World Cup 2026

[Iskra]

Germany out to Paraguay in a fascinating game and penalty shoot out. Fantastic news.

 

[DarloRich]

Something is wrong with the space time continuum! - Germany have lost a world cup penalty shoot out! Paraguay into the last 16.

 

[AlterEgo]

Germany deserved to lose because they were awful.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Germany deserved to lose because they were awful.

Their final spot kick in the penalty shoot out certainly was awful!

 

[Trackman]

Something is wrong with the space time continuum! - Germany have lost a world cup penalty shoot out! Paraguay into the last 16.

I think this is the first world cup penalty shootout they have lost.

 

[johntea]

It was certainly a step up from the snooze fest I endured watching South Africa vs Canada on Sunday! (Thankfully Canada decided to score 92 minutes in to avoid having to watch another 30 minutes!)

 

[Howardh]

This game - Ned v Morocco is very attritional, two strong and physical sides but cancelling out. Come on Oranje!

 

[Iskra]

And another one bites the dust. Netherlands out on penalties in an entertaining game.

It's great to get rid a couple of the dark horses, to make things easier for England eventually.

 

[DarloRich]

Thigs we like to see:

• Germans moaning about diving
• Some tasty reducers going in as players loose the plot
• Ref chucking cards around like confetti
• VAR robbing the Germans of a win
• Germans loosing a penalty shout out

It's great to get rid a couple of the dark horses, to make things easier for England eventually.

England will be knocked out by the first decent team we meet. Defensively dodgy.

DR Congo will be like Ghana - "low block" - and England struggle to break down teams like that.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

If England is knocked out, let's hope it's not losing against France

 

[Northumbriana]

Paraguay basically had three match points in a row in that shootout, didn't take any of them, then Germany channelled their inner England*

*Our penalty shootout record isn't that bad now at least. Beaten Colombia and Switzerland twice in three of our last four shootouts. And that last one we scored all five of our penalties.

 

[Darandio]

England will be knocked out by the first decent team we meet. Defensively dodgy.

It will be Mexico, we aren't beating them in the Azteca.

 

[Harvester]

Thigs we like to see:

• Germans loosing a penalty shout out

This was truly wonderful to watch. Seeing them losing a penalty shoot out in the WC for the first time, and doing it so badly. I wonder if Stuart Pearce was watching!

 

[DarloRich]

It will be Mexico, we aren't beating them in the Azteca.

That will be more atmosphere and altitude than quality though!

This was truly wonderful to watch. Seeing them losing a penalty shoot out in the WC for the first time, and doing it so badly. I wonder if Stuart Pearce was watching!

Sadly non of the Germans did a Waddle and blasted one into orbit

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Paraguay basically had three match points in a row in that shootout, didn't take any of them, then Germany channelled their inner England*

Erm, didn't Paraguay essentially win the shootout with their third of these "match points", having not converted the previous two?

 

[AlterEgo]

Sadly non of the Germans did a Waddle and blasted one into orbit

They came close. Tah smashed his over the bar.

 

[DarloRich]

They came close. Tah smashed his over the bar.

but that barely achieved escape velocity - Waddlers is out by Neptune now!

 

[brad465]

At least if England are knocked out early on they have company with Germany and the Netherlands, previous powerhouses.

 

[D1511]

Any team with skilful left-sided attacking players will trouble England. DR Congo don't have any of those really, but I can think of a few teams left in the tournament that do, and some of those left-sided players these teams have are actually rather good.

 

[Northumbriana]

Erm, didn't Paraguay essentially win the shootout with their third of these "match points", having not converted the previous two?

Missed their 4th penalty, didn't stop Germany's 5th penalty and had their 5th penalty saved. I classed them all as match points as they were three different chances for them to win.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jun 2026 ==

Did anyone else think Japan had a really nice Germany kit for their defeat to Brazil? Was definitely in Germany colours, black shorts and thin red and yellow stripes on a white background.

 

[JD2168]

Norway have beaten Ivory Coast 2-1 after a late Erling Haaland winner. A first half goal for Musa was cancelled out by an equaliser from Amad who also nearly equalised late on with a free kick

 

[Jamesrob637]

Something is wrong with the space time continuum! - Germany have lost a world cup penalty shoot out! Paraguay into the last 16.

Well, Völlig losgelöst was their goal signature tune after all.

 

[43096]

Brazil squeal through. That aint no classic Brazil team

It's not. But having one of the greatest (and calmest) managers of all time is very much an advantage.

 

[43096]

Thigs we like to see:

• Germans moaning about diving
• Some tasty reducers going in as players loose the plot
• Ref chucking cards around like confetti
• VAR robbing the Germans of a win
• Germans loosing a penalty shout out

We also like to see appropriate use on "Ronglish" on forum posts!

 

[DarloRich]

I think England will struggle tonight and I could see us going out failing to breakdown another "low block" team. it wont be a fun evening. You hope England score early and control the game but we all k ow that wont happen! It will be scratchy and frustrating as always.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2026 ==

It's not. But having one of the greatest (and calmest) managers of all time is very much an advantage.

certainly - a proven winner in champions league (5?) and domestic competitions and always seems VERY calm

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2026 ==

We also like to see appropriate use on "Ronglish" on forum posts!

"Spotters badge there, Clive"

 

[gg1]

An interesting and surprising stat just popped up in my Facebook feed:

Italy won the world cup in 2006
Spain won it in 2010
Germany won it in 2014

Since their wins, none of them have won a world cup knockout tie.

 

[Cowley]

I think England will struggle tonight and I could see us going out failing to breakdown another "low block" team. it wont be a fun evening. You hope England score early and control the game but we all k ow that wont happen! It will be scratchy and frustrating as always.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2026 ==


certainly - a proven winner in champions league (5?) and domestic competitions and always seems VERY calm

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2026 ==


"Spotters badge there, Clive"

Yeah. I got to work at 7:20 so that I can get back in time to watch the start of the game. I’m not expecting too much though as I think it’ll probably be a hard watch.

Mind you, I’m terrible at predictions when it comes to England, so…

Nil nil after extra time and we lose on penalties.

Definitely.

 

[D1511]

An interesting and surprising stat just popped up in my Facebook feed:

Italy won the world cup in 2006
Spain won it in 2010
Germany won it in 2014

Since their wins, none of them have won a world cup knockout tie.

Interesting perhaps, but also a bit selective......Brazil won it in 2002 and France won it in 2018, and they've both won knockout matches in this tournament already. And if Austria beat Spain and Cabo Verde beat Argentina (2022 winners) then I'll eat my hat - and anyone else's.

 

[gg1]

Interesting perhaps, but also a bit selective......Brazil won it in 2002 and France won it in 2018, and they've both won knockout matches in this tournament already. And if Austria beat Spain and Cabo Verde beat Argentina (2022 winners) then I'll eat my hat - and anyone else's.

To a point, it is 3 consecutive world cups though and even one world cup winner going that long afterwards without winning a knockout match would be seen as a little surprising, let alone 3 in a row.

 

[DarloRich]

Yeah. I got to work at 7:20 so that I can get back in time to watch the start of the game. I’m not expecting too much though as I think it’ll probably be a hard watch.

Mind you, I’m terrible at predictions when it comes to England, so…

Nil nil after extra time and we lose on penalties.

Definitely.

You want England to score early, take control and cruise through but we all know we will have to do it the hard, squeaky way! We seem very vulnerable on the break