2018 FIFA World Cup Megathread

[Aboim]

Ok, England must win the World Cup in Moscow. It's time again.

Not gonna happen.

If they reach the final, classified chem weapons will spontaneously appear in the stadium, courtesy of Chechen Arab Ukrainian Martian a British false-flag operation, and the final will have to be called off.

People survived the lake in Rio, Kevin de Bruyne’s music, and Karl Rappan legacy. They can face a bombastic match.

I've been watching the BBC's (remarkably neutral) Christmas 1990 summary of that year's World Cup.

Leaving aside nostalgia for a time when Scotland could win World Cup matches and actually run Brazil close (while still contriving to lose to Costa Rica some 20 years before the Ticos were competitive)...

God, it was an awful World Cup.

There's some considerable nostalgia in England for the last tournament where they stood a genuine chance of doing well, but it was a dire competition, quite possibly the worst World Cup in living memory.

Argentina's tedious and cynical progression to a final it didn't deserve to reach meant that 1990 was the very last time I could bring myself to support Germany in a World Cup final. Only as the lesser of two evils, mind; but if - this being Italy - we're to use Dante as a model, West Germany were merely dallying in Limbo, while Argentina's frozen, twisted, and bitter bodies were deep in the Ninth Circle of Hell, forever clinging to the three-faced Lucifer's hairy shanks.

Brehme's 85th-minute penalty wasn't catharsis for most of us, mind; it merely put all of the neutrals out of their conflicted misery.

I should but I won't. Argentina launched Maradona on a special place, so it's fine for now.

Anyhow, I remember that 90's Cups usually had a group with Brazil, Scotland and a Scandinavian nation, almost always Sweden. I forgot the games but not the flags in wallcharts.

[Bombadil]

Favourite ever game?

I'm vague on this but one of the first was, I think, Romania vs Colombia '94 but I remember it as 4-3 though it appears it's 3-1.. I don't think either side had much in defence so it made for a very open attacking game, not technically great but thrilling back and forth. Georghe Hagi remains a favourite player of mine. Colombia had been among the favourites pre-tournament but Romania were a real surprise and this game encapsulated these two aspects in what was a great game to watch at least.

EDIT: I think it must have been Romania vs Argentina from the same year.. whether either, Romania were a joy to watch that year.

I also loved the Brazil-Holland game in 2010 when Arjen Robben just started to terrorise Brazil down the left in the second half and Holland came back to win. I particularly enjoyed it because my friends were out renting a car and on returning we'd leave immediately on a long trip so I had the double edge of watching the game and hoping they'd take longer.. which due to a number of payment/license issues they did and I got to watch the entire game.

Least favourite games.. god was it England-Algeria.. just.. awful..

[The Blaatschapen]

Favourite game, Brazil - Netherlands, 1998 semi final. Two teams going all out to win.

[MERIZoC]

Brazil-Germany 2002 Final

[Bombadil]

Brazil-Germany 2002 Final

I was.. well I wasn't there but I was at the 2002 World Cup, at least I was in Korea. I watched a dismal France crash out to a relatively boring Denmark, with ZZ limping around the middle. I was in the square in an electric atmosphere as SK drew 1-1 with the USA. Then I watched Turkey trash China, fair enough, in the stadium again.

It was a tournament of some shocking referee decisions, as Italy and Spain will testify to.

[Neu Leonstein]

Few matches stand out in particular:

1996 European Championship Semi-Final - Germany beat England on penalties, and I watched it with my whole primary school class on a school trip at a hostel somewhere.

2005 Last round of World Cup Qualification - Australia beat Uruguay on penalties, to make the World Cup for the first time since 1974.

2014 Semi-Final - 7:1

Probably the 2010 R16 against England and QF against Argentina too, just because that hammered home to me just how well Löw et al had done in putting this team together. To me, that felt like the reward for the project that started back when they reformed the training and academy system, even more so than what happened since. Those were meant to be hard games (the 2006 QF against Argentina was tough!), and they just smashed them. But then of course Spain showed them that there was still a ways to go.

