TheAssassin
G.O.A.T.
What a pity, I was hoping to see the South American clash, thought it would have been a great game. Hopefully Argentina will be more clinical than Colombia tonight.
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Diaz and his three points returned. Cheers mate.
El Joc Màgic
Rookie
It was really interesting reading Kral's and Rick's comments after Argentina's game. Adding Israel into this ensured we would receive infinite football wisdom, guys. 
ACE of Hearts
Bionic Poster
Jaminton campaz lost it for colombia at the 114: 51 mark of extra time. My brother in law is probably crushed. Lol. Wont call him. Jaminton campaz is what we called someone in spanish. Cagon!!!!
Technology Ruined Tennis
Hall of Fame
The next 15 years will be interesting. US soccer is objectively in a much better position then they were after hosting in '94. The sport will never be top tier popular in the US, but the stigma/perception is night and day from even 20 years ago. Add in the small but significant percentage of young kids fleeing tackle football due to CTE... Youth sports are run terribly across the board in the US, easily the toughest hurdle for a unpopular sport. We'll see.If you knew in advance who the best 26 athletes in America will be in 20 years, and you sent them to La Masia right now. The likelihood of one of them playing a single minute in any of the top 5 leagues would be 0.00001%.
Find who will be the best 26 footballers and send them? Now you’re onto something.
Usain Bolt for instance, his dream was to be a footballer or cricket player growing up. He didn’t even make the grade as a footballer.. in Jamaica. 6’5, fastest man on the planet, athletic ability that won’t be seen again for awhile.. didn’t have the footballing ability of, say, Ajuran Brown. Someone he grew up with, played with as a kid, had the same opportunities and dream.
And this is a player who barely mustered 30 appearances in the Jamaican league, yet his footballing ability was orders of magnitude ahead of that of an athlete the level of Usain Bolt.
I mean, what are we even doing here?
Would not be shocked by a semifinal appearance by 2040.
Technology Ruined Tennis
Hall of Fame
GabeT
Talk Tennis Guru
I’m surprised there isn’t a blog or podcast or YouTube channel by former top referees, explaining controversial decisions. I may have missed them but what I see are people proposing all kinds of conspiracy theories without legit knowledge of the rules, how they change, and how they’re applied
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
They’ve definitely got what it takes. The large population, lots of resources etc.. they’ve missed out on many good players over the years, potentially great ones. They weren’t Clayton Kershaw or LeBron or someone like that, it was probably some 5’7 kid who currently works in insurance
the one who back when he was 4, if you threw an American football at him would’ve trapped it and then done keepy uppies with his feet whilst walking, doesn’t even need to be asked. It’s just natural for him. Those were the gifted kids with potential who slipped through. I think when the penny drops for those in charge of the game, that’s when fortunes will really change.It was the same in England for awhile. The emphasis was on height, speed, athleticism at youth level. They did absolutely nothing for decades, they were awful. Didn’t even qualify for World Cups or Euro’s, those with actual talent slipped through the cracks in favour of those with athleticism. That changed around 2000 (the PL started getting top coaches and players from abroad, the culture shifted), and things improved a lot since then. The front 3 for England play for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich (in the athleticism days, that would’ve been impossible). Been an English side with an English core in 7 of the last 9 UCL finals, semis of the World Cup, back to back last minute losses in Euro’s finals etc.. none of that would’ve been possible before.
I heard Landon Donovan speaking before the tournament, he seems to have a lot of ideas and really gets it. I think he’s in charge in some capacity? The game isn’t really developed in any way so it’s almost a blank slate to start from in many ways. Give him time and the resources and there really is no reason why America can’t be up there in 20 years.
4UTRMoutet
Hall of Fame
America will prevail in football eventually, I have absolute confidence in my nation.
GabeT
Talk Tennis Guru
Using the VAR is not solely decided by the referee. The VAR techs themselves can request a review and although the final decision is up to the refereee the review must be made. Also the VAR is manned by current and former referees
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
I'm a neophyte in these matters, but I found it strange that the ref rewound the play clock back a long way to disallow an Egyptian goal.
My observation has been that a VAR appeal happens quickly or not at all. I thought nothing more of it, but the Egyptians do have a point.
They also complain there was no VAR check for a penalty against them as well, but I only really saw the first incident so I can't comment.
My observation has been that a VAR appeal happens quickly or not at all. I thought nothing more of it, but the Egyptians do have a point.
They also complain there was no VAR check for a penalty against them as well, but I only really saw the first incident so I can't comment.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
They certainly were today. I can kind of understand it, the entire world is watching and being the referee who is seen to help Messi is a much easier life than the one who is seen to have contributed to him being sent home from (probably) his last World Cup
that’s something that impacts on the rest of your life, and your family. It’s probably as simple as that. Maybe it’s subconscious, maybe it’s a conscious decision. I have no idea. I’ve seen Letexier many times. He’s not a great referee, but he is fairly competent. He does have a history in France of taking the easy route and favouring the dominant team. He’s had to go on national television before and explain himself after games where he will favour a PSG or a Nice. He is a referee who is beloved by Real Madrid fans and they always hope to get him for their UCL games. Which I think is pretty telling..
