World Cup thread

Well, congratulations USA. That was a good game, and a good win.

And with Portugal losing so comprehensively (which it's always nice to see), you have every chance of getting through to the next round: all you have to do is beat Portugal, and you'll be second in your group.

I do always like watching the USA team: ever since the days of Lalas, they've always been fast and skilful and fun to watch.

So far, it's been an excellent World Cup. Every game I've seen has been good (although I did miss Nigeria against Iran, which looks like it was a bit dull).

And the lack of vuvuzelas makes everything so much more exciting.

 

Given that Scotland decided to sit this one out, I have no similar pictures to compete.

But that American goal celebration was at least rather more successful than the English goal celebration.



England physio Gary Lewin to jet back to UK for ankle surgery this week after suffering freak injury celebrating Daniel Sturridge's goal against the Italians | Mail Online

 

Yes. You actually have a national team in a sport that other countries play too!

The ones who play their club football in Europe get paid pretty well.

 

Well, it's much better than Ron Atkinson or Andy Gray. At least he was just swearing, rather than making a complete idiot of himself.

It's always nice to see the horror on people's faces when they realise they're on air.

 

It's an excellent sport. Much better than your so-called football.

And I'm not just being anti-American: Rugby league and cricket suck just as much as baseball and "American football" (like "American Cheese", the "American" in "American football" appears to mean "Actually not").

And your national team is actually pretty good. While Scotland didn't even qualify and Australia is the lowest-ranked team in the finals, America is kind of average among the teams in the finals, and is a good team to watch.

 

Ah, no. It's not an enlightenment thing. I will never, ever be enlightened on American football. It's like Beijing Opera: I find it painful and boring.

So I really can't have a go at you for not liking real football, even though it is a vastly superior sport.

That's the South Americans (except for Uruguay, who leave the opposition with a reason for writhing around on the ground) and Southern Europeans.

And it's been much, much better this World Cup than the last couple. There's been remarkably little diving and cheating so far.

The financial ones? They're beyond mini-scandals, I think.

 

I got up in the middle of the night (2am) to do my patriotic duty and watch Australia lose 5-0 to Holland.

And it didn't happen. I don't know how many of you saw it, but it was an absolutely brilliant game. The lowest-ranked team in the World Cup very nearly won. It was very exciting, and Cahill's goal was fantastic.

I'm typing this with the TV on - poor Cameroon are getting a right thumping.

 

Poor England. They're not even going to do their usual thing of going out in the quarter finals on penalties.

I'm kind of torn on this. As a Scotland fan, it's always nice to see England lose. But as a football fan, it's never nice to see Uruguay win. Every World Cup I remember - since 1982 (1978 was on after my bedtime) - they've alternated between kicking people in the legs as hard as they can, and falling to the ground like they've been shot.

And it's even more annoying when bitey Suarez scores both goals.

 

Bloody hell.

That was incredibly unlucky for America. And I really wanted them to win, partly because I like the way the Americans play, partly because I do like to see the underdogs win, and partly because there are few more beautiful sights in football than Cristiano Ronaldo looking pissed off.

But it was not to be. Damn.

 

The coaches really should feed Luis Suarez before he's sent out to play.

Luis Suárez ‘bite’ incident leaves Uruguay striker facing long ban | Football | The Guardian





And before that, there was this in April 2013:

Luis Suárez given 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic | Football | theguardian.com



And before that, there was this, in 2010:

Biting someone once in a football match is terrible. But three times, at the top level in the Dutch league, the English league and the World Cup is ridiculous.

Third bite is deepest for Luis Suárez and his World Cup may be over | Football | The Guardian

We all like to eat Italian, Turkish and Croatian. They're some of my favourite cuisines. But I tend to eat Italian, Turkish and Croatian animal and plant products, rather than people.

He is a dirty, violent player in general. But the biting seems more than just the usual violent play. I think there's some sort of mental illness thing going on there.

 

On a serious note, I think Chiellini has every right to demand that Suarez submit to tests for HIV, hepatitis, and other blood-borne diseases.

Mind you, I also think Chiellini has every right to kick the pulp out of him.