OT: We may win the World Cup in 2026

RUChet

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How in god’s name can a country with the population of Somerset County go toe to toe with Argentina (and earlier with Spain)? It’s just remarkable talent per capita
 
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T2Kplus20

Heisman
May 1, 2007
32,140
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How in god’s name can a country with the population of Somerset County go toe to toe with Argentina (and earlier with Spain)? It’s just remarkable talent per capita
Argentina viewed it as a glorifed exhibition. Just another team playing down to the competition. Happens with real football all the time (college and NFL).
 

Doctor Worm

Heisman
Feb 7, 2002
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How in god’s name can a country with the population of Somerset County go toe to toe with Argentina (and earlier with Spain)? It’s just remarkable talent per capita
One factor is that soccer (like baseball in the WBC) is very liberal in determining national eligibility. Cape Verde has done a great job of identifying and recruiting European emigres, going back a generation or even two.

Morocco is another example of this. Their entire starting 11 was born outside the country!
 
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Doctor Worm

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As John Strong might say, "Eighty-eight matches down, SIXTEEN TO GO!"

We now approach the business end of the tournament. So far, chalk has pretty much prevailed. The only team who was expected to make it this far, but did not, is Germany. You could also say Netherlands, but I think Netherlands-Morocco was a toss up.
 

Doctor Worm

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What is the offsided rule anyway? Both nipples ahead of the ball?
I really don't understand all this righteous indignation about the offside rule. You are either offside or you are not. If you are a tiny bit offside, that is still offside. No such thing as close enough.

Just like in football - a player can make a highlight reel touchdown catch, but come down with a toe just barely grazing the sideline. Out of bounds. No catch, and no debate.
 

Bagarocks

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Jun 25, 2006
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Winning or losing a game on penalty kicks is beyond asinine. That's like an NBA game going down to free throws or the NFL kicking field goals.
So says you...
Yet. what in my little post did I say anything about a tie?
World renowned Argentina who have won 3 world cups, they also have the greatest goal scorer in the history of the world cup. And a team named cape verde... Who? almost bounced them thats the story line
 

seansherm

Heisman
Feb 20, 2009
15,044
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I really don't understand all this righteous indignation about the offside rule. You are either offside or you are not. If you are a tiny bit offside, that is still offside. No such thing as close enough.

Just like in football - a player can make a highlight reel touchdown catch, but come down with a toe just barely grazing the sideline. Out of bounds. No catch, and no debate.
Think it depends on who is showing the indignation. Those of us that love and play/played the game only get mad at the lengths VAR goes to determine and prefer the days where it was just up to the ref and subject to human error. Non fans seem to complain as they want more scoring.
 
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RUChet

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One factor is that soccer (like baseball in the WBC) is very liberal in determining national eligibility. Cape Verde has done a great job of identifying and recruiting European emigres, going back a generation or even two.

Morocco is another example of this. Their entire starting 11 was born outside the country!
Actually this is not true

FIFA requires you to be a citizen of the country to play so those Moroccans are prob mostly born in France but parents born in Morocco and they got Moroccan passports. But you must obtain citizenship first , then you can play under FIFA rules.

WBC is way easier. You just need to be reasonably eligible to apply for citizenship but you don’t need to be a citizen nor even apply.

All the Italian Americans that okayed for Italy aren’t Italian citizens. They haven’t applied for anything. But because of lineage, they likely could get a passport so WBC lets them play for Italy.

I hate WBC rules. It’s just plain stupid but they do it on purpose to “grow the fame”

FIFA does it right. Anybody who is a citizen can play. Period.
 

Doctor Worm

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Actually this is not true

FIFA requires you to be a citizen of the country to play so those Moroccans are prob mostly born in France but parents born in Morocco and they got Moroccan passports. But you must obtain citizenship first , then you can play under FIFA rules.

WBC is way easier. You just need to be reasonably eligible to apply for citizenship but you don’t need to be a citizen nor even apply.

All the Italian Americans that okayed for Italy aren’t Italian citizens. They haven’t applied for anything. But because of lineage, they likely could get a passport so WBC lets them play for Italy.

I hate WBC rules. It’s just plain stupid but they do it on purpose to “grow the fame”

FIFA does it right. Anybody who is a citizen can play. Period.
You are correct. The WBC analogy is inappropriate.

I do stand by my primary point - Cape Verde has done a great job of identifying and recruiting members of their diaspora, and expediting their eligibility.

But everybody does that, including US. We recruited various German players who traced their lineage to American servicemen. Thomas Dooley being one.

