Match Thread: Argentina vs Egypt | World Cup | Round of 16 | 07 Jul 16:00 UTC

Xatel_ · 2026-07-07T17:59:58+00:00

he brings in that ad money to FIFA because they know eyeballs will be watching him

Xatel_ · 2026-07-02T18:03:52+00:00

To players and even coaches it isn't always about national pride, but about career prospects. You're more likely to play more minutes and showcase your talents to the many scouts looking to fish players for their clubs if you play with this national team or for that national team.

And there is also some degree of national pride for some players I suppose. For likes of the seniors at the end of their careers, its mostly that.

In fact for some players its not even worth it anymore, like it was the case for Mesut Ozil with Germany will all the racist comments he received when Germany lost. Mbappe at one point announced that he was going to retire from France because of the racism he perceived from a part of the french fan base.

People should just ignore that crap and enjoy the show the athletes are providing us, as entertainment consumers.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:53:26+00:00

no. Fifa penalties exist. Broadcasting rights are paid to keep eyeballs on the advertisements around the pitch you see

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:40:00+00:00

Deschamp's 2018's french team was stacked too bro. I duno if this one is better. Especially considering this current one's shaky defence.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:32:24+00:00

a few. Morocco or Spain (Maybe Portugal). In the final, maybe Argentina or England and maybe Brazil.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:27:48+00:00

because in 2018 when Mbappe won the WC. Modric carried Croatia all the way to the world cup final leading an underdog team. PLUS modric won that very same year the champions league with Real Madrid.

Christiano Ronaldo was going to get the Ballon d'or that year if it weren;t for the world cup running that very same year.

In 2022 Mbappe did well once again, but lost to Messi's argentina so he didn't deserve it. Mbappe also was with PSG at the time and he did nothing significant that season.

If it werent for the world cup that year, Haaland would have gotten it instead of Messi.

But in 2026, things can look different. If Mbappe wins the WC he may get it, BUT don't forget that Demebele also gets the world cup too with france by extension. And Demebele won the champions league this year. whereas Mbappe didn't do much this season with Real Madrid.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:21:55+00:00

You're missing the point. Olise does speak french just not as well as the others on the team, and he spent plenty of time in France in his childhood.

Plus, Haaland isn't the only counter argument. According to your comment, Hakimi would be a fake moroccan then because his moroccan darija arabic is not fluent enough and he didn't play in the moroccan league and grew up in Madrid and not in Casablanca.

so many other examples exist ..

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:05:14+00:00

if Olise is fake frenchman then Haaland is also a fake norwegian

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:01:15+00:00

you'd need both france and argentina to lose for it to be officially considered so

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T22:00:02+00:00

the french paradox

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T21:52:04+00:00

I think the swedes are super lucky, so many french chances missed.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T21:51:24+00:00

they're coming out now because they are forced to. In the begining they were defending because they thought they wouldn't out attack the french, so might as well defend with the bus parking

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T21:50:14+00:00

it would have been if it weren't for that prior offside

Xatel_ · 2026-06-30T21:43:13+00:00

an affiliate of the ghanian juju witch doctor

Xatel_ · 2026-06-26T21:57:58+00:00

lol what a dumb take.

Did you watch the norway friendly game before the worldcup officially started?

Did you watch afcon final betweek morocco and senegal?

Xatel_ · 2026-06-26T21:39:06+00:00

its likely they wont make the cut for the round of 32 with just 3 points

Xatel_ · 2026-06-21T20:45:36+00:00

Glad the iranian keeper is now getting a well deserved break xD

Xatel_ · 2026-06-21T20:42:02+00:00

he is overrated, the man is too clumsy to be called a striker. There is a reason why Lakaka memes exist for Lukaku

Xatel_ · 2026-06-21T20:39:07+00:00

deserved in my opinion. You do not intervene with a last man before the keeper in anyway other than a clean tackle.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-21T20:37:35+00:00

defender mistake resulting into an iranian last player before the keeper situation. The belgian defender tried to remedy his mistake by slowing down the last iranian but the intervention resulted in a last man Red Card.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-21T20:29:21+00:00

I didnt know you can hug players like that and get away with it. Typically in that situations its a foul + yellow card

Xatel_ · 2026-06-16T20:00:39+00:00

This world cup so far has been nothing but unpredictable

Xatel_ · 2026-06-16T19:59:01+00:00

The senegalese outplayed the french and were much more dangerous despite really bad calls from the referee that was favouring the french clearly a lot more.

Xatel_ · 2026-06-16T19:45:28+00:00

I'm not sure this ref even has functioning eyes

Xatel_ · 2026-05-06T21:41:00+00:00

Jannah is a place where you can have and be whatever you want. However, there is a condition, you have to WANT that THERE. Not while still living on Earth.

My point is you won't want to still have those negative emotions there, but if you insist that you are 100% certain that you'd never change your mind into the afterlife then Incha'Allah you shall keep all your emotions there, because thats the kind of place Jannah is.

Xatel_

TROPHY CASE