[Aboim]

Brazil-Netherlands in World Cups. They fight hard, sometimes they literally fight, and I have good memories about these matches, even about 2014. Despite I don't remind details, I remember how exciting they were. Argentina-England are other games that I really like to watch.

[Neu Leonstein]

And in news that surprise approximately no one, UK school exam results are worse when major tournaments are on. For guys, that is, not as much for girls.

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/ ... /wp276.pdf

We use a sharp, exogenous and repeated change in the value of leisure to identify the impact of student effort on educational achievement. The treatment arises from the partial overlap of the world’s major international football tournaments with the exam period in England. Our data enable a clean difference-in-difference design. Performance is measured using the high-stakes tests that all students take at the end of compulsory schooling. We find a strongly significant effect: the average impact of a fall in effort is 0.12 SDs of student performance, significantly larger for male and disadvantaged students, as high as many educational policies.

Table 7 on page 38 has the impact on GCSE exams... a fifth of a grade on average and as much as a third of a grade for male, socially disadvantaged kids.

Yay for being in full-time work (and one with big TV screens all over the place, at that)!

[Nazis in Space]

Memorable matches...

I think the first game I ever saw was Germany vs Denmark, 1992. Denmark won the Euro. I wasn't following super-closely, though.

And my mother was still super-left, and didn't support Germany as a matter of principle. She supported the Netherlands :v

(She has since changed... a lot. Still, fun times on the schoolyard when you're influenced by your parents <_<)

The next memorable matches... The 1996 semi against England, and final against the Czech Republic.

Then it turned off for a while. I didn't pay much attention until 2006 - nope, no attention in 2002, either. I was still a total weeaboo, and barely cared beyond 'In Japan, hey!' - and 2006, apart from having a lot of fun tourists out and about (including an English NSer with whom I watched England losing against Italy, him and myself being the only people in the bar supporting England ^^), didn't really have any super-memorable matches.

2010 did, of course, have Germany vs Argentina. All the memes. All of them.

And who could forget 2014 and the legendary match therein? Sometimes, world cups are indeed defined by a single, legendary match that'll be remembered for eternity. A focal point by which the tournament will be measured and remembered. A legend.

In 1950, it was Uruguay beating Brazil in the very last match.

In 1954, it was Germany overcoming the invincible Magyars.

In 1970, it was the struggle between Italy and Germany in the semifinal that entered history.

And in 2014, it was the Netherlands taking revenge on Spain for its loss four years prior. 5:1. The end of a dynasty. Robben's ascension.

In the group state, certainly. But even accounting for that, it was still the champion being flattened by its previous victim. The end of an era. That van Persie header. Robben's joyful expression as Casillas dissolved into nothingness.

It was a group stage match, but let's be honest. What kind of match could possibly have occurred that could take this glory, this memory of having played and won the defining match of the 2014 world cup from the Netherlands? The match by which this tournament will always be remembered?

[The Blaatschapen]

Memorable matches...

I think the first game I ever saw was Germany vs Denmark, 1992. Denmark won the Euro. I wasn't following super-closely, though.

And my mother was still super-left, and didn't support Germany as a matter of principle. She supported the Netherlands :v

(She has since changed... a lot. Still, fun times on the schoolyard when you're influenced by your parents <_<)

The next memorable matches... The 1996 semi against England, and final against the Czech Republic.

Then it turned off for a while. I didn't pay much attention until 2006 - nope, no attention in 2002, either. I was still a total weeaboo, and barely cared beyond 'In Japan, hey!' - and 2006, apart from having a lot of fun tourists out and about (including an English NSer with whom I watched England losing against Italy, him and myself being the only people in the bar supporting England ^^), didn't really have any super-memorable matches.

2010 did, of course, have Germany vs Argentina. All the memes. All of them.

