FIFA World Cup 2018

With Argentina qualifying for the next round, my interest in the World Cup is restored.

Croatia are looking excellent but can they hold their nerve to make it all the way.

On the 6th of July we'll see one of these:

- France vs Uruguay: Good, interesting...
- France vs Portugal: An Euro 2016 rematch.
- Argentina vs Uruguay: A South American classic.
- Argentina vs Portugal: Messi vs CR7.

In any case, it'll be marvellous.

I'd only just got over my anger about Germany getting themselves out of a hole and then bloody Argentina do it too! :D

I've been in it from the start, some really great moments. VAR is great - adds another dimension to it, although we still get some mistakes.

A fascinating tournament.

Mexico lost but they're still in the tournament thanks to South Korea. For the seventh time in a row, they'll be in the round of sixteen. They're the only North American team still alive.

Bye bye Germany... third time in a row the defending champions can't go further than the first round.

Are England still in it? Nothing's been mentioned about them....

Yes, they are. Depending on how things go tomorrow, they'll be facing Senegal, Colombia or Japan on either Monday or Tuesday. From a historic perspective, all three are, on paper, inferior rivals, so they're probably thinking of the quarter-finals already. Harry is the tournament's top goalscorer at the moment

This is one of the strangest World Cups ever. Spain and Portugal with only 5 points each, Brazil is a maybe, and Germany are out. And no Holland, Italy, or US to begin with.

And I'm glad to see the video replay system is working well. England were robbed against Germany in 2010. That kind of injustice looks to be a thing of the past.

This is going to be a hell of a ride.

I'm cheering for Senegal.

Hey Seb - I'm sorry, I was just being sarcastic. You probably know I'm Scottish, and all we hear about is England, England, England. Even when they aren't playing. The commentators are relentless during coverage, and that's a long standing joke in Scotland. It really is irksome. Also, they still think it's 1966.

I had predicted all groups and exact placings correctly until today when Germany went out. I had predicted Germany and Mexico to go through from the group although I am not disappointed that Germany have gone home (sorry Barbara!). They are unbelievably boring, but my dad likes them and is as bad as the English commentators talking about England all the time - so it has shut him up for a bit.

I had predicted a Brazil v Mexico final, although haven't yet checked to see how today's standings have impacted on Mexico's route (it may be that they actually now meet each other in teh next round).

Harry Kane (I mean England) will get to the QF, but no further. I hope, simply down to my predictions and bets.

I'm fairly confident that Brazil, Spain and Portugal will all be in the semi finals.

I think 2002 was the strangest one of all... and, then again, it wasn't: predictable winners (Brazil), über-classic final (though they'd never faced each other in any World Cup prior to that), predictable top goalscorer. But everything else was nuts: Argentina, France, Uruguay and Portugal all out at the end of the first round, Turkey getting third place, South Korea reaching the semi-finals having taken out Italy and Spain.

Germany though...lol ;-)

[QUOTE] [b]Thistleboy1980 wrote:[/b]

Harry Kane (I mean England)[/QUOTE]

Haha, it's true.

Same as Argentina without Messi, or Portugal without Ronaldo.

That's what made the 2014 German team so impressive - you could've substituted anyone on the bench for any of those starting 11 players, and the team was no weaker.

What a fall from grace. One goal in three matches.

The Germany story for me goes back to 1990 for me. This is justice finally served on a cold plate. The most tense last 10 minutes of a match I've seen!

Which means I'm guessing England will lose to Argentina at some point.

Either way, a fantastic WC so far. Really enjoying it.

Agree about England and Argentina, but Portugal have more to offer other than C. Ronaldo.

England have not really been tested yet. By all means they look set to reach the quarters at least, but being the perpetual under-achievers, you never know.

An old joke -

Osama bin Laden has just released a new TV message to prove he is still alive. He said that the England Team performance in the world cup has been pathetic. British intelligence have dismissed the claim, stating that the message could have been recorded anytime in the last 52 years.

LOL

First time I decided to bet on World Cup results. Guess who was my bet for #1.

Thanks for yet another 7x1, Germany.

Sincerely,

A Brazilian