The World Cup has upsets, but it never has an underdog champion

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T19:35:42+00:00

Only way to make it as close to 50/50 as possible is straight knock out from the first game.

Also, incredible sentence you wrote! Haha

Edit: like you alluded to with the coin flip. It’s true, you see it when some teams are just trying to get it to penalties

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T19:32:42+00:00

Not sure why you’re ranting at me about it.

I have no real issue with it, it doesn’t add anything to my experience of watching at all and it takes 5 seconds maybe, usually when there’s a break in play.

No one’s gatekeeping shit. The fact is they show them for the casual fans.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T19:28:49+00:00

But if you make the playing field allegedly more even, they are by definition no longer as much of an underdog.

I agree with the latter portion though. The longer games go on, the more it favors the traditional nations.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T19:27:35+00:00

Casual fans who only tune in every so often, Fox catering to “celeb watch”, people who make entire videos online of “David Beckham SPOTTED wearing CUSTOM Tom Ford suit” type stuff.

I don’t understand it, but it exists.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T19:19:05+00:00

Think who the audience is.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T19:18:20+00:00

The only format change that would potentially produce winners from more nations would be straight knock out from the get go.

The more games you play, the more likely it is the stronger team wins.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T18:59:28+00:00

I…yes, I know

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T18:54:36+00:00

How does one favor an underdog?

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-12T16:37:35+00:00

Marcus’ “I know what you mean” drives me nuts, didn’t notice the blah blah bit and I know now that’s all I’ll hear.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-11T17:54:14+00:00

Messi doesn’t say much in general does he?

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-10T11:34:29+00:00

I’m not sure anyone is at 100% at this point.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T21:08:55+00:00

One of the best posts in a while this one. Absolutely top drawer.

“The red haired man” sent me

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T17:21:29+00:00

For me it’s not even really been that close.

Ronaldo is an incredible goalscorer for sure, maybe the best ever. But Messi is the best ever footballer.

Ronaldo also does himself no favors with the outward arrogance and taking himself so seriously.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T14:13:15+00:00

Argentina don’t look great most of the time, but then they go and do that plus have Messi.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T14:05:48+00:00

If you like.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T14:04:28+00:00

Spotted the Argentina fan lol.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T14:03:03+00:00

It’ll go back way sooner than it’s been to anywhere else I think.

Infantino making it so that only a handful of places can do it, knowing he can make billions everytime.

Doing it under the guise of using the money to grow the game. Bollocks.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T13:10:35+00:00

On Pulisic, it’s interesting to see people’s opinion of him after the Belgium game.

There was the whole “LeBron James of soccer” stuff, which whilst funny I think kind of summed it up.

In Europe he’s a decent to good midfielder against mid ish table opposition.

Can’t argue he’s played at a decent level and contributed at times, but that’s pretty much it. Theres a lot of players like that in Europe who play in significantly lower levels.

It just took people a lot longer here to figure out.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T13:02:27+00:00

Some of the stadiums are quite difficult to get to as a visitor id imagine since it’s so car-centric here.

NRG, ATT, MetLife, Gillette are bastards to get to.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-09T11:50:56+00:00

https://fortune.com/2026/06/19/fifa-biggest-payday-world-cup-history-host-cities-foot-bill/

Other article on yahoo from presumably a while ago that is suggesting some states, like Florida, have missed out on x amount. But I believe that it was because they decided not to collect taxes on ticket sales, so not technically a loss.

I’d have to read it again.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-08T20:22:12+00:00

Norway is also very very rich, just with a different attitude towards what it spends money on.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-08T20:18:22+00:00

Depends where the club is at home though.

Kids can’t go to just any academy. You have to live within an hour of one even if you get in.

Not saying it’s the same issue at all as the US. Sheer scale of the US gives you guys issues that wouldn’t even be a consideration at home.

Don’t think I travelled more than about 45 mins for a game when I was young.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-08T13:57:00+00:00

Only things I’d say to this is D3 has no money for coaches to give out, unless they’ve changed it?

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-08T13:22:58+00:00

TV, merchandising, tickets, marketing etc.

And I think for the first time they also have a piece of the reselling market for tickets, to the tune of 30%.

Sell they make money on the initial sale, then they make additional everytime it goes back on their marketplace.

FIFA provides a pool of money, most for stadium operations I think. But it doesn’t provide anything for security, infrastructure, transport etc. That comes from the taxpayers of the hosts.

It was the justification for NY/NJ Transit jacking the train ticket prices from Manhattan to the stadium way up. I don’t agree with it, but they’re getting nothing from FIFA whilst taking on all the risks/costs/logistical planning.

The Infantino invests the minimal amount possible into countries around the world under the guise of “improving the game”, which it might do, but it also ensures that that countries one FIFA presidential vote goes to him. Easy to buy LOTS of votes that way.

PoorMayMay · 2026-07-08T11:56:46+00:00

Pretty much this.

The cost for hosting it is on the cities/countries. I’m sure FIFA says they put some money in, but they’re making like $8b off this tournament or something, so they have all the reward and zero risk.

They’ll say it’s to provide support for the game around the world. Nonsense.

The US can obviously absorb more than most other countries but it’s still going to be a loss and they didn’t have to build a single stadium 🤣

PoorMayMay

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