OT: World Cup Final

[UConnSwag11]

Amazing match, best I've ever seen. Messi v. Mbappe was like Magic v. Bird.

This puts Messi right there with Pelé as the best of all-time and seems to end the Christiano debate. Good as far as I'm concerned, never liked the guy.

Mbappe looks like he will make a run at the top to join Pelè and Messi if he avoids major injury, that guy is unbelievable.

Messi passes Pele and it’s not even close

 

[UConnSwag11]

Not a big fan of soccer but watch it when World Cup happens.

Serious question:

Have the governing bodies for the game ever entertained making the goal opening smaller just for PKs for a shootout situation? Just seems like there’s way too big of an advantage for the offense

Martinez for Argentina has no problem blocking pk’s this tournament

 

[bendm]

Thanks. That’s very helpful

Doubt you’ll be making a half dozen posts questioning the hundreds of arbitrary rules of American football right after the Super Bowl

 

[UConnSwag11]

Amazing match. Been following Messi since he played his first game for Barca. So happy for him and Argentina. He’s changed his game over the years and even without this trophy he was the GOAT. Amazing career.

I hope he goes to play for an Argentina club and retires there. He and Argentina deserve it

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I still want to see the cardiac data on soccer players dropping dead as a reason for why they can’t keep playing LOL. If it works for the fans then it’s all good.

Did you see the extra time sessions? If yes, you then saw the player from France (unsure of his name) hustle while exhausted to make sure there was a sideline out of play in Argentina's favor instead of a corner. He collapsed immediately following that.

Please explain what additional data would be required for you to feel confident that he legitimately had exerted himself to the point where it could approach a danger level.

 

[Vuce]

Doubt you’ll be making a half dozen posts questioning the hundreds of arbitrary rules of American football right after the Super Bowl

That seems to trigger you and that’s ok son

 

[Vuce]

Did you see the extra time sessions? If yes, you then saw the player from France (unsure of his name) hustle while exhausted to make sure there was a sideline out of play in Argentina's favor instead of a corner. He collapsed immediately following that.

Please explain what additional data would be required for you to feel confident that he legitimately had exerted himself to the point where it could approach a danger level.

I have seen athletes collapse in basketball and football games too. They def need to settle those games with free throws and FG kicks - please explain what additional data would be required for you to agree that the rules shouldn’t be changed so those players aren’t in danger due to exerting themselves to beyond a safe level

 

[UConnSwag11]

Also, they’ve continued to change the rules of the game and have big changes in the future. The game is great as is there’s no need to make any changes

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I mean I’m just disagreeing, keep it to yourself if you get bent out of shape

Liked for “don’t yuck my yum” though lol my girlfriend first said that to me

But the thing is, I said it’s the best sporting event IVE watched. Can’t disagree with my personal viewing experience lol, it just doesn’t make sense.

 

[Waquoit]

Haha, sure.

He totally dominated the competition and is considered a god by the other greats.

He won 3 World Cups, scored about a goal per game for his career.

Pele loses points for not playing high level club soccer.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Haha, sure.

He totally dominated the competition and is considered a god by the other greats.

He won 3 World Cups, scored about a goal per game for his career.

He’s a legend of the game but it’s been a while since he’s been widely regarded as the best of all time. I’m sure you can still find people who believe that, but most people slot Messi in at #1 these days, and you can find plenty of lists with Messi, CR, and Maradona ahead of Pele - maybe sometimes even a guy like Cruyff.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Haha, sure.

He totally dominated the competition and is considered a god by the other greats.

He won 3 World Cups, scored about a goal per game for his career.

Messi totally dominates the competition and is considered an alien of footballing ability by most that have watched him. He has the most assists of all time by an incredible distance, and has one of the best goalscoring records on top of it.

Also playing against much stiffer competition.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Pele loses points for not playing high level club soccer.

I was also gonna say this but ay the time the Brazilian league was up there with the best leagues in the world to be fair.

 

[Sky ball]

Haha, sure.

He totally dominated the competition and is considered a god by the other greats.

He won 3 World Cups, scored about a goal per game for his career.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I have seen athletes collapse in basketball and football games too. They def need to settle those games with free throws and FG kicks - please explain what additional data would be required for you to agree that the rules shouldn’t be changed so those players aren’t in danger due to exerting themselves to beyond a safe level

Evidently there was sarcasm that I missed in the post if yours that I initially replied to as you now are taking my side of the argument (while implying that I was the one claiming they should play on).

