Its been a very good world cup. I think it will be remembered as the world cup that changed football due to the inclusion of VAR. Just look at the peno for England as an example.
Is this going to be (or already is) the best WC in living memory?
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Previously a good team, with a great player (who allegedly picks squads), a couple of decent ones and some bang average ones?
Great? Not now.
imo
I still prefer France 98, there were some brilliant matches in that, but lets see how this one develops. I don't think a tournament without Italy and The Netherlands can ever really be the best ever mind.
I very much agree with this. Some of the lower ranked teams have been simply awful in this tournament. There have been some high class games but they're mixed in with a lot of boring games. You'd think, for instance, South Korea - Sweden would have been entertaining, but it wasn't, it was an absolute bore fest.
They should have qualified then!
Sorry, but I disagree. Mexico'70 and Spain'82 were wonderful WCs, maybe the best ones, and the Netherlands failed to qualify for both tournaments.
As to this WC, this is, at least, the second best World Cup of this century. Only 2014 may be better. In the heat of the moment, it's better to wait so as to analyse it more accurately.
Absolutely. There have been so many VAR decisions that in my opinion at least, justify making it a permanent inclusion in the game.
Its also been intriguing to see your typical contenders struggle as a whole and get knocked out early
Only if you are German (or Italian or Dutch)
Best one since 86. part of it is that the Italians and Germans are not there to suffocate football in their own way. Hoping for Brasil to lose next and maybe we will have virgin winner (Croatia Belgium). The fact that apart from Panama any other country with a bit of luck could have made it in the second round is amazing
If England don't win it, I also agree that it would be nice for Belgium or Croatia to pop their cherry.
Another good game (45 mins) and either way, probably going to be a big game.... either Brazil are out OR Brazil comeback.
Hopefully, people don't say "Brazil have been poor though".... they couod defend betyer but Belgium have been good.
In terms of wonderful play/players, yes there's an argument to say other WCs have topped it (on that category), but in terms of interest/surprises.....
Hopefully, people don't say "Brazil have been poor though".... they couod defend betyer but Belgium have been good.
In terms of wonderful play/players, yes there's an argument to say other WCs have topped it (on that category), but in terms of interest/surprises.....
The quality definitely not there in today's games (and partly agree that throughout the tournament, there have been games lacking) but still think also had some great quality, 'big teams' getting knocked out, shocks, lots of good goals (Russia's first tonight adds to list), no hooliganism (that I've seen), late goals, penalties and ... England in the semis (probably not going to appeal to everyone).
You always get tumescent bore draws at any tournament. VAR has been weird, but mainly good, there have been some great games and moments, and some really good goals.
Really enjoyed it tbh.
Really enjoyed it tbh.
Best World Cup for drama, excitement and storylines but better quality players at 94 and 98 especially.
Meh, I don't like the idea of teams based on reputations. I'm glad they are not in it because the current Netherlands and Italy side would get smashed by Russia or even England.
In my lifetime:
1994 - I was 3 years old. My older brother says that I watched it and liked Brazil, but I remember absolutely nothing, so I can't comment.
1998 - watched every match, my favorite was Argentina with Batistuta. Fond memories, but I think that I was so young to really be able to judge the quality.
2002 - watched every match, and I think it was a bit shit. Brazil was the only top team (maybe followed by England), my Argies crashed early, and South Korea were buying referees.
2006 - best in my lifetime. Italy, France, Argentina, Germany, Portugal, England, Holland and Brazil all had top quality teams stacked with world class player. A top team went out only when it faced an another top team. Italy eliminated France and Germany, France eliminated Portugal and Brazil, Germany eliminated Argentina, Portugal eliminated Holland and England. All matches when top teams faced each other were extremely competitive. So many fantastic players: Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Adriano, Zidane, Henry, Riquelme, Italian's impenetrable defense, C. Ronaldo, Figo, young Messi, Raul, Shevchenko, young Xavi and Iniesta, Lampard, Beckham, Gerrard, Rooney, Ballack, RvN, etc etc. I think that the list of superstars was higher than ever as was the quality of matches. So many classics: the battle between Portugal and Holland, Portugal vs England, Germany vs Argentina, France vs Brazil, Italy vs Germany, Italy vs France and so on. And what a dramatic ending it was.
