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.
Germany should concede 3 goals. Take Spain out with themselves. 😉
Spain delighted with the loss :D
Amazing that Germany went out. Really thought Japan had blown it with the Costa Rica loss.
It's all part of the master plan - thoroughly under the radar for 2026!
Brilliant to see the happiness of the Japanese fans and players, total joy. Amazing achievement to finish top in that group.
Spain had 83% possession I heard Ray Houghton say. Great result for Japan. Great WC. Fans seem to be mixing as well. Saw a Spaniard wearing a Japan headband.
World cup has come alive the past two days, wow.
Imagine losing to Costa Rica yet beating Spain and Germany!
Spain need a new game plan because they never really looked like breaking down Japan in that second half. And passing the ball around the back is needlessly causing them pressure.
Yeah they were so poor v Costa Rica wasn’t it five changes they made for that match?
They've so much pace on the counter, really seem to do better against better teams... and everyone they'll face from now on is a better team. Soooo... Japan for the world cup?! 😅
Taking off Morata was a seriously stupid decision. He was Exactly what they needed.
I don’t buy the romance of the minmows getting through to the knockouts (unless it’s Ireland of course). I want to see the big hitters in the knockouts and quality games not the minnows stuck on their own 18yard box. I know they scored goals and beat whomever to get through but still, they’re nobody’s and that’s that.
Japan v Croatia or Spain v Morroco doesn’t exactly get the aul juices flowing.
Ok... what's an "Isaac Whispering Program"?
Was wondering the same myself?
i just saw that Japan winner and in real time the ball looked out. I’m slow mo it was a mile out! That’s ridiculous……
Seems to pop up when people type 'e x a c t l y'?
Wow! Should that Japanese goal have been allowed? Over the line or not?
One match on the TV, one on the RTE player 9n my iPad.😎
I’d be a Spain fan, but you have to love the Japanese attitude, and the enthusiasm of their crowd. Having said that, the winner looked very dodgy, and looking at the replay on RTE again, it was definitely out.
I don’t get this, part of the sphere that’s in the air ? It’s always been, is the whole of the ball over the line, and it was.
Honestly, to me, it looks like the edge of the ball is still just about above the edge of the line rather than past it... like, I think a topdown image would maybe show the edge of the ball breaking the line
The Adidas ball has a sensor in could that be used to say if the ball was fully over the line or not along with goal line tech.
It does look like the ball was completely out.
Peter Walton saying the curvature of the ball is taken into account. It's not necessarily the part of the ball touching the ground. Souness is losing it in the studio saying no international broadcaster has been shown the evidence on a camera angle.
Someone show this to RTE please.
Yeah, this is it ... it looks close enough to the line that the balls full silhouette might well break it.
Very tight either way of course, and inconclusive from what we've seen so far, but I can understand the decision.
Germany screwed.
Agreed.
The only other manager I can think of that could match him in spoofer stakes was Andre Villas Boas.
I guess the answer is yes:)
Itv are going on a bit too much about a conspiracy here.
They have shown two angles available to them, the clearest angle which is near enough dead on shows that the whole of the ball does not appear to be over the line.
Am I imagining things?
AVB has titles of note to his name.
Martinez is an utter charlatan in comparison.
Looks well in to me, not well out. Everyone acting like it was far out man
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