Is this one of the worst quality World Cups ever? | Probably not

[Raees]

A lot of posters just dying to call this World Cup shit I think for reasons other than the football. It clearly has been one of the best world cups since 1998 based on just the group stages. We shall see if it can keep it up, and whilst I agree that the top end quality hasn't been great - guess what, it what world cups have the big sides actually played breathtaking football and gone on to win it? Brazil 2002, Germany 2014 - hmm possibly, but you can't say that about Italy 2006, Spain 2010, France 2018.

In fact the only side that genuinely impressed me was Argentina 2006 in terms of the fluidity in which they played.

So I don't really get that criticism either.

 

[Andre Kagawa]

This WC is great and all, but feck, I miss United

 

[RopersReturn]

Japan/Korea World Cup 2002 takes some beating for being the worst in living memory.

 

[Tincanalley]

Japan/Korea World Cup 2002 takes some beating for being the worst in living memory.

Didn't FIFA launch an inquiry into potential corruption after Spain and Italy were cheated against Korea in the knockout stages? Should be coming in any day now.

 

[rimaldo]

oh fecking hell. spoiler that shit. that’s my world cup ruined.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Looking forward to Cadiz v United on Wednesday.

 

[Hammondo]

In terms of entertainment it's been really good.

In terms of football quality I would say the majority was championship level.

 

[RopersReturn]

oh fecking hell. spoiler that shit. that’s my world cup ruined.

Looks about right.

 

[RopersReturn]

Be great if Holland could get it together, and pip Argentina to the final, alas I can’t see it happening somehow.

 

[Galactic]

What is quality anyway? A team dominates over others like City/Pool? Great “oh my word” goals? Teams trading attacks because defences are rubbish?

 

[McGrathsipan]

its a VAR mess but entertainment wise its good.
I dont bother with the pundits or the faff before and after games.
Frankly tired of listening to pundits at this stage, they just drone on and on and on and on
And the BBC woman commentator has a shit commentator voice, between her and Jermaine Jenas the commentary can be awful

 

[Tarrou]

I don’t think the quality of international football is ever that great to be honest

in the latter stages maybe when the dross has been filtered out

people just like to whinge more these days, but it is what it is

the group finishes have been amazing entertainment and drama, which is all I’m hoping for to be honest

 

[Rektsanwalt]

What is quality anyway? A team dominates over others like City/Pool? Great “oh my word” goals? Teams trading attacks because defences are rubbish?

Quality as in high level performance of football (all aspects)? It's not a hard concept and no it does not need to be limited to 1 or 2 dominating giants. Same as the quality of the bundesliga isn't skyrocketing just because Bayern win the 10th championship in a row. People say there's no dumb questions, I strongly have to disagree.

 

[Idxomer]

A lot of posters just dying to call this World Cup shit I think for reasons other than the football. It clearly has been one of the best world cups since 1998 based on just the group stages. We shall see if it can keep it up, and whilst I agree that the top end quality hasn't been great - guess what, it what world cups have the big sides actually played breathtaking football and gone on to win it? Brazil 2002, Germany 2014 - hmm possibly, but you can't say that about Italy 2006, Spain 2010, France 2018.

In fact the only side that genuinely impressed me was Argentina 2006 in terms of the fluidity in which they played.

So I don't really get that criticism either.

It's the constant comparisons to club football which I think are quite pointless.

 

[al.gabiru]

It's been a good tournament, but not a great one. The final verdict only when it's over.

I still think the 1990 World Cup was the worst. With low scores, many fouls. Despite being a tournament with a certain magic (Maradona, Roger Milla, the theme song, etc.). The level of play was very low with lowest goal average

One thing that hurts the World Cup after the 2000s is the UCL and Bosman's ruling. Clubs became world teams and began to compete at world cup level.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Entertainment wise, those last rounds of matches were fantastic and great to watch. And as exciting, or even more so, than probably any other World Cup.

But you can get that level of excitement at all levels of the game. From a technical, skilful level point of view - which is where the world cup should be the peak - I'd say it's not felt as high as some. With not many of the 'top' nations having many world class attacking players in their prime.

But I think this world cup falling at that betwixt and between time for many nations, as regards their top players prime years, is what's helped the excitement level. The closing of the gap at this moment - 'underdogs' getting stronger, 'big nations' not at their peak - has led to some upsets and very dramatic endings to the group tables.

So far, I'm really enjoying it, and would class it as an above average world cup for entertainment and drama - but a little below average in terms of individual attacking players / teams who are able to produce high levels of mouth watering skill and technical ability.

 

[Tarrou]

Entertainment wise, those last rounds of matches were fantastic and great to watch. And as exciting, or even more so, than probably any other World Cup.

But you can get that level of excitement at all levels of the game. From a technical, skilful level point of view - which is where the world cup should be the peak - I'd say it's not felt as high as some. With not many of the 'top' nations having many world class attacking players in their prime.

