2022 FIFA World Cup Finals

[Webster]

The Guardian: ‘It’s emotional’ - Roberto Martínez quits as Belgium coach after World Cup exit

Roberto Martínez has announced his departure as Belgium’s head coach after their group-stage exit at the World Cup. Belgium’s failure to beat Croatia in their final Group F match led Martínez to confirm his exit after more than six years in charge.

Martínez insisted he was proud of his legacy despite his failure to achieve with the so-called golden generation, with Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne among the players who may never return to this stage. Romelu Lukaku missed a series of chances to earn victory and a place in the last 16, including a glaring opportunity in second-half stoppage time. Martínez guided Belgium to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, where they were defeated by the eventual winners, France. Despite a winning start against Canada in Qatar, a shock defeat by Morocco and a goalless draw against Croatia led to Belgium’s humbling exit.

Martínez hugged his players after the final whistle in Doha. “That was my last game with the national team and it’s emotional as you can imagine,” he said. “It was going to be the end whether we were world champions or out in the group stage. It has nothing to do with being eliminated at this stage. This is the time for me to accept that this day is the last game.”

Asked to clarify when he made his decision, Martínez said: “I took the decision just before the World Cup. I always work in the long term. I believe the long-term projects need to be long term and they need to be set in advance. As you can imagine, since 2018 I have had many opportunities to leave and take jobs at club level. I always wanted to be loyal, I always wanted to finish the job and now I don’t resign, this is the end of my contract. This was always the plan.”

 

[PGen98]

30 international goals is nothing to sneeze at! Nicely done!

 

[Webster]

Referee Stéphanie Frappart disrupts narrative to make World Cup history

At a fiercely depoliticised tournament, the French official reminds host nation that women have a place in football

www.theguardian.com

It is perhaps the biggest testament to the quality of the performance of the French referee Stéphanie Frappart and her assistants, Neuza Back of Brazil and Mexico’s Karen Díaz, that the coverage of such a historic men’s World Cup moment was muted to brief mentions.

In taking charge for Germany’s showdown with Costa Rica in the final round of games in Group E, Frappart became the first woman to officiate in a men’s World Cup and it felt decidedly normal.

Frappart is used to making history: she was the first woman to referee in men’s Ligue 2, then Ligue 1 in France and the first woman to referee in the Champions League and Uefa Super Cup.

As a result, she is also used to the noise that comes with it. Amid the overwhelmingly positive response to the appointment of Frappart and her assistants, with many finding it an antidote to a tournament mired in controversy, were the same tired refrains: “The way the woman referee runs is hilarious. I can’t watch the game without cringing,” tweeted one viewer. “I’m all in favour of having a female referee. In fact I think there should be more!” added another with a winking face and fire emojis. “I’m in love! I mean, she’s a great referee!” said another.

Except these were exceptions, with more trending time dedicated to the performance of Victor Gomes, the referee in the other match between Spain and Japan as the teams thrillingly pinballed up and down the table.

In many respects the presence of Frappart mattered so much more than the performance. There has been much, very justified, criticism of the decision to host the World Cup in a country that criminalises same-sex relationships and where LGBTQ+ people have fewer rights, where women’s rights are hugely restricted, and in stadiums built on the bodies of migrant workers...

 

[PGen98]

Referee Stéphanie Frappart disrupts narrative to make World Cup history

At a fiercely depoliticised tournament, the French official reminds host nation that women have a place in football

www.theguardian.com

I like that she earned her place there, because she's a good ref. Long may that continue!

 

[Webster]

I like that she earned her place there, because she's a good ref. Long may that continue!

A few English refs could learn from her, that's for sure (looking at you, Howard Webb!)

 

[Webster]

 

[PGen98]

A few English refs could learn from her, that's for sure (looking at you, Howard Webb!)

Ugh, he who shall not be named!

 

[Webster]

Ugh, he who shall not be named!

Here's a gem from a "Let's Dump On United" thread over on this Liverpool board I help admin....

 

[PGen98]

Here's a gem from a "Let's Dump On United" thread over on this Liverpool board I help admin....

Absolutely terrible ref!

 

[Webster]

Japan defeat Spain 2-1 to top Group E and send Germany home, who beat Costa Rica 4-2. Belgium also go home after failing to beat Croatia and Morocco top Group F. Canada finishes last in the group, failing to get a single point.

 

[PGen98]

Poor Canada, but what a shock seeing the Germans and Belgians crash out!!

 

[Webster]

(The Guardian) Here’s a fun stat from Opta. Shaqiri is one of three players to score at each of the last three World Cup tournaments, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Not too shabby, that.

 

[PGen98]

Pretty good company to be in!

 

[Webster]

What we learned from a wild World Cup group stage

BBC Sport examines the main things to come out of a thrilling group stage at the World Cup in Qatar.

www.bbc.com

And breathe.

A helter-skelter group stage featuring more shock results than ever before has now finished with a picture emerging of how this World Cup is unfolding.

There have been surprises and stellar performances across the groups and, with some of the main players coming into form, it should be an intriguing knockout phase.

So, what have been the main things to come out of the opening section of the tournament?

 

[PGen98]

I'm hoping for more upsets to come, like Japan beating Croatia, that'd be nice! The US beating the Netherlands would be good, too! I see Brazil still as the ones to beat, though, going to be very hard to get past them. Spain and Portugal, as well...so many strong sides left!

 

[Webster]

I'm hoping for more upsets to come, like Japan beating Croatia, that'd be nice! The US beating the Netherlands would be good, too! I see Brazil still as the ones to beat, though, going to be very hard to get past them. Spain and Portugal, as well...so many strong sides left!

And seeing Germany lose once again at their national sport, priceless!

Then again, as much as I loved Luis Suarez back when he was at Liverpool, I'm kinda glad he got some karmic justice for his own Maradona moment (a/k/a Uruguay crashed out as well)....

 

[PGen98]

And seeing Germany lose once again at their national sport, priceless!

Then again, as much as I loved Luis Suarez back when he was at Liverpool, I'm kinda glad he got some karmic justice for his own Maradona moment (a/k/a Uruguay crashed out as well)....

Agreed on both! Suarez is such a crybaby, glad he's out of the picture. Germany, though...well...lol.

 

[Webster]

glad he's out of the picture

Hopefully Suarez won't bite anyone....
*adds deadpan* Maybe we should set him up with Serafin on a date.....

 

[PGen98]

Hopefully Suarez won't bite anyone....
*adds deadpan* Maybe we should set him up with Serafin on a date.....

That'd be one spicy date!

 

[Webster]

"Serafin, is that your shoulder or you just glad to see me?"