2010: pure shit. Atmosphere looked awful, fecking vuvuzelas, Holland playing anti-football, Spain boring everyone to death and winning the world cup by scoring only 8 goals. A young Germany team was the only inspiring thing in that world cup. And Ghana, loved them to bits but it wasn't written for them to reach the semis.
2014: quite an improvement, but nowhere as good as 2006. Germany was decent, Argentina was okayish but struggled to score, Holland were meh, and Brazil was so bad. The other teams aren't even worthy to be mentioned. Only classic is the famous 7-1.
2018: the anti-2006, but still very good. If 2006 was all about top teams and classics, 2018 is all about surprises. Every game is really unpredictable, any team can defeat any other team, top teams lose from nobodies etc etc. The quality of football might not be as high as in 2006, but the excitement is as big, and every match is interesting.
If I had to rank them, I would say:
2006 > 1998* = 2018 > 2014 = 2002 > 2010.
* might be just nostalgia.
1994 - I was 3 years old. My older brother says that I watched it and liked Brazil, but I remember absolutely nothing, so I can't comment.
1998 - watched every match, my favorite was Argentina with Batistuta. Fond memories, but I think that I was so young to really be able to judge the quality.
2002 - watched every match, and I think it was a bit shit. Brazil was the only top team (maybe followed by England), my Argies crashed early, and South Korea were buying referees.
2006 - best in my lifetime. Italy, France, Argentina, Germany, Portugal, England, Holland and Brazil all had top quality teams stacked with world class player. A top team went out only when it faced an another top team. Italy eliminated France and Germany, France eliminated Portugal and Brazil, Germany eliminated Argentina, Portugal eliminated Holland and England. All matches when top teams faced each other were extremely competitive. So many fantastic players: Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Adriano, Zidane, Henry, Riquelme, Italian's impenetrable defense, C. Ronaldo, Figo, young Messi, Raul, Shevchenko, young Xavi and Iniesta, Lampard, Beckham, Gerrard, Rooney, Ballack, RvN, etc etc. I think that the list of superstars was higher than ever as was the quality of matches. So many classics: the battle between Portugal and Holland, Portugal vs England, Germany vs Argentina, France vs Brazil, Italy vs Germany, Italy vs France and so on. And what a dramatic ending it was.
2010: pure shit. Atmosphere looked awful, fecking vuvuzelas, Holland playing anti-football, Spain boring everyone to death and winning the world cup by scoring only 8 goals. A young Germany team was the only inspiring thing in that world cup. And Ghana, loved them to bits but it wasn't written for them to reach the semis.
2014: quite an improvement, but nowhere as good as 2006. Germany was decent, Argentina was okayish but struggled to score, Holland were meh, and Brazil was so bad. The other teams aren't even worthy to be mentioned. Only classic is the famous 7-1.
2018: the anti-2006, but still very good. If 2006 was all about top teams and classics, 2018 is all about surprises. Every game is really unpredictable, any team can defeat any other team, top teams lose from nobodies etc etc. The quality of football might not be as high as in 2006, but the excitement is as big, and every match is interesting.
If I had to rank them, I would say:
2006 > 1998* = 2018 > 2014 = 2002 > 2010.
* might be just nostalgia.
Knock outs have been disappointing after very promising group stages, the best in memory actually.
A very detailed response
Shame you missed the ones before.... worth googling/Youtubing if get the chance, especially France Germany.
It just hasn't really felt like a WC to me. There have been some tense games, but something about it just lacks the WC atmosphere. It probably has something to do with every single favourite aside from France being absent or shit. Interesting matches between Sweden and Switzerland, Croatia and Russia, Japan and Belgium, but there's just this glaring absence of great teams. France are the only ones that really come close to looking like a force to be reckoned with, and even they don't quite get there.
World Cup 1994 still the best for me.
