World Cup 2026

No response required after experiencing the buildup to that collapse. Change will be slow to come since youth soccer is still largely a pay to play system.
 
DW and I are huge NHL fans. We just so happened to turn on the game last night right as the US scored, and then watched Belgium march through a feckless defense.

We looked at each other and both said: we've seen that before, except this was in slow motion compared to hockey. They looked cooked. Turned it off and watched an old episode of a classic show. I was hoping to be surprised, but I was not. Oh, and that goalie faux pas? Oh yeah, seen the fast version of that in hockey too.
 
I hope the mods don't mind, but I appreciated the post-match exchange between Balogun and Rudi Garcia. (I didn't see it, just read about it this morning.) Very classy. Some other special interactions: Ronaldo and Modric after their game, and Vini stopping by Haaland's interview to wish him.
 
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It was pretty simple: the Belgians were taller, stronger, faster, and more technically skilled. They controlled the ball better, and when you play against a superior opponent, your own weaknesses become much more apparent. It was a reality check.

I wasn't disappointed or surprised; it was simply the level of the opposition. I have been hearing about FUTURE changes for decades.

In the first 10 minutes, the best US player Pulisic didn't do anything. The rest was as bad. A simple reality check.

Why can't Americans just discuss soccer without bringing up other sports? See the OP
 
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For me the lowest point of the game last night was when our goalie came out of the box, got the ball, hesitated/stubbed his toe/foot, and then immediately got scored on. All he could do is watch. Such a rookie mistake, and Belgium punished him for it.
 
Tough crowd. US had an off night, made mistakes and were punished for them.

It happens. Sport is littered with them. I can think of a final World Cup match where two world class teams played and one fell apart. And it’s not unique to soccer.
 
tulak said:
Tough crowd. US had an off night, made mistakes and were punished for them.

It happens. Sport is littered with them. I can think of a final World Cup match where two world class teams played and one fell apart. And it’s not unique to soccer.
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I think you will find a "commonality" in many posts on threads here. Sad.

Flieger
 
The US team played well in this World Cup most of the time, but they did not play consistently well. This is one difference between top tier teams and the rest. When a top tier team finds itself playing poorly they find a way to reset, and even when they don’t win, at least they make a good showing. The US team didn’t, or couldn’t, meaning they aren’t ready for top tier membership.

Still plenty of good football to go with this Workd Cup, and the best is yet to come.
 
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MichaelB said:
This is one difference between top tier teams and the rest. When a top tier team finds itself playing poorly they find a way to reset, and even when they don’t win, at least they make a good showing.
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As demonstrated by Argentina against Cape Verde, and today against Egypt
 
latexman said:
For me the lowest point of the game last night was when our goalie came out of the box, got the ball, hesitated/stubbed his toe/foot, and then immediately got scored on. All he could do is watch. Such a rookie mistake, and Belgium punished him for it.
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I watched until the end, but I gave up on them when the goalie did that. Goalie outside the box (no hands) with the other team all over the place, really? Rookie mistake indeed.
 
Alan said:
And Belgium were on their way out 2-0 against Senegal with 4 minutes of regular time remaining but goals in minute 86 and 89 took them into extra time and victory.
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Argentina did something similar today against Egypt. They play Switziland in a quarter-final. Go, Argentina!
 
robnplunder said:
Argentina did something similar today against Egypt. They play Switziland in a quarter-final. Go, Argentina!
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Egypt was up 2-0 at 78 minutes. Argentina scored three goals in the next 13 minutes. Talk about a gut punch.

Between the Egypt and Cape Verde matches, Argentina is living a charmed life.
 
This World Cup has been a lot of fun for me, having watched very few matches before. As I watch more matches I start to appreciate the nuances of the game and the skill of the players. Some of the rules seem crazy, such as not knowing exactly when the game ends, and the offsides rule. Imagine if an NFL receiver was not allowed to catch a pass unless there was a defender in front of him. Perhaps someone can explain the reasoning behind this rule.

