FIFA World Cup

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA World Cup:

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@Bovidae said in FIFA World Cup:

@KiwiMurph said in Football World Cup:

Coverage in Aus looks pretty good

All matches being shown live either on one of FTA SBS channels or the SBS app.

In contrast to NZ where you will need to pay for a TVNZ+ event pass to watch all of the games. Their new app seems to be a lemon based on comments I've read.

I'll just pick and choose from the games TVNZ will be showing FTA.

Well considering the paid version sports app in Oz is Kayo there will be no difference in quality. I'll probably watch an All Whites match or two to test it out (well by watch, have on in the background).

I love winding up poms who don't realise that soccer is their word and that they have adopted the continental Europeans way of saying the name of the game they invented.

That’s another one I just don’t get

POM

I'm not sure if we use Pom for you lot or just the English? I think just the English. Anyway, I think the Aussies invented the term.

Isn't there a UK Sky show called Soccer Saturday?

And in the early 80s, every Sunday I watched Big League Soccer with Brian Moore. As a kid in the early 80s it was soccer too

@canefan said in FIFA World Cup:

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA World Cup:

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@Bovidae said in FIFA World Cup:

@KiwiMurph said in Football World Cup:

Coverage in Aus looks pretty good

All matches being shown live either on one of FTA SBS channels or the SBS app.

In contrast to NZ where you will need to pay for a TVNZ+ event pass to watch all of the games. Their new app seems to be a lemon based on comments I've read.

I'll just pick and choose from the games TVNZ will be showing FTA.

Well considering the paid version sports app in Oz is Kayo there will be no difference in quality. I'll probably watch an All Whites match or two to test it out (well by watch, have on in the background).

I love winding up poms who don't realise that soccer is their word and that they have adopted the continental Europeans way of saying the name of the game they invented.

That’s another one I just don’t get

POM

I'm not sure if we use Pom for you lot or just the English? I think just the English. Anyway, I think the Aussies invented the term.

Isn't there a UK Sky show called Soccer Saturday?

And in the early 80s, every Sunday I watched Big League Soccer with Brian Moore. As a kid in the early 80s it was soccer too

There's two Brian Moore's?

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@canefan said in FIFA World Cup:

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA World Cup:

@Nepia said in FIFA World Cup:

@Bovidae said in FIFA World Cup:

@KiwiMurph said in Football World Cup:

Coverage in Aus looks pretty good

All matches being shown live either on one of FTA SBS channels or the SBS app.

In contrast to NZ where you will need to pay for a TVNZ+ event pass to watch all of the games. Their new app seems to be a lemon based on comments I've read.

I'll just pick and choose from the games TVNZ will be showing FTA.

Well considering the paid version sports app in Oz is Kayo there will be no difference in quality. I'll probably watch an All Whites match or two to test it out (well by watch, have on in the background).

I love winding up poms who don't realise that soccer is their word and that they have adopted the continental Europeans way of saying the name of the game they invented.

That’s another one I just don’t get

POM

I'm not sure if we use Pom for you lot or just the English? I think just the English. Anyway, I think the Aussies invented the term.

Isn't there a UK Sky show called Soccer Saturday?

And in the early 80s, every Sunday I watched Big League Soccer with Brian Moore. As a kid in the early 80s it was soccer too

There's two Brian Moore's?

A polite advisory that any more "soccer" v "football" chat in this thread will be deleted.

@Smudge said in FIFA World Cup:

A polite advisory that any more "soccer" v "football" chat in this thread will be deleted.

Sorry. Missed that earlier. Fair call.

(For my next thread "What's better, Rugby or League?".)

The usual suspects are listed as favourites. Spain, France, Argentina, England, Germany

Struggling to get excited for this, especially given there will be 72(!) games just to get rid of 16 teams, I'm not expecting to see any big names go out in the group stage this time around but one shock result could force 2 top teams together early in the knockouts.

Will probably sign on for the TVNZ package just so I can put them on the big screen at work.

As usual, I am running one of my mega comps so PM me with an email address if you want to enter.

With uneven pools that means we can't have simultaneous final matches, mean potential disgrace-of-gijon style shenanigans.

All Whites 0-3 down against Haiti in a friendly

world cup could be ugly...Haiti are only a couple of world ranking positions ahead of us on 83....

Watching. Some woeful defence, and back to not creating enough in the final third.

There was definitely a big drop-off in performance and quality from the 2nd half team. de Vries was badly exposed on defence.

@Bovidae i was only able to read the text updates (NZ football weren't even live tweeting) and there were several comments in the first half that we were looking likely to equalise....and then it seemed to just disappear in the second

Im predicting France, Argentina or Portugal. reckon Brazil will struggle their midfield is average and England will do their famous choke. Its funny I’ve always taken an interest in. *insert name here * but it wasn’t until my 13 year old started playing it a few years ago I’ve actually gotten a lot more into it.

The SWC squads are out and this is the stat the ferners were waiting to have a look at.

The number of players in each squad who play in that countries home leagues.

Couldn't find it anywhere so had to sift it out myself, but it didn't take long for obvious reasons.

Only 27.6% of players play in their own countries domestic leagues.

Even France only have 8 players playing domestically.
And the Dutch only 2!
Contenders Spain have 9 "foreigners."
Senegal have zero, but with 20 players in the "Big 5" west euro leagues, definitely contenders.

@mohikamo is our home league the A-League in this context?

@Kiwiwomble

i had to have the think about that one, as it is a cross confederation league, almost unique in the soccer world
as Auckland FC are not allowed to play in the Asian Champions league, I decided that they are a NZ club

up to that point i'd thought it would be possible for two NZ teams to make the FIFA world club championship finals, but that is not guna happen

but you could look at it the other way

In the longevity stakes, Ronaldo, Messi and Ochoa (Mexican squad keeper) all in line to break a record by appearing in their 6th World Cup finals. Modric heading for his 5th having also appeared in the 2006 world cup as the other 3 did - but Croatia didn't qualify in 2010.

All time top scorers at World Cups
Klose 16, Ronaldo (Br) 15, Gerd Muller 14, Fontaine, Messi 13, Pele, Mbappe 12.

Top scorers who are playing in 2026
Messi 13, Mbappe 12, Kane, Neymar 8, Valencia, James 6, Lukaku 5

As usual, I am doing one of my mega World Cup competitions again (you have to pick the result of every match until you end up with a winner) so private message me with an email address if you want to have a go. Less than a week until it starts .....

This photo almost guarantees an early exit for Norway ....

@KiwiPie said in FIFA World Cup:

This photo almost guarantees an early exit for Norway ....

View image

Anything else? Did they paint a photo of the team on their aeroplane?

From the bits I've seen, South Africa looked like they'd have been happiest if they could keep the ball at their goalie's feet for 90 minutes.

South Africa were shit, Mexico probably should have won by 4.

3 reds was pretty funny though. Can't say any of them were harsh.

Highly entertaining game between South Korea and Czechia

Lots of empty seats which will be a theme of this world cup.....

Football has sold its soul

@canefan said in FIFA World Cup:

Football has sold its soul

It had one?

@Tim said in FIFA World Cup:

@canefan said in FIFA World Cup:

Football has sold its soul

It had one?

Like the Olympics, I guess it did a long time ago

@canefan said in FIFA World Cup:

Football has sold its soul

the hookers and blow isn't cheap you know

Yanks looked impressive

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA World Cup:

Yanks looked impressive

Yeah, the energy and intensity in that first half was impressive. They were on the front foot the whole time and when they lost possession they pressed hard to get it back.

Cracking win for Australia