World Cup '26 qualifiers discussion

[khaled_a_d]

The reason given officially is always "to popularize football". The Sepp Blatter playbook. In reality football in those countries hasn't evolved at all except for Qatar and Saudi Arabia that invest heavily in sportswashing, and the results are below expectations.

Football in Africa, North Americas and Asia didn't evolve in the past 20+ years? That is some bs right there.

 

[Maradona37]

Is there really any need for 39-year-old Modric to be coming off the bench at 4-0 up against Gibraltar?

I guess it's just a way of cap padding.

 

[Gnidrologist]

The 48 team expansion was a huge injustice on UEFA nations. It's a maneuver by Gianni Infantino to secure his FIFA reign for life. You can bet Asian and African nations will vote for him in all forthcoming elections next decade.

Just another subtle anti-white racism in action, but it's okay, because reasons. The football and all it's staples were built by white european nations or colonists in other continents, but these current cunts think it's the dindoonuffings that should be celebrated all year along.

 

[MonteCuler]

Just 3-0? Finished well for Italy afterall

 

[Maradona37]

Belgium drawing 1-1 away at North Macedonia - ouch. I know the latter appeared at Euro 2020 but Belgium really have to be winning that.

Belgium play Wales on Monday. Lose that and they go 9 points behind the Welsh (with to be fair 2 games in hand).

 

[Windhook]

Football in Africa, North Americas and Asia didn't evolve in the past 20+ years? That is some bs right there.

Did they evolve, really?

I see France, Netherlands and Belgium do the heavy lifting in producing African diaspora kids for those countries. That includes also big European clubs investing in academies throughout Africa and bring them to Europe for further development.

Let's not fool ourselves by Morocco's 4th place in the last World Cup. 80% of their squad, a rough estimation, come with the label made in EU. Similar is the case of Tunisia and Algeria.

I can give another example from Europe with Albania & Kosovo. Albanians were minnows of European football 20 years ago, but nowadays they are a tough, class opponent for everyone. It's not because football programmes in Albania work, it's because Switzerland school them and sign the best talents for their NT. The breadcrumbs are left for Albania and Kosovo. Very similar to Turkey NT and how they reached their peak in 2002 WC.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Did they evolve, really?

Absolutely, without a shade of doubt.

Africa produce more and more from their domestic academies, their leagues are better.

And you think players from Japan and Korea are product of European academies? What load of nonsense is that.

You are arguing about something you have no clue about.

 

[Maradona37]

Absolutely, without a shade of doubt.

Africa produce more and more from their domestic academies, their leagues are better.

And you think players from Japan and Korea are product of European academies? What load of nonsense is that.

You are arguing about something you have no clue about.

How long do you think it will be before a non-European or South American (ok mostly Brazil and Argentina in modern football) team is a serious (and I mean genuine favourite, not underdog doing well like Morocco or Ghana) threat for the World Cup?

I think it will still take a very long time. The history of football and the money is concentrated in the epicentre of Western Europe. South America has always produced amazing players. Even Brazil and Argentina were starting to lag behind Europe somewhat in performance in the tournament, until the latter's recent triumph.

It will still take a long time for Africa and Asia and North America to further close the gap, but aye, many of these countries aren't the minnows and whipping boys they used to be, for sure. You have some countries with a long history of football heritage, like Mexico (which for all intents and purposes is effectively South American as a football nation), but a lot are still trying to develop.

 

[khaled_a_d]

How long do you think it will be before a non-European or South American (ok mostly Brazil and Argentina in modern football) team is a serious (and I mean genuine favourite, not underdog doing well like Morocco or Ghana) threat for the World Cup?

Who cares? It will be always the wealthier countries with the biggest financial packing and human resources. So, essentially more of the same.

But football as a business doesn't operate that. Evolving here isn't about bringing a contender to the World cup, that is an absolute narrow minded way to look at it.

Let's play it the opposite way in a more clear example. How long did it take anybody to challenge Americans in Basketball in the Olympics (only competition they take half seriously)? 1 time with no gold medal since they started putting professional in 1992, and that isn't going to end soon either. (And they put some awful roster in 2004 btw)

How many internationals in the NBA between now and then?

