The Ringer – Anthony Dabbundo – World Cup Cheat Sheet: 20 Things to Know About an Epic Final Four
The Ringer – Anthony Dabbundo – Is This France’s World Cup to Lose?
I look at Messi, and he makes me laugh. A beautiful footballer who is still like a kid. A world superstar, but still a kid. Innocent, you know. He just plays.
Johan Cruyff
Point:
The Ringer – Jordan Ritter Conn – Lionel Messi Was Dead. Then He Wasn’t.
Counterpoint:
“There seem to be pressures from the Argentina side on this outcome,” he said. “We were objecting to the selection of the referee because of the French situation [Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup final], but everybody has to suffer at some point, and we suffered.
“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. A penalty was ruled out [an alleged foul on Mo Salah]. It was not even checked by the VAR, and our second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed.
“I want to put it in beautiful words and say, ‘Hard luck,’ but we have been treated unfairly and it has been an injustice,” he said.
ESPN – Matt Ogden – Egypt boss bemoans ‘injustice’ after loss to Argentina at World Cup
New York Times – Sam Anderson – The Perishable, Never-Ending Genius of Lionel Messi
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16-18
More than 170 red cards have been shown in the tournament in the intervening 64 years, and no FIFA committees have done anything to mitigate any of them. Add to that Infantino’s years of servile groveling to Trump, and the inescapable implication was that Trump had gotten Balogun out of his ban in the same way the mayor might get the mayor’s brother out of a parking ticket. Which, it should go without saying, is a miserable look, and a transparently crooked way to run the world’s biggest sporting event.
The Ringer – Brian Phillips – The Worst Ending to the Best U.S. Men’s World Cup Ever
I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating.
Sophocles
Front Office Sports – Margaret Fleming – U.S. Gets Reality Check With World Cup Knockout by Belgium
Cheating is not the American way. It is small, while we are large. It is cheap, while we are richly endowed. It is destructive, while we are creative. It is doomed to fail, while our gifts and responsibilities call us to achieve. It sabotages trust and weakens the bonds of spirit and humanity, without which we perish.
Terrence McNally
The Guardian – Alexander Abdos – Ragged USA crash out of World Cup with last-16 defeat to Belgium
Phil has a question:
Did the gods of football fairness just piss all over that cheating FC Donald Trump.
Did you know that FC does not always stand for Club de Football.
Does the FC Donald Trump know where Belgium is.
Will the Prime Minister of Belgium send a case of Brussels Sprouts to the White House.
Would Clarence Campbell ever bow to pressure and overturn a suspension.
Would the Rocket ever ask a Canadian Prime Minister to intervene on his behalf.
Phil M. Stockmen