FIFA World Cup.

[Non-Smoking Man]

World Cup football is open us.
Are we full of anticipation and excitement at seeing the best footballers playing for their countries rather than their clubs?

I will be watching the better games, especially towards the later stages.

I dont fancy England at all - these teams are generally preferred I believe:

Brazil
Argentina
France
Spain

This comp can be seen as a showcase for future Premiership talent. So it will be interesting to see who shines and what clubs take the bait.

Jack NSM

 

[myles]

Could it be Messi's time to drag Argentina to a big win?

 

[DIB]

I'm looking forward to it as I always do, but maybe with not the same intensity.

Call me old fashioned but the first World Cup I watched was in 1966 and the only players I knew were the England team (apart from Pele obviously). The other teams were a complete unknown, it made it more magical for me. To this day the one player (non-English) that I still remember was the Hungarian great Florian Albert. I didn't have a clue who he was but what a stylish player he was, he made such an impression on this 10 year old.

2022 winners? Argentina for me, but it's pretty open.

 

[Cambs12]

I won't be watching it ( and this has nothing to do with my country, Scotland, no being in it).
It is morally bankrupt to have this tournament in such a disgraceful country. To pretend there are not massive issues and just sit and enjoy football is wrong, imo.

 

[myles]

I won't be watching it ( and this has nothing to do with my country, Scotland, no being in it).
It is morally bankrupt to have this tournament in such a disgraceful country. To pretend there are not massive issues and just sit and enjoy football is wrong, imo.

You can sit and enjoy football without pretending there are not massive issues.

 

[Bazzer]

the only players I knew were the England team (apart from Pele obviously)

Eusebio ?

 

[garn63]

Think Jack's right. I expect the best performers to be South American or from warmer climbs. Will just enjoy the football whoever happens to be doing well.
Watch most games with the sound off & the music on. A music/football extravaganza for a while. A pleasant distraction from Xmas.

 

[Maverick]

England out in quarter finals is my prediction. As Stu says I am heavily conflicted about the whole thing.

 

[garn63]

Eusebio ?

A young Beckenbauer too.
Let's not forget Pickles the dog either ?

 

[DIB]

Never forget Pickles

 

[DIB]

Eusebio ?

Nope, I was only 9 in the build up ( and in those days the build up was nothing like today ) and I don't recall any talk about Eusebio. It was all Pele and the Brazilians. As it turned out they had the shit kicked out of them by the likes of Hungary and Portugal, as you could do in those days. Watch some of those games now and it's unbelievable what went on.

 

[Bazzer]

Nope, I was only 9 in the build up ( and in those days the build up was nothing like today ) and I don't recall any talk about Eusebio. It was all Pele and the Brazilians. As it turned out they had the shit kicked out of them by the likes of Hungary and Portugal, as you could do in those days. Watch some of those games now and it's unbelievable what went on.

I was 9 also , 10 when it started , I knew a few names Pele , Garrincha , Eusebio , Beckenbaur . I remember watching the North Koreans beating Portugal 3-0 and my mum taking me for a haircut , it was 5-3 to Portugal when I got back , Eusebio scored four .
Watched the WC Final on the beach in Perranporth , Cornwall where they had set up a TV on a tall stand .

 

[greybeard]

I was 9 also , 10 when it started , I knew a few names Pele , Garrincha , Eusebio , Beckenbaur . I remember watching the North Koreans beating Portugal 3-0 and my mum taking me for a haircut , it was 5-3 to Portugal when I got back , Eusebio scored four .
Watched the WC Final on the beach in Perranporth , Cornwall where they had set up a TV on a tall stand .

Fixed that for you !

 

[Bazzer]

Fixed that for you !

I already did , as soon as you liked my post I checked the spelling .

 

[greybeard]

 

[lazycat]

You can sit and enjoy football without pretending there are not massive issues.

Spoken like a true soccer fan. Which, I admit, I am not. But, for one....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60867042

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2016/03/qatar-world-cup-of-shame/

 

[DIB]

I was 9 also , 10 when it started , I knew a few names Pele , Garrincha , Eusebio , Beckenbaur . I remember watching the North Koreans beating Portugal 3-0 and my mum taking me for a haircut , it was 5-3 to Portugal when I got back , Eusebio scored four .
Watched the WC Final on the beach in Perranporth , Cornwall where they had set up a TV on a tall stand .

I wasn't far away myself, Pontins in Paignton. Flipping between the BBC room and the ITV room, all crowded around a small 27" TV

 

[DIB]

I was 9 also , 10 when it started , I knew a few names Pele , Garrincha , Eusebio , Beckenbaur . I remember watching the North Koreans beating Portugal 3-0 and my mum taking me for a haircut , it was 5-3 to Portugal when I got back , Eusebio scored four .
Watched the WC Final on the beach in Perranporth , Cornwall where they had set up a TV on a tall stand .

A good pub quiz question is name all the venues in 66. There's one that gets a lot of folks

PS: No Googling

 

[Bazzer]

A good pub quiz question is name all the venues in 66. There's one that gets a lot of folks

PS: No Googling

Well of course Goodison Park , not sure I have ever known the others bar Wembley .

 

[MVJ]

I won't be watching it ( and this has nothing to do with my country, Scotland, no being in it).
It is morally bankrupt to have this tournament in such a disgraceful country. To pretend there are not massive issues and just sit and enjoy football is wrong, imo.

Same here Stuart My eldest Son went out there on contract to supervise work on particular parts of the main stadium in Doha.

The safety of the workers meant absolutely nothing to the people in charge when he tried to get things improved he got on the wrong side of the bosses and as a result they cancelled the contract & sent him home.

The whole world cup is corrupt and anyone watching it is condoning it
but because it's football it's ok to turn a blind eye.