But yeah, it will be interesting to see what happens for Argentina v Norway/England. Can’t be a European or South American referee so, it’s a lot of pressure on someone who’s never seen anything like that before. It’s career altering, either way. I do have sympathy for whoever it is, but I can’t say my expectations are high.
Socceroos? No, I don't hate them but am sorry for them 'cause of that brand name. They are confusing the most popular international sport and its fans. Most importantly though, your response is taking it away from the US issue of football that the post was aimed at. It was pointed out why the population of over 300 million Americans could not find ways to bring up a better national football team for the FIFA World Cup. My observation was that the name "soccer" Americans (and Canadians) have given to the sport was one reason for the lower standard of its team's competitiveness. I also reasoned beyond my claim there. I apologize if I have offended you but I stand behind my observation that changing the name of the sport influences the interest in and development of the young gen that wants to choose or play the sport too.
After the abolutely incredible Egypt-Argentina match, I have been thinking so much about this.
One standout thing in the match Egypt-Argentina was the VAR disallowed goal of Egypt after which an Argentinian free kick near Egyptian net was instead given. How do refs allow the game go on from the Egyptian zone all the way to the Argentinian penalty area and disallowed goal scored by Egypt that had taken a few passes and time is embarrassing. This was not like when Iran scored the winning goal to be against Egypt, because this goal against Argentina took a few more passes and time in which the match continued prior to the infraction called far away from the continued game.
So, does the ref on the pitch really make the decision all the time? Or, is there a higher power calling the ref's earbud to choose what to do or not for the official we see? At this point, I do feel it is the second question and that someone buried Egyptian football team because of Messi's Argentina. I'd stay a crime has been committed.
VAR is a great tool to be used but not to be abused. In FIFA 2026 World Cup, Messi is currently the leading goal scorer followed by Mbappe, Haaland and Kane but VAR may have scored more goals than all of those four players together so far.
I've been hoping for Canada getting in as well. I have however been upset both nations call the sport "soccer" for I see how our kids take football, our two federations invest in it and fans understand it inadequately.
This is Food for Thought. I recall Landon Donovan and his effort. I see how our people behind football and/or thinking of football get misguided. The US and Canada aren't far apart in this respect although Americans have more resources than we do north of the boarder. Canada had chances after its 1986 World Cup appearance but left it all up to the girls to play it more. When I was in Kitchener (Ontario), I had to play the best football with either the Kitchener female football team or the drunk male Irish immigrant one in 1990s then. Both were just a little challenging but honestly the female one was more exciting to say the least. As for the US, how it could have missed on the opportunity after the huge success of Lalas 1994 football team is beyond me. What I am saying is that neither Canada nor the US have developed well competitive junior football teams and leagues ever since. You should have seen the Yugoslavian, Czhecoslovakian or the Italian junior football leagues in late 1980s and I don't even want to get talking about the Spanish youth teams of 1990s. The US and Canada have the biggest resource of young people from all around the world and football countries and then the land on which they can build so many fine football fields; all that, Europe does not have as much as North America. Calling the sport soccer hurts so much too.They’ve definitely got what it takes. The large population, lots of resources etc.. they’ve missed out on many good players over the years, potentially great ones. They weren’t Clayton Kershaw or LeBron or someone like that, it was probably some 5’7 kid who currently works in insurance
It was the same in England for awhile. The emphasis was on height, speed, athleticism at youth level. They did absolutely nothing for decades, they were awful. Didn’t even qualify for World Cups or Euro’s, those with actual talent slipped through the cracks in favour of those with athleticism. That changed around 2000 (the PL started getting top coaches and players from abroad, the culture shifted), and things improved a lot since then. The front 3 for England play for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich (in the athleticism days, that would’ve been impossible). Been an English side with an English core in 7 of the last 9 UCL finals, semis of the World Cup, back to back last minute losses in Euro’s finals etc.. none of that would’ve been possible before.
I heard Landon Donovan speaking before the tournament, he seems to have a lot of ideas and really gets it. I think he’s in charge in some capacity? The game isn’t really developed in any way so it’s almost a blank slate to start from in many ways. Give him time and the resources and there really is no reason why America can’t be up there in 20 years.
Having heard my country's football team's coach calling the Canadian football team better than the Morrocan one was an insult to the sport. My team has only played the first 20 minutes of the R16 before hydration time better than the Moroccan one. The rest was an embarrassment that he is partly responsible for as is my country's football federation.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
Besides the America team, for which Trump had a red card postponed, Trump's other best friend in the whole world is Chainsaw Milei of Argentina.
