The Official FIFA World Cup 2022 Megathread

[Jack Regan]

Preferably scores it first, then twats him.

 

[Lupo]

Rub it in why dontcha

For balance we didn't even get there this time!

 

[Alan]

For balance we didn't even get there this time!

You know what they say about lacking a Totti!

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Come a long way from being dropped for Ikeme.

Still hope the next time he tries to shithouse on a penalty the opposition player knocks him out though

Just put it in the top half of the goal and you'll beat him every time, then his 'shithousing' is a pointless waste of everyone's time.

 

[Tredman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1604578528292388864

 

[1986]

People giving out about the fawning over Messi - I don't understand them , we are not going to see his like again . Mbappe is a completely different player , as is Ronaldo .
Messi is happy to drop deep and beat several players along the way , is also happy to assist as well as score . It's the close control , the ball stuck to his feet , the proof that just because you are very small does not mean that you can't play the game at the highest level .
He is also proving that you can play on to a ripe old age , as others are doing at this tournament .

I personally love watching him . Yes , it's all about team now , but there will always be a place for individual brilliance . Every team needs a star .

 

[Banjo]

People giving out about the fawning over Messi - I don't understand them , we are not going to see his like again . Mbappe is a completely different player , as is Ronaldo .
Messi is happy to drop deep and beat several players along the way , is also happy to assist as well as score . It's the close control , the ball stuck to his feet , the proof that just because you are very small does not mean that you can't play the game at the highest level .
He is also proving that you can play on to a ripe old age , as others are doing at this tournament .

I personally love watching him . Yes , it's all about team now , but there will always be a place for individual brilliance . Every team needs a star .

He's everything that Ronaldo isn't at this stage. He deserves the praise for what he achieves for his team.

 

[sycophantia]

He's everything that Ronaldo isn't at this stage. He deserves the praise for what he achieves for his team.

There has been some ott sycophancy towards him this WC, however he is the best player in the world, has been for a long time, also more of a team player than Ronaldo or Mbappe. Seems quite humble too, so I guess he deserves all the plaudits he gets.

 

[Tony Towner]

The only thing with Messi that does my head in is the forced argument on him being the GOAT. Football has changed so much that it's impossible to benchmark players from today versus those in the past. He'd have been snapped in half 5 times a game 40 years ago, we don't know how he'd have reacted to that, just how we don't know what Maradona could have achieved if he wasn't.

Just enjoy him for what he is.

 

[Kenny]

Seems quite humble too,

I would say he is better at hiding his "twatty" side than, say, Ronaldo...

 

[Johnny75]

I would say he is better at hiding his "twatty" side than, say, Ronaldo...

Maybe he's not a twat?

 

[Kenny]

Certain elements where he can be, mainly when it comes to contracts and doing the old "well I am off then". Doing it with PSG now "I love it here and I do fancy that gig with Phil Neville unless you can wage match me with Mbappe".

I would be amazed if he ever pulled a trick like Ronnie did and sat down to slag everyone off with Piers Morgan though. He is also helped by the fact when he is with Argentina he is surrounded by 20+ mega twats so he looks like an angel. Even the refs buy his Joao Moutinho act on the pitch, and gets away with numerous yellow card offences

 

[Johnny75]

Certain elements where he can be, mainly when it comes to contracts and doing the old "well I am off then". Doing it with PSG now "I love it here and I do fancy that gig with Phil Neville unless you can wage match me with Mbappe".

I would be amazed if he ever pulled a trick like Ronnie did and sat down to slag everyone off with Piers Morgan though. He is also helped by the fact when he is with Argentina he is surrounded by 20+ mega twats so he looks like an angel. Even the refs buy his Joao Moutinho act on the pitch, and gets away with numerous yellow card offences

Ronaldo does seem the same twat off the pitch too. Which is why he'll never be the greatest nor Maradona.

 

[Banjo]

I would say he is better at hiding his "twatty" side than, say, Ronaldo...

Other than the tax avoidance stuff (which I'm prepared to accept was as a result of advice from professionals), I've never noticed any twatty stuff from Messi tbh

Edit: Seen your post above. Fair point on the contract stuff.

 

[Kenny]

Ronaldo does seem the same twat off the pitch too. Which is why he'll never be the greatest nor Maradona.

He does some amazing stuff off the pitch as well though. The amount of kids he has helped out get vital ops etc

His biggest mistake was moving back to Utd. Most of the worlds best have a level of arrogance and he certainly has a fair chunk of that. However throughout his career he has big characters controlling that behaviour. He moves to Utd and OGS is in full fan boi mode and lets him run riot with it. Then when his replacements try to peg it back, its gone to far and you get shit like the interview he did.

We have had 2 of the greatest players to watch over the last 15 or so years. Obscene scoring records and trophy hauls. I'm just delighted one of them as won the World Cup (glad its Messi though)

Intrigued to watch Mbappe over the next 4 or 5 years now and hope he moves on from his current role of king of everything in Paris.

 

[Johnny75]

He does some amazing stuff off the pitch as well though. The amount of kids he has helped out get vital ops etc

His biggest mistake was moving back to Utd. Most of the worlds best have a level of arrogance and he certainly has a fair chunk of that. However throughout his career he has big characters controlling that behaviour. He moves to Utd and OGS is in full fan boi mode and lets him run riot with it. Then when his replacements try to peg it back, its gone to far and you get shit like the interview he did.

We have had 2 of the greatest players to watch over the last 15 or so years. Obscene scoring records and trophy hauls. I'm just delighted one of them as won the World Cup (glad its Messi though)

Intrigued to watch Mbappe over the next 4 or 5 years now and hope he moves on from his current role of king of everything in Paris.

I think Mbappe needs to move and go to a better league than France to be considered at the very top level like those two.

 

[Kenny]

I think he will do the Madrid move. Who wouldn't the take the power (and money) on offer for another year or 2. Add a couple of guaranteed titles to the collection and end up at Madrid or the like when 25/26.

 

[Carrotdude]

I don’t think I’ll ever understand the need to care about money when you’re earning 500k a week. Just move to the team/league you want to play for, win all the trophies. It’s not like you’ll be heading to the food bank if you have to only get 300k a week!

 

[Alan]

Something something neoliberal capitalism something something motivational greed

 

[1986]

The only thing with Messi that does my head in is the forced argument on him being the GOAT. Football has changed so much that it's impossible to benchmark players from today versus those in the past. He'd have been snapped in half 5 times a game 40 years ago, we don't know how he'd have reacted to that, just how we don't know what Maradona could have achieved if he wasn't.

Just enjoy him for what he is.

Would agree with that - just put them all together - comparing one against the other is futile . They were all great .

And I think we'll see fewer of these type of players from now on - the player who will drop deep , drop the shoulder and proceed to beat several other players with fantastic close control . It's all about linking the play now and spraying it around .