2026 World Cup

July 06, 2026, 10:01 PM

reloader-1

2026 World Cup

quote:
Originally posted by FenderBender:
But honestly, the quarter-finals where going to be as far as we'd get anyhow. Spain is going to absolutely crush the Belgians.

The Spain team that I saw today couldn’t crush a soda can. They’ve drawn with Cabo Verde and beat (red card) Uruguay and (geriatric) Portugal 1-0.

I generally like Spain in World Cups, this isn’t your normal Spain.

July 06, 2026, 10:16 PM

nhracecraft

Let's Go Norway!

July 06, 2026, 10:47 PM

old rugged cross

quote:
Originally posted by stickman428:
I just hope France doesn’t win it all. I fucking hate France.

Best post in this thread.

I am glad it is mostly over now.

July 07, 2026, 12:23 AM

MikeGLI

Well that was fucking embarrassing. Belgium absolutely crushed them in the midfield all day. USA was locked in for about 30 seconds the entire match. Totally outclassed, played panicked, played JV ball, flat and on their heels the entire time. Respect to Belgium for their gameplan and execution.

Absolutely the worst performance of any team this entire World Cup.

July 07, 2026, 01:11 AM

abnmacv

Are soccer matches ever "thrown?" How had the Vegas bookies rated the match prior to it starting?

July 07, 2026, 08:16 AM

Balzé Halzé

July 07, 2026, 08:52 AM

MikeGLI

That's great!

July 07, 2026, 10:33 AM

Pipe Smoker

quote:
Originally posted by abnmacv:
Are soccer matches ever "thrown?" How had the Vegas bookies rated the match prior to it starting?

Rather a cheap shot without evidence.

July 07, 2026, 10:46 AM

HRK

Well watching the goals, it sure looked like the goalie for the US was sandbagging, or he's incompetent.....

July 07, 2026, 11:19 AM

corsair

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:
Well watching the goals, it sure looked like the goalie for the US was sandbagging, or he's incompetent.....

The difference in talent was glaring which only highlights the disparity of skill level, it also didn't help that Freese's defenders in front of him didn't help whatsoever. Belgium basically did a 'shock n'awe' attack in the first half with all the shots on goal as they did.

July 07, 2026, 11:29 AM

Ripley

I wish Trump hadn't gotten involved in the suspension. Surely it fired Belgium up I'm guessing it put the USA on it's heels, maybe embarrassed it needed daddy to intervene. We did fine without Balogun and a man short the previous game. There's no argument we were completely off out game last night.

July 07, 2026, 11:58 AM

corsair

quote:
Originally posted by Ripley:
I wish Trump hadn't gotten involved in the suspension. Surely it fired Belgium up I'm guessing it put the USA on it's heels, maybe embarrassed it needed daddy to intervene. We did fine without Balogun and a man short the previous game. There's no argument we were completely off out game last night.

His involvement was minimal but, don't let that ruin the narrative.

The writer is a long time Bay Area sport reporter

https://nypost.com/2026/07/05/...g-trumps-phone-call/

quote:
The Post has learned exclusively that this justice was served after U.S. Soccer threatened legal action against FIFA for incorrectly applying its video assistant referee process.

a group that was led by U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson and COO Dan Helfrich fought the ruling based on VAR having been applied incorrectly.

They immediately put this process into motion Wednesday night after the U.S. defeated Bosnia.

The source said U.S. Soccer attorneys were involved as were White House attorneys, and this went as high up as President Donald Trump, who reached out to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Infantino told Trump it was a matter, which was already under review by FIFA’s disciplinary committee, for an independent committee. It was the disciplinary committee that ultimately overturned the ban.

After the Balogun decision became public, Trump posted on Truth Social: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”

According to the source, U.S. Soccer presented to FIFA the prospect of bringing in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which acts as the supreme global judiciary for athletic disputes. CAS law is applied in sports cases that require a legal resolution.

CAS gets involved in cases such as doping violations, match fixing, corruption and on-field violence, among other issues.

“A legal appeal was sent to FIFA,’’ the source said. “They wanted to avoid CAS. The CAS legal was ready to go.’’

In the end, the Balogun case never reached any legal stage as FIFA and its disciplinary committee made its ruling, because FIFA blinked … and made the correct decision.

...

July 07, 2026, 01:07 PM

drabfour

Argentina WOW!

July 07, 2026, 01:10 PM

drabfour

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:
Well watching the goals, it sure looked like the goalie for the US was sandbagging, or he's incompetent.....

Sandbagging? Really? The defense didn’t do him many favors and he had to come out on that long ball he just blew the clearance.

They just got outplayed.

July 07, 2026, 01:25 PM

reloader-1

I’m never one of those people to say “rigged”, but…

They disallowed an Egypt goal because during the possession exchange, the Argentine player was stepped on - 100 yards away from the goal.

Then, when Argentina scores, and in this situation the Egypt player was tripped IN the box (which is a penalty kick)… nothing.

FIFA, take your money.

July 07, 2026, 01:55 PM

corsair

Good lord...that's an all-time come-back for Argentina, down 0-2 to win it 3-2. Do they have much left in the tank after being taken to the mat by both Cape Verde and now Egypt?

July 07, 2026, 02:43 PM

Patriot

3 goals in 14 minutes…hmmmm…