And who could forget 2014 and the legendary match therein? Sometimes, world cups are indeed defined by a single, legendary match that'll be remembered for eternity. A focal point by which the tournament will be measured and remembered. A legend.

In 1950, it was Uruguay beating Brazil in the very last match.

In 1954, it was Germany overcoming the invincible Magyars.

In 1970, it was the struggle between Italy and Germany in the semifinal that entered history.

And in 2014, it was the Netherlands taking revenge on Spain for its loss four years prior. 5:1. The end of a dynasty. Robben's ascension.

In the group state, certainly. But even accounting for that, it was still the champion being flattened by its previous victim. The end of an era. That van Persie header. Robben's joyful expression as Casillas dissolved into nothingness.

It was a group stage match, but let's be honest. What kind of match could possibly have occurred that could take this glory, this memory of having played and won the defining match of the 2014 world cup from the Netherlands? The match by which this tournament will always be remembered?

I like your mom.

And the answer is Costa Rica - Greece.

[HC Eredivisie]

I don't think Germany will win again this edition.
Argentina has decent players and Messi, but they are not winning either.
I have no idea what Brazil is worth, but Brazil aims always at the top spot.
Maybe Spain? After they finally won their first big tournament and dominated the next decade, Spain plays the same role as Germany, Brazil and Italy. Always a possible winner.
France looks very strong. They might be the number one candidates for me.
Belgium, while i really hope that Belgium finally brings that cup to the low countries (yes, for you, Blaat!), we haven't seen a Belgian team strong enough yet. The talents are there and it will be Belgiums last chance to do something big with the golden generation.. It's now or never.


Anyway, may this World Cup become as good as the previous edition!

Sorry Riemst, I do not want Belgium to win the cup.

I'd rather have Ze Germans win than Belgium.

Anyway, is Whereyouthinkyougoing been here yet?

[North Prarie]

Favorite match? Well, I only started following soccer (I'm american, sorry) at the 2014 World Cup. But I remember being down on the farm and watching the Dutch blast Spain on TV. I was super excited, since i'm 25% Dutch and therefore supporting them. Everytime they scored I ran out of the house and yelled "THE NETHERLANDS SCORED!"
Ah, fun times.

[The Archregimancy]

Matches that are indelibly seared on my memory, in rough order:

1) 1982: West Germany 3 - 3 France AET (W. Germany win 5-4 on penalties)

Schumacher can never be forgiven.


2) 1986: Argentina 2 - 1 England

The fat stumpy cheat can never be forgiven.


3) 2014: Germany 7 - 1 Brazil

I'll wager we'll never see its like again.


4) 1990: England 3 - 2 Cameroon

Personal reasons involving a friend and an ex-fiancee; and to some degree the football.


5) 1994: Netherlands 2 - 0 Ireland

I was there; I was there at all of the matches played at the Citrus Bowl in '94, but this one stands out for Bonner's mistake for the second Dutch goal. If you know where to look, you can see me burying my head in my hands behind the Irish goal.


6) 2002: South Korea 2 - 1 Italy AET

Madness. And I bet my Italian friends wish they could forget.

[Cryptomypt]

Ghanaian here. Ghana 2 - 1 USA.

[Neu Leonstein]

Few more friendlies. Nigeria not doing so well, losing to the Czechs. Panama lost to Norway. Belgium is beating Egypt pretty comfortably.

[Sharania]

Despite the title, the following applies to literally everyone:

What England fans travelling to Russia need to be concerned about

England fans heading to Russia for the World Cup have been warned to be alert to “anti-British sentiment” and advised that Russians can be more “emotional” than anticipated.

In an advice booklet issued by the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF), fans travelling east have been told to “trust their instincts” to avoid being a victim of crime, but follow the security and political situation closely while abroad.

The FSF, which has some 500,000 members across England and Wales, cited both the targeting of England supporters in Marseille by Russian hooligans during Euro 2016 and the heightened geopolitical tensions as reasons to be vigilant while supporting the national team.

