Who is everyone pulling for now?
I like the England team
England or Spain.
Norway… or Switzerland. Fuck England
Is there a decent contingent rooting for Messi to be done with Argentina to WC wins?
Not sure what you’re asking.
Are people rooting against Argentina? Fuck to the yes.
They are love/hate for me. Spent a lot of time in Buenos Aires. Their arrogance is unmatched, but you can’t deny they deliver, especially Messi at 39. It’s insane actually. Their knockout route has also been a joke.
My guess is the Swiss sit back for 90 minutes and hope to shock them. Their best player is also hurt.
Automatik wrote:Not sure what you’re asking.
Are people rooting against Argentina? Fuck to the yes.
They are love/hate for me. Spent a lot of time in Buenos Aires. Their arrogance is unmatched, but you can’t deny they deliver, especially Messi at 39. It’s insane actually. Their knockout route has also been a joke.
My guess is the Swiss sit back for 90 minutes and hope to shock them. Their best player is also hurt.
I don’t know enough to hate anybody or team but despise the acting injuries for red cards
You would have really disliked it in the past, it's significantly better than 10-15 years ago.
You will miss some great games.
Automatik wrote:
My guess is the Swiss sit back for 90 minutes and hope to shock them.
That should be thrilling.
Automatik wrote:Not sure what you’re asking.
Are people rooting against Argentina? Fuck to the yes.
They are love/hate for me. Spent a lot of time in Buenos Aires. Their arrogance is unmatched, but you can’t deny they deliver, especially Messi at 39. It’s insane actually. Their knockout route has also been a joke.
My guess is the Swiss sit back for 90 minutes and hope to shock them. Their best player is also hurt.
I put $5 on over 1.5 total goals so it’ll probably be 1-0
Swiss have always been a team that plays really solid defense and usually tries to score on counters or set pieces. This tournament though they have attacked more then ever
Fucking Norway busted my parlay with 7 corner kicks in the 2nd half and extra time
This game has been awesome. Doesn’t deserve a 10v11 finish, but alas — don’t dive.
Dr Winston O'Boogie wrote:Now that the US is out, I can avoid watching anymore of this thing. I try to love it every four years. And I think I would if soccer wasn’t so fucking boring.
I will never understand this gripe. Don’t get me wrong, don’t watch if you don’t enjoy — I don’t care.
…but the group stage and thru round of 32 had more scoring per game than the average nfl game in 2025. 5.3 goals per game vs NFL at 44 points per game or something. Would we all be complaining if they just changed the rules to be 5 for outside the box, 3 inside, 1 for a PK, 2 for a free kick, and en extra 2 points if it’s anything but a foot that scores???
Again, I don’t care if people find it boring and I love the NFL, but it’s infinitely more boring in the grand scheme imo. Way less actual gameplay, and about the same amount of scoring.
Laley23 wrote:
I will never understand this gripe. Don’t get me wrong, don’t watch if you don’t enjoy — I don’t care.
…but the group stage and thru round of 32 had more scoring per game than the average nfl game in 2025. 5.3 goals per game vs NFL at 44 points per game or something. Would we all be complaining if they just changed the rules to be 5 for outside the box, 3 inside, 1 for a PK, 2 for a free kick, and en extra 2 points if it’s anything but a foot that scores???
Again, I don’t care if people find it boring and I love the NFL, but it’s infinitely more boring in the grand scheme imo. Way less actual gameplay, and about the same amount of scoring.
Just my personal feeling. I think it’s because I didn’t grow up with it. I like baseball but could understand a Euro thinking it is the most boring thing they’ve ever watched.
all that aside, the faking of injury and pain in soccer is absolutely pathetic. Of course people fake stuff in other sports. But the prevalence of it in soccer is ridiculous. They look like fools rolling around like that.
Dr Winston O'Boogie wrote:
Just my personal feeling. I think it’s because I didn’t grow up with it. I like baseball but could understand a Euro thinking it is the most boring thing they’ve ever watched.
all that aside, the faking of injury and pain in soccer is absolutely pathetic. Of course people fake stuff in other sports. But the prevalence of it in soccer is ridiculous. They look like fools rolling around like that.
The simulation is the worst part. It’s gotten so much better though. I don’t really see it that often anymore because of situations like last night where you can be carded if the referee sees it correctly.
I have played soccer at a very high level, it’s much more painful and physical than basketball. Just a tick of those metal screws on the calf, ankle, or foot is so fucking painful. It wears off a minute or so later, but sometimes those guys get clipped and I know it’s real pain.
Laley23 wrote:
The simulation is the worst part. It’s gotten so much better though. I don’t really see it that often anymore because of situations like last night where you can be carded if the referee sees it correctly.
I have played soccer at a very high level, it’s much more painful and physical than basketball. Just a tick of those metal screws on the calf, ankle, or foot is so fucking painful. It wears off a minute or so later, but sometimes those guys get clipped and I know it’s real pain.
Okay, but come on, you know what I mean.
Dr Winston O'Boogie wrote:
Okay, but come on, you know what I mean.
Yeah, its the worst part. I just accept it as part of sports. NBA I actually think is worse, based on the frequency of it. Shai, Brunson, Harden, Embiid, etc flailing the head back, arms go flying, holding their face anytime they go up for a shot. We just don't inherently care as much (imo) because a whistle blows and no one is wasting time. In soccer, your losing gametime. Football is really the only contact sport without a lot of flopping and simulation -- but we do have to deal with every QB getting a fingernail laid on them trying to get a roughing call & nobody can cheer after a play for about 3 seconds until you're confident there is no flag (I liken this portion to offside on a goal).
Point is, every sport has its stupidity and quirks, and I still love them all. So I don't let anything happening in one of them ruin my enjoyment of the competition.
We have the greatest semifinals (and subsequent finals), arguably, in the history of this sport. Pretty remarkable the 4 best teams in the world -- both by ranking, and the Laley23 eye test over the last 1-2 years -- are the 4 teams remaining. Should be electric. Hope we get 4 back and forth games, with both teams going for it vs anyone settling back and playing defensive. Only team I can see doing that is Argentina, but they do that almost every game and usually come up with some amazing attacking sequences for goals and have already been involved in some of the best games of this World Cup.
Laley23 wrote:We have the greatest semifinals (and subsequent finals), arguably, in the history of this sport. Pretty remarkable the 4 best teams in the world -- both by ranking, and the Laley23 eye test over the last 1-2 years -- are the 4 teams remaining. Should be electric. Hope we get 4 back and forth games, with both teams going for it vs anyone settling back and playing defensive. Only team I can see doing that is Argentina, but they do that almost every game and usually come up with some amazing attacking sequences for goals and have already been involved in some of the best games of this World Cup.
Agreed today’s game could be amazing Spain has had France’s number so this will be fun
Spain putting the clamps on. Please hold!
Automatik wrote:Spain putting the clamps on. Please hold!
2nd goal was pure Spain. I need a 3rd to feel comfortable. France just scores to fast when they get going.
I'm expecting madness after this hydration break reset.
I wanted that Yamal goal to be good, shit.
Unai Simon is playing like his hair is on fire. LOL
I felt bad for the fans of both teams when I saw that Zac Brown was playing their halftime show.
