HF Habs: 2022 FIFA World Cup: Argentina World Cup Champs, France runner-up, Croatia 3rd, Morocco 4th

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

He has 25 goals and assists in 17 matches at PSG despite playing primarily has a provider. He's not done but he's definitely lost a step.


I've seen every PSG match this season and most last. Mbappe is spectacular but very selfish at PSG and he wastes so, so many prime opportunities. There's a reason he has been labelled egotistical.

It doesn't matter. Goals will always be at a premium, especially in soccer.

 

[Gravity]

It doesn't matter. Goals will always be at a premium, especially in soccer.

Well in that case Haaland is better than Mbappe who in turn is better than Messi and Neymar. Better conversion rate. I.e. Haaland is the best player in the world. Doesn't work that way.

Goals win games so in the hockey sense, Matthews is better than McDavid right?

The most important stat is goal contributions in football: goals and assists. Neymar and Messi are doing better than Mbappe in goal contributions, i.e. they're feeding him. This is evident during the games.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

France has been doing it for 30 years now.

You just kind of expect them to be contenders each time the world cup rolls around because that's just what they are.

They have made 4 of the last 7 world cup finals, and have only lost in that zidane headbutt game, and this one in penalty kicks.

It's insane. Canada needs to look at their development system, and copy it.

France has taken over from Brazil as the soccer power. The Cup goes through them.

 

[Natey]

It doesn't matter. Goals will always be at a premium, especially in soccer.

Exactly. You can be as selfish as you want if you're averaging nearly a goal per 90 minutes for your club.

 

[JunglePete]

Not at all surprised to see Argentina winning it, Called it for years

Copa America 2020-1

Congrats @Duchene2MacKinnon and Messi Thank you boss. Yesssssssssss Finally I lived to see Messi win a trophy with Argentina Argentina abused of Neymar and it was beautiful to see lmao Didn't think i would ever see it but wow honestly I'm at a loss for words. Messi finally won a major...

forums.hfboards.com

Ironic that Montiel scored the Cup winning penalty too.



Best WC I've seen. Messi winning his WC before he joins Miami, South American team winning it (in your face Mbappe), First time an active MLS player wins it, MLS referee at the finals.


I'm projecting myself in 2026 and say that Brazil gets in 2026.

 

[Natey]

I know. I meant he'll win one other amongst the next 3.


Yes he did. I just meant in the upcoming next 3. That team is too deep to be deprived of winning world cups.

There's one key difference though. With the change in format... one bad game could spell the end of you.

Now in theory, their group could be even easier than before, but both Argentina and France got shocked in this World Cup. If that happens in 2026... you might not make it through.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Well deserved for Messi. Love Mpabbé. Kid has about 3 more World Cups to go. He'll win one.

He already has.

 

[the valiant effort]

Well in that case Haaland is better than Mbappe who in turn is better than Messi and Neymar. Better conversion rate. I.e. Haaland is the best player in the world. Doesn't work that way.

Goals win games so in the hockey sense, Matthews is better than McDavid right?

No

 

[Whalers Fan]

There's one key difference though. With the change in format... one bad game could spell the end of you.

Now in theory, their group could be even easier than before, but both Argentina and France got shocked in this World Cup. If that happens in 2026... you might not make it through.

Actually, if FIFA goes with 12 groups of 4 for the group stage (as they are now heavily considering), it will be easier for teams to get through the group stage. The top 2 teams in each group will advance, plus the top 8 of 12 3rd place teams. However, with the knockout round starting with 32 teams, it means a team must win one more "win or go home" match to win the tournament.

I don't really like the idea of going to 48 teams. It's nothing more than a money grab, and just adds 16 countries that aren't really very good.

 

[le_sean]

Not at all surprised to see Argentina winning it, Called it for years

Copa America 2020-1

Congrats @Duchene2MacKinnon and Messi Thank you boss. Yesssssssssss Finally I lived to see Messi win a trophy with Argentina Argentina abused of Neymar and it was beautiful to see lmao Didn't think i would ever see it but wow honestly I'm at a loss for words. Messi finally won a major...

forums.hfboards.com

Ironic that Montiel scored the Cup winning penalty too.



Best WC I've seen. Messi winning his WC before he joins Miami, South American team winning it (in your face Mbappe), First time an active MLS player wins it, MLS referee at the finals.


I'm projecting myself in 2026 and say that Brazil gets in 2026.

I wouldn’t ever count Brazil out, but their two most important players - Neymar and Casemiro - will be 34. Unless Endrick is the second coming of Pele, I don’t see it happening. France’s core is far better at this point. Also Germany have a good chance of changing things around. Stop trying to rely on past players and hand the team over to Muisala, Adeyemi and Moukoko

 

[Fatbiggie]

Happy for Messi & . Great final with 2 legends going at it. I think we’re going to talk about that game for years.

