The official 2018 World Cup thread

[$Bullsfam$]

I need some intelligent soccer fans to give me the inside scoop. What's this match up like today style wise and who wins

[Sparked_26]

I need some intelligent soccer fans to give me the inside scoop. What's this match up like today style wise and who wins

Both are extremely similar in terms of style and philosophy.

France are slightly more defensive as their manager is a famous former defensive midfielder and known as ‘the water carrier’.

Belgium have a golden generation of talent. But you’ll hear English posters and Europeans be fairly dismissive of them because typically they famously melt under pressure. A bit like the English. But their team has solid characters in it this time such as Vincent Kompany in addition to the talent of Hazard, KDB and Lukaku.

France move the ball slower and aren’t as exciting and even play a centre back as a right back which is standard move by a defensive coach. They don’t throw as many bodies forward as Belgium. But they have unbelievable players too and in key positions with Mbappe and Griezemann etc.

I suspect France’s know how will win the day. They are slightly more risk averse and I suspect Belgium may be victims of their own hubris. The Belgians or at least these Belgians are quite arrogant. More so than the French which is outstanding.

Basically this game is France vs France

Pick your poison. I’d go with the real France. More experienced and more likely to respect and adjust to their opponents.

[$Bullsfam$]

Both are extremely similar in terms of style and philosophy.

France are slightly more defensive as their manager is a famous former defensive midfielder and known as ‘the water carrier’.

Belgium have a golden generation of talent. But you’ll hear English posters and Europeans be fairly dismissive of them because typically they famously melt under pressure. A bit like the English. But their team has solid characters in it this time such as Vincent Kompany in addition to the talent of Hazard, KDB and Lukaku.

France move the ball slower and aren’t as exciting and even play a centre back as a right back which is standard move by a defensive coach. They don’t throw as many bodies forward as Belgium. But they have unbelievable players too and in key positions with Mbappe and Griezemann etc.

I suspect France’s know how will win the day. They are slightly more risk averse and I suspect Belgium may be victims of their own hubris. The Belgians or at least these Belgians are quite arrogant. More so than the French which is outstanding.

Basically this game is France vs France

Pick your poison. I’d go with the real France. More experienced and more likely to respect and adjust to their opponents.

Much appreciated kind sir. So you think Belgium has more talent but France has talent with experience? Sounds like it could go either way lol somebody told me France was overrated but I don't think you get this far without being legit

[El Fenomeno]

World Cup 2018 question for the lads.

How good is Neymar?

I dunno if it’s just the fact that the lad is such a monumental bellend that people I know are actually debating how good he actually is.

Is he the 3rd best player in the world? or does his immaturity even at 26 stop him reaching even greater heights?

It seems to me at this World Cup and in this day and age when social media is king that he’s become a laughing stock to the extent that it undermines his talent.

I don’t even know if I’d want him at my club and we’re going to be abject next year. The amount of baggage he comes with is ridiculous.

I’d love to know what real Brazilians think of him.

Easily. He's superb.

He's not quite at Messi-level with it but he's the only other player who can do absolutely everything (passing/shooting/dribbling/dropping deep to take the ball and start attacks/set pieces) at a high level. He does it consistently too.

His mentality is off and he's been a bit of a prick at this World Cup but a couple of weeks worth of that doesn't suddenly wipe out years of consistently brilliant performances.

You saw the lengths Barca went to try and hang on to him last summer.

He has that aura about him at the moment that Busquets had for a while where people would massively undersell him because of a personal dislike.

[Roy Jones Jnr]

He's nowhere near Messi or Ronaldos level and never will be. On talent alone he should be the third best but can see someone like De Bruyne overtaking him as long as he stays in that bum league.

[black.ink]

True, being in the French League will leave question marks, unless you showcase your talent on the biggest stages, and he didn't do that in the World Cup or Champions League.

A move to Real Madrid will be a step in the right direction in the 'passing the torch' from Ronaldo, but he's a long way to go to fit in the conversation of Messi/Ronaldo. They are being discussed in greatest of all-time arguments, and if you take them two away from discussion, he would still be argued against being the next best.

Someone needs to toughen this kid up.

[Mooshashi]

I just voted for Germany...do they have a chance ?

[BigZ44]

Been going back and forth on today's game, but I'm going with France. Two very difficult, emotional games in a row for Belgium and I still don't completely trust them. French it is

[DuckAdonis]

I just voted for Germany...do they have a chance ?

Ha..good one

[DuckAdonis]

Neymar played very well this world cup, you guys just let your opinion of his atitude get in the way of how he actually performed... Brazil was just very unlucky vs Belgium, that own goal of replacement Fernandinho for suspended Casemiro not being able to play. But they were still playing better, had more opportunities and in the 2nd half they played magnificent. Bad luck got them out + they should have had a penalty from that foul from Kompany on Jesus. Still weird how the ref didnt check the footage from VAR on that...smells like moscow corruption