World Cup 2026

[dinny_g]

Didn’t see Jordan fall, but hope he’s okay. I believe he’s still in hospital

I saw the clip... Very nasty - like needing ironwork to put it back together...

[ZedLeg]

Looking forward to Haaland dunking on them next weekend

I've seen lots of stuff about how Scottish people are going to have to take back their Mexico tops and get Norway ones now.

Funnily enough, after losing a job a few months ago I found work at a place that sells personalised football strips and Haaland Norway shirts are a big seller

I don’t watch club football so I’d never really seen him play. He’s some player.

[240PP]

I’ve only just found out here’s a Yorkshireman (born in Leeds).

[ZedLeg]

Aye, he seems very attached to English football tbh. I think he signed for Man City because his dad played there too.

[dinny_g]

No he signed for Man City because they agreed to pay him an obscene amount of money "on the books" and then, they pay him an ever larger obscene amount of money "off the books" by dodgy backhand deals designed to circumvent financial rules

[ZedLeg]

Potato tomato

What I meant was that from what I read, he had his pick of clubs to go to but his dad playing for Man City was a factor for him.

I’m sure wherever he went he would’ve got a disgusting amount of money.

[dinny_g]

Not as disgusting an amount as City because other clubs follow the rules and don’t hide behind lawyers

[240PP]

£525k a week excluding bonuses. I’m really regretting taking up football at 43 now.

[ZedLeg]

other clubs follow the rules and don’t hide behind lawyers

Like I say, I don’t really follow club football but I’d be very surprised if that’s true.

[dinny_g]

Chelsea, Everton and Leicester have been found guilty of spending too much on players and have taken their punishment.

Man City have had 115 charges over them for a number of years. Have been found guilty, appealed delayed, appealed and no doubt, WHEN they are found guilty again, they’ll try to appeal again…

[240PP]

Trump on the red card, he knows all about sports:


“I saw the play. And I’m a person that loves sports and was a good athlete. I understand sports really well, really well. And that wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other. And this referee, who is a little bit suspect … I don’t like to create controversy, but very suspect. He made a call that nobody could believe. You know, even people on the other side, they said, ‘oh, we got lucky’. Wow. That’s very interesting

And he [Balogun] is our best player, or one of our best players, a very vital player. And he gave him a red card. I didn’t know what that meant. I didn’t think it meant much. Then I started hearing that that means he can’t play in the next game. I said, boy, that’s a big, you know, if it happened to another player, it would have been unfair. But when they take your best player, or just about, and they say you can’t play, that’s very unfair. That’s you know, it’s one thing to penalise somebody for the game, but how do you penalise them for a game that hasn’t been played yet? It’s very unfair. You can’t do that.

So yes, I asked for a review by Fifa. I spoke to a man who’s highly respected and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold. And he was good before this started. But, you know, he really pushed it in this country.”

[DaveE]

When you actually read his quotes it somehow makes it all even more mental sounding...

[ZedLeg]

Chelsea, Everton and Leicester have been found guilty of spending too much on players and have taken their punishment.

Man City have had 115 charges over them for a number of years. Have been found guilty, appealed delayed, appealed and no doubt, WHEN they are found guilty again, they’ll try to appeal again…

Just looked up Chelsea and I don’t think you’re telling the whole story tbh.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 2dx8rjw08o

To me it seems like they were doing the exact same thing for years and got a lenient punishment after new owners self reported.

New owners didn’t want to get punished for previous owners shady dealings?

[dinny_g]

Look I’m not going to convince you Zed but if you are at all interested, do a little reading and you’ll see City are guilty (but “on appeal”) of the worst financial doping in the history of English and probably World football

For example…

Sign Roberto Mancini as manager but agree to pay him £250k per week. Which is the figure that appears on the books.

Then, entirely separately… honest , Mancini signs a completely different contract with… guess what, another different company owned by the same guy who owns City… for £250k per week to act as a football consultant.

The terms of this £13m contract??? He had to spend 2 weekends in the UAE speaking to football people. He actually did 1 weekend and spent all of 2 hours talking football.

So officially, he’s paid £250. In reality, he’s paid £500. Same ‘deal’ for several of the first team.

Etc. etc etc

That is the foundation on which all of City’s success is built

[integrale_evo]

I presume everyone in the world who’s not American hopes USA lose tonight?

That’s some full on North Korean style dictator bullshit.

I expect even if they get thrashed at any point it will be because of terrible referee decisions or something ridiculous.

[dinny_g]

It would be funnier if he got sent off again but America win…

Belgium out an we get to see what Trump does next…

[IanF]

Belgium wins and Trump declares Annexe of Belgium?

[RobYob]

Either tariffs or a threat to invade Congo.

[duncs500]

Sweet justice. So glad to see Belgium beat them.

[ZedLeg]

Look I’m not going to convince you Zed but if you are at all interested, do a little reading and you’ll see City are guilty (but “on appeal”) of the worst financial doping in the history of English and probably World football

For example…

Sign Roberto Mancini as manager but agree to pay him £250k per week. Which is the figure that appears on the books.

Then, entirely separately… honest , Mancini signs a completely different contract with… guess what, another different company owned by the same guy who owns City… for £250k per week to act as a football consultant.

The terms of this £13m contract??? He had to spend 2 weekends in the UAE speaking to football people. He actually did 1 weekend and spent all of 2 hours talking football.

So officially, he’s paid £250. In reality, he’s paid £500. Same ‘deal’ for several of the first team.

Etc. etc etc

That is the foundation on which all of City’s success is built

I’m sure it is, I’m not saying they aren’t being shady. I’m saying if they’re doing it, all the teams that can afford to are.

Pro sports is a filthy business. Capitalism writ large