct is to attack the ball early, win it before the forward can turn, and kill the move before it develops. Modern centre-backs are often judged on how well they hold their position and stay goalside; these guys are happy to step out and take a risk if it means stopping the attack at source. If you're not used to it, it can look reckless, but it's by design.

They also do a lot more than most modern centre-backs. They're expected to break lines with their passing, step into midfield when Argentina have the ball, and contribute going forward. You give up a bit of size and positional conservatism for that trade-off, but so far it's worked pretty well. Between them they've already produced two goals and two assists in this tournament.
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I really do like watching them play together....

They are the antithesis of fragile. While some pundits point to the gaps left by their aggressive positioning, I reckon this is a calculated risk that Scaloni both demands and needs in his team. And you could easily say that it's a "high-wire act" that only works because of this invisible friendship thread they have connecting them....

When Romero moves to challenge a high ball, Martínez has already occupied the space behind him and when Martínez is drawn wide to cover a fullback, Romero shifts to intercept the cross. This is not just footballing intelligence....

It's a shared defensive heartbeat that has become the bedrock of this Argentinean team. And you could say that for Argentina, the most vital line of their defence is not just as a part of the formation, but an unbreakable friendship between these guys.

And I think Scaloni likes these kind's of cultural identities within his team's dynamic.

Romero and Martínez are quintessential products of street football.....and this means an uncompromising desire to win every duel!

Sure, it’s not pretty in the traditional sense but it's brilliant to watch. And the exact tension that makes this Argentina side so compelling. It is the contrast between the "aesthetic" of modern football which often prizes geometric precision and sterile ball retention and the visceral, high-stakes theatre of the Scaloni-esque philosophy.

When you watch them, you aren't just watching a tactical block, you are watching two individuals trying to physically and psychologically break their direct opponents. That human-to-human conflict is what gives the game its narrative weight

It’s chaotic, it’s confrontational, and it frequently lives on the edge of disaster. But it is as I said brilliant because it creates a form of tension that is impossible to look away from.
 
HonestSpursFan said:
It probably depends on where you are too. If you live in, say, Adelaide, then NRL has no social standing at all. Only 5,000 to 7,000 people a week watch NRL in SA.
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Peter Fitzsimons the rugger bugger private school Fairfax journalist has been taking snide potshots at football forever. But the most egregious, hypocritical bandwagonning came when the vibe in Germany 2006 around the Socceroos was so overwhelming even the league and AFL pundits couldn't keep away. Don't follow AFL but one of their most obnoxious pundits got thrown out of a Socceroos celebration party in a German beer hall or am I making all this up as result of watching football non-stop for 27 days apart from today when there ... the horror ... was no game on
 
socceroosmad said:
Peter Fitzsimons the rugger bugger private school Fairfax journalist has been taking snide potshots at football forever. But the most egregious, hypocritical bandwagonning came when the vibe in Germany 2006 around the Socceroos was so overwhelming even the league and AFL pundits couldn't keep away. Don't follow AFL but one of their most obnoxious pundits got thrown out of a Socceroos celebration party in a German beer hall or am I making all this up as result of watching football non-stop for 27 days apart from today when there ... the horror ... was no game on
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Sam Newman punched a drunk bloke during an episode of The Footy Show whilst he was at Löwenbräukeller (a beer hall in Munich) during the 2006 World Cup.
 
Football us life said:
I really do like watching them play together....

They are the antithesis of fragile. While some pundits point to the gaps left by their aggressive positioning, I reckon this is a calculated risk that Scaloni both demands and needs in his team. And you could easily say that it's a "high-wire act" that only works because of this invisible friendship thread they have connecting them....

When Romero moves to challenge a high ball, Martínez has already occupied the space behind him and when Martínez is drawn wide to cover a fullback, Romero shifts to intercept the cross. This is not just footballing intelligence....

It's a shared defensive heartbeat that has become the bedrock of this Argentinean team. And you could say that for Argentina, the most vital line of their defence is not just as a part of the formation, but an unbreakable friendship between these guys.