In rugby, about which I know little, if a team gets a penalty they can be allowed to play on for a short period, but after that the penalty no longer stands.
How can a penalty just keep on being "held in reserve" for such a long time? And then get recognised only after the other team scores? Milei is happy!
In rugby, about which I know little, if a team gets a penalty they can be allowed to play on for a short period, but after that the penalty no longer stands.
How can a penalty just keep on being "held in reserve" for such a long time? And then get recognised only after the other team scores? Milei is happy!
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
Incapaz?
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
Weren’t you French?
4UTRMoutet
Hall of Fame
No I'm a stone cold American.
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
When Argentina went 2–0 down, I was actually relieved because I thought their World Cup was over and I wouldn’t have to deal with those unbearable stress levels anymore.
I also remembered that Egypt’s disallowed goal came before they scored their second to make it 2–0. So Egypt still was in control.
Argentina may have benefited from a “very unusual use” of VAR. Even though it was actually a foul, and the kind that had been called throughout the tournament, the timing of the review was bizarre. The referee should have definitely called it before. That was his real mistake.
Once Argentina scored its first goal to make it 1-2, I felt the comeback was a real possibility. So my stress levels started to build again.
I also remembered that Egypt’s disallowed goal came before they scored their second to make it 2–0. So Egypt still was in control.
Argentina may have benefited from a “very unusual use” of VAR. Even though it was actually a foul, and the kind that had been called throughout the tournament, the timing of the review was bizarre. The referee should have definitely called it before. That was his real mistake.
Once Argentina scored its first goal to make it 1-2, I felt the comeback was a real possibility. So my stress levels started to build again.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
I’ll see if I can find the interview, I think it was maybe with Rich Eisen? Was before the tournament started, but Rich Eisen seems to be everywhere so it might be hard to narrow it down
But I’ll have a look.They definitely have what it takes. The population alone is big enough, endless resources, they can attract all the best minds and talent etc.. just have to get out of their own way, I guess.
There really does seem to be a strange disconnect though. Football seems to be an alien concept in some ways. We see it in ownership, many teams in England are owned by American businessmen and they genuinely don’t have a clue what they are doing, but the ego to believe they’re smarter than everyone else. Even the likes of Boehly, he’s no stranger to successful sports teams in America, yet his attempts at running a football club has turned the most successful English side of the previous 20 years, reigning European and World Champions into a mid table side, Billions of £’s in debt (despite taking over debt free), all the players can’t stand being there and want to get out, is close to the banks/Ares management taking the club off his consortium, they suffer protests on match day with fans of rival clubs and a club in France coming over to get rid of them, they’re that much of a cancer to the game. All in under 5 years. Thats some fundamental level misunderstanding on the biggest scale, but it does seem to be a symptom of the bigger picture.
GabeT
Talk Tennis Guru
I think there’s a misunderstanding how the VAR works
For certain plays, including goals, penalties, and red cards the VAR team always reviews. But they only call the referee to check when their review leads to a different conclusion. So if you see a goal or penalty without review it means both the ref and the VAR team agreed on the outcome
GabeT
Talk Tennis Guru
I don’t think that was the exact sequence. The original foul, on Lisandro Martinez, was missed by the referee. The VAR team does not automatically review fouls so the play continued. But because that play ended on goal the VAR stepped in and reviewed the whole sequence. Thats their job. So that’s when they call the referee to check. The referee goes to the screen, confirms the foul, and cancels the goal.
VAR team has been given the authority to check, review and call the refs when it suits their agenda. The VAR standard, or shall I say double-standard, has been established for the prospective viewership, sponsorship and diplomatic motives. We all can imagine how many people would be interested to see Egypt or Iran vs Croatia or Senegal; or, how feasible would be the sponsorships of those kinda teams in those kinda regions with an exception of Croatia influenced by the EU. FIFA is having motives and opportunities to influence the World Cup matches and Infantino is using them to the fullest.
That
This
I saw that to be the exact sequence with all due respect to your view. You are giving the benefit of doubt to the well trained professional referee of the FIFA World Cup which would be fine by all the football standards till the moment that his one decision is overturned by the God of VAR that does not have the same meter for all of such situations throughout the tournament. Have you seen the corner kicks and what goes on in the penalty area? Have you seen all those tackles on the pitch one-two-three minutes to the goals that have been allowed in the tournament? Once you establish such a strict rule of the God of VAR, you are up for a lot of cases you cannot monitor 'cause the field is big, players are agressive and refs don't have all the vision needed. But above all, you face such consequences as ending up with more disallowed goals than the allowed ones at the end of the tournament. Most significantly, you are to deal with millions of confused viewers and fans of football. Isn't this sport to be more for the fans of football than the offiicals of football? Have a look at the ticket prices to see how much those loyal to their teams and football fans pay to go to those stadiums there! Do you think that previous FIFA tournaments like the one in Qatar have had so many of those VAR issues as this one has?
