2018 FIFA World Cup

[clakclak]

I was sad to see the English fail, but Croatia vs France should make for a fun final.

[Mightysword]

I wonder what's going on Kalinic's mind right now. Imagine missing a once a life time chance to represent your country because you couldn't reign in your ego.

[Len5]

Infantino said this was the best World Cup ever and thus came to the conclusion that his predictions came true.
He also spoke for everyone when he told Putin that we all fell in love with Russia.

Really no shame at all. Everyone would clearly recognize this puppet-show, still they went through with it.

[Hank001]

Viva la France.
4 to 2 over Croatia.

Who would have thought?

I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

World Cup 2018: France beat Croatia 4-2 in World Cup final - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44754965

[RegisterMe]

...Croatia deserved to win...

This kind of statement is one of the things that turns me off football. Pundits in particular (not picking on you, RegisterMe, just using as an example) often talk about who 'deserved to win' like football is marked out of 10 by judges. It's not. It's a game of tactics and skill where the 'better' team (a team with more skill & strength) can lose if their opposition plays tactically better, or even just gets lucky.

Well, just to poke fun at Rapier, France deserved to win this one . That Mbappe is brilliant, and terrifying, and yet still incomplete and unfinished. If he can avoid injury he's going to be one of the greats.

And thank you Russia, that was a fantastic World Cup.

[Hank001]

RegisterMe congratulates:

And thank you Russia, that was a fantastic World Cup.

I second that. After a shaky start Russia did a commendable
hosting job. When they come (If were still here) to the US I
doubt we'll do as well.

[Rapier]

That Mbappe is brilliant, and terrifying, and yet still incomplete and unfinished. If he can avoid injury he's going to be one of the greats.

So was Michael Owen, once.

I quite like this take on the presentation ceremony: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44840943

[RegisterMe]

It was odd, yeah, but I thought the Croatian president did herself and her country proud.


EDIT: Quite some storm too .

[Bishop149]

So that's it?
We have determined who the best football team is and no more football is required for at least a generation? Please?


Turns out I didn't watch a single match. I almost watch England's semi-final but in the end decided I had better things to do and instead resolved to watch the final if they made it through. The England team chose to absolve me of that obligation.

[pjknibbs]

So that's it?
We have determined who the best football team is and no more football is required for at least a generation?

Depends...are generations only 4 years long as far as you're concerned? (And that's ignoring the European Cup).

[Bishop149]

Depends...are generations only 4 years long as far as you're concerned? (And that's ignoring the European Cup).

The generation time for a professional footballer is an interesting question, how long is the average player good enough to be worthy of inclusion in the world cup team? I'd imagine its longer than 4 years, I remember the England squad being essentially immutable for most of my youth . . . ~8-10 years? It also likely varies a fair bit by position, in particular Goalie. They seem to have very long careers.

To switch to a completely different sport, the 100m sprint. Usain Bolt winning gold at 2 consecutive Olympics and thus having maintained top form for at least 4 years (likely longer) was considered very impressive, three is (currently) considered impossible. I'd fascinated to see if this actually held up but sadly he retired.

[Ezarkal]

Back to the poll options, I'd like to add my own, just for fun's sake:
-"I'll lock myself inside of a small prison complex and throw away the key"
... which is more or less what I did.

I had an "escape from the room" activity during the match. It was prison themed.
We "escaped" in time for the second half though, so all in all, despite my best efforts, I have to admit I failed to be unexposed to the match.