World Cup: Group I: France vs. Norway, Iraq vs. Senegal, 6/26/2026

[Live in the Now]

Games are at 3 PM Eastern. France's is in Boston and Senegal's is in Toronto.

We have a classic situation where it used to be that one game mattered completely and the other one not at all. Now both games matter. France/Norway decides the group and Iraq/Senegal decides third, and if one team wins they should advance. Should is the operative word here. It's impossible to know what goal differential will be or if a bunch of teams get 4 points instead of 3.

 

[Evilo]

It's France's best interest to lose this and join Argentina and England on the easy path.
If France wins, they'll have one of the toughest road to a final ever in a WC.

 

[cgf]

It's France's best interest to lose this and join Argentina and England on the easy path.
If France wins, they'll have one of the toughest road to a final ever in a WC.

Eh, I think there’s a good chance that FIFA will fix it for the USA to upset Spain to get to the semis a la Korea 2002, before they bow out and finish 3rd like we did in 2006.

They haven’t needed any “host nation calls” so far & have a very favorable draw for the round of 16 & 32. So the US could hit that quarterfinal without having needed fifa to step in, at which point just one or two iffy reds could see the hosts in the bronze medal game to keep the locals hyped through the end of the tourney.


While this Brazil might not even make it to the quarterfinal in our quarter of the bracket…think they bottle it against Scotland and Morocco tops their group…and even they do get to that far, I think either of our teams dog walk them. They’re too old and slow to keep up with the Olise’s & Undav’s of the world.

So whichever of us gets through the round of 16 could find themselves with a very manageable path to the final.

 

[Live in the Now]

DD's mother died, he left the US and is not coaching this game.

 

[kabidjan18]

It's France's best interest to lose this and join Argentina and England on the easy path.
If France wins, they'll have one of the toughest road to a final ever in a WC.

I don’t know how much easier it is in practice. The last update I saw

Path #1
Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Spain

Path #2
Côte d’Ivoire, Brazil, England, Argentina

In both paths you’re still facing killers in R16, the quarterfinal and the semifinal.

 

[cgf]

I don’t know how much easier it is in practice. The last update I saw

Path #1
Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Spain

Path #2
Côte d’Ivoire, Brazil, England, Argentina

In both paths you’re still facing killers in R16, the quarterfinal and the semifinal.

He was trying to avoid saying that neither Brazil nor England are as good as us

 

[kabidjan18]

He was trying to avoid saying that neither Brazil nor England are as good as us

What?? Nooo! He can’t mean that. Not after how badly Brown got schooled in the last game.

 

[cgf]

What?? Nooo! He can’t mean that. Not after how badly Brown got schooled in the last game.

keep watching

I mean England couldn’t beat Ghana, you’re much better than them. While Brazil is going to drop points to Scotland & lose the group to Morocco.

 

[Live in the Now]

England isn’t going to win in Mexico, so they won’t be part of any easy path

 

[kabidjan18]

keep watching

I mean England couldn’t beat Ghana, you’re much better than them. While Brazil is going to drop points to Scotland & lose the group to Morocco.

I'm not giving my own commentary on his performance, I'm referring to his haha

 

[Evilo]

I don’t know how much easier it is in practice. The last update I saw

Path #1
Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Spain

Path #2
Côte d’Ivoire, Brazil, England, Argentina

In both paths you’re still facing killers in R16, the quarterfinal and the semifinal.

Brazil are absolutely not frightning to me. Cote d'Ivoire is tough, but no more than Holland. Germany is IMO more dangerous than England. Spain is more dangerous than Argentina.

 

[Evilo]

What?? Nooo! He can’t mean that. Not after how badly Brown got schooled in the last game.

Oh I'm sure if Brown starts, Olise will have fun.
But Brazil? Can't be serious.

 

[Evilo]

I'm not giving my own commentary on his performance, I'm referring to his haha

Haha and you missed, haha

 

[kabidjan18]

Oh I'm sure if Brown starts, Olise will have fun.
But Brazil? Can't be serious.

Haha and you missed, haha

Brazil are absolutely not frightning to me. Cote d'Ivoire is tough, but no more than Holland. Germany is IMO more dangerous than England. Spain is more dangerous than Argentina.

I don't think I missed anything. It's a surprising admission on your part that you see Germany as a greater threat than England, after you've largely been dismissive of Germany's players and performances. Seems like despite your friendly quarrels with cgf, that you do actually rate this German team.

Which, I don't disagree with you. I also think Germany is better than England, I think you are correct. But I don't think anyone reading the history of the chat would have guessed that.

 

[Evilo]

Admission?
I think England has better individual talents, but Tuchel's selections are awful.
I have not been dismissive of Germany's players and performances. This is simply lies.
I've criticized Brown for 1 game (after someone posted he was great) and rejected the notion Wirtz was fantastic in the first game.
If that is being dismissive of Germany's players and performances, I suggest you take a break and think twice before posting lies.

 

[kabidjan18]

Admission?
I think England has better individual talents, but Tuchel's selections are awful.
I have not been dismissive of Germany's players and performances. This is simply lies.
I've criticized Brown for 1 game (after someone posted he was great) and rejected the notion Wirtz was fantastic in the first game.
If that is being dismissive of Germany's players and performances, I suggest you take a break and think twice before posting lies.

So @cgf can you define your view of what is world class?
Because you said Wirtz, Musiala, Karl and Schlotterbeck are world class and nobody said a word at that outlandish claim.

You also said it was outlandish to say that 4 of their best players are world class. If these 4 of their best players aren't world class then are you suggesting that there are other players on the team who are world class, or is Germany just a team without any world class players?

And if you think Germany is a team without world class players, then I think it's fair for me to say you don't rate Germany's players.

 

[Evilo]

You also said it was outlandish to say that 4 of their best players are world class. If these 4 of their best players aren't world class then are you suggesting that there are other players on the team who are world class, or is Germany just a team without any world class players?

And if you think Germany is a team without world class players, then I think it's fair for me to say you don't rate Germany's players.

I said it was far from my definition yes. When I asked @cgf his definition, it was clearly not mine.
Yes, I consider outlandish to think Karl is in the top 10 player at his position right now.

If you think he's top 10, then you're also smoking too much.

So again, lies.