And then there is Flo Balogun. For those who do not know his story - Flo's parents are English, of Nigerian lineage. They had relatives in Brooklyn, and went to visit them while Mom was pretty far along in her pregnancy. When they were about to return, the airline refused to board them and told them to come back after the baby was born. Which they did. Flo had birthright citizenship, but was in no way American - until 20 years later, when the USSF found him and made their pitch.
 

-RUFAN4LIFE-

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Feb 28, 2015
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I really don't understand all this righteous indignation about the offside rule. You are either offside or you are not. If you are a tiny bit offside, that is still offside. No such thing as close enough.

Just like in football - a player can make a highlight reel touchdown catch, but come down with a toe just barely grazing the sideline. Out of bounds. No catch, and no debate.
I think it's clear that the ones arguing about it struggle with it in soccer because there's no fixed lines to judge it by and it's determined at the time the ball is played not when received. So it overwhelms their American minds that they have to watch closely and think it through. 😉
 

Kbe4

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Your last two posts about soccer offsides seem to intimate you have a near zero even basic understanding of the rule.

What exactly is the question you are asking?


QB must release the ball before the RB gets past the LB.
Yeah, that last point would sure liven up an American football game. I played American football, which has something called a line of scrimmage.
You're right that I don't understand the rule. I never played soccer. I also don't understand why the defense wouldn't be able to station one of their defenders right next to any offensive player that set up shop near the other team's goalie...making one of those long passes to a potential scorer a little tough. Sorta like a db in American football covering a wr going deep.
And btw, I'm not alone. Lots of folks I talk to about that offside thing in soccer don't undrstand it either. Maybe eliminating the rule would be too extreme. I don't really know. But it certainly could use an adjustment IMO.
 
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RU848789

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Jul 27, 2001
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I really don't understand all this righteous indignation about the offside rule. You are either offside or you are not. If you are a tiny bit offside, that is still offside. No such thing as close enough.

Just like in football - a player can make a highlight reel touchdown catch, but come down with a toe just barely grazing the sideline. Out of bounds. No catch, and no debate.
95% of the whiners simply don't understand or appreciate soccer and half of the ones in this thread are simply trolling.
 
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Doctor Worm

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I also don't understand why the defense wouldn't be able to station one of their defenders right next to any offensive player that set up shop near the other team's goalie...making one of those long passes to a potential scorer a little tough.
You have nicely and succinctly summed up the rationale for the offside rule. It is to ADD offense to the game.

Yes, if there were no offside rule, the defense would build a wall around the goal. When they got the ball, they would just whack it upfield as far as they could. Boor-ing!
 

RUChet

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You are correct. The WBC analogy is inappropriate.

I do stand by my primary point - Cape Verde has done a great job of identifying and recruiting members of their diaspora, and expediting their eligibility.

But everybody does that, including US. We recruited various German players who traced their lineage to American servicemen. Thomas Dooley being one.

And then there is Flo Balogun. For those who do not know his story - Flo's parents are English, of Nigerian lineage. They had relatives in Brooklyn, and went to visit them while Mom was pretty far along in her pregnancy. When they were about to return, the airline refused to board them and told them to come back after the baby was born. Which they did. Flo had birthright citizenship, but was in no way American - until 20 years later, when the USSF found him and made their pitch.
Agree

Now Tillman, Robinson and Dest all have 1 American parent but Balogun literally was only just born here

Yet that American from Wisky was plays for Bosnia, 2 Americans play for Mexico, etc

Everyone does it for sure as all search for the best talent

Not only Dooley but in the last we had Earnie Stewart, Hugo Perez, Roy Wegerle, Jermaine Jones, and Fabian Johnson, and others recruited to play for us

But we have the young MLS American-developed guys coming up: Hall, Sullivan, Hall, Luna, Gozo so looking forward to see who emerges for the next cycle
 

RUChet

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Confederations in final 16:

South America: 4 of 6 (67%)
North/Central America: 3 of 6 (50%)
Europe: 7 of 16 (44%)
Africa: 2 of 10 (20%)
Asia: 0 of 9 (0%)
Oceania: 0 of 1 (0%)
 

RU05

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I really don't understand all this righteous indignation about the offside rule. You are either offside or you are not. If you are a tiny bit offside, that is still offside. No such thing as close enough.

Just like in football - a player can make a highlight reel touchdown catch, but come down with a toe just barely grazing the sideline. Out of bounds. No catch, and no debate.
I think its a stretch to call my indignation righteous.
 

RUChet

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Nice run to the Round of 16 but BUH-BYE Canada
Morocco has a lot of talent. Mostly same team that reached semis last time

They underperformed in group stage as they were a brutal round of 32 opponent for the Dutch.

