Official road to World Cup 2024 Thread

Who will win the World Cup?

  • Brazil

    Votes: 22 36.1%
  • Argentina

    Votes: 7 11.5%
  • France

    Votes: 14 23.0%
  • Germany

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • Belgium

    Votes: 3 4.9%
  • Netherlands

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • Spain

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • Portugal

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 8 13.1%

  • Total voters
    61

DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
THE GOAT!!!!

And dude was doing this in the 50S, 60, 70's, WHILE SCORING OUT OF HIS MIND.
While Messi has answered history’s questions on where he now ranks amongst the elites, (#2 for me) Pele is the top shelf, upper echelon, gold standard of footballers. There is none better. Mans was different gravy entirely.

Imagine if he were playing right now … :smh:
 

DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
I’m genuinely torn here. It was petty from Claudio to do it but I can understand why he did. Most importantly, it could get Gregg thrown out which is the ultimate goal so how mad can I possibly be?

:dunno:
 

smoovejazz

Rising Star
Platinum Member
I’m genuinely torn here. It was petty from Claudio to do it but I can understand why he did. Most importantly, it could get Gregg thrown out which is the ultimate goal so how mad can I possibly be?

:dunno:

There's much more to this story that's not getting press. It seems that Berhalter's son was cut from an MLS team that Reyna is the GM of. Everybody's saying that Gio Reyna's behavior started all this, but it's possible that Berhalter may have had a grudge against Claudio Reyna, which led him to tell Gio - before the World Cup even began - that he wouldn't be playing much. Berhalter could've just not put Gio on the team, which he would've been roasted for, because he's really good.

Everybody looks bad here - US Soccer, Berhalter, and the Reynas. It would be difficult to keep Berhalter as the US manager, and it's gonna be difficult for Gio Reyna if he gets selected for a US team again, which is a shame because he's young, and he's good.
 

PJN

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
Ay @DJCandle I know you're a ManU fan but have you seen any perennial top 4 team fuck as bad as my Chelsea in the last 20yrs? Damn, I can't even watch the games anymore. I know ManU fell into a slump a few years ago but I feel like y'all's shortcomings were exaggerated.
 

DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
Ay @DJCandle I know you're a ManU fan but have you seen any perennial top 4 team fuck as bad as my Chelsea in the last 20yrs? Damn, I can't even watch the games anymore. I know ManU fell into a slump a few years ago but I feel like y'all's shortcomings were exaggerated.
It was with us, but that comes with the territory so we’re used to it. Took us a decade to get out of it but we’re in a good place now. What’s wild is I can see that same transition beginning with you guys.

Personally, I’m of the belief that the rise and decline of Chelsea, started and ended with Abramovich. At least Roman was a fan of the club and knew how to assemble a squad. That was never in question.

Boehly however, is a straight Bethesda capitalist that doesn’t give af about Chelsea. Sure, he’s thrown $500 million at this project but these are business decisions, that’s looking like abject failure. Firing Tuchel wasn’t a sporting decision to me and I’m still scratching my head at that one. Meanwhile, the current job seems to be way too big for Potter and these guys aren’t playing for him.

It feels like the perfect storm of the new guard, trying to make their stamp on the old guards way of doing things … but it’s not working.

Whether they need Abramovich back as a consultant or a board change, it feels like the footballing decisions have gone out the window and it’s just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.

As was the case with us when Ferguson retired, this could be the beginning of a very long slump for Chelsea if things don’t turn around.
 
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PJN

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
It was with us, but that comes with the territory so we’re used to it. Took us a decade to get out of it but we’re in a good place now. What’s wild is I can see that same transition beginning with you guys.

Personally, I’m of the belief that the rise and decline of Chelsea, started and ended with Abramovich. At least Roman was a fan of the club and knew how to assemble a squad. That was never in question.

Boehly however, is a straight Bethesda capitalist that doesn’t give af about Chelsea. Sure, he’s thrown $500 million at this project but these are business decisions, that’s looking like abject failure. Firing Tuchel wasn’t a sporting decision to me and I’m still scratching my head at that one. Meanwhile, the current job seems to be way too big for Potter and these guys aren’t playing for him.

It feels like the perfect storm of the new guard, trying to make their stamp on the old guards way of doing things … but it’s not working.

Whether they need Abramovich back as a consultant or a board change, it feels like the footballing decisions have gone out the window and it’s just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.

As was the case with us when Ferguson retired, this could be the beginning of a very long slump for Chelsea if things don’t turn around.