Reminds me more of CL than a WC. Very exciting but I think that's cause like the CL, nobody can defend anymore. Also seen some ridiculously poor goalkeeping errors and again maybe they are wobbled by poor defending.
I think because so many players now play in Europe, the stand out players are no surprise.
I also think (and maybe it's an age thing) but like football in general, the quality of footballers in general is so much poorer. Take that Brazil team, 90% would be good enough to start for previous teams over maybe 4 decades and I include Neymar in that.
I think because so many players now play in Europe, the stand out players are no surprise.
I also think (and maybe it's an age thing) but like football in general, the quality of footballers in general is so much poorer. Take that Brazil team, 90% would be good enough to start for previous teams over maybe 4 decades and I include Neymar in that.
Really? Belgium v Japan was a classic, Belgium v Brazil was a really good, tense game with high quality. Four nerve-racking penalty dramas, plenty of surprises and an incredibly entertaining match between France and Argentina.
I think you'd have to be either spoilt or nostalgic to call that disappointing.
It's been an outstanding World Cup. Shame it's almost over.
Really? France-Argentina was an all time classic, Brazil- Belgium was a gripping watch and flew by for a neutral like me. Belgium-Japan also great game and comeback. Then other games haven't been as exciting but still dramatic like Colombia-England.
2014 knock outs are like bit overrated due to the historic 7-1. Holland and Argentina games were borefests in those rounds.
2006 had that brilliant Italy-Germany semi final but not sure many of the other knock outs were that entertaining to watch.
Didn't see Jev's post before typing mine, I swear it wasn't a copy and paste job. 
This and 2002 compete for being the worst in my memory. Ye, there has been some excitement, but the standard of play is atrocious. There’s not one exciting team at this tournament and not one exciting player. I understand that some here have rose tinted glasses because of England’s performance (it’s the same for a lot of Germans and 2014, which also, while decent, wasn’t a brilliant World Cup) but objectively the tension of this World Cup steams from the fact a lot of the teams are just so poor...
Dude. England v. Portugal, the whole France ride to the final, a young German team winning that legendary match v. Argentina. And then THAT final, probably one of the most amazing ever.
England-Portugal was a terrible game to watch as was England-Ecuador but then generally England games are boring to watch in knock out rounds.
Knock out games at World cup 2006:
Germany 2-0 Sweden- Pretty similar to yesterday. Germany scored early v limited Sweden and that was that.
Argentina 2-1 Mexico- Actually a fantastic game, Maxi Rodriguez scored an amazing volley to win it.
England 1-0 Ecuador- Next.
Portugal 1-0 Holland- Wasn't there a 20 man brawl in this?
Italy 1-0 Australia- Aussies were good team in this. Italy scored 95th minute penalty after one of them dived.
Swiss 0-0 Ukraine-
Brazil 3-0 Ghana- Couldn't even remember who Brazil beat at this stage before looking it up. Would imagine the game was as one sided as the score.
Spain 1-3 France- Excellent, plenty of drama and Zidane was amazing at the end, his last great individual performance on world stage.
Then in quarters you had Germany-Argentina which was good as you say but also Italy comfortably beating Ukraine 3-0. Can't remember how good a game France-Brazil was.
Portugal-France was a bit of a mediocre semi final considering the talent on display.
This WC could still have a classic semi final with France-Belgium and also will be emotional rollercoast for England-Croatia with history at stake for both of them so looking forward to both.
Knock out games at World cup 2006:
Germany 2-0 Sweden- Pretty similar to yesterday. Germany scored early v limited Sweden and that was that.
Argentina 2-1 Mexico- Actually a fantastic game, Maxi Rodriguez scored an amazing volley to win it.
England 1-0 Ecuador- Next.
Portugal 1-0 Holland- Wasn't there a 20 man brawl in this?
Italy 1-0 Australia- Aussies were good team in this. Italy scored 95th minute penalty after one of them dived.
Swiss 0-0 Ukraine-
Brazil 3-0 Ghana- Couldn't even remember who Brazil beat at this stage before looking it up. Would imagine the game was as one sided as the score.
