World Cup: 2018 FIFA World Cup

[Eisen]

Oh dear...

Rakitic: I'll get a forehead tattoo if Croatia win World Cup

He doesn't need to get a job after he retires. That's fine.
But he leaves a cheap cop out saying that he has to ask his wife. Yeah, like she'll agree. She would laugh every time they are getting intimate. Romantically closing in for the kiss, one of the last things she sees will be whatever drivel he decides to get there. I know I would crack up. It's good as well if you don't want to be taken serious by anyone in your life ever again, including your children.

 

[Live in the Now]

It appears nobody caught this at the time. Subasic kicked it onto the post.

 

[Evilo]

He doesn't need to get a job after he retires. That's fine.
But he leaves a cheap cop out saying that he has to ask his wife. Yeah, like she'll agree. She would laugh every time they are getting intimate. Romantically closing in for the kiss, one of the last things she sees will be whatever drivel he decides to get there. I know I would crack up. It's good as well if you don't want to be taken serious by anyone in your life ever again, including your children.

Have you seen his wife? I'd trade 4 WC trophies for marrying her if I were him (well in theory, because my wife's much better )

 

[Evilo]

It appears nobody caught this at the time. Subasic kicked it onto the post.

Wow, no hadn't caught it. That's the save that put them through.

 

[Corto]

Wow, no hadn't caught it. That's the save that put them through.

Yep. Save of the tournament.

I don't really care about the Golden Glove, and anyone saying Lloris should get it is fine in my book (Lloris has been excellent, big saves at key times), but Subasic more than did his bid. Penalty saves, playing on one leg vs Russia, and some other big timely saves, he's been a hero.

 

[Legionnaire]

Okay. So here's the question. Which game to go to the pub? British pub, England fan. vs World Cup Final. Note both are not an option due to the early ass drinking hour here. 7am

 

[Legionnaire]

Meh. It's gotta be the final. Plus, I waited a little to late to call an Uber.

 

[gary69]

Oh dear...

Rakitic: I'll get a forehead tattoo if Croatia win World Cup

Is the tattoo about Rack"i"t i t s?

 

[gary69]

Have you seen his wife? I'd trade 4 WC trophies for marrying her if I were him (well in theory, because my wife's much better )

I remember reading somewhere that he chased his wife for more than a year, after he first saw her at her workplace. He learned a new language so he could talk to her and went to her workplace every day after practice, talk about commitment.

 

[Corto]

I remember reading somewhere that he chased his wife for more than a year, after he first saw her at her workplace. He learned a new language so he could talk to her and went to her workplace every day after practice, talk about commitment.

A Croatian Guy Walks into a Bar | By Ivan Rakitić

That one?

 

[Cassano]

Facts

 

[member 305909]

The next World Cup in Qatar in mid-winter will totally mess up club football as major leagues must close for six weeks or so. It will be interesting to see how the mess will be sorted out.

Btw, what happened to the Qatarese claims that by 2022 they will have invented self-cooling stadia which allows the tournament to take place in summer?

 

[gary69]

A Croatian Guy Walks into a Bar | By Ivan Rakitić

That one?

Yep. that's it.

 

[Suiteness]

Yep. that's it.

I call bs on some things in there.

This:

"You see our waitress? I am going to play here for Seville, and I am going to marry this woman."

Was probably: i am going to f@#$ this woman senseless.

 

[Ceremony]

The next World Cup in Qatar in mid-winter will totally mess up club football as major leagues must close for six weeks or so. It will be interesting to see how the mess will be sorted out.

Btw, what happened to the Qatarese claims that by 2022 they will have invented self-cooling stadia which allows the tournament to take place in summer?

I for one am eagerly anticipating 4(.3) years of arguments with @Evilo about the practicality of European football leagues playing through the winter.

 

[Evilo]

I've said for a long time football should be played in the summer and not in the winter (injuries, awful weather for fans, pitches, etc...).

So....

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Facts

I will say that the more I saw of England vs solid opposition the less I liked them.

I saw some media in the UK talk about 2010 Germany as a comparison, but I don't know as that team had the nucleus of a great football side already, and perhaps played the most visually appealing football of the tournament. Meanwhile with this England team I am not sure this side will ever be top class without significant quality being added over the next years. Maybe 2006 Germany is more comparable, though the ease of path reminds one of 2002 Germany as well.

 

[bluesfan94]

Top 10 GDP:

1 United States
2 China
3 Japan
4 Germany
5 United Kingdom
6 India
7 France
8 Brazil
9 Italy
10 Canada

Top 10 Population:
1 China
2 India
3 United States
4 Indonesia
5 Brazil
6 Pakistan
7 Nigeria
8 Bangladesh
9 Russia
10 Mexico

But if you look at one or the other, you have Germany, UK, France, Brazil, Italy as typical dominant powers and then Japan, USA, Nigeria, Mexico who are regional powers

 

[Rob]

 

[member 305909]

The cup-format comes with surprises. If these 32 teams played a league I'm sure that France and Croatia could be in the top 4 but England nowhere near.

 

[Albatros]

Croatia wouldn't have the depth, if anything a league format would ensure that the usual suspects would do better. France, Brazil, Spain, Germany.

 

[Evilo]

736 players were called up for this WC.
50 were formed in France.

 

[Albatros]

Which is more a demographic merit than that of the system in football, as even domestic highest tier talents like Griezmann and Kanté weren't discovered and had to force their way through ultimately finding their luck abroad.

 

[Evilo]

Kante found his luck abroad? What the heck are you talking about? I told about his talents right here when he was in L1 !
And a demographic merit? How so?
No it has to do with the scouting, the double nationalites and more importantly, the efforts France has done for decades towards academies, with amateur football extremely funded by pro football.

 

[maclean]

as even domestic highest tier talents like Griezmann and Kanté weren't discovered and had to force their way through ultimately finding their luck abroad.

I don't know how accurate that is. Griezmann did go play in Spain quite young, but was part of the U19, U20 and U21 national teams. Kante in contrast may not have been selected for the national team until later, but came up playing for French sides. It seems a big stretch to call either of them "undiscovered".