World Cup 2018 - No Match Discussions

Wow. US got eliminated by Trinidad and Tobago tonight. Won’t make the World Cup for the first time since 1986. Blow it all up.

Might as well tank for a top draft pick.

This sucks. I just saw this on my local news.

Still, there should be lots of interesting underdog teams to root for in the World Cup. Oh yeah, and this one is in Russia, right? I wonder if they’re going to have venues in weird faraway places, like Vladivostok and maybe a town in Syberia somewhere.

Go Iceland!

Perfect metaphor for the Trump era…sunk by an own goal.

Argentina was really close to not qualifying, too, but they have a certain brilliant player among their ranks…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY_wB8sIU4A

No USA, no Holland…Argentina barely makes it in…

Now I need a team to root for. I’d say England, but c’mon. That can only lead to heartbreak.

So I’m going with the Red Devils, since Alderweireld and Vertonghen start for them, and Dembele might see some play time. You my boys now, Belgium. #COYS

It’s got to be Iceland right?

Nah. I’ve got no connection to them. Plus, they’re not going to sneak up on anyone this time around.

Much rather cheer for a team with players from a club I support. That could be England (Kane, Alli, Trippier, Dier, Winks) but c’mon. Cheering for England in the World Cup is like cheering for the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I don’t need that kind of sad disappointment.

So Belgium it is. I like the way they play, uptempo and attacking. They combine playing as a side together and individual skill beautifully.

South Korea has been a reliable side for me to root for as underdogs who sometimes do really well.

I’ve rooted for Argentina every World Cup I’ve watched, and it always results in heartbreak, but oh such sweet excitement before the heart break sometimes.

Cameroon and England were both really fun to root for in the 1990 World Cup, and they both went far. It’s a shame that they ended up playing each other, but it made for such a great match.

Costa Rica is usually fun to root for. Very aggressive play. Are they in this year?

France as underdogs were fun to root for both times they made deep runs with Zidane. It’s a shame how that second run ended though.

Sometimes teams emerge that were never on my radar, like Iceland in the last Euro cup, and Bulgaria in the 1994 World Cup. I’m sure there will be some more of those.

As a Belgian, I approve of this choice as welcome you to the Red Devils cheering squad. :)

Do I go with “De Rode Duivels”, or “Les Diables Rouges” or “Die Roten Teufel” though?!? Rooting for the Oraantje was a bit easier. ;)

They do seem like the they’ll at least be able to give Germany a run from European sides. Their qualifying campaign has been amazing to watch.

Sunk by an opening own goal. Sounds about right for the USMNT this year.

US Soccer should lower the men’s team compensation levels to those of the Women’s National Team from a couple of years ago (which was basically next to nothing). They should remain there until the Men’s team can win their way back into a World Cup in 4 years. In the meantime, they can use all the extra money to give bonuses to the USWNT when they win Olympic and World Cup matches.

“Looking back, it was probably a mistake for the USMNT not to campaign in Michigan and Wisconsin.”

–gallows humor from a Fox Sports exec on his facebook page. They paid about $200b for US broadcast rights for the 2018 WC.

Well, yeah, $200 billion is a lot of money. And I highly doubt it was $200 billion. That’s Pentagon money.

Awwww man. ESPN used to be terrible in the beginning, but I really enjoyed their coverage over the last few World Cups. They had it down.

Now we get to see Fox Sports fumble around.

The worst part of the stories from them missing the Cup is all the pictures of Christian Pulisic being associated with it because it was definitely NOT on him that they didn’t get there. He’s the best soccer player to come from this country since Tim Howard IMO. He was brilliant on Friday. He was mugged on Tuesday.

I’m so fed up with nationalism at the moment I’m going to support England’s opponents in every match in the next WC. I supported Wales in the last Euros.

and Im boycotting Qatar because of slavery.

Yeah im not a fun person to invite to watch a footy game.

Arenas is out.

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/world/article184409918.html

Holy shit you guys. Is this some kind of hoax? I still don’t believe it.