World Cup 2026

[JollyGreenGiant]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

I don't think they'd have beat any of those. France in a proper game tank them, Spain would have destroyed then. The other maybe a toss up.

Portugal were very beatable, had a poor World Cup and left Ronaldo on regardless of his contribution. Martinez is vastly over-rated as a manager. England beat Portugal 9/10 times. Belgium while decent are running on fumes. France may well be over-rated. They have some of the best players in the World in the team, but what you saw from Olise last night was symptomatic of his whole World Cup. Over the course of the tournament he had twenty shots and scored nothing. Rabiot is a total mystery, but has a reputation that simply doesnt match his ability. Digne is and was a liability.

Spain are the only team I would say, with confidence would make light work of England.

[Armagh18]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

I don't think they'd have beat any of those. France in a proper game tank them, Spain would have destroyed then. The other maybe a toss up.

Portugal were very beatable, had a poor World Cup and left Ronaldo on regardless of his contribution. Martinez is vastly over-rated as a manager. England beat Portugal 9/10 times. Belgium while decent are running on fumes. France may well be over-rated. They have some of the best players in the World in the team, but what you saw from Olise last night was symptomatic of his whole World Cup. Over the course of the tournament he had twenty shots and scored nothing. Rabiot is a total mystery, but has a reputation that simply doesnt match his ability. Digne is and was a liability.

Spain are the only team I would say, with confidence would make light work of England.

Thankfully it's all hypothetical.

On tonight I've a feeling Argentina will dog their way to another one.

[JollyGreenGiant]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

I don't think they'd have beat any of those. France in a proper game tank them, Spain would have destroyed then. The other maybe a toss up.

Portugal were very beatable, had a poor World Cup and left Ronaldo on regardless of his contribution. Martinez is vastly over-rated as a manager. England beat Portugal 9/10 times. Belgium while decent are running on fumes. France may well be over-rated. They have some of the best players in the World in the team, but what you saw from Olise last night was symptomatic of his whole World Cup. Over the course of the tournament he had twenty shots and scored nothing. Rabiot is a total mystery, but has a reputation that simply doesnt match his ability. Digne is and was a liability.

Spain are the only team I would say, with confidence would make light work of England.

Thankfully it's all hypothetical.

On tonight I've a feeling Argentina will dog their way to another one.

Hypothetical yes, but I still maintain England are getting there or there abouts. It may not be 'coming home' in the immediate term, but I think in the longer run people ought to brace themselves.

I do hope Spain win. They have been consistently strong, had the hardest run to the final, and will knock Trump etc off his perch a bit.

[Look-Up!]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

Lots of them will lap it up. Personally I don't think he can expect to stay on. He has serious questions to answer for. Selection and use of the squad was horrific IMO. Serious competition there, excess players that any country would be very glad of and he makes picks that he had no intention of ever playing. Not like they were ever under any serious pressure in the groups where he couldn't rotate. Plus with some of the injuries and bugs players had. So he knowingly went with a reduced squad to a major tournament just to what, grandstand to the media? That speaks of an ego that will not change. Actually, they're probably well met when you think of it.

[Armagh18]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

I don't think they'd have beat any of those. France in a proper game tank them, Spain would have destroyed then. The other maybe a toss up.

Portugal were very beatable, had a poor World Cup and left Ronaldo on regardless of his contribution. Martinez is vastly over-rated as a manager. England beat Portugal 9/10 times. Belgium while decent are running on fumes. France may well be over-rated. They have some of the best players in the World in the team, but what you saw from Olise last night was symptomatic of his whole World Cup. Over the course of the tournament he had twenty shots and scored nothing. Rabiot is a total mystery, but has a reputation that simply doesnt match his ability. Digne is and was a liability.

Spain are the only team I would say, with confidence would make light work of England.

Thankfully it's all hypothetical.

On tonight I've a feeling Argentina will dog their way to another one.

Hypothetical yes, but I still maintain England are getting there or there abouts. It may not be 'coming home' in the immediate term, but I think in the longer run people ought to brace themselves.

I do hope Spain win. They have been consistently strong, had the hardest run to the final, and will knock Trump etc off his perch a bit.

Ah theres only so many big teams in the world/europe that'll ever win it so they'll probably get their day at some point, for now we'll enjoy the bottle job.

Agree on Spain although wouldn't begrudge Messi at all.

[gallsman]

Personally I don't think he can expect to stay on

They extended his contract months ago, so he absolutely can.

[trueblue1234]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

I'm lost with this Mainoo love in. No idea why anyone has such a high opinion of him that he should have got on. I doubt he would have made any difference. He's not a game changer in any sense.
Could he have gotten a few minutes, potentially, but no big shock that he didn't either. Plus, Tuchel is seeing more of him than anyone else over last few weeks and obviously didn't fancy him.
If he did tell him to F.O (which I highly doubt), then he's a clown.

