2026 FIFA World Cup Thread

[Who]

I am excited for this Holland vs Japan match.

I was wrong. This is like watching paint dry.

The Dutch are just passing it back and forth among their defenders. Move forward! Jeez.

The second half was awesome though, great battles and back-and-forth. That was surgical from Japan in the final 10 minutes leading up to them finally equalizing in the 89th minute

Ah, I blew it. I gave up on the game before halftime.

Missed the 2nd half. Caught the last 10min.

Sounds like it turned into a great game in the 2nd half.

[Phantom255x]

I am excited for this Holland vs Japan match.

I was wrong. This is like watching paint dry.

The Dutch are just passing it back and forth among their defenders. Move forward! Jeez.

The second half was awesome though, great battles and back-and-forth. That was surgical from Japan in the final 10 minutes leading up to them finally equalizing in the 89th minute

Ah, I blew it. I gave up on the game before halftime.

Missed the 2nd half. Caught the last 10min.

Sounds like it turned into a great game in the 2nd half.

I thought it was one of the best halves probably in the whole tournament so far, maybe along with South Korea-Czech Republic 2nd half.

But yeah the first half was very boring

[Phantom255x]

Something I'm noticing, whether it's commentary or just online, people seem to really hate these mandatory hydration breaks. I don't mind them, I think they should have had these available for a while now just like having 5 substitutes instead of 3 (which they changed recently as well).

Today's commentators in the Japan-Netherlands game seemed irritated at the use of hydration breaks. It's mandatory every game to be fair to everyone since it might look weird if one game uses it but another doesn't, but their logic was the game was at AT&T Stadium which is indoors and air conditioned.

[ozgod]

Scottish (and English, Irish and Welsh) fans put us to shame when it comes to singing 

Here they are singing Flower of Scotland.
(click to play)

https://youtube.com/shorts/zkwxyllaVwE?si=Xej5MghNV2TkJl77

And Loch Lomond

(click to play)

https://youtube.com/shorts/6yo8eFKeKU4?si=QfkaUpkI0L8E200i

[Moranis]

Spain, Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.

[Phantom255x]

WHAT AN UPSET!

CABO VERDE DRAWS SPAIN, 0-0.

History for them, much kudos to their goalkeeper and the defense

[ozgod]

Spain looked pretty toothless despite taking 24 shots. This Cabo Verde side is the epitome of a battlers' team, they have a guy they found on LinkedIn who didn't even respond to them as he didn't understand the language, a 40 year old keeper playing in Portugal's second division, a mortgage advisor, and none of their 26 man squad play in any of the elite leagues but they held out the European champions for 90 minutes. As someone cheering for Spain as my second team for heritage reasons I'm gutted but happy for Cabo Verde, what a debut for a country of 600k

[ozgod]

With Belgium drawing with Egypt I believe the only European teams that have won have been Scotland, Germany and Sweden

[Phantom255x]

Not gonna lie I thought Egypt was hosed. That was a clear foul by the Belgium player at the edge of the box (looked inside to me) where he just tackled a guy with his hands and pushed him out of the way on a run where the Egyptian player was about to dribble close to the goal, yet the ref did nothing. The Egyptian manager was also livid about it and rightfully so

Should have been a penalty shot, or at least a free kick there right outside the box