FIFA World Cup 2022

[Emanuel]

Breaking news. Fernando Santos is not the Portugal national team coach anymore. A week ago, after that 6-1 against Switzerland, he was the hero, one of the bravest ones. The one able to put Cristiano Ronaldo benching... If he had arrived to the final, one of the most important ones worldwide in the top 4 for sure!

Today, the most part of press and opinion makers asking his resignation... Unfortunate show.

The Special One José Mourinho is now the favourite to replace him. Will AS Roma let him go? I find it hard to believe. Abel Ferreira, current Brazilian champion and winner of Libertadores Cup twice in 2021 and 2020, as well, Jorge Jesus, his predecessor in 2019, other options among a few of other routes.

Sad day. Portuguese football/soccer is orphan for now. Not optimistic anyway. It takes time to rise up any solid project. Some say Cristiano Ronaldo plot has brought us here. No idea but turbulence reaches this path the day after the elimination from World Cup 2022.

 

[DLD]

I'd take Santos for the US in a millisecond. Gregg Berhalter is a blithering idiot who doesn't know tactics and was hired four years ago because his brother was a CFO of the US Soccer Federation and because he agreed to take commands from the MLS management. The US WC team thus eschewed experienced Europe based stalwarts like John Anthony Brooks (ex-of Wolfsburg, now at Benfica), Jordan Sibatcheu (Union Berlin), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), James Sands (Rangers) for the MLS failures just because the MLS owners wanted to give MLS more publicity. At the expense of the national team.

 

[Emanuel]

I'd take Santos for the US in a millisecond. Gregg Berhalter is a blithering idiot who doesn't know tactics and was hired four years ago because his brother was a CFO of the US Soccer Federation and because he agreed to take commands from the MLS management. The US WC team thus eschewed experienced Europe based stalwarts like John Anthony Brooks (ex-of Wolfsburg, now at Benfica), Jordan Sibatcheu (Union Berlin), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), James Sands (Rangers) for the MLS failures just because the MLS owners wanted to give MLS more publicity. At the expense of the national team.

Yes, he is very strong as tactical coach, not so much different of José Mourinho TBH, his only weakness to my book is to be a bit slow to respond because of his stuborness on his own game and choices. The older the better anyway, as matter of fact too : ) And when he is on the spot, he can be brilliant as happened with Portugal vs Switzerland in this World Cup, only to mention one among many other examples.

I actually think USA would earn a lot with Portuguese football/soccer, so it doesn't surprise me at all such connection. I like the way North American players love and express their vivid game. They seem to enjoy this sport as practically we don't see it anymore much often.

Fernando Santos' pragmatism is well known and would perfectly fit American way of doing.

Without mention I wish him all the best, very sincerely, I love the guy and I think he has a lot to bring to the international football/soccer yet. Greeks love him BTW, his adoption country as he's used to call Greece where he has acted as coach very successfully. He is highly regarded in north of Portugal where I come from as the Engineer (his another academic background) of the fifth successive national championship for FC Porto, one of my heart's teams.

 

[DLD]

Santos is a good coach with an excellent pedigree. Berhalter is a terrible coach, hired in no small part due to nepotism. According to some sources close to the US players, the top US talent in top European clubs (Chelsea, Juventus, Dortmund) hates Berhalter and can't wait until he's gone.

The US Soccer Federation is, however, unlikely to "do the right thing" and will instead hire an American ... then meekly go out in 2026 playing on home soil.

 

[Emanuel]

Santos is a good coach with an excellent pedigree. Berhalter is a terrible coach, hired in no small part due to nepotism. According to some sources close to the US players, the top US talent in top European clubs (Chelsea, Juventus, Dortmund) hates Berhalter and can't wait until he's gone.

The US Soccer Federation is, however, unlikely to "do the right thing" and will instead hire an American ... then meekly go out in 2026 playing on home soil.

Well, we're all Americans since our cultural baptism : )

As positive note yet on the news of the moment, a lot of his now former and older players from Portugal national team (a considerable amount of them or almost everyone) have praised Fernando Santos' legacy throughout this time of farewell. Even those left at the bench before such as Ricardo Quaresma or in this World Cup, João Cancelo and Rui Patrício, two of them I believe would have had a better performance than those counterparts acting in the match against Morocco.

I think this attitude of them speaks a lot for his work, I guess : )

As side note, Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't said anything so far... Even though to have labeled him as one of the best coaches of nowadays in the past not so far ;- )

 

[Emanuel]

They had to hire that Argentine referee from Portugal-Morocco to not award that penalty kick... LOL : ) This doesn't mean they don't reward the team who puts pressure in the game either with ball over the opponent team or even through fouls or yet with costumary blah-blah-blah towards the referee whenever is time to blow the whistle : D Football/soccer is psychological tactics than ever. Merit for surprise and creative game/tactical innovation as well.

