World Cup 2026

[Spamcan81]

We were seeded fourth and so a semi final exit isn’t too terrible. Maybe the defensive substitutes were brought on a bit too early but Argentina have form for turning things around late on. Just hope we can gird our loins again fir the match nobody wants to play in - the bronze medal match.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

That was an almighty choke from England.

 

[HSTEd]

Third place would still be the best performance at a World Cup in 60 years.

Honestly I don't think we should be too unhappy with the result overall, especially if we can win the playoff.

 

[brad465]

Third place would still be the best performance at a World Cup in 60 years.

Honestly I don't think we should be too unhappy with the result overall, especially if we can win the playoff.

I can see that match being a right goal fest: Kane and Mbappe will be pursuing the golden boot as a consolation prize and hoping Spain hold Messi off in the final. However Mbappe has the advantage of being two ahead of Kane, and if he scores two more than Messi, ends the tournament as the all-time World Cup goal scorer.

 

[Egg Centric]

Third place would still be the best performance at a World Cup in 60 years.

Honestly I don't think we should be too unhappy with the result overall, especially if we can win the playoff.

I'm unhappy. Richer cause I bet on Argentina. But unhappy. Angry even. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

(Not really, it's a bit of performative fun at the end of the day but nice to get into the spirit)

Still while we may be the Argentinians' historical war fighting enemies that is entirely of their own choosing. France are our historical war fighting enemies largely of our own choosing and while we may have suspended it briefly for the last 120 years we must win coming up, this is what we needs.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder what game plan England will play against France in the third-place decider.

Another opportunity to see how England perform against a much better team that those they played in the competition stages before the semi-final.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

I wonder what game plan England will play against France in the third-place decider.

Get through 90 minutes of pointless football as fast as possible.

 

[martin butler]

The tactics were wrong, sit back against one of the best teams in the world, and let them pressure you, and you will lose, IMHO, we should have taken the match to them, pressured them, not let them play their natural game, play to our strengths, not theirs,

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Get through 90 minutes of pointless football as fast as possible.

The prize money for the teams in the third-place play-off match is....

Winners of this match .... 29 million dollars

Losers of this match ...... 27 million dollars


I wonder which will be the home that" football will be coming to" at the end of the current competition?

 

[Harvester]

Get through 90 minutes of pointless football as fast as possible.

The European Championship has not had a third place playoff since 1980. WC needs to follow suit, but I guess money talks!!

 

[Bantamzen]

The tactics were wrong, sit back against one of the best teams in the world, and let them pressure you, and you will lose, IMHO, we should have taken the match to them, pressured them, not let them play their natural game, play to our strengths, not theirs,

It's one of my personal bugbears in the game, not least because my team is often guilty of the very same especially away from home where this happened more than it should. And last season it could have been the difference between being unsuccessful in the L1 playoffs, and automatic promotion.

But as a mate of mine said, the game was starting to drift, Argentina were loading the front line, and potentially leaving gaps for the counter. But you don't get the chance to counter with 6 defenders and the line so deep inside the penalty box. Once Argentina equalised, I knew exactly what was coming. We were literally 15 minutes of backbone away from the World Cup Final. I'd like to say that I'm gutted, but frankly I'm annoyed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The European Championship has not had a third place playoff since 1980. WC needs to follow suit, but I guess money talks!!

Why cite what a lesser competition does ?. The World Cup is a greater competition than the European Championship.

 

[martin butler]

Why cite what a lesser competition does ?. The World Cup is a greater competition than the European Championship.

No one remembers who came 3rd, or 4th, so I agree, it's just heaping insult to injury I suspect most players having lost, will want to pack their bags, and get out of there.
IMHO, what might have been a better way, is that the 4 teams, in the semis, play each other, and the teams that wins the most games get to play in the final.

 

[DarloRich]

Why cite what a lesser competition does ?. The World Cup is a greater competition than the European Championship.