It’s also been great to see how many fans and players from around the world appreciate the US. There are hundreds of videos showing them raving about the food, culture, and generosity of Americans. Many have said that they were apprehensive about coming here because of constant negative reporting from their media, and they encountered a much different experience.
 
NFL rules are significantly more complicated than soccer rules. The NFL rulebook features hundreds of pages covering highly technical scenarios, complex penalty enforcement, substitutions, and review systems. In contrast, soccer relies on the much shorter IFAB Laws of the Game, which are conceptually simpler but leave more room for referee interpretation.
 
Fotodog said:
This World Cup has been a lot of fun for me, having watched very few matches before. As I watch more matches I start to appreciate the nuances of the game and the skill of the players. Some of the rules seem crazy, such as not knowing exactly when the game ends, and the offsides rule. Imagine if an NFL receiver was not allowed to catch a pass unless there was a defender in front of him. Perhaps someone can explain the reasoning behind this rule.
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I'd compare it more to the hockey offside rule. The rationale is (I assume) to prevent someone from hanging around the net behind the defense to try for a relatively easy score. They use a different method, with hockey using a fixed blue line that the offense can't cross without the puck, and soccer having a floating line established by the defender furthest back. In soccer they can go behind the defender once a pass to them has been made. That's probably easier to enforce then watching for the ball to get behind a defender. The sports are different enough that different offside rules probably make sense for each sport.

Football is different in that they have to start each play onsides, while soccer and hockey are much more fluid and continuous. A football receiver can't hang out behind the defense before the play.

Another example of different rules is that the sideline is in play for soccer and baseball, but out for football and basketball. Should they be standardized? Which sport should yield and change their rule? Why do they need to be the same, other than to be easier for a newbie to understand.
 
Well technically in hockey, the player can cross the blue line without the puck, as long as the puck was sent in before him. A fixed blue line concept could be put in for soccer, but it won't happen. Lots of tradition to uphold.
But I get your overall points.
 
RunningBum said:
I'd compare it more to the hockey offside rule. The rationale is (I assume) to prevent someone from hanging around the net behind the defense to try for a relatively easy score. They use a different method, with hockey using a fixed blue line that the offense can't cross without the puck, and soccer having a floating line established by the defender furthest back. In soccer they can go behind the defender once a pass to them has been made. That's probably easier to enforce then watching for the ball to get behind a defender. The sports are different enough that different offside rules probably make sense for each sport.

Football is different in that they have to start each play onsides, while soccer and hockey are much more fluid and continuous. A football receiver can't hang out behind the defense before the play.

Another example of different rules is that the sideline is in play for soccer and baseball, but out for football and basketball. Should they be standardized? Which sport should yield and change their rule? Why do they need to be the same, other than to be easier for a newbie to understand.
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Good explanation of Law 11 Offside (not "offsides") -- pedantic supplement: the logic is that players would hang out by the goal waiting to receive a long pass that they could fire into the goal only one on one with the keeper. This was determined to be unsporting in that the player was not playing with the rest of the team so he was "off his team" or "off his side" (can only play for one side hence "offside"). The term was actually adapted from a British military term describing a soldier trapped behind enemy lines, effectively "off the strength of his side"

No problem being in that position, he just cannot participate in play or interfere with opponents.

(As a referee for youth soccer) I do object to the niggling calls (part of the attacker's head or toe was two inches ahead of the second to last defender) as the point of offside was to prevent the attacker from gaining an unfair advantage by virtue of the position. I would like to see more logic on the part of ARs to determine ("in the opinion of the referee") that such advantage was actually gained -- however, this probably would create even more accusations of inconsistency. So I suppose this is the best option.
 
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In soccer there is a fixed line for offside... it is the half way line.....

If you are not over it you cannot be offside...

Also, a throw in or corner kick does not produce an offside if you get the ball directly...
 
Texas Proud said:
In soccer there is a fixed line for offside... it is the half way line.....

If you are not over it you cannot be offside...

Also, a throw in or corner kick does not produce an offside if you get the ball directly...
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Also, no offside on a kick off (players on their own side of the field) or a goal kick (just because).
 
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