OT: The 2026 World Cup Thread

[TheRainMaker]

USA is now 2-0. Just hand the cup to them already.

 

[TommyD4207]

Here are the things i would change.

Yellow card = 2 minute Power Play
If you 'flop' you need to be subbed out for 45 minutes. If you are in SO much pain.. clearly you need to sit out for a bit. (the only exception being head to head collisions)
Offsides needs to be changed to gaining zones vs not being allowed to be behind people. Do it like hockey... For instance... trying to cause an off sides in front in the net on a corner kick should not be possible. Maybe make it so you need possession or to touch the ball before stepping foot in the goalie box. But that's all.

A blue card has been more common at the lower levels, and may eventually find its way into higher level international soccer. It's between a yellow and red card, and carries a 2-5 minute penalty depending on where its used.

Purists hate it of course, but they hated the pitch clock in baseball too, so we'll see where that eventually goes.

 

[Bill Lee]

Yellow card = 2 minute Power Play
If you 'flop' you need to be subbed out for 45 minutes. If you are in SO much pain.. clearly you need to sit out for a bit. (the only exception being head to head collisions)

There are times teams do play a man short so I'd think that wouldn't be the end of the world, but IMO 45 min is way too long.

I think the objection would be the lineups are really structured around certain players/shapes and taking one man off is more disruptive than perhaps we'd think it would be.

I could certainly see a flop giving the other side the ball and that player sent off for something like 2-5 minutes.

Other posts suggest a flop gets the player suspended for the next game. In the pros, even better if they do that without pay.

It really undermines the game, IMO. They want to project that it's a manly sport, but IMO players crying like children gives it all away.

Late in the Morocco/Scotland match, the goalie made a routine save and went down like he was shot clutching his thigh muscle, and of course, the ball too. No "play on" for that dude. The officials compensated by adding on more time to the game, but the goalie did gain an advantage for his team by letting his players catch their wind and get some water while he flopped around.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Do you have any plans to watch Czechia vs New Spain?

Can Prussia win it all?

Meanwhile, the boys in Orange are called...

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Offsides needs to be changed to gaining zones vs not being allowed to be behind people. Do it like hockey... For instance... trying to cause an off sides in front in the net on a corner kick should not be possible. Maybe make it so you need possession or to touch the ball before stepping foot in the goalie box. But that's all.

It is not possible. There are no offsides on a corner kick and a throw-in.

 

[mikey m]

There are times teams do play a man short so I'd think that wouldn't be the end of the world, but IMO 45 min is way too long.

I think the objection would be the lineups are really structured around certain players/shapes and taking one man off is more disruptive than perhaps we'd think it would be.

I could certainly see a flop giving the other side the ball and that player sent off for something like 2-5 minutes.

Other posts suggest a flop gets the player suspended for the next game. In the pros, even better if they do that without pay.

It really undermines the game, IMO. They want to project that it's a manly sport, but IMO players crying like children gives it all away.

Late in the Morocco/Scotland match, the goalie made a routine save and went down like he was shot clutching his thigh muscle, and of course, the ball too. No "play on" for that dude. The officials compensated by adding on more time to the game, but the goalie did gain an advantage for his team by letting his players catch their wind and get some water while he flopped around.

Yep. I can’t even comprehend the level of flopping these professional athletes do try to get a man advantage. The shamelessness of rolling around on the ground in agony until the ref makes his judgement only to then hop up apparently with your self respect still intact is mind boggling. Flat out against the spirit of competition. Starting to watch the World Cup every few years reminds me that I like the sport. And then a stretch of play like that USA/AUS 2nd half reminds me why I watch it exactly once every four years.

 

[TommyD4207]

Yep. I can’t even comprehend the level of flopping these professional athletes do try to get a man advantage. The shamelessness of rolling around on the ground in agony until the ref makes his judgement only to then hop up apparently with your self respect still intact is mind boggling. Flat out against the spirit of competition. Starting to watch the World Cup every few years reminds me that I like the sport. And then a stretch of play like that USA/AUS 2nd half reminds me why I watch it exactly once every four years.

Lebron James has done this for 21 years.
Josh Allen has multiple flopping compilations on youtube.

This isn't a soccer-only thing.

