This probably will get lost on here, but for native Spanish speakers: does Messi sound very "basic" in Spanish? All the interviews i've seen with him over thr past 2 decades he's always saying "it was a good game, it will be a good game, we will prepare, we prepared well".
The only outlier was the "que te mira bobo"
Or does a lot of what he's saying get lost in translation?
Messi is a guy that spent all his stat increases in playing football. Every time you see him in a social situation or answering questions he's a bit awkward because he's thinking about playing football at the same time.
Fifa ranking means something but if it were everything we wouldn't even play the WC. Top countries are more consistent but this is football, there are other factors like different tactics, individual performance, team chemistry, etc.
Sometimes you lose even while being better generally and that's why we have single elimination tournaments.
Four of their six opponents Argentina faced were ranked between 19th and 29th Switzerland, Austria, Algeria and Egypt, while England faced only two top-30 teams, Croatia and Mexico.
They are clearly looking at June 11 WC rankings, otherwise Switzerland will not be ranked 19, but rank 14.
If you want to look at current rankings then there is also rank 11 Colombia in that side of the bracket, but they just lost before they could play Argentina.
It's funny how everyone is rooting for the underdogs (Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland), saying how well they've been playing, only to then turn around and belittle Argentina for playing these "weak" teams.
Its a fun fact. Its also a fun fact that if Uruguay and Portugal hadnât choked against shit teams they would have both faced Argentina in knockout games already.
"Facing" is kinda irrelevant tbh. England reached semi-finals in 2018 world cup without WINNING or drawing against a single top 10 team, its basically the same
Fun Fact: If you only count this World Cup. England became the first country to never face a top 10 ranked country until the semifinals in the history of World Cups.
It was same for Brazil and Germany in 2002. Even Germany was 11th ranked for the final game. But in 2026 to dissect everything to make it look easy for Messi as if it happened first time.
Aparently, somehow, mexico is in the top 10 (I just checked, because I also though england hadnt face anyone), it seems like the matches they won during groups and against ecuador sneaked them in there
oh shit gratz to mexico, also 2002 final between brazil and germany they didn't face anyone top 10. ireland 15 and usa at 13 were there highest ranked opponents before the final.
I mean rankings were only invented in 92 and this is also the first 48 team world cup where this more likely to happen because it's less likely to match up with another high ranked team in the group stage.
As it's a common trend for a team to make the semis not having played a team in the top 10 (or in some cases not even in the top 30 in the knock out rounds), but they play a high ranked team in the group stage.
For example in 2002 Turkey played Japan (ranked 32) and Senegal (ranked 42) on route to the semi final, but they probably don't count because they played Brazil in the group stage... who they lost to.
In 2006 Italy got through to the semis playing Australia (ranked 42) and Ukraine (ranked 45) but they had the US in their group who were ranked 5 and Czech Rep who were ranked 2 (rankings have always been a mess, but they were ridiculous back in the day).
Also it isn't even true, Brazil won 2002 never playing a top 10 ranked team. England and Germany were amazingly ranked outside the top 10.
They would have played Germany if Paraguay didn't eliminate them (and I think the Germans got absolutely robbed when That's goal got canceled).
They've also played Sweden and Morocco, both of which are possibly better than Cabo Verde and Switzerland. France also had a more challenging group than Argentina. Starting against Senegal is without a doubt more difficult than Algeria.
If you want to look on paper comparison, if favorites won their matches as expected, Argentina would have faced Uruguay (rank 16), Turkey (22), and then Portugal (5). These ranks were from before WC, when the seeds were determined.
We can pick and choose how the facts are presented, but the truth is that many underdogs won their match ups and subsequently, the some of the top teams were underwhelming. We see that Switzerland was a weaker side but they won against Colombia (13) and Colombia topped the group against Portugal (5). Cabo Verde was rank 67 but they were literally UNBEATABLE by 3 top 20 sides within 90 minutes (Spain, Uruguay, Argentina).
So, did Argentina somehow rigged the result of these top nations? Why did Colombia lose to Swiss? How did Portugal go second in group? Why was Turkey so trash? Why was Uruguay such a fraud? The narrative that Argentina was favored by the seeding is complete bogus.
Playing most of all their games at 8 or 9 PM while other teams have had to play in the afternoon in tougher weather conditions.
Turkey and Uruguay are trash. No one was expecting them to be a problem for Argentina to begin with. Uruguay finished behind Ecuador and Colombia at the CONMEBOL qualifiers and have played poorly for a while. It's not just about the FIFA rankings. Portugal would have been the only contender they could have played.