But I think this world cup falling at that betwixt and between time for many nations, as regards their top players prime years, is what's helped the excitement level. The closing of the gap at this moment - 'underdogs' getting stronger, 'big nations' not at their peak - has led to some upsets and very dramatic endings to the group tables.

So far, I'm really enjoying it, and would class it as an above average world cup for entertainment and drama - but a little below average in terms of individual attacking players / teams who are able to produce high levels of mouth watering skill and technical ability.

why would that be though? it really makes no sense that it would be the peak of football

clubs can hoard all the best talent in the world, and spend much more time playing and training together

 

[Spoony]

It's been a good tournament, but not a great one. The final verdict only when it's over.

I still think the 1990 World Cup was the worst. With low scores, many fouls. Despite being a tournament with a certain magic (Maradona, Roger Milla, the theme song, etc.). The level of play was very low with lowest goal average

One thing that hurts the World Cup after the 2000s is the UCL and Bosman's ruling. Clubs became world teams and began to compete at world cup level.

Italia 90 was great.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

why would that be though? it really makes no sense that it would be the peak of football

clubs can hoard all the best talent in the world, and spend much more time playing and training together

But those same players - "the best talent in the world" that the clubs hoard - are almost all the ones that appear at the world cups. So the technical, skilful level should be very high at world cups. And almost always is.

The point I was making was that you can get entertaining / exciting matches at all levels of the game regardless of technical ability, but the world cup mostly features - as you describe them - "the best talent in the world" that the top clubs hoard - so the technical, skilful level should be very high. And it just seems a little below those high standards of some world cups this time around (because of not many current attacking 'greats' being in their prime). But the entertainment / excitement level has been very good so it's still been enjoyable to watch.

 

[Jippy]

It's been a good tournament, but not a great one. The final verdict only when it's over.

I still think the 1990 World Cup was the worst. With low scores, many fouls. Despite being a tournament with a certain magic (Maradona, Roger Milla, the theme song, etc.). The level of play was very low with lowest goal average

One thing that hurts the World Cup after the 2000s is the UCL and Bosman's ruling. Clubs became world teams and began to compete at world cup level.

Maybe it depends where you're from and your age. For many English of my generation it was one of the best world cups- the 3-2 v Cameroon, the last gasp Platt strike v Belgium and even the Germany semi-final.

More broadly, you had the emergence of African teams, Maradona, strong Italy and W Germany sides etc...I wouldn't judge a tournament I didn't watch on ave goals and fouls per catch - it bears little correlation to the excitement.

 

[wangyu]

I think it is a very boring World Cup despite a couple of very surprising results. There are no stand out attacks or dribbles or goals (bar Richarlisons goal)

I did have a lot of fun on the last day of Spain and Germany's group, that was awesome.

 

[Jippy]

In terms of entertainment it's been really good.

In terms of football quality I would say the majority was championship level.

 

[Jippy]

I think it is a very boring World Cup despite a couple of very surprising results. There are no stand out attacks or dribbles or goals (bar Richarlisons goal)

I did have a lot of fun on the last day of Spain and Germany's group, that was awesome.

The lack of standout dribbles has spoiled it for everyone.

 

[phelans shorts]

So far it’s entertaining but the quality is pretty low. Looking at the odds the five favourites (and I don’t see anyone outside them winning) are Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain and England. Of those only England look to have their best side of the last, say, 5 world cups, or even be anywhere close to their best side in that time frame.

Of course, the lower quality does go a massive way to explaining why it’s been so entertaining as everybody is fallible.

 

[Tarrou]

But those same players - "the best talent in the world" that the clubs hoard - are almost all the ones that appear at the world cups. So the technical, skilful level should be very high at world cups. And almost always is.

That was the point of the sentence - that you can get entertaining / exciting matches at all levels of the game regardless of technical ability, but the world cup mostly features - as you describe them - "the best talent in the world" that the top clubs hoard. So the technical, skilful level should be very high. And I was saying I felt it's a little below those high standards of some world cups this time around (because of not many current attacking 'greats' being in their prime). But the entertainment / excitement level has been very good so it's still been enjoyable to watch.

okay yeah but the peak of football is club football and it's been that way for a very long time

 

[Tony247]

Great world cup? Doubtful because it lacks great individual players and great teams to bring that dazzling wow factor. But no doubt one of the most entertaining world cup in terms of results. I am thoroughly enjoying it!

