Football FIFA 2026 World Cup

[GrySun]

Another weak second half starting for us

No way Bosnia takes this, that first half was extremely weak showing.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

Oh lol great timing on my post.

Still not being a believer atm.

 

[xi0]

Ref has been god awful in general, but that red card is something else

 

[GrySun]

Ref has been god awful in general, but that red card is something else

I'd normally say, now the teams are even, but - that player now can't play next match right? Huge blow even if they win this.

 

[xi0]

It takes 7 times for a Bosnian player grabbing a shirt to see a yellow card. Shit-tier moron ref.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

I'd normally say, now the teams are even, but - that player now can't play next match right? Huge blow even if they win this.

Yeah he's suspended, unless there's some sort of way to appeal it but idk

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026 ---

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[GrySun]

Goliath stomping on David..

 

[Teubier]

Good game USA. Bosnia wasn't a threat after all. Let’s see how it goes against Belgium next.

 

[xi0]

And the ref legitimately adds 10 minutes.... ;rofl

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

Tillman motm even before the free kick goal

We were nervy like I kinda felt about this match but tbh Bosnia was way more haramball than I expected. Still I think they have accomplished a lot.

 

[Raven]

Not sure if USA defense is good or Bosnia is just below mediocre.

 

[xi0]

Not sure if USA defense is good or Bosnia is just below mediocre.

It's not good IMO, but it held together well. It's both, because Bosnia barely attacked it like I expected, especially after having the man advantage.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

I don't believe Messi's was a red card either, but it didn't get a yellow or any VAR review either. Messi saw the guy in front of him, Balogun was to the side of the player and falling down.

 

[Raven]

France vs Paraguay is a crime

Hope Paraguay pull another miracle

 

[Hermit]

I don't believe Messi's was a red card either

Really? Surprised you said this, studs up is always a red regardless of the player.

Also, that one VAR decision is the elephant in the room in what has been an otherwise enjoyable tournament.

 

[Hardy]

It's not good IMO, but it held together well. It's both, because Bosnia barely attacked it like I expected, especially after having the man advantage.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

I don't believe Messi's was a red card either, but it didn't get a yellow or any VAR review either. Messi saw the guy in front of him, Balogun was to the side of the player and falling down.

VAR doesn't call for yellows. If they didn't think it was a red (it wasn't) there's no need to call the ref.

It's not the same foul at all, watch the play not the still images. Messi barely touched the guy's leg reaching for the ball whereas Balogun was imprudent AF spreading himself like that and landed straight on the other guy's ankle with all his weight. It was a deserved red, he almost breaks his ankle.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026 ---

Really? Surprised you said this, studs up is always a red regardless of the player.

Also, that one VAR decision is the elephant in the room in what has been an otherwise enjoyable tournament.

No, it's just because it's Messi and that's why everyone remembers it. There were several fouls worse than that one that got no red cards.

 

[xi0]

Messi's is talked about the most but there's a bunch of stills of it happening all tournament and as far as I can tell, no bookings at all for it

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

It's not the same foul at all, watch the play not the still images. Messi barely touched the guy's leg reaching for the ball whereas Balogun was imprudent AF spreading himself like that and landed straight on the other guy's ankle with all his weight. It was a deserved red, he almost breaks his ankle.

I didn't say it was the same foul, but Messi had the player in front of him, and he challenged him with studs up, Balogun did this when he was falling to the ground, it wasn't even a challenge. It was completely incidental contact. I don't see what's imprudent about trying to prevent yourself from going to the ground when you're trying to play the ball. He can't manipulate gravity to make sure he doesn't step on him. And obviously there's no malice involved either. I saw the rules being read and I don't see how it meets that standard. Not to mention that numerous people have weighed in saying VAR wasn't even used properly in this instance anyway.

Unless we're to say that there's something special about boots and contact, because there were a couple challenges in this game where knees collided with heads. Completely incidental and no foul called. Tillman had his fucking boot stomped through, was bleeding and had to change it before he scored on that free kick. Shit happens, no idea how someone could say it's in the spirit of the rules and for the good of the game for someone to miss a match for an accident like that.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026 ---

Really? Surprised you said this, studs up is always a red regardless of the player.

Also, that one VAR decision is the elephant in the room in what has been an otherwise enjoyable tournament.

Yeah, I just don't know if it met the standard for malice or even a dangerous or reckless act. Yellow card? Definitely. Orange card? Probably. Suspending someone for an obvious accident is mental IMO.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026 ---

And another thing, if this is meeting the standard of a red card, then there's about a half dozen other examples that weren't even yellows, much less fouls. Not a single VAR intervention as far as I can tell. Just seems like haphazard application of officiating standards, plus this ref has a terrible reputation from the Brasileirao. Fuck that guy.

 

[Hardy]

If it's incidental or not it doesn't matter if it's reckless. Balogun tries to win the position against the opponent knowing full well he's there, spreading himself and because of it he clumsily lands on the opponent with his full weight. It's reckless. He didn't have to do that to "land on the ground".

Marcelo got a red card breaking the leg of a player in a Libertadores match and I'm not sharing it because it's gruesome af but it was an accident and a very clear red even if the leg hadn't been broken.

 

[GrySun]

was completely incidental contact

Yeah no that never mattered in soccer for these cases, like Hardy said it's considered a reckless move that deserves a red

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

I had the displeasure of accidentally stumbling upon people talking about it online and it's sad how big the majority is of people not understanding the red card

 

[Hardy]

Like most discussions online what matters the most is the narrative lol. I generally don't bother.

 

[Raven]

I think serous injury could cripple a team chances regardless of it being intentional or not so a red card is deserved. Messi is a dirty player he also deserve a red card imo but refs give him lot of slack

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

Seeing lots of haalands memes all sudden, with his hair untied, First time I see it and I was like is that haalands sister lol

 

[Newkerzy]

Kane has scored like 90% of England's goals this tournament lol

Pretty much the same for Argentina. Except that I give Argentina a slight edge for being the more cohesive of the two.

 

[Hardy]

Messi is very famously dirty player yes having injured many opponents and having a whooping 3 red cards in 1000 matches played

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 2, 2026, Original Post Date: Jul 2, 2026 ---

Pretty much the same for Argentina. Except that I give Argentina a slight edge for being the more cohesive of the two.

Tbf they kinda were feeding goals to Messi for the records lol. Also Lautaro is as unreliable as always and Julián is coming from an injury and has been ass.

 

[Newkerzy]

Tbf they kinda were feeding goals to Messi for the records lol. Also Lautaro is as unreliable as always and Julián is coming from an injury and has been ass.

I’m keeping a wandering eye on Barco. Kid could be a breakout star. I liked his energy in the last group match.