2026 World Cup Thread

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Spain should have this one in the bag with that defense, it would be a huge choke if they didn’t
 


















Argentina knows how to win. Messi is ridiculous.

Sunday's final should be fantastic.

Go Loons!!
 

Cannot see any way you allow Tuchel to coach the Euros. That was the most wrong you could ever get your approach to a game after going up 1-0 in a game you're not being remotely threatened. Instead sits and invites pressure, slow Argentine buildup and they dagger them.

I like Spain to beat Argentina because of their control in the midfield and ability to keep Messi off the ball and that they won't make the idiotic choice to just sit back if they pick up the lead in the 50th minute.

Will say England's approach did allow the ref off the hook. He was horrific in the 1st half. England deciding to park the bus and not close out tackles cooled the game off until the shenanigans at the end certainly made his life much easier

I'd assume Argentina is going to try the same approach of muck it up, though Spain does slow the game and tempo (versus England who likes to counter and get out on the wings). will be a fun chess match there
 




bonin21 said:
You seriously thought for a second that was real
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Considering almost everything out of Bellingham's mouth has been that of a salty sore loser, a quote like that would not have been a stretch at all. Doesn't appear to be a high class individual at all really.
Gophers1992 said:
The Brits have been sore losers for 250 years.
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It went up a few levels after this game, no doubt about it.
 

Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
Considering almost everything out of Bellingham's mouth has been that of a salty sore loser, a quote like that would not have been a stretch at all. Doesn't appear to be a high class individual at all really.


It went up a few levels after this game, no doubt about it.
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After the match, Bellingham was asked about the confrontation with Messi.

"[We were] discussing a foul, actually," Bellingham said. "But it was nothing bad. I'm sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal. But no, it was nothing really.

I thought there was a foul earlier and he said, 'Well what about the one on me?' and I was kind of saying, 'You're strong enough to take it,' you know what I mean?"

It's privilege to play against [Messi]," Bellingham said. "There was nothing against him. I'm obviously on the losing side which hurts a lot, but it's a privilege to go against him."


Almost all of Argentina was taunting him and England throughout the game and especially after they took the lead (Romero screaming directly at him after the whistle and there’s a reason no one has rushed to Barcos side after he said something).

I don’t really care for Bellingham, but he plays with fire and I don’t really knock anyone from England who says that first half was atrocious officiating that let it get particularly heated
 


upnorthkid said:
Us midfield and portions of the defense got wrecked today by a team with a system and a gameplan.

Said it a while back. Tim Ream has meant a lot to US soccer, but he cannot play at this level anymore
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Not Ream's, or Pulisics fault. Belgium pressed our wingbacks, forcing them to stay deep. This was the first time that happened in the WC. That way they couldn't support our wing players (e.g., Pulisic was left on an island without any support way too often). That single move by their coach is what won them the game. We should have immediately adjusted to a back four (actually, we should have done that once Belgium released their lineup where they left their older stars on the bench and replaced them with less skilled players but ones who could run for an entire 90 minutes). We tried to force our game onto them, instead Belgium forced their game onto us.
 

bonin21 said:
Pulisic legacy will be as a joke. No goals in this one and one in the last one.

At least Donovan and Dempsey showed up a bit when it mattered.
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Pulisic was always double-teamed, and sometimes triple-teamed and had almost no support from the wingbacks or our midfield. The reason is because Belgium fielded an 11 that could press us, so our mids and wingbacks ended up staying back to cover and couldn't move up to support our wing play. All the plays we had to get open in the high wing position were no longer viable, so Pulisic was left on an island trying to go against two and often three defenders. Bottomline, we got seriously out coached. BTW, this is exactly what happened in our last WC as well.
 

Full Speed Ahead said:
Pulisic was always double-teamed, and sometimes triple-teamed and had almost no support from the wingbacks or our midfield. The reason is because Belgium fielded an 11 that could press us, so our mids and wingbacks ended up staying back to cover and couldn't move up to support our wing play. All the plays we had to get open in the high wing position were no longer viable, so Pulisic was left on an island trying to go against two and often three defenders. Bottomline, we got seriously out coached. BTW, this is exactly what happened in our last WC as well.
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How are you able to press a team effectively? When they can’t play through you or the forwards cannot effectively hold up play (that’s on Balogun as well as Pulisic, though to a lesser extent).

