Official 2018 FIFA World Cup Thread.
 

The most popular tournament in the world has finally come to a reality after 4 long years. 32 teams battle it out for the once every four year tournament known as the FIFA World Cup.

USA Eliminated from the World Cup, and did not qualify for the tournament for the first time since 1986. USA plans and vows to be back as a power house for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

USA, Mexico, and Canada will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with USA hosting 60 of the 80 matches. Below is a link for the 2026 possible venues for play, Arrowhead being one of the possibility's as a venue for the cup.

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/wor...da-going-to-be

Obligatory "soccer sucks" post.

I will post updates on who is eliminated in the OP so its easier for people to follow along.

Since the Republic of Ireland didn't qualify I'm rooting for - Group A - Russia
Group B - Spain
Group C - Denmark
Group D - Argentina
Group E - Brazil
Group F - Sweden
Group G - England
Group H - Japan
to advance. Anybody but France!

Ronaldoooooooooo with the late free kick

Go England, Croatia, Poland and Russia!

I don't get it.

lol poor people sports

The logo looks like the aliens from They Live.

http://www.stickpng.com/assets/image...1e0ad75b3f.png

https://www.trickortreatstudios.com/...ve_Front_6.png

Which may be the most interesting thing in the history of soccer.

Portugal-Spain was exciting. Too bad, all those scrub teams are allowed in.

drying paint got a nice ass

It's really insane that they're EXPANDING the field in 2026.

Just take the top 32 teams in the rankings.

Screw this idea of taking teams from every continent.

I think that means soccer is dumb and boring.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!

It was a very good goal.

Great game but I was rooting for SPAIN!

The FIFA rankings are already corrupt enough as is, this is a terrible idea.

NCAA basketball coaches should vote on the FIFA rankings

LMAO

I’ll never root for those Putin loving Ruskies!

A VAR [booth replay] penalty kick awarded!!

Sloppy, but compelling in a chaotic way.
AUS immediately answer when a FRA defender [handball] punches a cross OOB like he was Dekembe Mutombo blocking a PG's layup.

One of the most low-key, flukey appearing, yet bordering on epic, goals I've seen in a while.

Semi-equivalent of Lebron nonchalantly tossing the ball over his shoulder from half court tied at halftime and swishing it at the buzzer.

French striker gets the narrowest of windows at the 18 with a bounding pass into center. Gets a quick toe flick on it and the ball rockets right over the goalkeep, clangs off the top bar and down into goal. Zip, boom, bam, . . . even took a second for the commentators to even register what happened.

EDIT - url to vid - https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/vid...urce=share_url

Really? How so? I am curious.

God I love the artistry of a buildup goal.

Argentina with all the momentum and a goal lead, then a miscue on the midfield wing.

Iceland strings together a ton of masterful passes, and settles into goalfront pressure quickly, . . . until one of the crosses connects and just like that it's tied.

Lots to soak in and enjoy.

EDIT: The more I watch, the more impressed I am by Iceland's facility in creating opportunities.

I don't believe, . . . what I just saw!!

Messi with a half-hearted grunt at a PK, blocked. . . WTF?!?!

Last minute free kick, right outside 18!!

Messi - right into wall, whistle blows. Game. Draw.

Argentina built themselves a mountain to climb for the rest of the Cup.

Iceland is underrated. They crushed European qualifiers. I hate their style but they get results.

Lol Messi is a midget pillowbiter

He wishes he could be a real alpha like Ronaldo

That had to have been frustrating for Argentina. Looked like Iceland had no intention of playing any type of offense.

Their height and sized really worked to their advantage too.

Manlets, when will they learn?

Fox Sports update just stated that Iceland “Took Out” Argentina, yet followed up with a 1-1 score announcement.

Can you guys explain what they meant please?

Christiano Ronaldo had a hat trick vs Spain in his first game.

He’s one of the greats

ARG is top 5 and a favorite. ICE is rising fast, but still only rose from mid-100s to mid-20s in ranking.

In the Cup format, this tie severely hampers ARG going forward.

Like if the Chiefs were late in the season on the verge in a tight race for a playoff spot, then we tie in prime time at home to Cleveland.

FIFA rankings don't really mean anything so I would not use them as a rubric. Like at all.

Iceland finished first in the European qualifiers in a group that had Turkey and Croatia. Croatia is a very high quality team with a bunch of really good players and a couple of superstars.

