2022 FIFA World Cup - Qatar, November 21-December 18

[parochial boy]

I just left my gas stove on for an hour, to increase carbon emissions to eventually drown out the D*tch.

Be careful what you wish for. That would be quite an effective way of making the EU a lot more left wing.

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

Canada is an improving soccer nation, which I think is generally known, but I don't know that anybody knows this: the parallels between the U.S soccer team of 1990 and this Canadian team, with a few differences.

Canada has a lot of talent, just some areas need to be improved (like defence). Offensively, they're good. They also didn't have luck on their side. They should've won to Belgium.

They will be automatically qualified next time as co-hosts and do great in 2026.

Defence/defensive midfield was definitely the weak spot, and Herdman will have to find good successors to Hutchinson, Vitoria and Borjan in net. Johnston and potentially Miller getting a move to Europe will help them improve.

This Canada team has always been better on the attack, but Jonathan David really didn't show up in this tournament, which was a huge disappointment, an in-form David could have beaten Belgium. It's hard to ignore the fact that Alphonso Davies is by far the best player on this team, but he's not the guy you should be relying on for goals - dropping him back a bit and playing him as more of a playmaker might have helped David and Larin shine as strikers, because those guys are very good, but you need to let them do what they do best. Letting him take the penalty instead of David is emblematic of that. Alphonso is great, but he's not a natural striker, and it showed in how poorly he took that kick.

But yeah, with defensive reinforcements and a bit more cohesive attack, 2026 could see Canada in the knockouts. This is undoubtedly a talented generation, special shoutout to Eustaquio and Buchanan as well who definitely have time to get much better.

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

Good on the Aussies for playing their hearts out to the very end. They easily could have taken Argentina to ET which would have been a huge upset in its own right.

[Donerail]

I just left my gas stove on for an hour, to increase carbon emissions to eventually drown out the D*tch.

Be careful! We need enough to flood the D*tch, for sure, but we can't risk damaging our beloved nation of SENEGAL

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

England will score first against Senegal, concede a sloppy goal late in the game, causing every Englishman from Cornwall to Carlisle to turn redder than a ripe tomato as he compiles a list of racial slurs to abuse players with. Then Senegal concedes a penalty in ET, Harry Kane scores, and chants of "it's coming 'ome" fill the stadium. Following this, IKEA Qatar instructs all their stores to immediately shut down and evacuate their employees to a safe distance.

Mark my words! England 2-1 Senegal AET

As for France vs Poland, it's gotta be a decent win for France. Poland got lucky that Mexico was unusually weak this time around, the Poles have not played well at all. If they play the way they did against Argentina, 2-0 to France would be a lucky escape

[NewYorkExpress]

While I'm not surprised we lost to the Netherlands, I'm surprised we weren't more competitive. We should have been more competitive, and I wouldn't be shocked if Greg Berhalter is no longer the Head Coach after the World Cup.

I'd suggest bringing in a Jesse Marsch or possibly a Steve Cherundulo (Head Coach at LAFC) ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

[Benjamin Frank]

Predictions:
England 2 Senegal 0
France 1 Poland 0

[Meclazine for Israel]

[Fight for Trump]

I'd suggest bringing in a Jesse Marsch or possibly a Steve Cherundulo (Head Coach at LAFC) ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Jesse Marsch is well-spoken and intelligent, but his biggest achievement has been getting jobs. If the US wants to achieve things, they need to hire managers who have achieved things beyond just getting the job. And plus, the sport in the US needs Jesse Marsch to keep getting good clubs jobs in Europe to pave the way for others.

Trapattoni in his later years was willing to work for Salzburg and Ireland despite having a 24 karat resume - that is the caliber the USSF needs to aim for, and maybe an Italian is the way to go.

[Meclazine for Israel]

The Champions make it look easy.

Mbappe Goal

https://fb.watch/hdFa_WM1Ar/

His two goals were next level. France will go deep into this tournament if he keeps up this form.

[Benjamin Frank]

Predictions:
Croatia 2 Japan 0
Brazil 2 South Korea 0

There have been 14 goals in the 4 knock-out games, many more than I've predicted, but I continue to predict low scoring games.

There were 120 goals in the 48 group stage games, for an exact average of 2.5 goals per game.

[Logical]

That was one of the most dreadful set of penalties I've ever seen.

[Fight for Trump]

That was one of the most dreadful set of penalties I've ever seen.

Up there with England at the Euros. 🤣 (minus Maguire, who took a great penalty, tbf)

[Mike88]

That was one of the most dreadful set of penalties I've ever seen.

Well, pace yourself because tomorrow there could be more.

[buritobr]

Only 2 games in this Round of 16 is between equals, no upsets, hard to predict the winner

Japan vs Croatia
Portugal vs Switzerland

The first of these games was decided in the penalty shoots

[buritobr]

Except the defeat against Argentina in 1990 (a tragedy we remember until today) and the penalty shoots against Chile in 2014 (if we have lost, the 7 X 1 could have been avoided), the Round of 16 for the Brazilian squad is like the 4th game of the First Round. Since Brazil is always a seeded squad in the draw and is always the first of the group, always plays against a runner up in the Round of 16. Brazil usually plays against a super power in the soccer only in the Round of 8.

The history of Brazilian squad in the Round of 16
1986: Brazil 4 X 0 Poland
1990: Brazil 0 X 1 Argentina
1994: Brazil 1 X 0 USA
1998: Brazil 4 X 1 Chile
2002: Brazil 2 X 0 Belgium
2006: Brazil 3 X 0 Ghana
2010: Brazil 3 X 0 Chile
2014: Brazil 1 X 1 Chile
2018: Brazil 2 X 0 Mexico
2022: Brazil 4 X 1 South Korea

[buritobr]

In the history of the World Cups, Brazil played once against North Korea and once against South Korea

2010
Brazil 2 X 1 North Korea

2022
Brazil 4 X 1 South Korea

Brazil scored twice as much goals in the South Korea as in North Korea

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

In the history of the World Cups, Brazil played once against North Korea and once against South Korea

2010
Brazil 2 X 1 North Korea

2022
Brazil 4 X 1 South Korea

Brazil scored twice as much goals in the South Korea as in North Korea

Glorious Turkmenistan has never lost a match to Brazil

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

Both matches tomorrow have a decent potential for an upset, if we can call Switzerland beating Portugal an upset. Morocco beating Spain certainly would be one, but I don't think you can totally count out Morocco either.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

A bit late, but LOL.

[Benjamin Frank]

Predictions:
Switzerland 1 Portugal 1, Switzerland wins PK
Spain 1 Morocco 1, Spain wins PK

Morocco is the last chance for a non European/non South American side to advance to the next round.

[MillennialModerate]

Would love to see England win it but like the 21 Euros they usually find a way to let it slip through their fingers. Plus the small matter of other teams being more talented.

The upcoming game with France will be special

[Meclazine for Israel]

Would love to see England win it but like the 21 Euros they usually find a way to let it slip through their fingers. Plus the small matter of other teams being more talented.

The upcoming game with France will be special

Mbappe is in red hot form.

[Fight for Trump]

Would love to see England win it but like the 21 Euros they usually find a way to let it slip through their fingers. Plus the small matter of other teams being more talented.

This World Cup has been typical England so far - smashing vastly outclassed teams, misleading scorelines that paper over major weaknesses - and now it's time to play a real team.

[Fight for Trump]

Morocco team prayer after match. 😍