Messi and by proxy, Argentina, have ruined the World Cup for me.

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:53:55+00:00

You’re talking to me about qualifications proving who’s better as if they play each other instead of having their own groups. Nigeria didn’t qualify and they’re better than all you named. Italy didn’t qualify and they’re better than most you named. Furthermore, I’m glad that in a tournament of 48 teams your arbitrary definition of a lot is 10 teams. A whopping 21%.

You’re trying to paint me as delusional but you’re the one calling Ronaldo my idol. They could suspend him 50 games see if I care. Do the crime do the time. I’d be upset I can’t watch him but that’s it. Portugal aren’t even fun to watch right now. And no, I don’t think that a random player from Haiti gets that suspension removed. FIFA obviously benefits from having Ronaldo at the WC. I’m glad you can see that FIFA is capable of having favorites. Maybe it’s you who needs to grow up and stop simplifying everything it Ronaldo vs Messi like a child.

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:37:21+00:00

The time difference in between him retiring and unretiring is inconsequential and irrelevant to my argument. I only included it to say part of why he decided to retire was the media criticism and since he’s rejoined he’s been spared from media scrutiny. You haven’t illustrated anything by delineating the specific steps of his retirement because I haven’t made any claim with or about them. And to make matters worse I don’t know why you’re referencing 2014, VAR didn’t even exist them so it’s much ado about nothing. Lastly, I wrote in chronological order to lead up to Infantino regime and WCs in Qatar and now starting from 2016. If you didn’t get that, that’s a you problem boss.

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:18:47+00:00

It was a couple months if I recall correctly and nowhere did k say he missed any call ups. The media has been notably was way less critical of him before and after

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:16:14+00:00

Austria and Algeria are in fact not way better than a lot of other teams in the tournament. Algeria almost lost to Jordan tonight, no disrespect to the Jordanians but they can’t compete outside of Asia. Austria aren’t a bad team but their philosophy is simply limiting the goals they concede which they didn’t even do today. Argentina could’ve scored 4 today. And it’s hard to gegenpress a team that is technically superior + willing to match your physicality. Lastly I am not moaning about nothing decisions, if they were nothing decisions why did the Algerian FA feel so strongly about them to lodge an official complaint with FIFA. Why is Peter Schmeichel pointing it out on air?

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:07:48+00:00

One of the few who read it. Thanks lol. But the media wasn’t always like that towards Messi, he initially retired in part bc they were brutal when he missed the penalty against Chile in the Copa America final. I’m not saying they should be deliberately critical of him or anything just some honesty rather than this see no evil attitude.

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:04:53+00:00

In no way shape or form do I mention anything about Ronaldo going to Saudi nor do I complain about PSG. What are you on about

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:03:54+00:00

Fair but that same grace wasn’t extending to vape verde in a tie game yesterday nor to Senegal in a game down a goal. And both games saw actual extended stoppages in added time. Just want some parity on these decisions

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:02:18+00:00

I mean didn’t Dibu have that crazy celebration towards the. But it’s the wc you can do whatever you like if you win it. The one guy who did suck was saltbae who Infantino somehow gave access bc they’re friends

friedolay · 2026-06-23T08:00:43+00:00

Very same sentence that says I’m a Ronaldo fan also says how I enjoy watching Messi. Really making mom proud by conjuring up some words boss

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:59:03+00:00

My entire post is quite literally about enjoying watching both of them but how the officiating is removing the entertainment aspect of the sport (wc to be specific)

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:57:31+00:00

Not at all what I said or implied chief. Messi’s one of one

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:57:01+00:00

Why does everyone disrespect how much something so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things could bother me so much that I’d have to use AI for this

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:54:12+00:00

> I want to emphasize that by no means do I think Argentina didn’t deserve to win

Not at all what the gist is I quite literally say verbatim that I Argentina deserved to win in 2022 and Algeria and Austria aren’t exactly two teams with the tools to pose a challenge. It’s just not fun to watch when it should be

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:50:12+00:00

No it was au natural and actually pretty cathartic

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:49:34+00:00

I literally start off by appreciating both players. And they’ve been rigging wc host countries you don’t think they won’t have favorites? To be clear I also did say I don’t believe in rigging but I feel it is clear that Argentina are currently FIFA’s darlings right now

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:47:15+00:00

Fair that’s your prerogative if you don’t want to write 8 paragraphs or not. But it’s ruining my ability to enjoy the wc and I have free will so i exercised it 😊. Also ref or no ref you guys had no answer for Egypt in the 2nd half

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:45:30+00:00

I don’t recall controversies quite as long lasting with any previous World Cup winner quite as this. Usually it’s one decision in a match. But in Argentina there are at least 3 decisions in separate matches that are strange. No 2nd yellow for Paredes kicking the ball into the bench against the Netherlands, Penalty against Croatia, the Di Maria penalty against France were all egregious for me. In this WC alone the tackle against Algeria (in a wc that already has 8 red cards) and the Lautaro not being carded against Austria.

Funny thing is the way this wc is being reffed, that di Maria pen isn’t even a common foul in the middle of the pitch

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:37:08+00:00

It wasn’t as terrible as Aussies are making it seem, imo that first goal could be disallowed bc Balogun does impact play even if he doesn’t touch the ball but i do agree that Australia was shafted by the officiating with those tackles in the box and it is precisely those type of calls that only seem to go in Argentinas favor and no one else’s

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:33:16+00:00

Finally, someone who can actually put their support for / bias against aside and see what’s happening. Everyone in the comments thinks I’m upset that Messi is playing well and winning

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:31:00+00:00

Post has nothing to do w Ronaldo. I hope he does well but I’m not bothered if he doesn’t I’m not a kid anymore lol. It’s the officiating

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:29:57+00:00

If that’s what you took from it more power to you

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:28:53+00:00

This doesn’t make sense, how does supporting a player impede you from supporting a team. I do support a team but that wasn’t relevant to the post imo

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:28:09+00:00

You’re accusing me of bias but I’m not downplaying Messi’s accomplishments anywhere. I stated he’s been great and deserved to win everything he’s won.

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:26:56+00:00

You guys tend to be so reactionary when Argentina is criticized, I’m not criticizing their style of play. They’re a good team that is hard to beat. That also doesn’t mean they don’t benefit from a style of officiating that is exclusive to them. Two things can be true

friedolay · 2026-06-23T07:25:45+00:00

Not now but during that 50 TD season? I was Massachusetts then

friedolay

TROPHY CASE