And I think Scaloni likes these kind's of cultural identities within his team's dynamic.

Romero and Martínez are quintessential products of street football.....and this means an uncompromising desire to win every duel!

Sure, it’s not pretty in the traditional sense but it's brilliant to watch. And the exact tension that makes this Argentina side so compelling. It is the contrast between the "aesthetic" of modern football which often prizes geometric precision and sterile ball retention and the visceral, high-stakes theatre of the Scaloni-esque philosophy.

When you watch them, you aren't just watching a tactical block, you are watching two individuals trying to physically and psychologically break their direct opponents. That human-to-human conflict is what gives the game its narrative weight

It’s chaotic, it’s confrontational, and it frequently lives on the edge of disaster. But it is as I said brilliant because it creates a form of tension that is impossible to look away from.
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Well written
 
NoMates said:
State of Origin smashed WC football once again in the ratings.

STATE OF ORIGIN RUGBY LEAGUE QLD V NSW 3RD -MATCH Nine 6,032,000
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP: SUI V COL LIVE SBS 1,893,000
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Between two countries that weren’t Australia with the State of Origin decider on at a more viewable time (given people work during the day). It’s not really comparable.
 
Punchanello said:
On all three counts the referee and VAR got it right. I don't mind a discussion on whether VAR should be making the decisions it is now making or the damage FIFA has done to people's trust in these things. It's just a shame that all of that has detracted from what was a stunning turnaround and very near miss for Argentina. Messi's mental strength and leadership after missing penalty were inspirational. The belief and resilience of the team was something to behold.

All that said, that is two of the toughest knock-out games so far. It will be interesting to see whether Argentina can bounce back physically and emotionally. I don't have the stats but the side that took the field and finished the game would be one of the oldest left in the tournament and the tears and emotion at full time show a level of emotional investment that could easily tip into exhaustion.
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Beyond who you support or even who wins and loses there are times when football transcends sport and becomes theatre as well. Argentina v Egypt was one of those games. As was Mexico v England.
 
jimshady said:
Just saw that alternate angle of the “pulling back” foul accusation against Argentina. Massive dive should have been a yellow card to Egypt attacker.
Click to expand...
Care to share?
Punchanello said:
On all three counts the referee and VAR got it right. I don't mind a discussion on whether VAR should be making the decisions it is now making or the damage FIFA has done to people's trust in these things. It's just a shame that all of that has detracted from what was a stunning turnaround and very near miss for Argentina. Messi's mental strength and leadership after missing penalty were inspirational. The belief and resilience of the team was something to behold.

All that said, that is two of the toughest knock-out games so far. It will be interesting to see whether Argentina can bounce back physically and emotionally. I don't have the stats but the side that took the field and finished the game would be one of the oldest left in the tournament and the tears and emotion at full time show a level of emotional investment that could easily tip into exhaustion.
Click to expand...
I think what people are frustrated with is that in pretty much every Argentinian game there has been a contentious call and all of them have gone Argentinas way. From the very 1st game in which Messi should have got a straight red, all the way through, there have been calls in favour of Argentina. There was also the punch in the Egypt game which the Argentinian player had no reason to do that was not called. Now there is video surfacing of MaCallister covering his mouth - granted it's not as big a case in my eyes, but if we want to be consistent.

Meanwhile, we have seen other teams get punished for similar things that Argentina are doing and getting away with. This is all it is. The lack of consistency and at a time when video evidence exists.

I'm not even a Ronaldo fan. I don't like either. I appreciate their talents, but don't like them. However, what we are seeing on top of this is blind support. People coming out justifying things that are obvious. For example, they are saying that Messi's studs in the back was not intentional and it was just a scrape as the foot didnt drag down, blah blah". Is it studs in the back or not? If so, it's a red card.

Granted other teams have had the rub of the green on one or two calls. USA against us for the penalty no call. Croatia vs Portugal. Balogun against Bosnia could be argued as well. There were a couple of offsides that were a toenail off. However, these are one offs, Argentina is every game.
 
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