The Netherlands came within four minutes, plus roughly two minutes of stoppage time, of reaching a penalty shootout. Had the Dutch been awarded that corner shortly before Spain’s goal, Spain probably would not have scored the winner, as they created no other real chances during the second period of extra time.

Nowadays, most people would probably pick Spain, especially because the Netherlands have recently thrown away several penalty shootouts again.

But consider the situation in 2010. The Netherlands had several experienced and reliable penalty takers in Van Persie, Robben, Van der Vaart and Van Bommel. All players who had taken plenty of penalties during their careers.

Spain, meanwhile, had already missed two penalties at that World Cup. Stekelenburg was not known as an exceptionally strong penalty-saving goalkeeper, but neither was Casillas.

So, what do you think?

I’m a Messi fan, so I’ve supported Argentina for many years. I even went to watch Argentina play at this World Cup.

But what happened in the World Cup final was simply unacceptable.I’ve watched Argentina for years, and in my opinion, Paredes is by far the dirtiest player on the team. This wasn’t a one-off incident. He’s repeatedly thrown unnecessary elbows, provoked opponents, and committed cynical fouls throughout his career.

What happened after the final was even worse. Instead of showing any remorse afterward, he appeared proud of his actions, which made it even more frustrating.

This also isn’t the first time he’s been involved in controversial behavior. Many fans still remember him blasting the ball into the Netherlands bench during the 2022 World Cup quarterfinal, deliberately escalating tensions.

As ordinary fans, is there anything we can actually do to help ensure this can be taken seriously?

I’ve already submitted a report through FIFA’s reporting portal, but I feel like it may be in vain.

Because I love Messi and have supported Argentina for years. That’s why this is even more disappointing.

Has anyone here successfully reported similar incidents before, or knows what else fans can realistically do?

Before 2010, Spain hadnt even made it to the semi finals of a World Cup. If you want to get technical they got to the final 4 in 1950. But that was still a long time. In fact after 1950 they didn’t get out of the first group stage until they hosted it in 1982. They just seemed to fall short despite having really talented players. Obviously other teams might have had better players, but it’s weird that it took the, so long just to get past the quarterfinals.

Since it looks likely 64 teams is happening I thought it would be interesting to look at what the pots could look like. Of course we don't know the spot allocations or who qualifies so this is a bunch of assumptions just to visualize it.

Assuming these allocations and excluding intercontinental playoffs for the sake of simplicity.

Going by the current world ranking here's how the pots would look if the highest ranked teams from each confederation qualified:

Five highest ranked unqualified teams from each confederation:

Not sure if anybody already asked this, if so, I apologize in advance…

Which would you consider was the match of the tournament and why?

Messi alongside his teammates don't deserve any respect. They played beyond dirty but I expected so much more from Messi. From the fake play running into the Spain player to trying to get one of Spain's players ejected from the game by accusing whispering while covering mouth. The desperation could have been utilized strategically changing up their game but their arrogance got the best of them. They were outplayed. They played like sore losers. They showed their true colors playing a competitive team that threw them off their game. Like children throwing tantrums when the dont get their ways.

Yann Diomande for me was exceptional and so was the Swiss midfielder Manzambe. I still think that had he played against Argentina they would have likely lost that match.

What other players really stood out to you all? There was so many games and I frankly can't remember most of them, but which performances stuck with you?

https://reddit.com/link/1v3r4j1/video/bt5q3qe20ueh1/player

I've been rewatching this sequence from the final and noticed a couple of things that stood out to me. I'm curious if anyone with coaching or tactical experience can explain them.