Crazy they were all born outside Morocco and got passports thru parents….
 

ru109

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Watching the first half of the Franch Paraguay game, if they had the same ref we did in our first round game Paraquay would be down to 9 guys already. They are just tackling the French players and not even pretending the play the ball.
 
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Leonard23

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Feb 2, 2006
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Soccer is such a clown show with the antics of over exaggerating fouls and injuries, and then the nonsense of preventing a PK by surrounding the shooter and actually kicking the shooter before he gets ready to kick. Imagine if the NBA allowed this before FTs. This is why soccer will never be taken seriously here. These guys could easily be hit with diving yellow cards if they actually enforced the rules. Half the time they're never touched or barely touched and act like they're shot.
 
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RUPete90

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Soccer is such a clown show with the antics of over exaggerating fouls and injuries, and then the nonsense of preventing a PK by surrounding the shooter and actually kicking the shooter before he gets ready to kick. Imagine if the NBA allowed this before FTs. This is why soccer will never be taken seriously here. These guys could easily be hit with diving yellow cards if they actually enforced the rules. Half the time they're never touched or barely touched and act like they're shot.
Please stop acting as if American sports are immune to the same dynamic. You don’t like soccer - admit it and embrace it. And btw, soccer is taken seriously by enough of an audience in the US and by the entire world so I think it’s doing fine.
 

Leonard23

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Please stop acting as if American sports are immune to the same dynamic. You don’t like soccer - admit it and embrace it. And btw, soccer is taken seriously by enough of an audience in the US and by the entire world so I think it’s doing fine.
Not even close but nice try. I like soccer but they're the biggest bunch of phonies out there with faking fouls and injuries. You don't see anything close to this frequency in other American sports.
 
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Please stop acting as if American sports are immune to the same dynamic. You don’t like soccer - admit it and embrace it. And btw, soccer is taken seriously by enough of an audience in the US and by the entire world so I think it’s doing fine.
Hit the like button by mistake

Europe is just a huge collection of P-$$ies

love to hear you if your favorite football team lost the superbowl on a round 5 Hail Marys

baseball team lost World Series in home run derby challenge

Stanley cup finals on hitting the 4 plates in the corner of the net

or the Knicks lost game 7 on a half court shot contest

imagine if WR couldn’t run past DB until QB released the ball

AMERICA IS THE BEST
F CANADA
F EUROPE

HAPPY F-In Fourth of July !!!!!!!
 

RUPete90

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Not even close but nice try. I like soccer but they're the biggest bunch of phonies out there with faking fouls and injuries. You don't see anything close to this frequency in other American sports.
BS. Basketball flops, hockey flops, (not totally American I grant you), football where the first guy gives a benign push off after the play and the other guy drops to the ground like we was shot drawing a PF. Baseball guys sticking their *** into a pitch. Stop with that BS. Pot meet kettle.
 
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Leonard23

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BS. Basketball flops, hockey flops, (not totally American I grant you), football where the first guy gives a benign push off after the play and the other guy drops to the ground like we was shot drawing a PF. Baseball guys sticking their *** into a pitch. Stop with that BS. Pot meet kettle.
Youre Wrong John C Mcginley GIF
 

RUPete90

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Hit the like button by mistake

Europe is just a huge collection of P-$$ies

love to hear you if your favorite football team lost the superbowl on a round 5 Hail Marys

baseball team lost World Series in home run derby challenge

Stanley cup finals on hitting the 4 plates in the corner of the net

or the Knicks lost game 7 on a half court shot contest

imagine if WR couldn’t run past DB until QB released the ball

AMERICA IS THE BEST
F CANADA
F EUROPE

HAPPY F-In Fourth of July !!!!!!!
I have no idea what you’re trying to say. But happy 4th to you as well.
 
Jan 10, 2026
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Not even close but nice try. I like soccer but they're the biggest bunch of phonies out there with faking fouls and injuries. You don't see anything close to this frequency in other American sports.

imagine being an nhl player watching this crap , probably can’t without throwing up in their mouth
Guys finish the playoffs and the next day they undergo surgery on bone fracture

Im watching World Cup but will never ever watch a second of the MLS

I was fine enjoying world cup and had no plans on being so confrontational but don’t start America bashing and kissing Europe’s a$$
 

RUPete90

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imagine being an nhl player watching this crap , probably can’t without throwing up in their mouth
Guys finish the playoffs and the next day they undergo surgery on bone fracture

Im watching World Cup but will never ever watch a second of the MLS

I was fine enjoying world cup and had no plans on being so confrontational but don’t start America bashing and kissing Europe’s a$$
Where did that happen in this thread? I was actually responding in a measured way to a confrontational post in this thread which has generally stuck to the WC matches. Not sure what your issue is.