Any suckers watching soccer?

[JimN]

Nice nap?

Nope, I was too nervous. Also, my dad is really, really loud when watching a game, especially if it means something.

there have been quite alot of studies about how pro soccer players are among the top athletes on the planet and it is one of the most physically demanding sports

that field is freaking huge and you realize these guys are doing a huge number of 20-30 yard sprints at a time. The shape these guys are in is amazing.

It's considerably more impressive when you consider that the top European leagues have a 38 game regular season, which doesn't include their league cup (kinda equivalent to the post season for US sports, except every team gets to participate, and it takes place during the regular season). Then the top teams in each league also compete against each other every year in the Champions League. That's all just playing for their club teams that they get paid money to play for. The World Cup might only be every four years, but qualifying is a two year process, and most continents have a regular international competition and then there are friendly games for practice/experience. That's a lot of games every year.

most fragile and dramatic at the same time....

The theatrics are ruining the sport. They really need to crack down on that more.

I just cant believe that a game in which so much effort is put into...like how hard these players work could be decided by a penalty kick.....

In a single elimination format, anything can happen, although the better team wins more often than not. The biggest games with the most stakes are usually the most uneventful, because both sides are too afraid of making a mistake.

 

[ebarker9]

I grew up playing, have been to a number of games in person, and go through phases where I'll follow a few of the leagues pretty closely. The rules have been tweaked a few times previously (allowing for "passive offsides", not allowing a goalkeeper to handle a ball played back by a defender unless it's played with the head, etc) and it feels like perhaps it's time to consider a few additional modifications. I'd be interested in looking at the following:

-Assessing offsides based on the feet of the players rather than the "any part of the body that can score a goal". I just don't think that there's any sense in disallowing a goal based on someone leaning past the last defender.
-I wonder if it wouldn't be better to only judge the ball to be out of bounds when it's on the ground or in contact with a player whose feet are out of bounds, similar to the way that football/basketball work. Seems like a curling ball played down the sideline landing in bounds should be allowable and is another way of slightly encouraging goal scoring.
-Moving the penalty spot back. Penalties now are an assumption of a goal unless the player taking the penalty screws up. I think you could move the spot back to allow a goalkeeper an actual chance of making a save without the guessing that they have to do now. I'm thinking closer to the drama of a free kick where you really get to see the individual player skill highlighted.

Not sure what to do about the theatrics. I don't think I've seen a card in this tournament for "simulation". I guess I'd hoped that all of the different camera angles, slow motion, 4K would shame everyone into taking a more stoic approach to being fouled, but that definitely hasn't happened.

Having said all of that, I've still found this tournament to be really enjoyable to watch. I haven't watched the US national team that much in recent years, but I'd say that this iteration is the most skilled and exciting that I've ever seen. That doesn't mean that they're going to continue advancing, but it's a huge step forward from the torture of pretending that Michael Bradley was a world class player.

 

[JimN]

Not sure what to do about the theatrics.

Two things, neither of which will happen.

1. If you go down and writhe around in pain, you have to wait several minutes to come back in. Right now, you have to leave the field and wait for the ref to wave you back on, but the ref always does that right away. I think they do something like this in the NFL, where if you get hurt you have to sit out a play or something like that.

2. If there is irrefutable video evidence of you faking an injury or taking a dive, it's a 10 game ban. Neymar would only play like 2-3 games per year.

it's a huge step forward from the torture of pretending that Michael Bradley was a world class player.

Haha, he had his moments, but yeah we wouldn't have had to pretend if his dad wasn't the coach.

 

[ebarker9]

Two things, neither of which will happen.

1. If you go down and writhe around in pain, you have to wait several minutes to come back in. Right now, you have to leave the field and wait for the ref to wave you back on, but the ref always does that right away. I think they do something like this in the NFL, where if you get hurt you have to sit out a play or something like that.

2. If there is irrefutable video evidence of you faking an injury or taking a dive, it's a 10 game ban. Neymar would only play like 2-3 games per year.

Totally agree. I guess what I've seen a lot more in this tournament isn't so much straight diving, but rather the "roll 12 times and act like you've been stabbed" any time there's contact. That seems a lot harder to police although if you look at a player who is actually hurt (see Pulisic), they pretty much just stay down in pain. They don't writhe around in agony.

 

[serviceguy]

Really? A guy from Italy hates soccer - wow. And just noticed the title 😃

I get that a lot.

Never been a fan, my father hated it because of the corruption and violence that was pervasive of that environment and never agreed to take me to watch a game. I tried to go to a few matches as a teenager because every single friend of mine was into it, and even found a seasonal pass for Fiorentina (at the time running for the Serie A title) the first time I actually went to a game (they were not nominal at the time) so I could have watched the whole season for free. Ended up giving it to a friend after attending two games as I could not bear it any longer.