1. It looks like Molina makes contact with Nico Williams and appears to push him toward the ball's trajectory. From my angle, the ball looked like it may have been going out of play anyway. Was there a tactical reason for that challenge, or am I misreading the situation?
2. On the cross, there appear to be three Argentine defenders focused on Merino. Was this intentional (zonal marking, reacting to the biggest aerial threat), or was it simply a defensive breakdown?
3. In another angle, one of the Argentine players (Simeone) appears to adjust his boot and loses track of his man in a dangerous area just before the goal. Is that something that happens more often than people realize, or is it as unusual as it looks seems very strange especially when Spains in a crucial attacking moment?
4. Paredes clearly sees Torres open and remains in his spot, even after Simeone loses his man, what is he even doing in the first place, he's clearly not marking anybody and has plenty of time to go for Torres but decides to remain there? That one doesnt have an excuse
5. Why doesn't Emi Martinez attempt to go for a goalkeeper challenge, or contest for the ball, that ones probably the least of the concerns, maybe he did the right thing in the moment a goalie should do, trusted his gut but he definItely could've gotten that ball

https://reddit.com/link/1v3r4j1/video/vo8b7vhy4ueh1/player

In conclusion, i can't tell if this is half-assed lazy defending but seems very weird I'm not saying this proves anything or that it's evidence of match-fixing. Football is chaotic, and defenders make mistakes. These just seemed like unusual decisions in such a crucial moment, and I'd like to hear tactical explanations from people who know the game well. Don't start downvoting me because I "discredited Torres" goal, you have to admit its somewhat weird

What do you all think?

Fifa to announce record $15bn World Cup revenue, smashing expectations

Gianni Infantino will feel this shores up his position

Fifa will announce record $15bn (£11.2bn) revenues from this summer’s World Cup, significantly exceeding the targets set before the tournament.

Fifa’s member associations were informed of the boost in income by Gianni Infantino on Saturday. Originally the governing body had projected $11bn in earnings. Sources have indicated that hospitality and ti\**ting, especially through the steeply priced secondary market, account for a significant amount of the increase. Fifa takes 15% from the buyer and another 15% from the seller on the secondary market.*

It is likely that football associations will reap the benefits of Fifa’s expanded World Cup pot, although details are yet to be finalised. The financial situation will come as a boost to Infantino, who will feel it further shores up his position after a controversy-ridden month in the US, Canada and Mexico.

It is likely that football associations will reap the benefits of Fifa’s expanded World Cup pot, although details are yet to be finalised. The financial situation will come as a boost to Infantino, who will feel it further shores up his position after a controversy-ridden month in the US, Canada and Mexico.

There was widespread fury after Fifa was perceived to have bowed to pressure from Donald Trump in suspending the red card given to Folarin Balogun, the US striker, against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32. Fifa has said the decision was taken independently by its disciplinary committee but that has continued to fester among European FAs in particular. Infantino has nevertheless received more than 200 pledges of support from Fifa’s member associations for his re-election in March. The prospect of extra funds from bumper World Cup revenue is likely to dissuade some FAs from making any discontent public.

Such a bonanza may also increase the chances of the US hosting another edition in the near future. The next World Cup available for bids is the 2038 tournament. At a reception on Friday, Trump confirmed his country’s eagerness for a repeat performance. “You should choose the United States of America again,” he said. “This time we will leave Canada and Mexico out.” The US has also held talks with Fifa about hosting the Club World Cup in 2029.

Source:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/18/fifa-record-15bn-world-cup-revenue

I’m hoping for a new country to join the party.

Just so nobody jumps on me, I think that Messi is of the best players ever, the best would always be Cruyff for me though, sorry.

I know that people love a good narrative, but the current team was built around him, for him to carry, but also they had to accommodate him a lot since he wasnt working defensively.

Notice how against Switzerland they actually needed ref's help, because Argentina's strategy in this match pushed Enzo back and Messi wasn't getting any of those great long passes that we've seen Enzo performing against England. Carrying would suggest that he was more self-sufficient.

Controversial, but their team playing without Messi in the last year or so didn't look bad at all, they were able to press normally too. The team looks bad at the cost of making Messi looking amazing and deliver his brilliance. Which he can do, but there is a significant cost to it. Echoes of Barcelona from 2016 until he left in a way.

In 2018 they surely looked worse without him, but now, I dunno. The team's setup looks completely different without him. 

 Those are good players and funnily enough the rate of their winning matches without Messi is higher than with him.

Last time we ever had a 1st time winner was Spain 🇪🇸 when they won it for the first time in 2010 in South Africa and before that was France 🇫🇷 in 1998 when they won it for the first time on home soil. So do you guys think we are capable of having a country win it for the first time rather than seeing your usual winners?