 

[DLD]

So, about the final ... oh, I got nothing to say ... it's, it's ballroom blitz.

 

[Emanuel]

So, about the final ... oh, I got nothing to say ... it's, it's ballroom blitz.

Unfortunate France, Mbappé didn't deserve it nor Lloris, Griezmann...

But neither the former Benfica skillful Di Maria (actual Otamendi e Enzo Fernández don't break my heart though, they play with my Benfica rivals anyway haha) and Argentine team as much as an ingenious coach didn't fail too, so whoever would win from these penalties had enough credits for : )

Great final to mark this World Cup though, looked like a match of those good old times of before! ;- )


Besides an arrogant Messi when they had just beaten Netherlands once again...

Yet no need to play handball this time! LOL : D

 

[Peter C.]

Strange game. Glad Argentina won because they were the stronger team based on the eye test, time of possession scoring chances, and goalie play. Without the opportune penalty kicks in the second half by France this could have been a blow out. Messi got his redemption arc...

 

[DLD]

Strange game. Glad Argentina won because they were the stronger team based on the eye test, time of possession scoring chances, and goalie play. Without the opportune penalty kicks in the second half by France this could have been a blow out. Messi got his redemption arc...

This is my 13th WC final (my parents sent me to our summer home in 1970 where we had no TV, so I missed Brazil-Italy completely, having an opportunity to watch the full match only some 40 years after the fact). Argentina-France was certainly the most exciting 120 minuutes for a neutral observer. My favorite was the 1974 final due to the talent assembled on the field of play. Whereas today's contest had two superstars in Mbappe and Messi, the 1974 final had close to a dozen. Plus Günther Netzer on the bench. My high school graduation coincided with the 1978 Argentina-Netherlands, also with plenty of superstars on both benches (and with the legendary coaches to boot).

PS. Sad to report that the American English language soccer broadcasts are crap. I watched almost the entire tournament in Spanish on Telemundo.

 

[ade4all]

Thought it was a fantastic final, definitely the most exciting I've seen (Argentina 78 being my first) and for me the best team won. France didn't play at all for the first 80 minutes but one mistake by Otamendi and they somehow dragged themselves back in the game, that's what makes football so great - a goal can completely turn a game that looked like it was heading for an easy win for Argentina. After that it could have gone either way and fair play to Argentina to keep going with the penalties having come so close to winning it twice already. France were a very pragmatic team this World Cup, they didn't play great football but were very hard to beat and with their young superstar Mbappe anything is possible

 

[DLD]

France really didn't have top talent at its disposal. Due to injuries, its three best players in Benzema, Pogba and Konte missed the tournament entirely. One great decision that paid off for Deschamps handsomely was moving Griesmann into a #10 playmaker position but that also depended on the rest of his teammates dominating the other team. Where Deschamps screwed up was fielding the same formation in the final against a team as talented as Argentina. With Giroud, Griesemann and Mbappe playing way behind the ball, the French defense was stretched far too thin, with only three midfielders in Tchouaméni, Rabiot and a misplaced Dembele (a forward with Barcelona) trying to combat a six midfielder opponent (Fernandez, MacAllister, De Paul, De Maria, Tagliafico/Acuña and Messi), which sliced through it at will. Changes at the end of the first half didn't have much effect, as Argentina by them was defending a two goal lead.

Where Scaloni screwed up was being far too late in making subs, with only one in regulation. His midfield by then was running on fumes. He then made five in extra time.

 

[Emanuel]

France really didn't have top talent at its disposal. Due to injuries, its three best players in Benzema, Pogba and Konte missed the tournament entirely. One great decision that paid off for Deschamps handsomely was moving Griesmann into a #10 playmaker position but that also depended on the rest of his teammates dominating the other team. Where Deschamps screwed up was fielding the same formation in the final against a team as talented as Argentina. With Giroud, Griesemann and Mbappe playing way behind the ball, the French defense was stretched far too thin, with only three midfielders in Tchouaméni, Rabiot and a misplaced Dembele (a forward with Barcelona) trying to combat a six midfielder opponent (Fernandez, MacAllister, De Paul, De Maria, Tagliafico/Acuña and Messi), which sliced through it at will. Changes at the end of the first half didn't have much effect, as Argentina by them was defending a two goal lead.

Where Scaloni screwed up was being far too late in making subs, with only one in regulation. His midfield by then was running on fumes. He then made five in extra time.

