It’s never coming home - oil autocracy/slave labor edition

So it begins.



Monday, Nov. 21: USA vs. Wales/Ukraine/Scotland playoff winner (UEFA needs to get its shit together, keeps delaying the Ukraine v Scotland match for some reason so we don’t actually know the opponent yet. Very inconsiderate.)

Friday, Nov. 25: USA vs. England

Tuesday, Nov. 29: USA vs. Iran

A Black Friday match against England could be the most watched (USMNT) soccer match in US history.

All around a pretty interesting group. I read somewhere that the four teams have the highest combined ELO rankings of any group.

Here’s to kicking England’s ass again!

Oh this is hilarious:

I wouldn't bet against England winning the tournament. They've really got their act together lately. USA won't have a chance against them, sorry.

The match with Iran will be... interesting.

Fuck Qatar obviously. Part of me hopes that this is a disaster for them.

Am I supposed to know what any of this means?

Given England's history of underperforming (choking?) in World Cups, I wouldn't be so confident. Tell you what, I'll bet you a virtual pint of your favorite on that one. If it's a draw...well, we can figure it out. If you ever make it to Boise or I make it to your neighborhood, we'll make it a real one. Deal?

The FIFA World Cup is being held in Qatar towards the end of the year, as a result of a very corrupt selection process. It's normally in the summer but they've had to move around the entire fixtures schedule all over the world due to the high temperatures there, which will still be around 30 degrees. Qatar are also a bunch of theocratic assholes, who don't like gays or alcohol - leading to much controversy. And they use slave labor to build their stadiums.

I'm hesitant to take that bet since I'd normally undergo unmedicated testicular removal before I'd give any support to the English soccer team. But yeah, okay.

Have you heard of youth soccer? It’s like that. Everybody plays.

North Americans talking about soccer is so cute.

I do hope they have stopped any trans people from playing so they can be fair.

Sounds like a "no lose" situation to me...

It’s finally time for Canada to take their rightful place atop the SOCCER world

Alphonso Davies gonna run circles around ya’ll, you bitches don’t stand a chance

Now fuck off, we got work to do

Davies and Tajon Buchanan are both world class. But Jonathan David is the one that gets me. One of if not the best striker in the hemisphere right now.

REALLY wish he had picked US (born in Brooklyn). 9 is our weakest spot right now.

somehow we're in it this year.

now I know how Jamaicans feel about the bobsled team.

PS Sorry Big @Stallion

Any Englishforge members want to share their thoughts on Southgate? Is he squandering what is possibly the most talented English squad in decades?

One thing I've gathered is that it's considered a bad idea to hire a World Cup coach for more than one cycle. It certainly turned out that way for the U.S. when they re-hired Klinsman and basically put him in charge of the whole smash. England has maybe the best pure striker in the world with Harry Kane and that would seem like a pretty good keystone for a team, but what do I know?

...I read that as Klansman, and being the US, wouldn't have been shocked.

Harry Kane is very far from being the best striker in the world. The English team is not especially talented - certainly compared to other underachieving iterations in the past. It's just been that before now, they've been playing well as a team. Not in small part due to Southgate.

Conversation my dad and my uncle are having-

uncle: the world cup shouldn't be happening out there
dad: why not?
uncle: they're anti-gay
dad: so are you though
uncle: well that's irrelevant, I'm not hosting the world cup

https://twitter.com/deejaygeejaygee/status/1591148033752059904?s=46&t=5iDozatnmJY5dTpQHSiCyg

You're uncle sounds like my kind of curmudgeon!

ROFLCOPTER

The Qatari's have decided 2 days before the tournament starts that alcohol won't be available at any of the venues. Budweiser, the sponsors and sole vendor are severely non-plussed.

And then you have shit like this happening:

Fuck Qatar and fuck anyone who watches FIFA this year.

I'm looking at you, @Ancalagon.

Are you a man of principle or not?

It's just a shame that Canada is going to kick America's ass this time around.

P.S. - I won't be watching anyway. Did I mention fuck Qatar?

First Worldcup in my lifetime (that I can remember,that is) that I'm not going to watch. I've been kind of announcing this for years, since they chose Quatar, but now it looks like it's going to be surprisingly easy. Even though I'm watching more club football than I have been for a long time, currently. But world cup? I just don't care anymore. Fuck people draped in German flags. Fuck FIFA.
Fuck Gianni Infantino.

Not sure, better say it again to be certain.

So I’m not gonna lie, as the tournament has gotten closer I have gotten less and less enthused. I didn’t watch the match today and in fact I’m not sure if I will watch a match.

But watch this video and tell me you can’t support this team if not the tournament:

https://twitter.com/usmnt/status/1594405216509624322?s=46&t=_4hUamxx5DCwGoCG0ku1tg

Side note but has any country’s WC hype video ever been partially filmed in another country’s Presidential Palace*? Pretty sure that is a first.

*Tim Weah’s father is President of Liberia and I think I read somewhere he also played a bit of soccer…

I'll be travelling tomorrow and probably will be otherwise occupied for the USA/England game. FIFA and The IOC keep passing each other in their race to the bottom of the lowest possible depths of corruption. FIFA and the IOC can