 

[horsechoker]

This is inaccurate as it is, in fact, coming home

Also Morocco won't get to the semis

 

[Steffa Barnesa]

The Champions League gives us teams who've spent billions and train together all season, yet just 18 months ago Chelsea won it with a front three of Havertz, Werner and Mount. Real Madrid also kind of seemed to stumble through when they won three in a row, not always showing great quality en route. Atletico nearly won it twice. Treble-winners Luis Enrique and Hansi Flick were outcoahed in this World Cup by Moriyasu. We also see guys like Messi and Ronaldo, who do superhuman numbers in the bloated Champions League, look more like the mortals they are in World Cups, when the game is a more level playing field. I also don't think some of the teams in the last sixteen or QF in this World Cup play worse than United have recently in getting to the same respective stages of the Champions League. We've seemed to have no pattern of play or high quality, despite spending so much and having players train together week in week out.

Sure, the CL is amazingly high level at times, but not always, and I think what the World Cup lacks in that bit of polish you do tend to get with superclubs, it makes up for in other ways. But I yearn to see high-quality matchups in the latter stages, it will always need such games.

 

[MDFC Manager]

The lack of standout dribbles has spoiled it for everyone.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

A lot of posters just dying to call this World Cup shit I think for reasons other than the football. It clearly has been one of the best world cups since 1998 based on just the group stages. We shall see if it can keep it up, and whilst I agree that the top end quality hasn't been great - guess what, it what world cups have the big sides actually played breathtaking football and gone on to win it? Brazil 2002, Germany 2014 - hmm possibly, but you can't say that about Italy 2006, Spain 2010, France 2018.

In fact the only side that genuinely impressed me was Argentina 2006 in terms of the fluidity in which they played.

So I don't really get that criticism either.

I think it’s because we’ve gone straight from regular season to World Cup. International football is a much lower standard.

The several week gap normally lets people get excited and forget about the regular season standard too.

 

[Jippy]

I think it's to disagree that it's been very entertaining at times, the third match days in each group were brilliant, but the overall standard hasn't been the best. Loads of the top players being past their best, a lot of the top teams looking pretty average and quite a few dull to not great 0-0s.

Given the fact it's midseason and I live in a +5hrs time zone from Qatar, meaning I have to record the evening ones (3am here), I've been surprised by how much I have enjoyed it. Maybe the last group games will prove the peak, but hopefully not and the group stages can live up to that. Still not a huge fan off the huge additional time though.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

I’m enjoying the competitive aspect so far, no team getting 9 points in the group stage. Teams getting 100 points in a league, winning 32/33 out of 38 games is no good for the overall spectacle but it’s common in many European leagues because of financial inequality. Because you can’t buy international football, the gaps aren’t as big. That’s refreshing.

 

[Giggsyking]

I think it’s a dog of a of tournament. The stadium’s are half empty, dodgy VAR decisions and Brazil are so nailed on to win it, before we’ve even reached the knock out stages.

So you haven't watched the world cup this year.

 

[Hammondo]

It's been poor.

 

[jesperjaap]

So far quality level its been poor and individuals havent really shone, few stars in this tournament. But I think its been entertaining....the last world cup I thought was one of the worst, only memorable because of our run in it....and our side was shite and got a good draw.

I still think it may be a really goo world cup as I think the quarter final draw will be really exciting with 6 teams with a genuine chance of winning it, I think that is when the trounament and quality grows....the second round draw is shite though already seeing it with this Dutch match

 

[Jippy]

It's been poor.

I know 'championship level' is a standard Caf line of attack, but it's ridiculously hyperbolic.

Each to their own and I guess people are looking for different things.

Personally I'm not sat moaning there's been no standout dribbles during the epics between Cameroon-Serbia, Ghana- S Korea, Germany-Costa Rica, SK-Portugal etc...They have provided amazing drama.

 

[phelans shorts]

I know 'championship level' is a standard Caf line of attack, but it's ridiculously hyperbolic.

Each to their own and I guess people are looking for different things.

Personally I'm not sat moaning there's been no standout dribbles during the epics between Cameroon-Serbia, Ghana- S Korea, Germany-Costa Rica, SK-Portugal etc...They have provided amazing drama.

To be honest, the Championship is good quality with plenty of internationals in there. Don’t get me wrong, this tournament is more mid-lower Premier League than Championship but it does always make me laugh as a brush teams/players get tarred with

 

[Jippy]

To be honest, the Championship is good quality with plenty of internationals in there. Don’t get me wrong, this tournament is more mid-lower Premier League than Championship but it does always make me laugh as a brush teams/players get tarred with

Every professional footballer ever: The World Cup is the sport's pinnacle and I dream of winning it and becoming a legend.

Caf: It's Championship level.

 

[Josh 76]

Every professional footballer ever: The World Cup is the sport's pinnacle and I dream of winning it and becoming a legend.

Caf: It's Championship level.

The World Cup is a very strange tournament. You can have the best player in the world playing with a player in league 1.

 

[RoyH1]

Every professional footballer ever: The World Cup is the sport's pinnacle and I dream of winning it and becoming a legend.

Caf: It's Championship level.

Agree. It's so tiresome to scroll through post after post of people downplaying the competition and the football on display