Spain 1-3 France- Excellent, plenty of drama and Zidane was amazing at the end, his last great individual performance on world stage.
Then in quarters you had Germany-Argentina which was good as you say but also Italy comfortably beating Ukraine 3-0. Can't remember how good a game France-Brazil was.
Portugal-France was a bit of a mediocre semi final considering the talent on display.
This WC could still have a classic semi final with France-Belgium and also will be emotional rollercoast for England-Croatia with history at stake for both of them so looking forward to both.
Not thinking it’s the best World Cup ever is fair enough, your opinion (personally of the ones I’ve seen it’s 2006). Thinking 2010 is better than this one is just outright wrong, however.
I feel if a team who has never won it before wins this year then for me it will have been the best yet as it will be the cup where the smaller football nations such as Belgium or Croatia finally showed they can break into the monopoly of the usual suspects. I'll be delighted if England win also as that will be a major shock for the footballing world too.
But the football has been brilliant. Lingard, Maguire, Pickford etc have hugely exceeded expectations. New stars have emerged from countries like Mexico, Colombia, Croatia. Fellaini looks brilliant for Belgium and there's been no trouble and loads of insanely fit Russian birds popping up on the TV every few minutes.
But the football has been brilliant. Lingard, Maguire, Pickford etc have hugely exceeded expectations. New stars have emerged from countries like Mexico, Colombia, Croatia. Fellaini looks brilliant for Belgium and there's been no trouble and loads of insanely fit Russian birds popping up on the TV every few minutes.
If we are going by standard of play to downwrate the Portugal - England drama, you will also have to admit this current tournament completely lacks any memorable performances. France is a boring juggernaut, England is shaky, Belgium isn’t exactly setting the world on fire and Croatia really doesn’t belong to the semis at all.England-Portugal was a terrible game to watch as was England-Ecuador but then generally England games are boring to watch in knock out rounds.
Knock out games at World cup 2006:
Germany 2-0 Sweden- Pretty similar to yesterday. Germany scored early v limited Sweden and that was that.
Argentina 2-1 Mexico- Actually a fantastic game, Maxi Rodriguez scored an amazing volley to win it.
England 1-0 Ecuador- Next.
Portugal 1-0 Holland- Wasn't there a 20 man brawl in this?
Italy 1-0 Australia- Aussies were good team in this. Italy scored 95th minute penalty after one of them dived.
Swiss 0-0 Ukraine-
Brazil 3-0 Ghana- Couldn't even remember who Brazil beat at this stage before looking it up. Would imagine the game was as one sided as the score.
Spain 1-3 France- Excellent, plenty of drama and Zidane was amazing at the end, his last great individual performance on world stage.
Then in quarters you had Germany-Argentina which was good as you say but also Italy comfortably beating Ukraine 3-0. Can't remember how good a game France-Brazil was.
Portugal-France was a bit of a mediocre semi final considering the talent on display.
This WC could still have a classic semi final with France-Belgium and also will be emotional rollercoast for England-Croatia with history at stake for both of them so looking forward to both.
France were also as poor in groups in 2006, they nearly went out. Ukraine in quarters also says it all, they had an England type run to get there.
This World cup had an excellent group stages but more importantly classic knock out ties in abundance which is always a definer for classic world cup.
I'd certainly rank 2006 above 2010 and 2002 but think it's on a level with 2014 and slightly below 1998. Too young to remember 1994.
I would say though 2006 is above this one for how Germans embraced the tournament. Pretty sure every single game was a sell out whereas this one has had loads of empty seats for even knock out games which I've never seen before.
This World cup had an excellent group stages but more importantly classic knock out ties in abundance which is always a definer for classic world cup.
I'd certainly rank 2006 above 2010 and 2002 but think it's on a level with 2014 and slightly below 1998. Too young to remember 1994.
I would say though 2006 is above this one for how Germans embraced the tournament. Pretty sure every single game was a sell out whereas this one has had loads of empty seats for even knock out games which I've never seen before.