The final nail in the coffin of my short lived soccer interest was having to attend each one of the local minor league games when I server in the military police, preventing the supporters of the two teams from killing each other and risking to get killed in the process, rounding those idiots up and bring them to the local police station for identification and what not really killed any form of interest or even respect I could have for the sport.

Not to mention the ridiculous amount of money the players are paid...jokes on me though, my favorite team sport was basketball, go figure...

 

[BPaze]

Totally agree. I guess what I've seen a lot more in this tournament isn't so much straight diving, but rather the "roll 12 times and act like you've been stabbed" any time there's contact. That seems a lot harder to police although if you look at a player who is actually hurt (see Pulisic), they pretty much just stay down in pain. They don't writhe around in agony.

Explain to me how they review a penalty for a PK and decide it doesn't qualify, like in the US v Iran game. the guy clearly took a dive and this is a yellow, if they review for the PK shouldn't they assign the yellow for the dive they see? I think doing things like that may finally get the flopping and diving to stop although gotta say they are on par with the NBA at this point.

Growing up I played soccer and never enjoyed watching this, stopped to play football then rugby in high school and college then got back into soccer as an adult playing and now I love watching soccer. There is so much more to soccer offensively than scoring a goal so when people don't think there is enough offense they just aren't enjoying all the other nuisances of the game and that is fine because I can't stand basketball for what is likely similar reasons.

As far as the rules, I think there need to be tweaks, but I would say that about most sports. As far as the rules being confusing, try rugby, I played it for a few years and still don't know half the rules LOL.

 

[MadisonDan]

Re: Theatrics.
Each set of officials will now include an “enforcer”.
The enforcer will largely go unnoticed on the sidelines until there’s a questionable flop that stops play. They will look at the VR, and if the contact is clearly faked, he will come in and fix it with actual contact.

You fake getting kicked in the ding dong, you better grit your teeth because he’s about to wind up and kick you in the junk.

Fake getting spikes to your calf? Ouch. That’s gonna hurt.

 

[icebiker]

I played when I was younger and can fully appreciate the game even in the “what some might call boring” stages between goals. However, while we’re on the topic of “changes we’d like to see that will never happen”, I still think deciding a tie through penalty kicks is ridiculous. Instead they should play the two extra 15 minutes periods without goalies or at least prohibit the goalies from using their hands.

 

[icebiker]

There is so much more to soccer offensively than scoring a goal so when people don't think there is enough offense they just aren't enjoying all the other nuisances of the game

This

 

[Steve Vai]

 

[Cassinonorth]

im not a soccer fan....quite frankly when I watch the game on TV (I have never been to a live match and I have never really played it)

I highly recommend it. Even MLS matches can have great atmosphere you don't get anywhere else in North America, I started going as a casual fan to Red Bull matches and it's now one of my main passions only eclipsed by hockey for favorite live sports.

 

[ebarker9]

I highly recommend it. Even MLS matches can have great atmosphere you don't get anywhere else in North America, I started going as a casual fan to Red Bull matches and it's now one of my main passions only eclipsed by hockey for favorite live sports.

Red Bull arena is just a great place to watch a match as well unless you're unwittingly gifted near first row tickets to a Colombia - Ecuador friendly and wind up have a glass of booze shattered over your head after the first goal. Not that I have any personal experience with that.

 

[Cole]

I wish the US wasn't represented by so many manbuns....

 

[Robson]

And we are out of World Cup. Tomorrow France will destroy Poland. I'm not even going to watch.

 

[UtahJoe]

I watched a good part of the game....not that I know anything about soccer, but seems like the US did as good as expected this year. I really think these guys are amazing athletes, but the rules, pace, and lack of offense of this game....I just have a hard time staying with it.

 

[Cole]

I watched a good part of the game....not that I know anything about soccer, but seems like the US did as good as expected this year. I really think these guys are amazing athletes, but the rules, pace, and lack of offense of this game....I just have a hard time staying with it.

That's why most of us only turn it on every 4 years!

 

[Robson]

I watched a good part of the game....not that I know anything about soccer, but seems like the US did as good as expected this year. I really think these guys are amazing athletes, but the rules, pace, and lack of offense of this game....I just have a hard time staying with it.

They were good but not that good. Young team. Let's see what happens in 2026 right here at home. They have a lot of potential.

 

[rick81721]

 

[mwlikesbikes]

USA never had a chance against the Dutch. I hope Argentina 🇦🇷 can play better than they did today so they can send Netherlands home and bring Messi one more step closer to a World Cup title.

 

[Norm]

Yeah it would be cool to see Messier win a WC. Not sure anyone has done that plus all those Stanley Cups he has. Talented dude.