FIFA World Cup 2022

[Chris2K]

42 minutes ago, damhausen said:

Portugal winning with Ronaldo on the bench is, however, hilarious.

But he'll get a winners medal for contributing so little, while his cronies like Morgan scream about how great he is.

If they could stop giving him more airtime than the goalscorer after every goal that would be a start.

[The Lusophone]

Goncalo Ramos has played less than a game of World Cup knockout football and has two more knockout goals than Cristiano does in his entire international career.

[Baddar]

And now he's just scored the first hat trick of the WC. How do you drop him next round?

[gunnar hendershow]

Imagine having this guy on the bench.

 

[lanky316]

I admire ITV desperately ignoring the noticably mixed reaction there.

[Szumi]

16 minutes ago, FestiveJack said:

Goncalo Ramos has played less than a game of World Cup knockout football and has two more knockout goals than Cristiano does in his entire international career.

I believe Ronaldo has two knockout goals in Euros, but none in World Cup. Is that right?

Hahahaha, suck it Ronaldo 

[The Lusophone]

5 minutes ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

I believe Ronaldo has two knockout goals in Euros, but none in World Cup. Is that right?

Four, actually. 1 each in 2004 and 2012, and two in 2016.

[Chris2K]

Rafael Leao has to play more, he's going to be a superstar.

[Bobfoc]

I keep changing my mind as to who the favourites are. The quarter-finals should be very interesting. Anyway, we now get a three-day break.

[Szumi]

55 minutes ago, FestiveJack said:

Four, actually. 1 each in 2004 and 2012, and two in 2016.

Honestly forgot about 2004! He only has the one in 2016 vs Wales. 

Still, Ramos in less than 90 minutes of Knockout football is tied on knockout goals. 3 to 0 in World Cup knockouts. What a true GOAT 🙄

 

[Dang117]

I'm still having Argentina my team but honestly tough to call this year

[Colly]

9 hours ago, Bobfoc said:

I keep changing my mind as to who the favourites are. The quarter-finals should be very interesting. Anyway, we now get a three-day break.

Two day thankfully, I'm having withdrawal symptoms already.

[Baddar]

Eden Hazard has retired from international duty. I don't think he'll be the last Belgian to do so.

[gunnar hendershow]

Yes, I suspect it'll be a lot of that generation who have decided this is their last tournament. Maybe enough linger on at a high level for Euro 2024 and a knockout stage exit but wouldn't be surprised at all to see them miss out on the 2026 World Cup - there aren't a ton of additional spots from UEFA and countries like Italy, Sweden, Austria, and Ukraine could all rightfully take some slots. Not to mention a possible return of Russia at some point.

[Captain Kirk]

2 hours ago, damhausen said:

Yes, I suspect it'll be a lot of that generation who have decided this is their last tournament. Maybe enough linger on at a high level for Euro 2024 and a knockout stage exit but wouldn't be surprised at all to see them miss out on the 2026 World Cup - there aren't a ton of additional spots from UEFA and countries like Italy, Sweden, Austria, and Ukraine could all rightfully take some slots. Not to mention a possible return of Russia at some point.

They’ve got enough players coming through, if anything they might end up going further if they can get a decent transition going on the next couple of years.

Tielemans is a monster of a player.

 

EDIT - Scratch that, I thought a few of their other players were a lot younger.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Captain Kirk

[gunnar hendershow]

I was about to say, Tielemans will be 29 at the next World Cup and KDB 35. Belgium has always been good and competitive but this recent era was the only time anyone rated them as good enough to win a major tournament.

Perhaps with the general focus on Belgian clubs of developing homegrown talent to then sell for profit they'll adapt a lot like the Dutch do. Maybe a down year in between "generations" but they'll be able to quickly retool with the next crop of youngsters. 

[Bobfoc]

21 minutes ago, damhausen said:

Belgium has always been good and competitive but this recent era was the only time anyone rated them as good enough to win a major tournament.

Historically, they've had their moments, but it's also important to remember that they failed to qualify for five tournaments in a row before the 2014 World Cup. Part of the reason the quality of this crop of Belgian players has been so surprising is that they had come off such a dry spell.

[Adam]

Yeah, when I was a kid Belgium was a real nothing nation. They couldn't be considered even a good European nation really, which is why this team has been a true Golden Generation, because having KDB, Hazard, Lukaku et al in their primes together is a real change in fortunes.

I find it hard at the moment to see a way back to that with what they have coming through at the moment.

[Captain Kirk]

2 hours ago, Bobfoc said:

Historically, they've had their moments, but it's also important to remember that they failed to qualify for five tournaments in a row before the 2014 World Cup. Part of the reason the quality of this crop of Belgian players has been so surprising is that they had come off such a dry spell.

It was cause they stopped using Phillipe Albert.

[TheGrandAvatar]

13 hours ago, Colly said:

Two day thankfully, I'm having withdrawal symptoms already.

It's beginning to kick in is the absence of football today.