World Cup 2022 - Qatar

[Dreams Burn Down]

45 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

By all accounts this was a fantastic WC.  Still have a sour taste due to the host and stuff.  Bad stuff.

Very happy for Messi.

This should end the Messi vs CR7 debate once and for all.

That was a fantastic WC Final.  Mbappe almost single-handedly brought France back from the dead twice, but I'm happy that Messi got this capstone on his career.

Continuing the thoughts from the "Other Sports" thread, I'd love to see FIFA at least demo sudden death ET.  I'm thinking at least for the Final, but I'd be content if they applied this once the Group Stage ends.  I was thinking 30 minute periods with a short rest in between.  Penalty kicks, like the hockey shootout, have always left me with a sour taste.  At least the NHL puts aside the gimmickery in the playoffs.  I wish that FIFA would consider it. 

[K-9]

I don’t watch a ton of soccer, but a fair amount of Man City and a lot of World Cup every four years. While my soccer viewing is limited, I can say today’s final was the greatest soccer match I’ve ever witnessed. And nobody is more deserving than the Gretzky of soccer, Lionel Messi. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

18 hours ago, Dreams Burn Down said:

That was a fantastic WC Final.  Mbappe almost single-handedly brought France back from the dead twice, but I'm happy that Messi got this capstone on his career.

Continuing the thoughts from the "Other Sports" thread, I'd love to see FIFA at least demo sudden death ET.  I'm thinking at least for the Final, but I'd be content if they applied this once the Group Stage ends.  I was thinking 30 minute periods with a short rest in between.  Penalty kicks, like the hockey shootout, have always left me with a sour taste.  At least the NHL puts aside the gimmickery in the playoffs.  I wish that FIFA would consider it. 

That was a fantastic final.  One of the best, if not the best, ever.  FIFA's dream final.  I am happy for Messi and now he and CR7 can pass on the best player title to Mbappe.

FIFA and football is steep in tradition in many ways.  They have embraced VAR (I am not a fan of it) and EURO and WC format changes recently.  I do not see them going to a sudden death playoff format and away from penalties as the final deciding factors any time soon.  A majority of the fans like the Extra Time and then penalties format.  Penalties may not be fair or just in ending a WC final like yesterday's, but it is what has been and the fans love the drama.  I remember in '94 when Roberto Baggio (best player on the planet at the time) would have won the WC for Italy with his final penalty, but put it well over the bar.  Stuff happens and that is part of the excitement.

14 hours ago, K-9 said:

I don’t watch a ton of soccer, but a fair amount of Man City and a lot of World Cup every four years. While my soccer viewing is limited, I can say today’s final was the greatest soccer match I’ve ever witnessed. And nobody is more deserving than the Gretzky of soccer, Lionel Messi. 

I was a fan of Man C for a time, but decided to not follow since they are putting the best side money can buy out there.  @Eleven has been following Norwich FC for some time and for the last few years I have followed them pretty closely.  They are promoted and then demoted to the EPL on a failry regular schedule.  They are a side that is too good for ECL, but not quite good enough to stick in the EPL.

Messi is certainly the best of this era only because he has his WC (finally, which shows how hard it is to win) and CR7 does not and most likely will not.  There have been many great footballers over the years.  It's hard to pick a top 5, but I think I would have Messi at #3 ... behind Pele and Maradona.  Then Messi and Christiano at #4.  Not sure who I would have at #5.