England/World Cup

[dickos1]

So who gave France the hardest game. England or Morocco?
If Morocco had taken their chances tonight the French would be in the 3rd/4th place game and not the final.

If England had taken their chances they’d have been playing Morocco tonight

[BillyStubbsTears]

So who gave France the hardest game. England or Morocco?
If Morocco had taken their chances tonight the French would be in the 3rd/4th place game and not the final.

It felt like many matches under O'Driscoll in the Championship. Us dominating possession and giving the opponents a lesson. Then losing because they had 2-3 £3-4m players with that bit of individual quality.

[Chris Black come back]

Morocco were absolutely superb. What a performance. They did though not score against France while we did, and missed (not saved) a penalty. There is a fundamental difference between those two games.

[Padge_DRFC]

Morocco were very good. It wouldn't have been an easy game at all like many predicted.
Argentina have gone from dire to probably favourites I would say just.

[scawsby steve]

This France side are not a great side.

So frustrating. They were there to be had.

They beat England because they have the best player in the tournament.

Most people will think you're referring to Mbappe there, BST. I know that you're not; you're referring to Griezmann, and I totally agree with you.

He's the one who makes France tick.

[drfchound]

This France side are not a great side.

So frustrating. They were there to be had.

They beat England because they have the best player in the tournament.

Most people will think you're referring to Mbappe there, BST. I know that you're not; you're referring to Griezmann, and I totally agree with you.

He's the one who makes France tick.

Man of the match by a mile.

[BillyStubbsTears]

This France side are not a great side.

So frustrating. They were there to be had.

They beat England because they have the best player in the tournament.

Most people will think you're referring to Mbappe there, BST. I know that you're not; you're referring to Griezmann, and I totally agree with you.

He's the one who makes France tick.

Bang on. Messi and Mbappe get the attention with superlative attacking ability. But Griezmann has been head and shoulders the best complete player in this tournament.

If you're picking a Team if the Tournament, he has to be the first name on the sheet. A privilege to watch.

[ncRover]

You wouldn’t have put Griezmann in the top 10 players in the world before this, but he always turns it on at big tournaments.

[TheDonnyPop]

Morroco's version of FA has formally complained over 2 penalty decisions going against them.
So in atleast 2 matches back to back France have had the rub of the green on potential match defining moments.

Take off your specs, is this World cup corrupt?

[Colin C No.3]

Is this World Cup corrupt?!

There will have been more brown envelopes slipped under tables than you’d find in a sorting office at Christmas!

[ravenrover]

The best ever says Infantino, no brown envelopes just sackfulls!

[belton rover]

FA have just confirmed Southgate is staying until after Euro 24.
I’m happy with that.

[mushRTID]

France again, shite.
Golden opportunity missed by us.

Saying that don’t think we’d have beaten these argies who are superb.

[drfchound]

It looks like a next goal winner situation.

[mushRTID]

And it’s looking like France! Unbelievable

Not sure Argies can recover from this.

[drfchound]

Yep, after doing next to nothing for 70 minutes, MBappe is suddenly causing havoc.

[Goole Rover]

FA have just confirmed Southgate is staying until after Euro 24.
I’m happy with that.

Great news and common sense.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Best game ever today? As a top level spectacle.

[drfchound]

Proper edge of your seat stuff, a fantastic game, especially after the first French goal.

[Colin C No.3]

The best game (performance would be the 1970 Brazilian World Cup win) of a World Cup Final I’ve witnessed in my lifetime (thus far!).

Mbappé was very, very good.

Messi was & still is ‘the class act’.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Our kid called it right today. Football has changed beyond all recognition.

30 years ago, sides were scared to lose in matches like this.

15 years ago, Spain brought in that stultifying possession game that destroyed matches as a spectacle.

Now, the best teams go at it hammer and tongs and it is glorious to watch. That final minute of extra time was emblematic of the age - both sides carving out chances to win within 30 seconds of each other.

I feel privileged to have watched a game that people will still be talking about at the end of the century.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Another thing.

I stand by what I said about Griezmann having been the player of the tournament up to the final. But the difference between being excellent and being a historical giant of the game is what happens at the very pinnacle.

Griezmann was anonymous today. Messi and Mbappe (when he clicked) were giants. That second goal of Mbappe's must be the greatest goal of any World Cup final, given the stakes. What a strike!

[tyke1962]

Incredible scenes in Buenos Aires and Rosario following Argentina's world cup victory .

Despite the rivalry you'd have to be a cold hearted man to begrudge a fanatical football nation a day like yesterday was for their nation .

https://youtu.be/FHLP9V7SE3I

[selby]

  Billy the last minutes were error strewn poor finishing and defending that people got caught up in the moment.
  The overall standard of the game was not that great, exciting yes, and well produced on TV.
  Two great players took centre stage on the day, and it was an exciting spectacle, would either side be top four in the Premiership, I doubt it personally.

[tyke1962]

  Billy the last minutes were error strewn poor finishing and defending that people got caught up in the moment.
  The overall standard of the game was not that great, exciting yes, and well produced on TV.
  Two great players took centre stage on the day, and it was an exciting spectacle, would either side be top four in the Premiership, I doubt it personally.

For over an hour it wasn't a contest , the French were running through treacle and Argentina were dominant and affective without having to be great .

This may well be a left field view of the final but my personal plaudits for this world cup final are centred on the remarkable resilience of both team above everything else .

The French found a way to get back in to the game , the bench was used effectively with sheer will , determination and a winners mentality thrown in for good measure .

Argentina had the final won twice  along the way but still kept together and dug in with that street fighting mentality they have in their DNA .

You looked in to their eyes and their body language in the penalty shootout and you could tell there was very little fear .

Martinez did what Argentina do , a complete shytehouse , the football equivalent of sledging an incoming test batsman , that's not against the rules either so let's not be hearing anything to the contrary especially with the stakes as high as they were .

When you haven't always got the most gifted of teams and Argentina haven't apart from you know who but you can still win and that's what I got out of yesterday's final .

That's what it takes to lift that thing .

[selby]

The Champions League will be interesting, a big chunk of the players in the game available to PSG including the two main characters who are lauded and top of the pops at the moment.
  It will be interesting to see if they can put a tin lid on it and cope with what lies in waiting for them, the look on Messi's face last night was in complete contrast to the little boy lost look at Anfield a couple of seasons ago.
  That game that night when Liverpool overturned a heavy away defeat in the first leg destroyed Barcelona as a club and Messi as a club player for them that has took him until now to get over and has only gained solace from playing with a successful Argentinian team, being a big disappointment at PSG.
 His return to the competition and club will be interesting to watch.

[Padge_DRFC]

The last 45 of the 120 was a contest until then it was the most one sided final ever and in danger of being a really poor final.

[ravenrover]

Interesting point raised the morning Qatar got the final they wanted with Messi and MBappe playing for PSG owned by Qataris. Wonder if some of the reffing and VAR decisions aided that happening?
I only speak of this as someone who only partially watched one game because my Missus wanted to and that was not the Final it was our lot v France

[Silkscarf]

I don’t see how it can be the greatest game /final ever. It was fairly average for 79 minutes. Then the French woke up and had a go. Yes then from that point it was incredible.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The first 91 minutes of our match at Griffin Park in 2013 was dull as dishwater. Doesn't stop it being arguably THE greatest match in our history.