FIFA World Cup 2022

MiketheSnow

@ACT-Crusader said in FIFA World Cup 2022:

Brazil
Netherlands
Portugal
England

Brazil
Argentina
Portugal
France

Rancid Schnitzel

Now I want Portugal to win just to see how Ronaldo handles it.

dogmeat

The best Ronaldo scenario is Portugal v Argentina in the Final and Ronaldo has to sit on the bench as Messi scores a hat trick and holds the cup aloft

NTA

Commentary on Ze Chermans.

KiwiPie

For anyone who follows football, the ideal place for Ronaldo is on the bench - a great man to bring on if you're behind and you resort to lumping it into the box. Of the remaining teams, Brazil, France, England, and Portugal have seriously stacked squads, lots of genuine talent on the bench. Of the other 4, Argentina and the Netherlands have good bench options but largely untried while Morocco and Croatia need their first XI to fire.

Interesting that the teams who were qualified after 2 games (Brazil, France, England, and Portugal - although England were "all but qualified") looked the freshest in their Round of 16 games. It shouldn't be underestimated how tough it has been for team playing the same XI for must win games in the group having to go straight into a knockout game. Korea played 4 games, their first on 24 Nov and Brazil on 5 Dec. 4 games in 11 days in those conditions - hard to have a spring in the step for the final game while Brazil were able to rest their first choice players for the 3rd group game to give them a week to prepare.

mariner4life

@KiwiPie a striker who won't work without the ball is worthless in modern football.

but as you say, he's still great to have if you desperately need to score

Bovidae

Yes, even though most games are now played in the late evening (local time) the conditions are tough. You can see many of the player's shirts wet with perspiration.

ACT Crusader

@mariner4life said in FIFA World Cup 2022:

@KiwiPie a striker who won't work without the ball is worthless in modern football.

but as you say, he's still great to have if you desperately need to score

Agree. His athleticism (plus height) is still a decent weapon with a midfield that wants to just lob it into the box seeking an equaliser or winning goal. But he’s basically an extra time player with this Portugal side.

MiketheSnow

Playing not to lose

Disappointing 90 mins

MiketheSnow

Fucking hell Croatia

That was the match

MiketheSnow

Fuck

Great finish from Neymar

Croatia 0-1 Brazil
End of first period of extra time

Can’t see Croatia coming back from this

MiketheSnow

Never say die

Fair play Croatia

They’ve taken it to Brazil

Croatia 1-1 Brazil
3 mins of extra time to go

MiketheSnow

Penalties it is

Billy Tell

LOL. Only caught the penalties but well done Croatia.

MiketheSnow

Crazy

Croatia go 4 for 4
Brazil have one saved and fourth hits the post

Neymar didn’t even have a go

Both Spain and Brazil underestimated their opponents and got punished

Bovidae

As soon as it went to penalties you just knew Croatia would win. They hang in there but are so jammy.

MiketheSnow

Brazil only have themselves to blame

Like Spain

It looks pretty but sometimes you need to be direct and physical

Sat on their lead

Got punished

Billy Tell

Smaller population than NZ. They are some footballing country. This is not a one-off they are often in the mix.

MiketheSnow

@Billy-Tell said in FIFA World Cup 2022:

Smaller population than NZ. They are some footballing country. This is not a one-off they are often in the mix.

Losing finalists last time round

Bovidae

The next QF is going to be an Argentinean home game. I heard that there will be 30K+ Argentineans and only a couple thousand Dutch supporters in the stadium.

The Silver Fern

FIFA World Cup 2022