 

[Gumby]

It is not possible. There are no offsides on a corner kick and a throw-in.

Maybe so, I didnt know that rule einher; … but the offsides BS is out there too.

Maybe just on free Kicks & Not on corners, but it seems like D Manipulation and not „fair Play“ to me (the non-Fan Soccer Fan).

….All the defenders run away from own goal at last minute to leave any possible scorers in offsides.

Sorta like NED did to SWE (or SWE did to themselves ) yesterday.

Cant find a real good video view, but as I recall live it was like 5 NED guys were all within 50 cm of the SWE line but just kind of stayed or moved a little bit faster than the swedes away from goal. Just enough to make them ALL offsides.

Neth was clearly 1-2 skill Levels above sweden ( looked Like Pros playing div II College to my-unknowledgeable-self.

But I think other than a 2-3 m region from the goal line and the area outside the Penalty Box, it should be on the D to match up with the O and not the O to stay behind the D.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I mean, it's the off-est time of the off-season... but really? How is it not "other sports?" Okay. Not my call. USA! USA! USA!

 

[PatsFanInVa]

But PS, where's my MF curling thread? Best sport EVAH! Somebody sweeps and it's an actual position! I think the person that slides the rock is called the Karen, she just yells at the woman sweeping the whole time... I gotta try stand-up, the rest of what I want to say is not okay on here...

 

[Bill Lee]

But PS, where's my MF curling thread? Best sport EVAH! Somebody sweeps and it's an actual position! I think the person that slides the rock is called the Karen, she just yells at the woman sweeping the whole time... I gotta try stand-up, the rest of what I want to say is not okay on here...

Like all Northern sports, it's just an excuse to drink. How else can you explain a bunch of people going out to a frozen lake in the dead of winter and spending hours sliding big rocks along its surface? The only reasons that make any sense at all is either the desire to get drunk, or sheer madness.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Swiss are experts at parking the bus, you may well get your draw.

They will definitely park the bus if they get the lead, but you have to assume the Swiss will be playing to win and win the group.

 

[BobDigital]

I don't tend to watch much Soccer at all. So decided to watch the Germany game to get a feel for the other good teams. And they look damn good. Came back and won a game where a lot of things went wrong for them. I won't say the fix was in. There was a mix of close calls not going there way that shouldn't have. And 50/50 calls not going their way... including the first goal taken off the board, that to me was a 50/50 call pretty much from how i understand the rules.

Still came back and won though. And Germany isn't even one of the absolute top dogs. While i still hope the USA can pull off a huge upset... It seems unlikely they make it past top 8 at best from the look of how good these other teams are. But i am hoping!

 

[Triumph]

Meanwhile, the boys in Orange are called...

Orange men bad.

 

[Vindicate]

Lebron James has done this for 21 years.
Josh Allen has multiple flopping compilations on youtube.

This isn't a soccer-only thing.

The NBA might be where it looks the most stupid and frequent, honestly. Truly is unbearable to watch now. SGA had 47 falls in the series against the spurs. It's just trash ass basketball now.

I gotta stop while I have control because I could go on for hours about it.

 

[Gumby]

I don't tend to watch much Soccer at all. So decided to watch the Germany game to get a feel for the other good teams. And they look damn good. Came back and won a game where a lot of things went wrong for them. I won't say the fix was in. There was a mix of close calls not going there way that shouldn't have. And 50/50 calls not going their way... including the first goal taken off the board, that to me was a 50/50 call pretty much from how i understand the rules.

Still came back and won though. And Germany isn't even one of the absolute top dogs. While i still hope the USA can pull off a huge upset... It seems unlikely they make it past top 8 at best from the look of how good these other teams are. But i am hoping!

AGREED….From another non-Soccer knowledgeable watcher, …. I watched the USA, the Germany, and most of Netherlands games. 3 different levels of skill were apparent to me. USAat the 3d level. DEU and Ivory Coast were at eye-level, and making much quicker efficient passes than USA manages. Netherlands was playing at an entirely different plane. I thought Sweden was reportedly a good team. NED made them look JV.

I don’t see USA or DEU making the final four, but both will be fun while they last. Last 8 team games seem to always go to penalties, and those are 50-50, so WHO KMOWS.