“While the British embassy in Moscow is not aware of any increased difficulties for British people travelling in Russia… [fans should] remain vigilant to the possibility of anti-English or ant-British sentiment,” the FSF said, adding that “many perceive Russians as either reserved or unexcitable – they are in many cases actually more emotional than ‘Westerners’”.

Turning to the concerns of LGBT fans, the FSF says that “although same-sex sexual activity has been decriminalised in Russia since 1993, it is strongly understood and advised that you do not publicly display your sexuality, but this is up to the individual”.

In 2017 Russia was ranked 48th out of 49 European countries for the protection provided from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The FSF also raised concerns that president Vladimir Putin has not reassured the LGBT community ahead of the World Cup as he did before the Winter Olympics in Sochi. It said it believes the reported “rounding up” and alleged detainment, torture and murder of gay men in Chechnya, said to have begun in 2016, targeting more than 200 people, is “not only ongoing, but has extended to other areas of the North Caucasus”.

“The areas of Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and other Muslim regions within the North Caucasus should be avoided,” the advice said.

The Foreign Office (FCO) has issued guidance advising that “public attitudes towards LGBT+ people are less tolerant than in the UK”.

Racism is another area both the Foreign Office and Football Supporters’ Federation have drawn attention to.

The FCO has advised fans to report any racist chanting during matches to the nearest steward, adding Fifa and the Russian Football Union “have been clear that racist abuse will not be tolerated during the tournament”.

The FSF said: “The majority of visitors experience no issues, although unfortunately racially motivated attacks do occur.

“People of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent may sadly attract unwanted attention when in public, particularly late at night. As always it is advisable to stay in groups and not travel or explore areas alone.”

The booklet also touches on other areas of safety, including advice to fly internally only on “major airlines”, to be careful of crossing the road as Russian motorists do not always obey red lights and guidance to any victim of sexual assault to first contact a doctor, before the British embassy.

The FSF said: “The majority of visitors experience no issues, although unfortunately racially motivated attacks do occur.

“People of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent may sadly attract unwanted attention when in public, particularly late at night. As always it is advisable to stay in groups and not travel or explore areas alone.”

The booklet also touches on other areas of safety, including advice to fly internally only on “major airlines”, to be careful of crossing the road as Russian motorists do not always obey red lights and guidance to any victim of sexual assault to first contact a doctor, before the British embassy.

The number of England fans attending the tournament in Russia, which starts in a fortnight, is thought to be smaller than in past years, with the 28,000 tickets purchased paling in comparison to the 94,000 bought for Brazil 2012.

However, MPs, including Boris Johnson, have expressed concern over the safety of the travelling support. Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs select committee, described Kaliningrad, where England play Belgium at the end of June, as a “hotbed of Russian nationalism”.

In March Russia’s ambassador to Britain told a press conference in the wake of the Salisbury poisoning that “all of the necessary measures are being taken” to ensure fans will be kept safe.

Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, warned that the expulsion of 23 staff from the British embassy in Moscow after the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, could impact its ability to cope with an increased workload during the World Cup.

[United States of Oceania]

I still wonder how is it even possible that no one is boycotting it.

I mean, it isn't like there's so much difference with the 1936 Olympics.

Are we going to finance an imperialist dictator and go along with his propaganda efforts?

[Fartsniffage]

I still wonder how is it even possible that no one is boycotting it.

I mean, it isn't like there's so much difference with the 1936 Olympics.

Are we going to finance an imperialist dictator and go along with his propaganda efforts?

I'm not Putins biggest fan, but he's not Hitler.

[The Blaatschapen]

I still wonder how is it even possible that no one is boycotting it.

I mean, it isn't like there's so much difference with the 1936 Olympics.

Are we going to finance an imperialist dictator and go along with his propaganda efforts?

The dutch are boycotting it.