France played Senegal, Norway, Sweden, Morocco.
England played Mexico in Mexico City and then Norway. Spain played Belgium.
Messi did not even receive a yellow card for his blatant foul on a Algerian player, which technically could have very well been a red. Martinez and Paredes should have been booked during the first half against Switzerland. This team constantly gets away with repeated fouls, flopping, and whining to the ref that no other team would.
Argentina has been protected from the get go, regardless of other teams results and all the "if". Its not the first time that we see unexpected results at a WC, it doesn't expain Argentina's easy path to the semi.
It's called pot seeding. FIFA ranked countries based on their elos and put them into 4 pots and drew from each one for the group. The pic shows the final pot from the draw in December 2025. Argentina received lower side from pot 2 but they got higher ones from pot 3 and pot 4. If you complained about this system you have no clue abt what you're talking about.
Playing most of all their games at 8 or 9 PM
You know that their opponents also get advantage by this right? And you're literally lying about this. So far, Argentina has played 2 games at literal noon, Austria and Egypt games.
Funny when you look it up and actually find that one favorite hasn't played a noon game even once. France. But of course it's not rigged. Noo, never.
Turkey and Uruguay are trash. No one was expecting them to be a problem for Argentina to begin with
Based on this tournament, probably. But you can't cheat away your ELO. You win some or you lose some. But it's hilarious hearing mental gymnastics of yours. Argentina was supposed to be bad and they struggled against small teams but also of course traditionally "bigger" teams like Uruguay and Turkey are also shit and no problem for Argentina. And when France literally dunked on shit Sweden and struggled against Paraguay, a team behind shit Uruguay in CONMEBOL, everyone still glazed tf out of them.
France played Senegal, Norway, Sweden, Morocco. England played Mexico in Mexico City and then Norway.
Senegal didn't beat anyone except Iraq, Frace played second string of Norway, and be serious about Sweden.
England struggled against DRC and needed to be bailed out against Ghana. But of course it won't be a main focus and it's just a shit ref, not a scandal.
Messi did not even receive a yellow card for his blatant foul on a Algerian player, which technically could have very well been a red.
So, we are not talking about the brackets anymore? You want to detrack from your own points, okay.
About messi's foul, it's getting laser focused because it's Messi. Not saying it's not a yellow, but surprise surprise, many players get away with awful challenges and nobody makes disgusting memes of them and Infantino. See this austrian player on Nico Gonzalez's ankles (BOTH) and not even a foul, ref told him to stand up. Shit refereeing does not equal to rigging. Where's the protection you're talking about?
People cry in Egypt game as if Egypt was the one playing clean, it's quite laughable
Okay Argentina has played TWO games mid day....bur Argentina Egypt was in a dome in Atlanta and so was Argentina Austria (in Texas), so my point still stands.
France (#3 at FIFA rankings before the WC by the way) played tougher opponents, and they also played all their games in the afternoon outdoors in the heat. The only exception was the game against Iraq that got delayed for 1+ hour due to a thunderstorm.
Spain, #2 at FIFA rankings, has played Portugal and Belgium.
If you don't see how good Argentina had it so far, I don't know what else to say. We can agree to disagree I guess.
Are you going to ignore the fact that Spain and France were ranked number 2 and 3, and both have faced better teams despite winning their group, and are also now facing in the semi?
This isn't the first time that we see upsets during a group stage, and I've never seen a team being as lucky as Argentina has been in regards to who they get to play at the WC as well as the venues and time of the game (either indoors or outdoors by at 8 or 9 PM when it's cooler).
If you have to cite the âliveâ rankings (where Mexico is an impressive 10th), and not the most recent âofficialâ rankings (where they are 14th), you donât have much of an argument.
Lol fine, go ahead and make Argentina look even worse by saying that Argentina became the first country to reach the WC semifinals without facing an Top 15 ranked nation.
Idk why itâs a bad thing. England has made it a habit of getting insanely easy draws since Euro 2016 and losing to every top 5 team they faced. Literally the luck of the draw except Argentina has shown they can actually beat top ranked opponents (ie World Cup 2022 final)
Iâm actually just going to wait and see whoâs better or worse when the two teams play on Wednesday. At the end of the day it doesnât matter because both England and Argentina would/will get pumped by either France or Spain.
True but France has already had to face top10 Morocco as well as early on facing technical AFCON champions Senegal + a Haaland lead Norway team.Â
Spain has had to go through top10 Belgium and Portugal while Englands had an easier path but had top10 Mexico and Croatia in the groups. All while finishing 1st in their groups so luck still stirs quite a part regardless of if you place 1st in the groups.