[Look-Up!]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

I'm lost with this Mainoo love in. No idea why anyone has such a high opinion of him that he should have got on. I doubt he would have made any difference. He's not a game changer in any sense.
Could he have gotten a few minutes, potentially, but no big shock that he didn't either. Plus, Tuchel is seeing more of him than anyone else over last few weeks and obviously didn't fancy him.
If he did tell him to F.O (which I highly doubt), then he's a clown.

Don't see any Mainoo love in, certainly not me any. Just pointing out the obvious flaw of not bringing midfield options to a tournament. Jordan Henderson, who can't safely navigate a sign and the Manioo you describe above. That's fully on Tuchel.

[Armagh18]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

I'm lost with this Mainoo love in. No idea why anyone has such a high opinion of him that he should have got on. I doubt he would have made any difference. He's not a game changer in any sense.
Could he have gotten a few minutes, potentially, but no big shock that he didn't either. Plus, Tuchel is seeing more of him than anyone else over last few weeks and obviously didn't fancy him.
If he did tell him to F.O (which I highly doubt), then he's a clown.

Don't see any Mainoo love in, certainly not me any. Just pointing out the obvious flaw of not bringing midfield options to a tournament. Jordan Henderson, who can't safely navigate a sign and the Manioo you describe above. That's fully on Tuchel.

If he'd had the 6 months he just did at United for Forest or Brighton he'd have been signed for £100m plus by now by United or Coty

[statto]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

If this is true good 6 months for him between that and the brother wearing that stupid t-shirt when Amorim was United Manager. Saw a clip of a podcast where Nicky Butt was advising him to go home.  What age is the lad 20? Bide your time couldn't get a game in a poor united team 6 months ago you could play in another four world cups if he's as good as he and his brother seems to think.

[statto]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

I don't think they'd have beat any of those. France in a proper game tank them, Spain would have destroyed then. The other maybe a toss up.

Portugal were very beatable, had a poor World Cup and left Ronaldo on regardless of his contribution. Martinez is vastly over-rated as a manager. England beat Portugal 9/10 times. Belgium while decent are running on fumes. France may well be over-rated. They have some of the best players in the World in the team, but what you saw from Olise last night was symptomatic of his whole World Cup. Over the course of the tournament he had twenty shots and scored nothing. Rabiot is a total mystery, but has a reputation that simply doesnt match his ability. Digne is and was a liability.

Spain are the only team I would say, with confidence would make light work of England.

Don't know if Martinez is highly rated, think it's generally known he's a bit of a bluffer and that his agent is top quality.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Man said eng beat Portugal 9/10 times 🤭

[JollyGreenGiant]

Man said eng beat Portugal 9/10 times 🤭

And I stand by that.

One of the weakest Irish team's in living memory fell just short of taking 4 points off them in qualification late last year. They had a poor World Cup, and in a like for like were very lucky to beat a Croatia side that England made very light work of.

I couldnt understand how anybody rated Portugal.

[trueblue1234]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

I'm lost with this Mainoo love in. No idea why anyone has such a high opinion of him that he should have got on. I doubt he would have made any difference. He's not a game changer in any sense.
Could he have gotten a few minutes, potentially, but no big shock that he didn't either. Plus, Tuchel is seeing more of him than anyone else over last few weeks and obviously didn't fancy him.
If he did tell him to F.O (which I highly doubt), then he's a clown.

Don't see any Mainoo love in, certainly not me any. Just pointing out the obvious flaw of not bringing midfield options to a tournament. Jordan Henderson, who can't safely navigate a sign and the Manioo you describe above. That's fully on Tuchel.

Yeah agree about some of the selections for the squad. There's been a very evident focus on Mainoo from some United supporters who think he would have made a difference. I just don't see it.

[Look-Up!]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

I'm lost with this Mainoo love in. No idea why anyone has such a high opinion of him that he should have got on. I doubt he would have made any difference. He's not a game changer in any sense.
Could he have gotten a few minutes, potentially, but no big shock that he didn't either. Plus, Tuchel is seeing more of him than anyone else over last few weeks and obviously didn't fancy him.
If he did tell him to F.O (which I highly doubt), then he's a clown.

Don't see any Mainoo love in, certainly not me any. Just pointing out the obvious flaw of not bringing midfield options to a tournament. Jordan Henderson, who can't safely navigate a sign and the Manioo you describe above. That's fully on Tuchel.

Yeah agree about some of the selections for the squad. There's been a very evident focus on Mainoo from some United supporters who think he would have made a difference. I just don't see it.

Maybe some have club bias, I don't. Follow sport in general, don't support a PL team. I'm not focusing on Mainoo per say, just the central midfield issues they have. He brought Mainoo, no one else. Compounded with the Henderson selection/injury, Rice being under the weather and James who can makeshift cover having injury concerns. Seems crazy to have brought him if not a playing option.