GabeT
Talk Tennis Guru
Recall that the VAR can only make a recommendation, the final decision is always by the ref. Now if you think the ref and the VAR team are cheating or not following the rules for certain teams then not much I can say
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GabeT
Talk Tennis Guru
FIFA has been expanding the use of the VAR, and plans to expand it even more. I know many don’t like it but I think it’s better than the old system
ACE of Hearts
Bionic Poster
Alot of egyptian fans are angry today but can’t blow a 2 goal lead that quickly.
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
On another note, I just checked that the referee from the Argentina - Egypt match is a Frenchman.
Scaloni kind of joked about it before the match.
www.lanacion.com.ar
Scaloni kind of joked about it before the match.
La reacción de Scaloni al enterarse de que François Letexier, un árbitro francés, dirigiría Argentina-Egipto
El entrenador fue consultado por la designación de una terna arbitral íntegramente francesa para el duelo de cuartos de final; además, explicó cuál es su postura sobre la conformación del equipo del VAR
www.lanacion.com.ar
pedro94
Professional
Egypt concedes 3 goals in 10mins: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Portugal bottles it against Congo and Colombia in the group and get a tougher path in the playoffs as a result: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Uruguay, Colombia, Portugal, Brazil all underperform in the playoffs and are out of Argentina's path as a result: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Portugal bottles it in the group and then in the playoffs with what they called the best midfield in the world: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Ronaldo gets diarrhea: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Everything is suddenly rigged since Messi started winning international trophies, but nothing was rigged before that when he lost 4 finals in a row..
Portugal bottles it against Congo and Colombia in the group and get a tougher path in the playoffs as a result: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Uruguay, Colombia, Portugal, Brazil all underperform in the playoffs and are out of Argentina's path as a result: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Portugal bottles it in the group and then in the playoffs with what they called the best midfield in the world: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Ronaldo gets diarrhea: "World Cup is rigged!!"
Everything is suddenly rigged since Messi started winning international trophies, but nothing was rigged before that when he lost 4 finals in a row..
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
Claims that the World Cup has been "rigged" against Argentina have been made in previous editions as well. Every country has its own list of controversial incidents.
These are just the ones that immediately come to mind for Argentina:
* 1966: Antonio Rattín's highly controversial sending-off in the first half against England in the quarterfinals.
* 1990: Caniggia received a needless yellow card in the semifinal, ruling him out of the final. Back then, there were no Trump-like exceptions to suspension rules. In the final, the penalty awarded against Sensini, which led to Germany's winning goal, was highly controversial.
* 2014: Neuer's taekwondo-style challenge on Higuaín in the first half was not given as a penalty. (To be fair, Higuaín had already missed what was almost an impossible chance to miss.)
* 2022: The referee added 12 minutes of stoppage time in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands, giving them enough time to equalize and force extra time.
And so on.
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Sure tech is good as long as it's used to the advantage of all people. Once it's applied with ulterior motives and without considerations for negative implications, we become the victims. FIFA has neither carefully analyzed the implications of the ways it expanded the VAR use, nor professionally employed the digital tools/assistance for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Football teams and viewers have suffered confusion, stress and lack of uniformity; and, the authorities have enjoyed selective practices of VAR that have led viewers to believe some teams have been targeted for lower marketability and viewership. If FIFA continues expanding the use of VAR, the low scoring sport of football will suffer. FIFA should have learnt from UEFA but it didn't for the obvious greed and absue of power it hoped to establish.
N
NachoGPT
Guest
If you try to look for patterns of favorable decisions then you’ll surely find them. The same can probably be applied to France, Spain. Portugal, and England too.
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
I think the most famous one (apart from the Hand of God) is the phantom goal in the 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany.
Coincidentally, both incidents involved England.
N
NachoGPT
Guest
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Something else for everybody to ignore.
Sudacafan
Bionic Poster
But Wimbledon matches finished quite early today. So Americas' PM time have none.
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
It's funny; as much as I appreciate the day off, I'm now missing football again. lol
RS
Bionic Poster
The game totally changed after this as well.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Something else for everybody to ignore.
Anthony Gordon mug product placement? That’s elite level marketing.
Apparently it’s supposed to be 35 degrees and humid in England and Miami on Saturday, get them whilst you can people!
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
It was funny. I was discussing the page with my ChatGPT friend, and they're like, "The Anthony Gordon mug must stay on his desk." I'm like, hell yeah, it does. haha Yes, it's definitely become a vital part ot the universe.
My favourite thing on the page is the USA 1994 media pass. That was one of the things ChatGPT put in on its own, and it fit.
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