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World Cup 2026: Mexico, USA and Canada

Congrats to our Norwegian posters (other than the N-word guy). Look a proper team with a goal scoring robot up front. Norway v France final? Here’s hoping it’s Norway v Mexico next up.

That said…as much as I don’t begrudge the celebrations and fun whatsoever, I’ll be happy to see the end of the rowing.

Oh and a word for Neymar, giving it the biggun right as his team is being knocked out in the Round of 16. Well done mate.
 
DeanoAustin said:
Just thinking and maybe its nostalgia talking but...

The world cup has been great and I've enjoyed more than I expected. I wasn't even going to watch.

However, has the game become homogenised in terms of tactics and coaching? When we get to this stage particularly, it's just the lads we see every week in the league or every few weeks in the CL all playing each other just in different shirts.

My first real WC was in 86. I remember goung to my uncle's to watch Brazil v Spain and I remember that Sunday my uncles talking about the Brazilians as if they were from another planet. They spoke about Zico, Socretes, Junior etc as if they were magicians because they hadn't seen them in 4 years.

I remember watching Josimar, a fella no one had heard of coming into that world cup and scoring a couple of worldies. In those few weeks I fell in love with Careca.

Maybe it's just a typical old fogie rant but it feels like some of the mystique has gone with all the best players playing in Europe anyway and wall to wall football coverage.

At least Cape Verde kept some of the romanticism alive...
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I personally believe that because they are scouted by European teams so early they are removed from the unique Brazilian football culture. So they never fully develop in same environment that created the Zico, Socrates, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Jairzinho, Pele etc.

Each country has a unique football culture, that's why we so often see a certain type of player repeatedly developed from the same nations. When you take young players out of those environments you remove them from the context that creates that identity.

Simply put, if you look at the calibre of the players they have now they simply pale in comparison to what we used to see, but this isn't new, it's been the case for the last 18 or so years. The conveyor belt has long since stopped producing.
 
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Bishop said:
I personally believe that because they are scouted by European teams so early they are removed from the unique Brazilian football culture. So they never fully develop in same environment that created the Zico, Socrates, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Jairzinho, Pele etc.

Each country has a unique football culture, that's why we so often see a certain type of player repeatedly developed from the same nations. When you take young players out of those environments you remove them from the context that creates that identity.

Simply put, if you loon at the calibre of the players they have bow they simply pale in comparison to what we used to see, but this isn't new, it's been the case for the last 18 or so years. The conveyor belt has long since stopped producing.
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Agree on all counts. When was the last time they had a great team? 2002? They haven’t even had a superstar since Ronaldinho let alone a team full of them like they had previously.
 
Rorschach said:
The Norwegian keeper had a fantastic game.
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Really happy for him. He's been touted as a big weak spot for Norway, for reasonably good reasons, and there was even a process going on to grant Bodø/Glimt goalie Hakim Norwegian citizenship before the WC.

That didn't happen, and instead Nyland has been rock solid the entire tournament. Tonight he was absolutely incredible. That OG save was unreal, and he had a few other great ones + the penalty save.

Incredible night. Can't wait for Mexico/England.
 
Robbo said:
Really happy for him. He's been touted as a big weak spot for Norway, for reasonably good reasons, and there was even a process going on to grant Bodø/Glimt goalie Hakim Norwegian citizenship before the WC.

That didn't happen, and instead Nyland has been rock solid the entire tournament. Tonight he was absolutely incredible. That OG save was unreal, and he had a few other great ones + the penalty save.

Incredible night. Can't wait for Mexico/England.
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Just incredible. He was outstanding. There's a clip going around where Ødegaard is tackled by Neymar (I think) and rolls around three or four times, but then ends up grinning, haha, clearly a little ode to Neymar's antics. And then for the little clam to cry at full time, haha.

I have to go to bed, but would've loved to watch England. Not sure which of Mexico and England would benefit Norway the most, but I'm hoping for England for the most dramatic effect. Think that could be a cracker of a game.
 
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