2018 FIFA World Cup Megathread

[Nazis in Space]

As for picks...

... I already posted them soon after the groups were drawn, but hey, reposts.

Group A: Uruguay & Egypt, purely on the basis of sympathy. Which in Egypt's case is less a case of sympathy and more a case of being neutral. But fuck the Russkies and Saudis.

Group B: Portugal & Morocco. Ordinarily, Portugal and Spain are the obvious picks, but... I don't want to rule out upsets. My sympathies lie with Iran, but Morocco tossing out Spain would be fucking hilarious.

Group C: Peru & Denmark. Obviously, France is going to make it, but I'm letting my sympathies run wild here. Also a pity Claudio Pizarro never had the opportunity :<

Group D: Argentina & Iceland. The latter based on... see Group A. Fuck Croatia. And Nigeria ain't gonna amount to shit.

Group E: Brazil & Switzerland. Meh.

Group F: Germany & South Korea. Based on genuine belief, no less. I want Sweden to make it so we get a Sweden vs. Denmark match down the road, I just don't believe they can manage it. I want Mexico to do well because they're fun, but I genuinely believe that South Korea will come out on top. Edit: Granted, since I originally wrote this, Worst Korea's friendlies have kinda confirmed their status as, well, Worst Korea. Jesus christ does Asia suck. Alright, we'll go with Mexico.

Group G: Belgium & Tunisia. The rest's chaff.

Group H: Poland & Colombia. With Colombia being the only one that I have some vague sympathies for.

And now for the knockout stages!

Uruguay vs Morocco - the dream continues!

Peru vs. Iceland - Inca send the vikings home.

Portugal vs. Egypt - Not Ronaldo's best moment.

Argentina vs Denmark - Plenty of vikings left, though.

Brazil vs. Mexico - Mexico just can't catch a break.

Belgium vs Colombia - Belgium continues to be overhyped. Dutch birthrate goes up nine months after their humiliating loss.

Germany vs Switzerland - Remember Wankdorf Stadium. Granted, that was against Hungary, but still.

Poland vs Tunisia - Sorry Tunisia, but you ain't no Egypt.

Quarterfinals?

Quarterfinals!

Morocco vs Peru - Sorry pals, but it ends here. Because, uh, reasons.

Egypt vs Denmark - someone, somewhere, will bring up 'Danish Dynamite'. Also, Sweden be jelly.

Brazil vs Columbia - again against Brazil. Again in the quarterfinal. This is becoming a trend.

Germany vs Poland - we all know how this ended the last time around.*

Alright. Semis, and I dare saying we have some unusal guests around!

Brazil vs Morocco - Boooooring.

Germany vs Denmark - Merkel's gonna lose her next election. Denmark gets completely and utterly shitfaced.

This leaves us with the final, which ends in

Brazil vs Denmark - expect about a million Scandinavia and the World comic strips from this.

* in a 1:0 win for Germany in 2006. What else did you think I was referencing?

[Bombadil]

That.. match.. I remember it well, I was somewhere in the hills outside San Francisco in a small town that had.. a German themed bar.. what the hell.. and then add the Lampard non-goal and the fact it was something like 7am in the morning..

The Lampard non-goal wouldn't have made the slightest bit of difference to the final outcome of that match. England were comprehensively outplayed and fully deserved to be beaten badly, something which outrage over the disallowed goal tends to obscure. That one decision may have been incorrect one, but I don't think there's any serious arguing with the result.

..but it was significant, both as a spectator surrounded by Americans dressed as Germans and also being a spur to introducing goal line technology.

[Shofercia]

I love my job. My boss saw the World Cup Schedule on my desk, and just said "yeah, you can have those half days off when Russia's playing, and if the US was playing, I'd give you that time off too" and just kept on walking.

[The Archregimancy]

I love my job. My boss saw the World Cup Schedule on my desk, and just said "yeah, you can have those half days off when Russia's playing, and if the US was playing, I'd give you that time off too" and just kept on walking.

I have to undertake a business trip to the US on the 29th of next month, flying back on the evening of the 2nd of July.

I'll spend all day on the 30th locked into a conference room, with meetings with various colleagues at two sites in central DC on the morning/early afternoon of the 2nd.

My employers clearly aren't on board with the whole 'drop absolutely everything for the World Cup' thing.

[Trumptonium1]

I forgot Sadio Mane is Senegalese.

That does change things. He's no Salah, but..

[The Blaatschapen]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Worst final would be Germany vs Belgium. The one case wehre I support Germany. Can't have the southern neighbours upstage us.

So France it is. Though I'll be fine with Brazil too.

Picks will come later.

[Nazis in Space]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Would you support me?

