2022 FIFA World Cup - Qatar

[Atithee]

France is my pick. Maybe Russia as the host, which rarely happens. Brazil is the SAF of cricket. Always choke in key matches. They have been having a tough time even in qualifying phases lately.

This what I said about Brazil in the last world cup and didn’t need to say again this year!

[jayakris]

^^ So who is your pick this time, now that we are down to the final-6 ?

[Atithee]

^^^ For the first time in many years, I haven’t watched even one full game this year. Didn’t follow the game much at all except when India played.

Even though I like Qatar among the Arab countries more than others, for some reason I felt they bought the world cup hosting rights although kudos to them. And, all of the worker abuse stories, many of which impact the Indians, perhaps made me turn off even more. And, unlike you, I can’t understand or sing paeans about the US team. They will NEVER achieve anything meaningful as long as football is considered soccer. The one good thing I like about them is they have mostly (all?) homegrown talent.

That said, I don’t even remember which six teams are left to be honest, I’d still go with France based on the history and their wherewithal.

[gbelday]

^^ So who is your pick this time, now that we are down to the final-6 ?

I want Argentina to win!! Don’t like any of the European teams Also, my boss is Argentinian and it’s always good times when he is in a good mood haha!!

[jayakris]

And, unlike you, I can’t understand or sing paeans about the US team. They will NEVER achieve anything meaningful as long as football is considered soccer. The one good thing I like about them is they have mostly (all?) homegrown talent.

"Soccer" (from "Association football"), as the Britishers called it to differentiate from Rugby football and Gridiron football, is not an American term. It was quite prevalent all around the world till 60 years ago, when the British and others started exclusively calling one version "football". It is not the Americans' fault that the British stopped playing the other version of football like rugby football (again the Britishers called it "rugger") and gridiron football (of Scottish or Irish origin, but there in England- which evolved to American football). If I understand it right, all these versions were all called football, because they were all played "on foot" (not "with the foot") to differentiate it from polo etc played while sitting on horses or elephants -- and that happened some 200 years ago.

It is not the Americans fault that the rest of the world, led by the British, started calling soccer just "football" (actually to spite Americans who were calling gridiron football as "football" many decades earlier, by late 1800s). By 1960 the British started actively dropping the term soccer and literally stealing the word "football" for the version the Brazilians and others were playing. In fact, I believe it is still "soccer" in Australia, where the Australian rules football is generally "football".

Anyway, "soccer" is very much a proper term. Made by British, and very well used for a long time, and it was probably the more common name for the current "football" once. Then the British couldn't stand American football being called as "the football" (and they couldn't play that game even if they tried anymore!). The British started dropping the use of the word "soccer". Americans don't use the word out of any lack of respect for the game (at least not many Americans under the age of 50). This was the world's name for the game. I remember that Indian Express, Hindu, etc, back in the early 70s mentioned the word soccer every now and then in some context or other (quoting people, etc). I almost don't see it anywhere these days. It simply fell out of use outside of USA and Australia, it seems.

I myself should stand corrected on this, if I have made snide comments in these forums about Americans. I too didn't know the above history till recently when I got a real lecture on this from my son, a serious football expert. A huge Arsenal and USMNT fan (and also a good goalkeeper and his Highschool football team's captain once). When I looked it up, I found that he was quite right.

As usual, everything on which people think Americans are stupid, people usually find later that they were not

[Atithee]

Ok, thanks for the lesson, Professor. You missed the point of that statement completely though.

[jayakris]

^^^ That was not a lesson, Atithee... Just putting down something on which I think I was wrong all along

But what WAS the point your were trying to make? I did miss it, I think

[jayakris]

I want Argentina to win!! Don’t like any of the European teams Also, my boss is Argentinian and it’s always good times when he is in a good mood haha!!

Argentina for me too, under normal circumstances, because I also don't like Europeans winning it. But I must say that I find it hard not to support Morocco, just because they will be the first team from that continent to make a semi.

[srini]

Americans can continue to call it "Soccer" but as long as American football weighs heavily on their psyche, it may be difficult to get out of its shadow and perform at a level that takes them into deep knockout stages. I think its just like how Cricket weighs heavily in all nations with in Indian sub continent and affects their potential to perform well in other sports and athletics. That's why i hope Cricket will go back to its old format of Test cricket and just do away with all the shorter versions. That allows other sports get their due share of kids who can actually excel rather than waste their talent/potential all in one game.

My heart picks Morocco but mind tells it will be France or Portugal this time. If i have to go by what my mind tells i would prefer Portugal as it will at least give a new Champion. I feel Brazil and Argentina had probably lot more young talent to pick their final team but may be going with Old men by their name and fame. If they select their young, they may win the cup more number of times than they already did!

[Atithee]

^^ Thanks, Srini for answering Jay’s question to me.

[jayakris]

Americans can continue to call it "Soccer" but as long as American football weighs heavily on their psyche, it may be difficult to get out of its shadow and perform at a level that takes them into deep knockout stages.

Well, this is what I thought this was what Atithee was referring to ... What I was saying above was that calling it "soccer" has nothing to do with anything. Maybe I took it in a wrong direction and was justifying that Americans aren't calling it "soccer" to undermine its importance in the world - which was not exactly what Atithee was saying.

We know how far US soccer has come in 32 years. I can see the talent the younger players are showing too. There is huge following for it in the country (and no longer just the Mexican Americans). They will continue to call it soccer because they had another game being called football before the British made this THE football (which it was NOT till the 50s and 60s). The Americans will be using that name in 4 years when they will reach at least the quarterfinal or better (yeah, I am predicting it) and even when they win the world cup at some point in the future. There is that kind of depth for soccer in the USA, with the world's largest youth league and whatnot.

Jay

[SaniaFan]

It is not easy to win world cup first time in football. Practically whole world plays football including rich countries but still year after year it is won by a country that has already won it. Brazil, France, Germany, Italy has won so many of them amongst themselves.

So USA winning it is not happening any time soon. That is what I feel.

[gbelday]

But I must say that I find it hard not to support Morocco, just because they will be the first team from that continent to make a semi.

Yes, that would be amazing. Beautiful country, amazing people!

[Atithee]

Well, a beautiful goal scored and the beautiful country with amazing people is in the semis.

[srini]

No more surprises in the other quarter final as piddly island does their staple exit as usual