The "bronze" game is an utter waste of time and energy. Just say that both sides defeated in the semi finals finished third, give them all a medal and send them home. Hardly anyone cares about this game.

 

[SuspectUsual]

The fact that teams often use the third / fourth game to give players who haven’t seen any action some game time shows how seriously it’s taken

(Dishonourable mention to England 1990, where Bobby Robson said he’d give the other two goalies a half each and Peter Shilton had a hissy fit so Robson backed down)

 

[westv]

Argentina to have their wrists slapped.

World Cup 2026: Argentina could face disciplinary action for displaying Falklands banner after beating England

Argentina face the prospect of disciplinary action from Fifa after their players celebrate the World Cup semi-final win against England with a banner in support of their country's claims to the Falkland Islands.

www.bbc.co.uk

Argentina face the prospect of disciplinary action from Fifa after their players celebrated the World Cup semi-final win against England with a banner in support of their country's claims to the Falkland Islands.

 

[DarloRich]

There was one thing I saw yesterday that I never thought I would see. A former Darlo player playing up front for England in a world cup semi final!

Not even Marco Gabbiadini achieved that!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2026 ==

Argentina to have their wrists slapped.

World Cup 2026: Argentina could face disciplinary action for displaying Falklands banner after beating England

Argentina face the prospect of disciplinary action from Fifa after their players celebrate the World Cup semi-final win against England with a banner in support of their country's claims to the Falkland Islands.

www.bbc.co.uk

standard Arg outhousery. Don't give them the rise they want.

 

[EYFanatic]

I watched the match and I found it very odd that there was no VAR decision at all despite several serious fouls on England players and decisions given against us - that and the ref was as blind as Stevie Wonder to England players being body slammed

Also, Messi was clearly offside yet the flag stayed down

Then again, what do you expect from a corrupt organisation

 

[Purple Train]

We were seeded fourth and so a semi final exit isn’t too terrible. Maybe the defensive substitutes were brought on a bit too early but Argentina have form for turning things around late on. Just hope we can gird our loins again fir the match nobody wants to play in - the bronze medal match.

I think this is a good summary.

Given the loathsome spectacle this World Cup has been I'm almost glad we're out of it. I think we did well to get this far, and I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if we hadn't lost in such a manner, and hadn't lost to such a classless team (if I may say such a thing, but the matter posted by westv proves that in my eyes). I've been really impressed by Tuchel throughout this tournament and one mistake against a team that is so difficult to play against for various different reasons.

Hopefully the World Cup in four years' time is a nicer and more sporting spectacle. But a semi-final isn't failure and I will be disappointed if Tuchel resigns as I think he clearly does have what it takes to win silverware. Let's see what happens at Euro 2028.

 

[speedy1]

I did love the picture the guardian chose for the home page with Kane and Messi, making Messi look rather weird, and Kane towering over him, stoic, with a slight bright light just behind his head looking angelic. Perfection

(Can't find it now)

 

[brad465]

I watched the match and I found it very odd that there was no VAR decision at all despite several serious fouls on England players and decisions given against us - that and the ref was as blind as Stevie Wonder to England players being body slammed

Also, Messi was clearly offside yet the flag stayed down

Then again, what do you expect from a corrupt organisation

If Spain play as well on Sunday as they did against France, for Argentina to win will require a level of corrupt officiating that blows all previous controversial decisions out of the park.

 

[Mag_seven]

The "bronze" game is an utter waste of time and energy.

Could not agree more. Also by scrapping it they could have the final on the Saturday so the majority of fans of the victors can celebrate on Saturday night/early Sunday instead of having to "phone in sick" on the Monday.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I watched the match and I found it very odd that there was no VAR decision at all despite several serious fouls on England players and decisions given against us - that and the ref was as blind as Stevie Wonder to England players being body slammed

Also, Messi was clearly offside yet the flag stayed down

Then again, what do you expect from a corrupt organisation

Which offside are you referring to?