The midfield and defenders did not move the ball effectively enough and were overall rattled under pressure and gave the ball away in bad spots. Added to that Belgium has enough speed and midfield passing to play through us rapidly (hence why they, Ream particularly, require more coverage at the back. He’s 38. Almost no one can keep playing as a defender at that age at this high of a level. I agree ragging on Pulisic is a lazy take, but he is a not generational guy that is going to take over a game either.

It’s happened for several world cups because our players are not good enough (yet, hopefully) or are not paired in a near generational talent fashion that makes the team greater than the individuals (Norway with Haaland and Odegaaed) because their play style can dominate games.

The team should be better next WC. Lots of younger guys playing in big leagues who should continue to improve. The elite of the world are more talented then us to this point AND we added to it by succumbing to pressure (who knows if the moment got to them with the red card dust up and such or the pressure of a home World Cup) and making mistakes early, leading to chasing the game all day.

Poch made them play a fun style that had people energized. I think that bodes well for the future and my hope is he is kept around as that excitement leads to viewership and continues to grow investment for and and passion in the game. Against Belgium, I agree we were unable to play that style and the team looked mystified as to how to get out of that as they couldn’t control the ball until we were more heavily down
 

upnorthkid said:
How are you able to press a team effectively? When they can’t play through you or the forwards cannot effectively hold up play (that’s on Balogun as well as Pulisic, though to a lesser extent).

The midfield and defenders did not move the ball effectively enough and were overall rattled under pressure and gave the ball away in bad spots. Added to that Belgium has enough speed and midfield passing to play through us rapidly (hence why they, Ream particularly, require more coverage at the back. He’s 38. Almost no one can keep playing as a defender at that age at this high of a level. I agree ragging on Pulisic is a lazy take, but he is a not generational guy that is going to take over a game either.

It’s happened for several world cups because our players are not good enough (yet, hopefully) or are not paired in a near generational talent fashion that makes the team greater than the individuals (Norway with Haaland and Odegaaed) because their play style can dominate games.

The team should be better next WC. Lots of younger guys playing in big leagues who should continue to improve. The elite of the world are more talented then us to this point AND we added to it by succumbing to pressure (who knows if the moment got to them with the red card dust up and such or the pressure of a home World Cup) and making mistakes early, leading to chasing the game all day.

Poch made them play a fun style that had people energized. I think that bodes well for the future and my hope is he is kept around as that excitement leads to viewership and continues to grow investment for and and passion in the game. Against Belgium, I agree we were unable to play that style and the team looked mystified as to how to get out of that as they couldn’t control the ball until we were more heavily down
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They pressed us by selecting different players for their 11 - leaving their more skilled players on the bench and replacing them with players who have better pace. The effect was we couldn't get our wingbacks and mids forward to in turn press them, which ended up isolating Pulisic. Yes, we're not good enough to effectively break that press, but my point is that this wasn't the fault of Pulisic or Ream. We got out coached. We should have immediately gone to a four-back system and subbed in players that could press (e.g., Berhalter instead of Dest).
 

Full Speed Ahead said:
They pressed us by selecting different players for their 11 - leaving their more skilled players on the bench and replacing them with players who have better pace. The effect was we couldn't get our wingbacks and mids forward to in turn press them, which ended up isolating Pulisic. Yes, we're not good enough to effectively break that press, but my point is that this wasn't the fault of Pulisic or Ream. We got out coached. We should have immediately gone to a four-back system and subbed in players that could press (e.g., Berhalter instead of Dest).
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Tbh we tried pressing Belgium pre World Cup and they drilled us for 5 goals. They’re just a better team than the US is, and there’s no big shame in that. They’re a solid team

Agree 100% with you that Dest was terrible. Unfortunate Ream got beat late in the half and the decision to pull dest at half was the right one.
 

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