The Official FIFA World Cup 2022 Megathread

[Deutsch Wolf]

Club football is a different beast, I'm very much not talking about that.

Plainly, when it's pretty much always 8 of the same 10 teams that get to this stage, it makes it pretty fucking hard to give a shit at all because it's basically pointless for anyone else to show up to the party. Yeah, it's the best teams that win out, I'm not claiming a conspiracy, but I've got very little interest in watching Brazil win a 6th World Cup.

They won three of them before you or I were born!

And I doubt you saw any of 1994 or 2002.

 

[Alan]

I love it when an underdog pulls a shock off as much as the next man, but at the business end of the world cup I want the heavyweights fighting it out toe to toe

That's fine, I'm more lamenting the fact that those heavyweights don't change. No one is really close to catching that top tier of nations.

 

[Alan]

They won four of them before you or I were born!

And I doubt you saw any of 1994 or 2002.

I don't understand your point?

I don't need to have seen any of them to know that the Brazilians who did have already known that feeling five times.

 

[Johnny75]

That's fine, I'm more lamenting the fact that those heavyweights don't change. No one is really close to catching that top tier of nations.

I mean, there are reasons for that.

 

[Alan]

I mean, there are reasons for that.

Say more.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

That's fine, I'm more lamenting the fact that those heavyweights don't change. No one is really close to catching that top tier of nations.

Belgium did, you may note Germany aren't there, it isn't sports day.

I want the best vs the best. See this game right now for what invariably happens when a plucky underdog gets further than they should.

 

[WsWolf]

Hwang turning into a peak R9 whilst wearing the south Korea shirt is baffling.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't understand your point?

I don't need to have seen any of them to know that the Brazilians who did have already known that feeling five times.

Any Brazilians who remember the 1958 World Cup will be well into their 70s now. Denying old folk fun, for shame.

 

[Mel Evo]

What a thumping shot that was from Hwang. Words I never thought I’d say / type.

 

[Templeton Peck]

Club football is a different beast, I'm very much not talking about that.

Plainly, when it's pretty much always 8 of the same 10 teams that get to this stage, it makes it pretty fucking hard to give a shit at all because it's basically pointless for anyone else to show up to the party. Yeah, it's the best teams that win out, I'm not claiming a conspiracy, but I've got very little interest in watching Brazil win a 6th World Cup.

Nor me. I'd like to see Netherlands win if England don't. Never won it and are a proper footballing nation.

 

[Alan]

My point is that now the US are out, what's my stake in things? Pretty much nil, so I have to conjure something from somewhere.

Watching the rich get richer ain't all that entertaining for me.

 

[Johnny75]

Say more.

Infrastructure mainly, natural ability, socioeconomic structure, ease of access to the game from all ages and history.

Unlike the other countries that you could mention that don't have any or only have part of those the heavyweights do and that won't change for at least 20 years.

 

[Johnny75]

My point is that now the US are out, what's my stake in things? Pretty much nil, so I have to conjure something from somewhere.

Watching the rich get richer ain't all that entertaining for me.

But that's the nature of all sport.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Belgium did, you may note Germany aren't there, it isn't sports day.

I want the best vs the best. See this game right now for what invariably happens when a plucky underdog gets further than they should.

Yep. All for underdogs but this isn’t a midtable PL making the FA cup final where they’ve got a shot. This is practically a bye for Brazil to make the QF

 

[Templeton Peck]

Buster Douglas beating Tyson is one of the greatest sporting events of all time. Nobody still talks about all the fights that went as expected. Douglas went on to do nothing but nobody cares- he played his part in a proper moment.

 

[Alan]

Infrastructure mainly, natural ability, socioeconomic structure, ease of access to the game from all ages and history.

Unlike the other countries that you could mention that don't have any or only have part of those the heavyweights do and that won't change for at least 20 years.

I agree with basically all of that (not sure where you're going with "natural ability" in this context, but I digress).

The very state of it is shite and frustrating. And watching that imbalance play out on this stage consistently means that once my competitive stake is out of the picture, there's not a lot here for me if it's just the same old nations over again.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

there's not a lot here for me if it's just the same old nations over again.

Three of the eight have never won a World Cup and we last won one 56 years ago.

Mate, you've lost me.

 

[Johnny75]

Buster Douglas beating Tyson is one of the greatest sporting events of all time. Nobody still talks about all the fights that went as expected. Douglas went on to do nothing but nobody cares- he played his part in a proper moment.

Nobody talks about Buster Douglas but they do Mike Tyson in that Douglas didn't win, Tyson lost that fight.

It would be the same if Brazil lost this.

 

[Johnny75]

I agree with basically all of that (not sure where you're going with "natural ability" in this context, but I digress).

The very state of it is shite and frustrating. And watching that imbalance play out on this stage consistently means that once my competitive stake is out of the picture, there's not a lot here for me if it's just the same old nations over again.

Natural ability is very much that, genetics.

There's a reason America turns out 7ft basketball players regularly and Brazil don't.

 

[Dire Wolf]

That was a sublime goal.