Definitely my favourite one so far. Weird games not that many one sided games a lot of late game equalizers or winners (at least in my memory). As a neutral (my nation never manages to qualify regardless) I've felt numerous games where my heart beat would beat more and more. Quality isn't as high as many people may say as in previous tournament, but the excitement to me has been way higher than any previous football tournament I've watched.
Plus VAR has made its mark and its really making a difference.
Plus VAR has made its mark and its really making a difference.
It’s definitely been exciting. I was traveling to my vacation destination yesterday and listening on SiriusXM to Croatian vs Russia. Russia had just equalized in ET when the station changed to some ass hats in studio. I went fecking nuts. Thankfully they switched back after a few minutes and I was able to hear the shootout.
How did the German style of play suffocate the recent World Cups, e.g. 2006, 2010 or 2014?
This is the first tournament since my teens that has held my attention from beginning to end. And not just because of England. I've found the whole thing fascinating.
To me, it's miles ahead of 2014. I think there's something special about a World Cup in a football mad country that isn't very good at the game. The Japan/Korea World Cup had that too. But the drama has been off the charts this time around. I've loved it.
To me, it's miles ahead of 2014. I think there's something special about a World Cup in a football mad country that isn't very good at the game. The Japan/Korea World Cup had that too. But the drama has been off the charts this time around. I've loved it.
My memory is too poor to remember individual games from previous tournaments. The general feel I get from this WC is that the player brilliance is lower. The major stars were all disappointing for multiple reasons. The best individually stacked teams are gone except France and the coaches of these bigger nations failed in assembling a proper team. Also, I think we've seen far too many matches solved by the luck factor. It'd always be part of the game but it certainly feels like anything cold happen since the first group stages.
Just look at England. They basically got the easiest route possible to the final and will get there by set pieces alone. In the semis they get a knackered Croatia and on the final an also very tired France or Belgium after that semi. The same Belgium that was lucky to overturn Japan who were atrocious against Poland who were complete shit the whole tournament. There's no team really impressing or doing anything new.
Been a great event, no trouble, open tournament, great weather and atmosphere at the stadiums, also some great games, goals, and memories.
As a pure demonstration of the sport at its highest level/profile it has been rather uninspired in the main, a mediocre standard of general play, few great individuals to take from this tournament as new stars, no great or even particularly good teams.
It is a strange one, I have grown to hate the CL and much of modern European club football with the same few teams loaded with superstars trampling over everyone after annihilating their domestic leagues. The utterly inane GOAT Messi/Ronaldo GOAT discussions that dominates the narrative bores me, so despite the middling to below standard this tournament has felt more like authentic football rather than the football as corporate marketing club football is.
As a pure demonstration of the sport at its highest level/profile it has been rather uninspired in the main, a mediocre standard of general play, few great individuals to take from this tournament as new stars, no great or even particularly good teams.
It is a strange one, I have grown to hate the CL and much of modern European club football with the same few teams loaded with superstars trampling over everyone after annihilating their domestic leagues. The utterly inane GOAT Messi/Ronaldo GOAT discussions that dominates the narrative bores me, so despite the middling to below standard this tournament has felt more like authentic football rather than the football as corporate marketing club football is.
2010 had the final emergence of Spain, the best German national team since 1990 (or 1988) and a Holland full of flair. This tournament is lacking any team that can match even one of them. It feels, much like @broccoli said, uninspired and lacking. Lack of quality and games decided by luck isn’t a sign of a good tournament for me.
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Spain were just too boring to watch, I LOVED the way Pep’s Barcelona team played in that era but Spain just weren’t as good, but they never looked like losing (opening game aside). When one team is clearly so much better than the rest (eg the most recent premier league season) it makes for a very bland competition.
The atmosphere was the main problem, there was never any tension, never any dips or obviously louder moments, just one constant drone by the god awful vuvuzelas. A good atmosphere plays a huge role in the enjoyment of a game but it was just painful to listen to.
2014 is probably the worst wc I've watched since 92. This world cup has everyone excited and we've seen some really good games.