With such boring game these days -- seems every team knows a sole way how to play this sport today, only surprise can overcome it. Scaloni brought it with Di María.

Deschamps forgot he had Benzema available for the final (who has actually announced the end of the story the day after). Also Griezmann (and Mac Allister! LOL ; ) and Giroud for penalties shootout at least...


PS -- Last but not least, says L'Èquipe: "Messi’s goal in extra time was illegal” : X



LINK
on controversy in Argentina-France aftermath


Too late now! LOL : D

But the case is up and makes history too under the Law 3, paragraph 9 of the Football Laws! ;- )

 

[DLD]

It's like that (great) Kenneth Wolstenholme line from the 1966 Final, ""Some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over. (Hurst scores right as he is saying it) It is now!"

If the refs annulled the goal, Argentina would invade Qatar. And flood the market with natural gas. From any source it could find.

 

[Emanuel]

It's like that (great) Kenneth Wolstenholme line from the 1966 Final, ""Some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over. (Hurst scores right as he is saying it) It is now!"

Well, looks like Mbappé almost matched Geoff Hurst on joining World Cup final hat-trick club except not as winner this time... ; )

If the refs annulled the goal, Argentina would invade Qatar. And flood the market with natural gas. From any source it could find.

LOL : D Their luck they have no need to invade the Falkland Islands, only the Premier League... as much no more Osvaldo Ardiles export to PSG for the time being. Messi is already there ;- )

 

[DLD]

... LOL : D Their luck they have no need to invade the Falkland Islands, only the Premier League... as much no more Osvaldo Ardiles export to PSG for the time being. Messi is already there ;- )

It was Ossie and Ricardo "Ricky" Villa that landed in London. Ossie was a great deep lying play maker.

Off that 1978 WC winning team, Mario Kempes (WC 1978 best player) was already in Spain. Daniel Bertoni and Daniel Passarella went to Italy (heritage played a part). Alberto Tarantini to France (regardless of the heritage). Their head coach Cesar Louis Menotti also dipped his foot in the European waters. The cross continent migration was rare in those days.

PS. The 1978 final was on June 25th, my high school senior prom took place on the previous night. 1978 was an eventful year.

 

[Emanuel]

It was Ossie and Ricardo "Ricky" Villa that landed in London. Ossie was a great deep lying play maker.

Off that 1978 WC winning team, Mario Kempes (WC 1978 best player) was already in Spain. Daniel Bertoni and Daniel Passarella went to Italy (heritage played a part). Alberto Tarantini to France (regardless of the heritage). Their head coach Cesar Louis Menotti also dipped his foot in the European waters. The cross continent migration was rare in those days.

PS. The 1978 final was on June 25th, my high school senior prom took place on the previous night. 1978 was an eventful year.

Indeed...
And Vittorio Pozzo was already used in the 30s to win World Cups with those call-ups of oriundi from South America ; ) Nothing against that : )

Just nowadays is not as rare as before mentioned by you...
...and these national teams are actually formed by players acting outside today in the major European leagues ;- )

 

[DLD]

The WC final drew almost 26M TV viewers on two of its US broadcasters - Fox and Telemundo (I watched on Telemundo ... last night I found Fox's rebroadcast during the Packers-Rams game and ... was not disappointed with crying Andres Cantor). It is the highest rated men's match of all time. Which does show a growing interest in the game, with it being broadcast fairly early in the morning - 10AM EST/7AM PST. The previous highs were from the 2014 WC, which was held in Brazil and allowed for a more convenient time slot.

And it's obviously nowhere near Superbowls, whose record is at about 115M of 2015. It was, however, far better than the once US sports leader baseball could do in 2022 with 6.1M (an average of six games).

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ngs-in-the-us/

 

[cyvideo]

Well now that it is all over... recovering from a few sleepless nights here, you can buy all the kit that brought the World Cup to you...

https://bit.ly/3v7Mwr2

Chris Young

 

[Emanuel]

The WC final drew almost 26M TV viewers on two of its US broadcasters - Fox and Telemundo (I watched on Telemundo ... last night I found Fox's rebroadcast during the Packers-Rams game and ... was not disappointed with crying Andres Cantor). It is the highest rated men's match of all time. Which does show a growing interest in the game, with it being broadcast fairly early in the morning - 10AM EST/7AM PST. The previous highs were from the 2014 WC, which was held in Brazil and allowed for a more convenient time slot.

And it's obviously nowhere near Superbowls, whose record is at about 115M of 2015. It was, however, far better than the once US sports leader baseball could do in 2022 with 6.1M (an average of six games).

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ngs-in-the-us/

Very interesting info, rather delightful, thank you! (EAG : )