[United States of Oceania]

I still wonder how is it even possible that no one is boycotting it.

I mean, it isn't like there's so much difference with the 1936 Olympics.

Are we going to finance an imperialist dictator and go along with his propaganda efforts?

The dutch are boycotting it.

That's good news.

[Fartsniffage]

The dutch are boycotting it.

That's good news.

And the Italians.

[The Blaatschapen]

That's good news.

And the Italians.

And the Americans and the Chileans.

[Kohr]

And the Italians.

And the Americans and the Chileans.

In fact, all but 32 countries have joined the boycott.

[Aboim]

I hope that Salah will be ready in time.

Memorable matches...

I think the first game I ever saw was Germany vs Denmark, 1992. Denmark won the Euro. I wasn't following super-closely, though.

And my mother was still super-left, and didn't support Germany as a matter of principle. She supported the Netherlands :v

(She has since changed... a lot. Still, fun times on the schoolyard when you're influenced by your parents <_<)

The next memorable matches... The 1996 semi against England, and final against the Czech Republic.

Then it turned off for a while. I didn't pay much attention until 2006 - nope, no attention in 2002, either. I was still a total weeaboo, and barely cared beyond 'In Japan, hey!' - and 2006, apart from having a lot of fun tourists out and about (including an English NSer with whom I watched England losing against Italy, him and myself being the only people in the bar supporting England ^^), didn't really have any super-memorable matches.

2010 did, of course, have Germany vs Argentina. All the memes. All of them.

And who could forget 2014 and the legendary match therein? Sometimes, world cups are indeed defined by a single, legendary match that'll be remembered for eternity. A focal point by which the tournament will be measured and remembered. A legend.

In 1950, it was Uruguay beating Brazil in the very last match.

In 1954, it was Germany overcoming the invincible Magyars.

In 1970, it was the struggle between Italy and Germany in the semifinal that entered history.

And in 2014, it was the Netherlands taking revenge on Spain for its loss four years prior. 5:1. The end of a dynasty. Robben's ascension.

In the group state, certainly. But even accounting for that, it was still the champion being flattened by its previous victim. The end of an era. That van Persie header. Robben's joyful expression as Casillas dissolved into nothingness.

It was a group stage match, but let's be honest. What kind of match could possibly have occurred that could take this glory, this memory of having played and won the defining match of the 2014 world cup from the Netherlands? The match by which this tournament will always be remembered?

I had missed the point about Netherlands victory in 2014 until now and it's sad how the Uruguain Celeste suffered a gradual decadence after 1950.

[Bombadil]

And in news that surprise approximately no one, UK school exam results are worse when major tournaments are on. For guys, that is, not as much for girls.

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/ ... /wp276.pdf

We use a sharp, exogenous and repeated change in the value of leisure to identify the impact of student effort on educational achievement. The treatment arises from the partial overlap of the world’s major international football tournaments with the exam period in England. Our data enable a clean difference-in-difference design. Performance is measured using the high-stakes tests that all students take at the end of compulsory schooling. We find a strongly significant effect: the average impact of a fall in effort is 0.12 SDs of student performance, significantly larger for male and disadvantaged students, as high as many educational policies.

Table 7 on page 38 has the impact on GCSE exams... a fifth of a grade on average and as much as a third of a grade for male, socially disadvantaged kids.

Yay for being in full-time work (and one with big TV screens all over the place, at that)!

I part blame Brexit on stupidly having it during the Euros, of course they're going to have anti-Euro sentiments running high during a European football tournament.. and doing badly.. exemplified by crashing out to Iceland just 4 days later..

David Cameron, dumbest PM ever.. clearly didn't even consider football though he made that famous gaffe when he said he supported West Ham.. oh no he's previously said he supported Aston Villa..

..but basically, for all the blaming back and forth I rarely see the Euros as a factor in the Brexit result and I'm quite sure it was..

..anyyway, back to the World Cup..