Teams yet to win a World Cup who could in 2030

- Portugal 🇵🇹 seeing as how they are on home soil as one of the tri hosts; last time they hosted a competition on home soil was EURO 2004 where they lost in the Final to Greece 🇬🇷 but can they rectify that by winning in 2030 and adding their first star on to their jersey? It is possible given their core group of guys and if Ronaldo is not there; then they definitely can

- Morocco 🇲🇦 another one of the tri hosts on home soil hosting in their country; would make history as the first African nation to win the World Cup and given their core group they can compete

- Netherlands 🇳🇱 probably the greatest country to never win a World Cup...but have been to 3 Finals in 1974, 1978 and 2010 without winning the big one but seeing their core group and younger talent about to break through can they do it?

- Sweden 🇸🇪 being another dark horse if they qualify can or Norway 🇳🇴 given that they too were also close

- USA 🇺🇸 are another dark horse for 2030 that has never won it but can they?

- Japan🇯🇵 they keep knocking on the door but can't seem to get out of their own way

- Belgium 🇧🇪 being another who can potentially win it if they phase out the old guard

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088714842893

I find that I have been recommending this channel to several friends, and I wanted to share it with everyone else. I find this facebook channel does a very good job of discussing controversial calls in football. If there are any calls you saw this world cup, that you were wondering the justification of, or whether they got it right or not, this channel discusses almost all of them in short videos complete with references to the actual rule book. Theres a good chance that the decision you are curious about is discussed there.

It should have been Spain vs England. Argentina got away with so much robbery and foul play against England. Yes England last 30 minutes tactics were horrible but if Argentina players were carded early then the game would have been different.

The final would have been one for the history books. The euro final Spain vs England would be have been great to see how both teams had progressed and a chance for England to show the true quality.

FIFA should be ashamed of their favouritism for Argentina. It’s clear with fouls to yellow card ratios they’re favourited. Corruption.

Spain vs England… what could’ve been.

Spain just won the FIFA World Cup following a grueling match against Argentina. And it was all thanks to Ferran Torres scoring in the 106th minute, capping off a dramatic extra-time thriller. Now, he’s being hailed as the hero of Spain‘s triumph—but just four years ago, he found himself in the biggest career rut of his life.

In 2022, the Spanish forward was grappling with a mental health crisis; the then-21-year-old had hit rock bottom after his €55 million ($62.8 million) move from Manchester City to La Liga club Barcelona. Torres was struggling to handle the pressure that came with his talent’s high price tag, just as he was recovering from a preseason leg injury and crushing Europa League loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

“I found myself in a bottomless pit, and I could not see a way out,” Torres told reporters in 2023. “It had never happened to me before. That was the moment when I decided to work with a psychologist.

“I lost my confidence. Everything was affecting me,” he continued. “Seeing [a psychologist] will become increasingly normalised in football. There are weeks when I don’t go and others when I go three times. We don’t always talk about football, we also talk about my private life.”

Torres credits therapy as “one of the best experiences” and making him stronger as a person. And his story can resonate with many; behind the trophies and multimillion-dollar contracts, many sports stars are fighting battles that most fans never see.

Read more [paywall removed for Redditors]:  https://fortune.com/2026/07/20/spain-ferran-torres-scored-winning-world-cup-goal-four-years-ago-therapy-stuck-in-bottomless-pit/?utm_source=reddit/

The 2006 World Cup was the first World Cup I paid attention to and watched. The montage released at the end of the tournament is a thing of beauty. It might be nostalgia, but it really is so good.

Messi before the final - **"Come on guys, stay calm, everyone, stay calm. That's the main thing. Let's stay calm, boys, let me see composure, stay calm.

​Let's just focus on playing, alright. Stay calm, let me tell you to forget about everything, forget about everything. Just play, let's just focus on playing, everyone, just play, let's go!"**

Genuine question. This doesn't sound like a confident team playing final. What do you guys think really happened in dressing room?

Ps: Lets not talk about refrees, fifa etc. Trolls please stay away.

I just want to know what do you guys genuinely think