*blinks at Blaatschapen with huge, cute, pink eyes*

[Geneviev]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Worst final would be Germany vs Belgium. The one case wehre I support Germany. Can't have the southern neighbours upstage us.

So France it is. Though I'll be fine with Brazil too.

Picks will come later.

How can you not support Germany? I hear Neuer may be playing again, and anyways Jogi Löw has the greatest hair.

[The Archregimancy]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Worst final would be Germany vs Belgium. The one case wehre I support Germany. Can't have the southern neighbours upstage us.

They've already upstaged you, Blaat.

They qualified.

[The Blaatschapen]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Worst final would be Germany vs Belgium. The one case wehre I support Germany. Can't have the southern neighbours upstage us.

They've already upstaged you, Blaat.

They qualified.

So did we. Just not this time.

[The Blaatschapen]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Would you support me?

*blinks at Blaatschapen with huge, cute, pink eyes*

I can't support nazis.

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Worst final would be Germany vs Belgium. The one case wehre I support Germany. Can't have the southern neighbours upstage us.

So France it is. Though I'll be fine with Brazil too.

Picks will come later.

How can you not support Germany? I hear Neuer may be playing again, and anyways Jogi Löw has the greatest hair.

I was born this way.

[Nazis in Space]

Would you support me?

*blinks at Blaatschapen with huge, cute, pink eyes*

I can't support nazis.

That's racist :(

[The Blaatschapen]

I can't support nazis.

That's racist

Only because there are Slavic nazis nowadays.

[The Blaatschapen]

In light of of the new findings regarding the MH17, the Dutch will boycot and not participate in Russia *nods *

[Starblaydia]

In light of of the new findings regarding the MH17, the Dutch will boycot and not participate in Russia *nods *

England will show solidarity by boycotting the knockout stages.

[Idzequitch]

In light of of the new findings regarding the MH17, the Dutch will boycot and not participate in Russia *nods *

England will show solidarity by boycotting the knockout stages.

And the USA will probably just boycott the World Cup indefinitely

[Shofercia]

I love my job. My boss saw the World Cup Schedule on my desk, and just said "yeah, you can have those half days off when Russia's playing, and if the US was playing, I'd give you that time off too" and just kept on walking.

I have to undertake a business trip to the US on the 29th of next month, flying back on the evening of the 2nd of July.

I'll spend all day on the 30th locked into a conference room, with meetings with various colleagues at two sites in central DC on the morning/early afternoon of the 2nd.

My employers clearly aren't on board with the whole 'drop absolutely everything for the World Cup' thing.

We don't drop everything, we just plan ahead

In light of of the new findings regarding the MH17, the Dutch will boycot and not participate in Russia *nods *

England will show solidarity by boycotting the knockout stages.

And the USA will probably just boycott the World Cup indefinitely

Touche'

[Trumptonium1]

Well Egypt is out.

[Fartsniffage]

Well Egypt is out.

Ramos is an utter cunt.

[The Archregimancy]

Well Egypt is out.

Let's wait for confirmation on the nature of Salah's injury...

But no, it's not looking good; it's a terrible shame.

[Fartsniffage]

Well Egypt is out.

Let's wait for confirmation on the nature of Salah's injury...

But no, it's not looking good; it's a terrible shame.

And now Carvajal....

[Tobiasia]

Why are Chile and Poland not on the poll and why is England there?

Either way I think Argentina, Belgium or Poland. I'll be damned if Belgium doesn't at least reach the semis with their current squad. Argentina and Poland good all-rounders, latter being an underdog along with Switzerland. But I've seen Switzerland play Portugal and they were demolished.

Also Salah might pull Egypt out of their group. Uruguay is at a historic weak point atm.

England actually has a chance of winning also 14% of people have voted England (not me tho I think France) however Switzerland has zero chance of winning and personally I don’t think they’ll make it out of their group. Chile and Poland though I agree have a good chance but that’s why the ‘other’ vote is available

[Tobiasia]

Allez les bleus!

Despite living in the capital of Germany , I still cannot support them. However, I'll put on a white shirt if they win the final, since hey, why skip a good party.

Worst final would be Germany vs Belgium. The one case wehre I support Germany. Can't have the southern neighbours upstage us.

So France it is. Though I'll be fine with Brazil too.

Picks will come later.

How can you not support Germany? I hear Neuer may be playing again, and anyways Jogi Löw has the greatest hair.

Apparently Ter Stegen is playing instead of Neuer

[Dumb Ideologies]

Ah the festival of naive hope and inevitable crushing disappointment.

[Tobiasia]

Just sort of resigned to the fact Harry Kane will either perform terribly or be injured just before the matches start