It was done to increase popularity of the game, to expand the talent pool.

Now the NBA is full of talents, some of them brought directly from Europe to USA, some brought directly from Africa, others were born and raised in USA, but most were brought abroad. Then you have local leagues and continental leagues developing in a much stronger pace, most of them now offer more money and more competition than G league. Even American players who declined or don't make it to the NBA benefits from it.

All of this because you gave the "poor Basketball countries " a chance to compete against the best.

Every aspect of the business, has evolved and developed into a much better game, only old heads are complaining.

It is the same and more in Football.

There are literally hundreds of leagues in the World, not just the 5 leagues we watch and CL. Every country has several tiers, cups etc.

When you give those countries that "Chance" you increase the popularity, increase the number of kids who wants to be footballers, increase the talent pool.

Guys like Mane, Salah, Khusanov were product of local academies. You think you would have watched those if this increased chances wasn't there? CAF helped many Nations in football when they give them ACN.

Again, every part of the business benefit from this on the long run. But old heads will always complain it isn't what they once used to.

To simplify it to "do you think someone can be a threat to the World Cup " is oversimplification and totally missing the point. The goal of the tournament isn't to find who has the best team, this is just part of what you consume.

 

[Maradona37]

I know, and I agree, it's not just about the winners, it's also about the experience and every team growing and improving.

To be clear, I wasn't saying they need to be a threat to have progressed. It was a genuine, innocent question - out of curiosity - if you think it will ever happen. It wasn't me being provocative or anything - I am sorry if you took it that way.

I wasn't saying 'if they can't win the World Cup they're hopeless, it is all or nothing'. You have got pretty defensive there.

I acknowledge they are progressing. I am just wondering if it will ever be possible they challenge the big boys. Probably not though, in the same way Brentford won't likely win the PL.

Obviously countries like Japan, South Korea, USA, Australia, Iran and several African nations have made lots of progress. Even in a Eurasian sense, Turkey used to be absolute whipping boys and are now a serious and respectable national team.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I know, and I agree, it's not just about the winners, it's also about the experience and every team growing and improving.

Sorry if I came up aggressive

It is always possible, but it will depend on the development of countries itself tbh.

What if Nigeria became a top 10 economy in the World in 30 years? What if USA became a football/soccer Nation? Such things can genuinely change the fortune of their football future, but is also hard to imagine.

I am old enough to remember when casuals called Spain NT a joke, in less than a decade they dominated everything.

 

[khaled_a_d]

On a side note. Yerry Mina and Davinson Sanchez are still starting CB duo gor Colombia. Robert Fernandez is proud

 

[Maradona37]

Sorry if I came up aggressive

It is always possible, but it will depend on the development of countries itself tbh.

What if Nigeria became a top 10 economy in the World in 30 years? What if USA became a football/soccer Nation? Such things can genuinely change the fortune of their football future, but is also hard to imagine.

I am old enough to remember when casuals called Spain NT a joke, in less than a decade they dominated everything.

No problem it's ok. I can understand that without tone my post could have been read in that way. But it honestly was an honest question.

True, it would take a country to become much richer or better culture for football. If you have read Soccernomics it states that the three biggest factors for potential for a football nation are population, GDP and football culture. America for example has two, Nigeria probably has two too. Just not the same two.

 

[soul24rage]

This is the Projected Pot for the World Cup. Draw takes place in 6 months.

I don't think teams from the same confederation could not be drawn into the same group except for UEFA teams, so that will leave out Uruguay and Colombia for Argentina. The key would be that the group next to Argentina has easy teams for the knockout stages.

It would be wild if the group was Argentina, Croatia, Egypt and Italy.

 

[DHorozov]

Our commentator just said Tuchel is about to set a record as the first England manager to keep three clean sheets in his first three competative games... and I just looked they played against Latvia (home), Albania (home), Andorra (away)... scoring just six goals in these three games... this national team is just destined to be boring is it, no matter what players they have on the roster...