And as for VAR, they review everything in the background don’t they? Yesterday they just didn’t consider anything to be a red card offence, which is fair enough. There really weren’t any

The only thing that was a possible red card offence was Bellingham hitting their ginger lad on the back of the head afterwards

 

[Kite159]

Argentina to have their wrists slapped.

World Cup 2026: Argentina could face disciplinary action for displaying Falklands banner after beating England

Argentina face the prospect of disciplinary action from Fifa after their players celebrate the World Cup semi-final win against England with a banner in support of their country's claims to the Falkland Islands.

www.bbc.co.uk

No doubt it will be a meaningless 'don't do it again', rather than an actual punishment like getting evicted from the tournament and replaced by the almighty USA for the final

 

[SuspectUsual]

If Spain play as well on Sunday as they did against France, for Argentina to win will require a level of corrupt officiating that blows all previous controversial decisions out of the park.

They didn’t need to call on anything last night so it’s all still on the bank for Sunday

 

[YorkshireBear]

Did well to go ahead, did well to keep em out as long as we did. Poor subs but overall very pleased with a second semi final in 8 years and running one of the best teams in the world close.

Those were not my feelings at 22:00 last night.

 

[Northumbriana]

At least me and my Spanish pal are back on good terms!

Got Spanish neighbours, might ask if they've got a Spain shirt and flag I can borrow. I was born in Scotland so supporting someone out of a petty desire to see someone else lose is in my blood.

If Spain win maybe we can present them with sovereignty of Gibraltar after to rub it into Argentina's faces.

No doubt it will be a meaningless 'don't do it again', rather than an actual punishment like getting evicted from the tournament and replaced by the almighty USA for the final

If FIFA want such rules to be taken seriously it probably should result in either expulsion or at least a points deduction from their next World Cup group stage participation. Fines are futile and basically a purchase price to say and do what they want.

Argentina are such a good, exciting team to watch but equally they are so horrible and unpleasant. It's a pity. One of the worst things about them possibly winning on Sunday is seeing Infantino and Trump stalking Messi afterwards to be seen with him. Then again wasn't it Argentina players behind and applauding Trump when he announced the beginning of strikes against Iran? So I doubt they have any problems with this.

 

[Haywain]

One aspect of the World Cup that I have found increasingly irritating is the number of players who want to referee the game, and are suing gestures to indicate what decisions they think should be given or should not have been. Talking to referees is nothing new, but this performative dissent is getting out of hand. I would like to see a clamp down but I doubt much, if anything, will change. Examples are the Argentinian players last night protesting about Harry Kane covering his mouth while talking to the ref, and the Spanish player (Fanne?) in the semi waving a finger in the air to indicate that he thought an offside against him was wrong, as well as numerous cases of imaginary cards being waved.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Did well to go ahead, did well to keep em out as long as we did. Poor subs but overall very pleased with a second semi final in 8 years and running one of the best teams in the world close.

And this English "gallant losers" mentality is why we'll never win a World Cup in my lifetime. If your objective is to win the World Cup, which England's surely must have been, then going out in the semi finals is just as bad as going out in the group stages - it's failure whichever way you look at it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2026 ==

I wonder what game plan England will play against France in the third-place decider.

Give the squad players a run out so they can say in years to come they played at a World Cup Finals tournament.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2026 ==

The "bronze" game is an utter waste of time and energy. Just say that both sides defeated in the semi finals finished third, give them all a medal and send them home. Hardly anyone cares about this game.

The only team that should get medals are the World Cup winners!

 

[martin butler]

And this English "gallant losers" mentality is why we'll never win a World Cup in my lifetime. If your objective is to win the World Cup, which England's surely must have been, then going out in the semi finals is just as bad as going out in the group stages - it's failure whichever way you look at it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2026 ==


Give the squad players a run out so they can say in years to come they played at a World Cup Finals tournament.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2026 ==


The only team that should get medals are the World Cup winners!

I think a case could be made for every player, official manager of all the teams that took part at the world cup to be given a commentary medal showing they took part, and only the cup should be awarded to the winner,