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

Lionel Messi's achievements and trophies:

Lionel Messi - Titles & achievements

This statistic shows the achievements of Inter Miami CF player Lionel Messi.

www.transfermarkt.us

Disclaimer: be prepared to scroll...

 

[Natey]

Actually, if FIFA goes with 12 groups of 4 for the group stage (as they are now heavily considering), it will be easier for teams to get through the group stage. The top 2 teams in each group will advance, plus the top 8 of 12 3rd place teams. However, with the knockout round starting with 32 teams, it means a team must win one more "win or go home" match to win the tournament.

I don't really like the idea of going to 48 teams. It's nothing more than a money grab, and just adds 16 countries that aren't really very good.

Ah, I didn't hear about the new consideration. Last I heard was groups of 3.

I do like 48 teams. It will grow the game in smaller countries, IMO. With one more "win or go" home - it will also let upsets happen at a higher rate, which is huge fun for me.

I think they should have gave Europe a few more spots though. There are a ton of good European teams who miss out every round. Italy, Ukraine, Turkey, etc. Very decent squads.

 

[JianYang]

Ah, I didn't hear about the new consideration. Last I heard was groups of 3.

I do like 48 teams. It will grow the game in smaller countries, IMO. With one more "win or go" home - it will also let upsets happen at a higher rate, which is huge fun for me.

I think they should have gave Europe a few more spots though. There are a ton of good European teams who miss out every round. Italy, Ukraine, Turkey, etc. Very decent squads.

It's going to dilute the group stage intrigue quite a bit.

It also will make the qualifiers less exciting.

It will still be a spectacle because it is still the world cup, but it will never be the same.

 

[RealityBytes]

Worst World Cup ever.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Worst World Cup ever.

...said no one. Probably the best WC final I've ever seen and that's including the infamous Zidane headbutt in 06

 

[Habs Icing]

It's insane. Canada needs to look at their development system, and copy it.

France has taken over from Brazil as the soccer power. The Cup goes through them.

Vox made a docu on Fance's soccer program. If I can find it I will post it here.

I don't know if Canada can emulate France's program. They're very centralized. Canada is too big and too fractious to have a centralized system.

EDIT: found it.

 

[1909]

I hate those shootouts (kicks) in Championships games. Would you be at ease that a Stanley Cup would be won that way ? They should just play sudden death. The first team who scores it extra time (after the 90 minutes+time) wins it !

 

[JianYang]

I hate those shootouts (kicks) in Championships games. Would you be at ease that a Stanley Cup would be won that way ? They should just play sudden death. The first team who scores it extra time (after the 90 minutes+time) wins it !

In soccer, you could potentially go on until the players can no longer run and still have nothing to show for it.

So I understand the need to end it in another way. However, the shame on this match is that it seemed a goal was imminent had they continued playing. The chances were crazy.

One change I'd probably make is to change extra time to golden goal. In this case, messi would have ended the match on extra time with the gwg, and we avoid the penalty kicks altogether.

 

[le_sean]

In soccer, you could potentially go on until the players can no longer run and still have nothing to show for it.

So I understand the need to end it in another way. However, the shame on this match is that it seemed a goal was imminent had they continued playing. The chances were crazy.

One change I'd probably make is to change extra time to golden goal. In this case, messi would have ended the match on extra time with the gwg, and we avoid the penalty kicks altogether.

They did golden goal before. Everyone hated it. This made for a far more exciting game.

 

[Natey]

It's going to dilute the group stage intrigue quite a bit.

It also will make the qualifiers less exciting.

It will still be a spectacle because it is still the world cup, but it will never be the same.

I mean, I don't see how it'll make qualifiers less exciting. It's like 2 more teams from each nation. Growing interest in countries who never make it will be huge. The World Cup was huge for Canada's growth of soccer over the past 4 years and that's without getting results. It'll be equally big for other nations.

They did golden goal before. Everyone hated it. This made for a far more exciting game.

Golden goal is just very unhealthy unless we start increasing subs, etc.

I wouldn't mind if we increased extra time an extra 5 minutes per half (20 minutes), but that's about it.

 

[Whalers Fan]

They did golden goal before. Everyone hated it. This made for a far more exciting game.

Exactly. In theory, you would think it would work better, but in practice too often both sides played very conservatively and you just ended up with 30 boring minutes of extra time before going to penalty kicks.

Sudden death works for the NHL, but hockey is a much different sport.

 

[Garo]

...said no one.

Nah a lot of people said it, not quite because of the games though

 

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

That save though at the 120th minute?!?!

And then go and get 2 saves in the PS's... That's clutch!

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Nah a lot of people said it, not quite because of the games though

For me it had better storylines than recent WCs, more goals, more upsets, more heroics, and a better quality of game. If you're eluding to everything off the pitch, you have a point but I don't really care about that as much when assessing the quality of the tournament