100% with everything you've said. Honestly, I'm not sure why the British gov't decided to destroy a very British institution just because it had a Russian owner, they didn't have any issues with ManCity's owners.
Zinedine was available and we went for the Dollar Tree coach. Throwing $$ at players without a good coach has been proven time and time again that it doesn't work. I bet you majority of Chelsea fans will go on their knees to get Tuchel back.
 

DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
100% with everything you've said. Honestly, I'm not sure why the British gov't decided to destroy a very British institution just because it had a Russian owner, they didn't have any issues with ManCity's owners.
Zinedine was available and we went for the Dollar Tree coach. Throwing $$ at players without a good coach has been proven time and time again that it doesn't work. I bet you majority of Chelsea fans will go on their knees to get Tuchel back.
The UK government probably didn’t wanna be dealing with the backlash that would’ve come by having a Putin crony investing in their league, and with highly questionable funds. Roman had his hands on alotta Putin dealings so you know a tribunal is gonna be in order when and if they ever get ahold of Vladimir. The risk of keeping him at Chelsea probably wouldn’t have been worth the reward so they’d axed him. Sucks it happened that way but it is what is.

City’s owners on the other hand are just a well oiled machine, all pun intended. Cries of sportwashing perhaps, but manageable in the larger context of things. No crimes being committed there except for pouring vasts amounts of into City and losing to United today … ahem ahem. I digress lol.
 
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PJN

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
The UK government probably didn’t wanna be dealing with the backlash that would’ve come by having a Putin crony investing in their league, and with highly questionable funds. Roman had his hands on alotta Putin dealings so you know a tribunal is gonna be in order when and if they ever get ahold of Vladimir. The risk of keeping him at Chelsea probably wouldn’t have been worth the reward so they’d axed him. Sucks it happened that way but it is what is.

City’s owners on the other hand are just a well oiled machine, all pun intended. Cries of sportwashing perhaps, but manageable in the larger context of things. No crimes being committed there except for pouring vasts amounts of into City and losing to United today … ahem ahem. I digress lol.
True but I think Roman had enough goodwill with the fans to withstand the attacks on him but I may be wrong.
 

DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
At one point in history it was 24 games and when FIFA expanded it to 32, folks said that was too much but here we are off the backs of one of the most successful world cups ever.

Im personally excited to see what 48 teams is gon look like. Who knows, maybe there’s a super dark knight in there!
 

Helico-pterFunk

Rising Star
BGOL Legend
AP released more:


Soccer writer Grant Wahl dies at World Cup match in Qatar
December 10, 2022 GMT

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Grant Wahl, one of the most well-known soccer writers in the United States, died early Saturday while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands.

U.S. media seated near him said Wahl fell back in his seat in the media tribune at Lusail Iconic Stadium during extra time and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance. Emergency services workers responded very quickly, the reporters said, and the reporters later were told that Wahl had died.

Wahl tweeted on Wednesday that he had celebrated his birthday that day. American reporters who knew Wahl said he was 49.

Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup. He wrote Monday on his website that he had visited a medical clinic while in Qatar.


“My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you,” Wahl wrote. “What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.”

Wahl wrote that he tested negative for COVID-19 and sought treatment for his symptoms.

“I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno,” he wrote.

During the World Cup, Wahl drew international attention after saying he was briefly stopped from attending the U.S. match against Wales on Nov. 21 over wearing a rainbow-colored T-shirt. Rainbow-colored armbands, shirts and other items have been a focus of attention during the tournament in part over Qatar’s stance on LGBTQ rights. Gay and lesbian sex is criminalized in Qatar, a conservative Muslim nation on the Arabian Peninsula. Wahl said FIFA later apologized to him over the incident.

Wahl wrote this week that he had been among 82 journalists honored by FIFA and the international sports press association AIPS for attending eight or more World Cups.

A 1996 graduate of Princeton, Wahl worked for Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2021, known primarily for his coverage of soccer and college basketball. He then launched his own website.

Wahl also worked for Fox Sports from 2012-19.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine, attending physician at Bellevue Hospital Center and CBS News medical news contributor.








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DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
Ridiculous. Still see City winning.. they got way too much firepower at hand.

Only thing that can save us is Pep’s legendary overthinking in finals but I doubt it.
 
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Rudey

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
That wasn't a penalty, Man Utd didn't stand a chance today.
So the Community shield Cup will be Ars vs Man City..
 
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