A few thoughts. 1. I am glad Iran and Qatar are out. I say nothing against the athletes from those nations, but the way in which their shite governments were using the competition to aggrandize themselves was disgusting. Qatar's poor performance was proof positive, if proof were needed, that the decision to hold the competition there was motivated by dash and nothing else. 2. The US is out but the team did not perform disgracefully, so that offers hope for the future. 3. I am sorry to lose the Australians and the Japanese. Perhaps their performance indicates that East Asia-Pacific is at last beginning to draw level with the more established football regions. The Jap fans were an example of good behavior and good sportsmanship to everyone. 4. I am glad to see the Portygees doing well. We have a lot of Portuguese in New England, and I will always have respect for their great '66 team. 5. Penalties are an asinine way to settle things, and you can tell the Croats I said so. 6. Perhaps needless to say, I am pulling for Holland over Arg. 7. England v. France will be tough for me since I am both an Anglophile and a Francophile. Both squads have looked good so far. 8. Glancing casually at the coverage, I am just appalled by the hype, the noise, the money, the merchandising, the hysteria, the nationalism. I love football as a game but I hate all the things which have been grafted on to it. 9. Just as war is too important to be left to the generals, so football is too important to be left to FIFA. I think the organization should be abolished.
They say in this world cup there's been plenty of upset, shock and surprises, crikey going on that England are in danger of winning it
Sorry, England. But no scapegoats, please, eh? Losing to a team as good as the French is no disgrace and does not demand human sacrifice. Eh bien, Vive la France.
The only World Cup Final worth playing is England v Germany, and Germany went out earlier, so who cares ? The Aussies dun good ( did well). As for the French, they probably turn their noses up at these Christmas treats, but Bon chance to them.
There's only going to be one winner, all the rest go home with nothing. In a few weeks, it'll be forgotten about. Enjoy your sport, that's more important.
Well I hate football. I happened to tune in to the match 35 minutes ago, what's going on then? Thought it was over just before 80 minutes, well it just shows how wrong I was. I'm hooked, now it's gone to penalties. Very tense. Edit: They think it's all over, it is now. Well done Argentina.
I'm just a casual fan of European style football but I was rooting for France. Just seemed to have a more WWII link somehow. Plus the Argentines didn't show any class with their Falklands song reference after beating England.
Did you all see the picture of a squad and a man to be shot circulating in France. The man pleaded:"Please let Harry shoot!"
The Rest Is History - Argentina: The Welsh Colony - BBC Sounds 275. Argentina: The Welsh Colony | The Rest Is History
Saudi Arabia chosen to host 2029 Asian Winter Games near futuristic city project Neom Saudi Arabia's Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal has vowed the country's winter sports project will "challenge perceptions" ... "A campaign to host football's 2030 World Cup is expected as well with an unprecedented three-continent bid including Egypt and Greece."
To be fair to both Russia and Qatar, the tournaments themselves were actually very well run and enjoyable to watch. It is really just down to the poor (and potentially corrupt) decision making by FIFA, that has brought the game of football into such disrepute over the past 5 years or so.