2018 FIFA World Cup

[jstar]

Transfer talk:

Real Madrid does not intend to attract Neymar. This is what the winner of the Champions League emphasizes in a message on their website, in which it wants to put an end to the constant flow of hearsay and rumors. "Real Madrid does not intend to bid on Neymar," the Spanish club states. "We have an excellent relationship with Paris Saint-Germain. So if we are interested in one of their players, we will always approach the club first.".

The Brazilian player who was not very successful at this championship, moved for €222 million from FC Barcelona to PSG and thus became the most expensive footballer ever. Spanish media have been writing for months now, that Real Madrid would love to get him back to La Liga. (He played for Barcelona before.) Especially since their star player Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus.

But I wouldn't be surprised their interest has diminished quite a lot because of his attitude before the tournament (he refused to return from Brazil to Paris and has a bit the image of a party animal) and esp. his behavior during the games, and the satire that has triggered on social media. Real Madrid is a rather serious team that doesn't like bad boys too much. I don't think the Argentinian disappointment will have a big impact on Messi; he seems happy in Barcelona and does function very well in that team.

Besides Neymar, his club mate Kylian Mbappé (France) but also Eden Hazard (Belgium) are linked to Real Madrid. In an official statement the 'Royal' club recently denied having made an offer to the French player. But what about Hazard (currently playing for Chelsea)? It seems Barcelona is also interested.

One of the best keepers of the world, Courtois (who did quite a good job in this tournament, has played for Athletico on a loan basis, and who we will see play tonight), is also talk of the town in the transfer world; but Chelsea wants 'too much'.

[from multiple articles]

 

[snpark]

Hazard to chelsea - the end of the road for them now
Neymar is poison chalice, Mbappe much better, Hazard too
Someone will bid for Kane a stupid amount

Ironically my team Arsenal is in the best position, new manager, signed 5 so far, and all of our players are already back, rested, fit, training
Most other teams still have players in Russia, no managers, inuries etc

 

[jstar]

Someone will bid for Kane a stupid amount

Ah yes, Real perhaps. Or too much overlap with Bale? And was that swap anything serious?

Lukaku and Kane would love to see their value going up somewhat by scoring tonight.

 

[jstar]

Already 1:0 after five minutes, Meunier of Belgium scored. Hmm, wasn't that the player who was not allowed to play against France? What a coach.

 

[jstar]

.
There is a Schwalphabet!

Available in the better word processing programs and text editors....

 

[jstar]

About tonight's English team: With a player's average age of 25 years and 174 days, Gareth Southgate selected the youngest team in the history of English football for the World Cup.

 

[jstar]

Belgium just beat England for the 3[sup]rd[/sup] place. Honestly, the 2:0 score does not really reflect the game, and England did deserve better. In the second half, Belgium moved back to their favorite counter-football. And that paid off.

 

[snpark]

Joking right? Should have been 4 or 5

 

[jstar]

Joking right? Should have been 4 or 5

Nah....look at the statistics:

More ball possession, shots at goal, missed chances (less interceptions by goalie), more corners, less faults, ...

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[snpark]

hhhhhmmmm

 

[waarmstrong]

The only good thing about the game is its over. It will quickly be forgotten once the championship game gets underway.

 

[jstar]

I had/have the same watching the finals Germany - The Netherlands and Argentina - The Netherlands from the seventies. I had/have the feeling they were better, did not deserve to lose, were superior, ... but if you look at the stats later and see how they arrived in the finals, you can imagine why a neutral spectator might think differently. Similarly: Look at all the remarks from the Belgians vis à vis the French now. Not really fair.

But what you also see quite often is the turning away from the own team since people are disappointed. Then they become extremely critical for their own favorites.

 

[jstar]

France scored. Well, in fact it was an own goal. Croatia dominated the game but the French got a free kick, taken by Griezmann, which was touched by a Croatian player.

 

[jstar]

And Perisic scored! A well deserved goal for Croatia, it is 1-1.

 

[jstar]

Penalty for France, taken by Griezmann puts France in the lead again.

Now it was clearly a (non deliberate?) handball from Perisic.

And these are the rules:

In Fifa's Laws of the Game 2005, Law 12 says a free-kick or penalty will be awarded if a player "handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)".

The document gives "additional information for referees, assistant referees and fourth officials". and it reads: "Referees are reminded that deliberately handling the ball is normally punished only by a direct free-kick or penalty kick if the offence occurred inside the penalty area. "A caution or dismissal is not normally required."

However, the document does not describe what constitutes deliberate handball, which places the responsibility firmly on the referee and referees' assistants. The referee's interpretation depends on whether the hand or arm is in an "unnatural" position at the point of contact. Of course the consideration is if the defending player spreads his arms to make himself bigger.

This penalty will be debatable for years to come.

 

[jstar]

After 45 minutes, 61% ball possession for Croatia, 7 shots on the goal by Croatia (and 1 by the French), and many more kilometers ran by the Croats.......France leads with 2-1

They are efficient and effective.

 

[jstar]

It seems the Croats haven given too much and now collapsed. It's already 4-1.

 

[jstar]

Final score is 4-2 for France.

We have a new world champion.

Congratulations! Félicitations! Čestitam!
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[waarmstrong]

Glad that's finally over. Now its almost time for the pretentiously named World Series. Wonder if the French could have won 4 of 7. Probably.

 

[Supir Angkot]

Glad that's finally over. Now its almost time for the pretentiously named World Series. Wonder if the French could have won 4 of 7. Probably.

You’re clearly more disposed to baseball or football but your kids growing up watching and maybe even playing soccer as school’s PE requirement.

What is the dad equivalent to a soccer mom?