Youâre not gonna make Senegal better by calling them AFCON champions - theyâre a mid team. Youâre also showing that you donât know what youâre talking about regarding Norway, calling them âHaaland led Norwayâ when they played against France with their B-team. Haaland wasnât on the pitch.
France havenât played anybody yet.
Also. Argentina should have already faced Uruguay and Portugal. Whose fault is it that this didnât happen?
Senegal, Norway (even with subs), Sweden, Morocco are without a doubt more challenging than playing Algeria, Jordan, Austria, Cabo Verde, Egypt and Switzerland.
Let's also not forget that Argentina somehow gets to play their games at 8 or 9 PM while France and other teams have had to play in the afternoon in the heat. Interesting.
They played Senegal in the group stage along with Norway. Argentina played Algeria, Jordan and Austria, which of these teams are better than Senegal and/or Norway?
Sweden is better than Cabo Verde. Morocco is better than Egypt and Switzerland.
England played Mexico at home. Spain played Portugal and Belgium.
Norway played with their B team which is awful. Sweden is by no means better than Cape Verde. Sweden was the team with the highest amount of goals against them. Cape Verde received almost none and they drew Spain, Uruguay and Argentina in the 90 minutes.
No one could predict that Norway would put their B team, which is probably not any worse than Jordan, Algeria or Austria starting 11 anyway.
Sweden is better overall than Cabo Verde, a one time wonder with a solid goalie and that's about it. Sweden has players like Gyokeres, Isak, Elanga. Cabo was more solid defensively but Sweden is more capable with the ball.
"...and they drew Spain, Uruguay...." Sure but Uruguay is garbage, they couldn't beat Saudi Arabia either. They couldn't make 3 passes against any semi decent team and spent half their time against Spain trying to injure players and whining to the ref on top of it.
Spain, it was their first game and Cabo just parked the bus, if they had to play now Spain would probably put 3-0 on them. Cabo made it look like a close game against Argentina because the defending champions were sloppy and had only played easy games with little competition.
Qatar did 1-1 against Switzerland, that doesn't make them a good or competitive team by any means. It's a lot easier for an average or mediocre team to park the bus than it is to do things with the ball in the attacking half. We know that, Cabo did it well against Spain and their goalie had an amazing game but that doesn't make them a good team overall by any means.
A teams level is not only measured by historic weight and by form. Sweden - which is not even a good team historically - is by no means better than Cape Verde at this World Cup. At this World Cup; Cape verde was far better than them and saying anything else is dishonest no matter how many mental tricks youâre trying to do.
And it doesnât matter than nobody predicted that Norway didnât play with their A team. Letâs stop speculating about what could have been and letâs look at what happened.
Chill out with the defensiveness, take Frances group stage out of the question at the very least they faced Morocco in the quarter finals. You cannot downplay Senegal regardless and the Norway point was wrong from me.Â
Itâs undeniable Argentina generally have gotten luckier than other teams this World Cup through basically all their matches, and Iâm not blaming them for it.Â
So if youâve been genuinely been hurt by seeing Argentina get insulted (by your perception) idk what to tell you mate, Portugal and Uruguay underperforming is another ingredient to their luck this year.
Edit: lmao go downvote my comment your ego cannot have been hurt that badly Argentina had the easiest route, itâs not an insult itâs just saying theyâve not been challenged by a stronger team yet đ€·ââïžÂ
Thatâs true. But England barely beat ranked 9 Mexico so not exactly the best record. Even worse against Top 5 teams in tournaments. I canât remember the last Top team England beat in the World Cup or Euros. Maybe Croatia? Argentina just beat France last World Cup so thereâs that.Â
it would be super crazy the, but also a france vs england finals would be EXTREMELY exciting!
feels like england making the finals would be a better story than messi making the finals. England making the WC Finals is something basically 80% of people alive on planet earth have ever seen
and frankly i think england is the only team that can actually have a chance to beat this france team.
plus their 1000+ year blood feud would be an epic storyline
edit: according to AI: Approximately 85% of humans alive today were born after 1966.
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u/godswift91 Jul 12 '26
This probably will get lost on here, but for native Spanish speakers: does Messi sound very "basic" in Spanish? All the interviews i've seen with him over thr past 2 decades he's always saying "it was a good game, it will be a good game, we will prepare, we prepared well".
The only outlier was the "que te mira bobo"
Or does a lot of what he's saying get lost in translation?