Thread to discuss the football itself.
This is not a thread to discuss the hosting of the competition in Quatar.
You can discuss the hosting in the relevant thread.
Richarlson is a headless chicken.
Jesus should replace him.
The hatred towards Neymar from these RTE commentators is ridiculous. Gets yanked to the ground and they're claiming he dived.
Not one mention of the original Ronaldo? Tut tut, lads.
It was the year Brazil won it 2002 - found the team from the England match QF.
Marcos, Roque Junior, Lucio, Edmilson, Cafu, Gilberto, Ronaldinho, Kleberson, Carlos, Ronaldo, Rivaldo.
Subs: Belleti, Ceni, Denilson, Dida, Edilson, Juninho Paulista, Junior, Kaka, Luizao, Polga, Ricardinho, Vampeta
—
The back fellas and forwards were the stars. I suppose you could argue the midfield was ‘functional’?
Nah....Lucio, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Juninho..... that team was stacked to high heavens.
They had Denilson on the bench who was a baller, was used as a sub though.
Just checked his Leeds record, 17 goals in 65 games, roughly a goal every 4 games, might have been good enough to help them avoid relegation, but not much else.
The year they beat England?
Trying to remember back, I know if you had the likes of Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, you'd think they'd be filled with flair, but I also think they had a lot of journeymen too in the squad.
What year was the one with Ronaldinho Rivalado Cafu ? that was Brazilian flair in my head anyway.
The one with David Luiz and Fred was a disaster anyway. I remember a Brazilian fella talking about them to me unable to hide his disgust at Fred in particular.
He was Leeds' top scorer and they would have been relegated without him.
Been thinking back, was the last real flair filled Brazil team 1986?
Since then they have been very European like in their approach.
Have to agree all there big names are past there best ,
How in the world Richarlison starts is beyond me ,
How is Raphinha on the Brazil team ? Very poor player, can't finish, was awful when he was at Leeds.
Brazil look like they good do with Firmino to open up the space for others up front, Can't believe wasn't brought as a different option
What a terribly boring match. Serbia so wasteful with the ball
Bit surprised Mitro is playing: would it not make sense to make sure he is fully recovered for the do or die later group games. Maybe they think a match would bring on his fitness even if they don't realistically expect to get a result...
Carrying them to what ?
They were very average in 2014 and Thiago Silva was far more the loss in the semi.
Someone said a serious looking Brazil team
I think it's the weakest they have ever had. Outside of Vini Jr who has had a couple of great seasons. Neymar always flatters to deceive. Paqueta looks average at West Ham. Raphina doing OK at Barca.
Then you have Richarlison and Casemiro, not playing well of late.
Left back Alex Sandro rarely plays for Juve.
Old CBs.
Can't see them winning the tournament.
As each WC passes, the Brazilians have less and less flair. They play just like every other team.
Even in the Brazil team I think. Alves for example. Although in fairness to Neymar he was carrying Brazil in 2014.
They look very pumped up - could be a lot of yellow cards
Yeah Neymar is the Lewis Hamilton of soccer. One of those modern day sporting divas that loves themselves.
Reckon the Serbs win this.
Seems to be a fair few South African fans appearing at matches - I only noticed because I want to make sure I don’t miss some fella with a Mayo jersey or ‘Mayo 4 Sam’ sign.
Fair play to Tony O’D mentioning that Ronaldo is a diver and just dived for pen to Didi when he was going on about Neymar -took the words out of my mouth
Cause of that big Liverpool vs PSG rivalry 🤔
I'm an AC Milan fan who gates Neymar so interesting to see your dot connect for that one.
Oh I'm really not a fan of his divey whiny nonsense, and definitely find him a tough watch, but that's not what I'm talking about.
He's a much worse fella off the football field than he is on it. He's a staunchly outspoken far right-winger, throwing all his support firmly behind (former) extreme right-wing president Bolsonaro. Also kept throwing these massive parties during Covid with hundreds of people, at it's harshest time, when Brazil was really struggling (the right-wing Bolsonaro position was that covid was no big deal). And of course had his contract cancelled by Nike for sexual assault of one of their employees. Which obviously was a huge deal for Nike to have done, given how they've tried to have every big Brazil player for the past few decades. He's just a massively rubbish fella basically.
(I've a lot of Brazilian friends, and connections through work, so end up in the middle of all their discussions over the past few years - hugely divided country right now, primarily because of people like Neymar and Bolsonaro)
Your a Liverpool fan if I'm not mistaken so to make it relevant to that, how is Neymar more detestable as a human than Luis Suarez for example?
Just making the assumption it isn't the character or lack of, of a player that would be the determining factor in whether you can get behind a team or not, know what I mean?
how so?
I doubt that's it tbf
Not sure you will ever see Cancelo have a worse game.
Plenty to work on for Portugal, but they got the 3 points and their forwards got among the goals so I suppose you have to say job done.
What was the keeper thinking at the end 🙈
Ghana showed enough at times that if they were let loose or played with a bit more belief they could cause problems for Uruguay who were no great shakes either