 

[MexicoHusky]

I always appreciate no commercials

 

[superjohn]

He’s a legend of the game but it’s been a while since he’s been widely regarded as the best of all time. I’m sure you can still find people who believe that, but most people slot Messi in at #1 these days, and you can find plenty of lists with Messi, CR, and Maradona ahead of Pele - maybe sometimes even a guy like Cruyff.

"Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic." -Johan Cruyff

"Pele is the greatest player in football history, and there will only be one Pelé in the world." -Cristiano Ronaldo

 

[storrsroars]

Eh. I’ve seen plenty of games where soccer players are lightly jogging or moving slowly when the ball is nowhere near them. They aren’t sprinting 100% of the time. The comment I made was in response to a contention that soccer players suffer cardiac arrest at a much higher rate than other athletes and as a reason for why PKs are necessary (their health). I’ve never seen any data on that or heard that as a reason.

This is an excerpt from an article this week comparing Messi to Mbappe:

WORK RATE

Messi walks. He wanders. He looks like he is having a stroll by the seaside, 99 in hand. Yet that is not necessarily a bad thing. You could say that Messi walks better than some players run.

There was an El Clasico game in December 2017 where Messi covered five miles over 90 minutes. The statistics said he 'walked' for 83 per cent of the time, 'jogged' for 11 per cent, 'ran' for five per cent and 'sprinted' for one per cent. Yet he finished that game with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win for Barcelona at the home of rivals Real Madrid.

His presence alone can distract defenders. Like how Gvardiol seemed preoccupied with Messi when Alvarez ran behind to win the penalty for Argentina's opening goal against Croatia. At 35, Messi saves himself for the big moments and the Argentina team compensate for that.

It is the same with Mbappe and France. He does not track back. Some of Morocco's best chances came when their right back Achraf Hakimi made forward runs, with Mbappe not following him. These are luxury players who do not need to run from start to finish to have an impact. They are explosive when they need to be.

 

[storrsroars]

Not a big fan of soccer but watch it when World Cup happens.

Serious question:

Have the governing bodies for the game ever entertained making the goal opening smaller just for PKs for a shootout situation? Just seems like there’s way too big of an advantage for the offense

You wouldn't make the net smaller. You'd have either a 2nd line where the goalie stands maybe 5 feet in front of the goal line to make angles more challenging, or you make it like the NHL where the shooter and goalie can move wherever.

But, the fact that some goalies make saves and others don't seems to imply the current system works.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

"Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic." -Johan Cruyff

"Pele is the greatest player in football history, and there will only be one Pelé in the world." -Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo has also said on multiple occasions he himself is the best player in history. Also that quote is 7 years old,

 

[gtcam]

Messi passes Pele and it’s not even close

You obviously haven't seen much of Pele, have you
Good for Messi and his Argentinian horde. Now everyone can keep quiet up about him deserving the WC and they can send their thank you cards to the ref Lahoz who handled their match vs the Netherlands. Without him they wouldn't be playing for the Cup. FIFA sent Lahoz home following the match but not after he did his damage.
Won't it be interesting when Messi plays for Miami in the MLS next year.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

You obviously haven't seen much of Pele, have you
Good for Messi and his Argentinian horde. Now everyone can keep quiet up about him deserving the WC and they can send their thank you cards to the ref Lahoz who handled their match vs the Netherlands. Without him they wouldn't be playing for the Cup. FIFA sent Lahoz home following the match but not after he did his damage.
Won't it be interesting when Messi plays for Miami in the MLS next year.

YAWN.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

You wouldn't make the net smaller. You'd have either a 2nd line where the goalie stands maybe 5 feet in front of the goal line to make angles more challenging, or you make it like the NHL where the shooter and goalie can move wherever.

But, the fact that some goalies make saves and others don't seems to imply the current system works.

My opinions on the matter aside (0 reason to change the way it is) your comment reminded me of the old MLS shootout style from the 90s. Think current hockey shootout style with guys dribbling in from half but they were only be allowed like 5 sec...it was neat for a minute but then everyone agreed it was stupid and reverted back to pks

 

[giddyup]

Soccer is mind numbingly boring, except the WC brings something special that even the non-soccer fan can get into.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Why would team sport vs individual matter for health reasons? A marathon or Tour De France is much more grueling than soccer. That’s a very odd statistic if there really are more heart related issues in soccer than other sports whether team or individual.

The doctor in a pro cycling doping scandal (2006) was the doctor for Real Madrid. Money matters