Iceland also beat England in Euro 2016 to reach the quarterfinals.

They are a good team. I didn't understand Fox's coverage of them.

Argentina may still win this WC, but I honestly think they blew their wad in 2014. They're aging now. Also, I feel like Argentina's teams of late 90's to mid 2000's were their historic best.

Skill-wise, Messi is the GOAT. CR7 is clutch as ****, though. Messi is the Lebron James to Ronaldo's Michael Jordan.

Before you go HAM, you might note that I was EXPLAINING Fox's headline, not defending it.

The Fox Sports commentary team is bordering on farcical.

"Ah joo tawkin, TO MEEE?!?"

"Oh Lawd, this is quite the tenses."

Shot!! Obah day crosbah!!

EDIT: And the play-by-play guy has an annoying quirk of calling throw-ins handballs.

That was surprisingly entertaining. I had no idea Peru had this kind of quality.

Peru is very good. Shame they missed a lot of opportunities. Uphill battle to get out of that group now

**** Croatia.
Bunch of racist shitheads.

??

Croatia say, no. **** you!!

Thank you.

That was a good call in the box, unfortunately it's only made when the official feels like it. I guess Croatia got the official on a good day (for them), because that happens on most corners these days. But an "accurate" call nonetheless.

Rooting for Croatia and against England and Mexico

I put 50 on Poland to win it all. Payout is $2500. I am not sure if I am just throwing money away, but people say they are a dark horse for the tournament, have a Star front line, and a solid all around the board roster. Thoughts?

I wouldn't even put 50 on Poland to change a friggin light bulb!!!!

All those party’s those countries have going on look too cool. I think I am definitely going to plan a trip to Europe during a World Cup, perhaps when they host it again, just to experience the party atmosphere

I hope Triple is joking, but Germany/Spain is tough to overrule.

I'd love any of about 4-5 other teams to put up a great fight, but you gotta figure those two will be last men standing.

I am not! haha. I really liked the videos I watched about their chances at the cup. One video I watched, said they see Polands chances of winning the cup similar to Belgium or Portugal's. A quarterfinals type of team, that could maybe get a hot streak.

I bet qatar in 2022 will be off the chain!

Can't rouse myself to give a care with no USA in the group stage.

The Viking clap is cool.

Funny, at 25:30 of the DEN/PER game, the commentators says if they called these "in the box" lock-ups, there would be 5-6 PKs a game. Well dude, the Croatians are happy that one was called! LOL!

I definitely agree to an extent. The FIFA World Cup is one of the few times I drop everything and watch soccer, mainly for the USA.

I am more focusing on just enjoying the beauty of the game, seeing what countries have upcoming stars for the 2022 Cup and it’s likely this will be Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup.

Germany and Mexico tomorrow morning.

Should be good.

Germany will win by six Gooooooooooooals!

Where’s Sergio Dipp

He's at the dry cleaners picking up the Germany teams uniforms.

Germany playing like shit but I wonder how long Mexico will last before breaking down. They've been running full speed on counters pretty much the entire first half. Better hope they get some legs under them at halftime or it could be a blood bath.

C'mon Germany, don't lose to freaking Mexico.

One thing I've noticed about watching international soccer, premier league, and La Liga is that the equatorial players are the biggest floppers.

"Soccer officials" should be brought in to defend the calls/non-calls in the box. The Geman dude clearly dragged-down the Mexican in the box, it was a clear attempt to disrupt a very possible scoring play, no call.

Perhaps the most consistently subjective play.call in sports.

Germany deserves to lose this game. Playing so lazy.

I really dont understand how Ozil still makes the national team. Everytime he's out there it's like watching one of the least impactful attacking midfielders.

Wow. Shocker right there boys..

I guess Meh-he-hoe tore down that wall! LMAO

Tough game. Bet $50 on germany 1st half and $100 on them in the 2nd half...

other than pass interference.

Bad day for the world.

Build that wall!

I say this every world cup, but soccer in english is so ****ing boring. The commentators have no life. I watched the Mexico game in spanish, i have no ****ing idea what they said, but it was so much more exciting.

Sooo thrilling!

Because of a Soccer game? You will get over it there sport!

Mexico won.
Goddamnit.....

Will Neymar seize the moment?

Mexico are the Raiders of international soccer.