Topic: The 2026 FIFA World Cup Thread!!!

The night before the game I said:

"Paraguay vs. France? Get ready for lots of kicking, clawing and spitting."

The pre-tournament odds gave Canada:

• 85% chance of qualifying from the group stage
• 45% chance of qualifying for the last 16
• 17% chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals

So it was a successful tournament given our expectations. We were fortunate to end up with South Africa in the round of 32. If we had won our group then we would have faced a better side in Algeria, though we would have had home field advantage in Vancouver.

The 3-0 scoreline loss to Morocco looks bad. But Morocco's 2nd goal came as late as the 82nd minute when we were pressing hard to equalize. We could have defended and held on to lose 1-0, but instead threw caution to the wind. Oh well.

We'll also take solace in the fact that we were the better team in the first half at least, but our striker Jonathan David had a famously horrible year with Juventus. And other than destroying Qatar with a hat-trick, he has been very poor for us now. There aren't many goals in the rest of the team either.

We'll probably never see another World Cup round of 16 in my lifetime, so I enjoyed the ride.

Here are the odds for scoreline after 90 minutes ("1" = most likely, "2" = next most likely, etc.):

1.) 1-1
2.) 1-0 England
3.) 0-0

I worry for England, because the public will NOT accept being knocked out by Mexico. The last 4 tournaments they've been eliminated by Spain, France, Italy, and Croatia. If you're going to lose, that's at least an impressive list to lose to.

Before that it was famously Iceland. I don't think they'll view a loss to Mexico being any better.

It should be fascinating and tense though. And before that we get Brazil-Norway! Two fascinating match-ups. And likewise, I think Brazilians would NOT accept being knocked out by Norway!

@MontyCircus And that’s not to mention that Alphonso Davies didn't even manage to play in the tournament (only a little bit against South Africa). At the 2022 World Cup, Canada was 100% dependent on him.

@Rodolfo6493 I dont care what its called its very unsportsmen like and the ref should not of allowed it, after all that's his job. That's like.seriuosly little kid crap. Oh I cant beat you by skill so I am going to hit you and slap you around and make the game as hostile as possible. Thats not strategy that's being childish and if that is your strategy then maybe you shouldn't have entered the tournament. In honesty FIFA should be embrassed to allow this to happen.

Well Balogun will face Belguim as FIFA took away the red card which he should have never got to begin with. Good to see them do the right thing.

@Tasuki
They've not taken away the ban, they've suspended it, which is concerning, because it suggests that they do agree with the ref's decision, but have bowed to pressure, similar to Ronaldo's treatment.

@MontyCircus
I think Mexico win 2-1.

The English brought their rain with them.

Unfair advantage.

Well they had to counter what the Mexican fans did last night.

@Tasuki what'd they do?