World Cup 2022

[fergus90]

And wow, cant believe so much people here dont want croats to do well. Like, wtf. Finally some luck on our side(euro 2008, euro2012, wc 2014, euro 2016) and its not like we park the bus and go through. Some sympathy for 4m country that had at least one champions league winner in every year in the last 10 editions. Levels man

I respect Croatia massively. Always churn out top players.

 

[malvolio]

And wow, cant believe so much people here dont want croats to do well. Like, wtf. Finally some luck on our side(euro 2008, euro2012, wc 2014, euro 2016) and its not like we park the bus and go through. Some sympathy for 4m country that had at least one champions league winner in every year in the last 10 editions. Levels man

You had your moment in the sun tbf. Modric Ballon D'or winner was a fraud and probably that WC final wouldn't have been possible in other circumstances(didn't win a single KO match in 90 minutes?). Time to put out another generation of players and maybe we'll get on the bandwagon.

 

[Givenchy]

Croatia won't make it easy for Brazil, S. Korea were terrible.

I like the upsets but I hope Spain and Portugal make it through, would be set up an incredible quarter finals.

 

[Birdy]

Brazil - Spain would be the final between the 2 best teams of the tournament

 

[Kul_z]

You had your moment in the sun tbf. Modric Ballon D'or winner was a fraud and probably that WC final wouldn't have been possible in other circumstances(didn't win a single KO match in 90 minutes?). Time to put out another generation of players and maybe we'll get on the bandwagon.

Oh yes, for sure. If we put another generation that is capable of big results in near future we would end in national geographic documentary. Moment in the sun? 1998 wc third place with suker golden boot, boban as the captain of 90's milan side, stanic debut goal for chelsea is still the best debut goal ever, prosinecki one of the few who was in barca and real madrid shirt. In 30 years thats a hell a lot of achievements for 4m people, and thats only 90's and early 00's. Like fuck, what else needs to be done? I repeat, its not that we park the bus and grind something like greece did.

 

[Total-Football]

Tomorrow we are playing in a 45 k stadium capacity . Fuck. The Spanish are damn lucky. If it was a 110 k stadium it would have been filled with moroccans based on what im seeing in social media.

 

[BBZ8800]

Modric Ballon D'or winner was a fraud and probably that WC final wouldn't have been possible in other circumstances(didn't win a single KO match in 90 minutes?)

Spain has 2 wins in 90 minutes in the last 11 Euros and Wc matches.
Yet, it is still considered as the top team, especially on this forum.
And their football is hailed as something to look at.

2018:
Morocco 2:2
R16: Russia 1:1, defeat on pens

2021:
Sweden 0:0
Poland 1:1
Slovakia 5:0
R16: Croatia 3:3, extra time 5:3
1/4: Swiss 1:1, 3:1 pens
1/2: Italy 1:1, 2:4 pens

2022:
Costa Rica 7:0
Germany 1:1
Japan 1:2
R16: Morocco ??

Some interesting stats:
1. Spain won 2 out of the last 11 Euros and WC matches
2. They didn't win a single KO match after 2012's title over 90 minutes
3. Their last 4 KO matches all went into extea time:
Russia 1:1
Croatia 3:3
Swiss 1:1
Italy 1:1

Yet, Croatia is labelled as ugly and lucky, while this Spanish football is labelled as beauty and a state of art by many.

Classic double standards, hypocrisy and sporting propaganda.

 

[JamDav1982]

Who is arguing that Spain has a fantastic team playing 'state of the art' football?

Genuinely dont think anyone has mentioned them as one of best other than Birdy.. which is no compliment to Spain.

Modric was never the best player in world and Croatia did have a relatively 'easy' run to final v France which they took a couple pen shoot outs to get through.. that can be true and Spain not being one of top sides.

Of Croatias last 12 games in WCs and Euros do they not have 2 wins also and havent won a single KO game in 90 minutes in any of those?

 

[BBZ8800]

Spain in 2018, 2021 and 2022, only wins against Iran, Slovakia and Costa Rica over 90 minutes in 13 matches.

Croatia 2018, 2021, 2022 in 15 matches, wins in 90 minutes vs Nigeria, Argentina, Iceland, Scotland, Canada.

Still better than Spain, who is rarely accused of being lucky.

Spainish NT team bias is not as extreme as Barca vs Real, but you can sense some patterns like:
Real Madrid got lucky with 4 CLs in 5 years.
Easy draw, refs help, late goals, penaldos, mistakes by opponent's keepers.
Portugal was shit and lucky etc

Main opponents and others are often accused of being lucky while Spain always wins through sheer domination, quality and beauty.

I am exagerrating, let's not go into a loop because I'm not interested.
I am just venting.
You know my opinion that Spanish football is part of the past and current stats are as equally as bad.

 

[malvolio]

[MENTION=22291]Kul_z[/MENTION] [MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION] I didn't label Croatia as buss parkers or playing ugly football. But you overrachieved(like always?). And tbf you didn't have any exciting player since Modric peaked.

Not sure why you lads get so defensive because no one is on the bandwagon this time around.

 

[Kul_z]

Who is arguing that Spain has a fantastic team playing 'state of the art' football?

Genuinely dont think anyone has mentioned them as one of best other than Birdy.. which is no compliment to Spain.

Modric was never the best player in world and Croatia did have a relatively 'easy' run to final v France which they took a couple pen shoot outs to get through.. that can be true and Spain not being one of top sides.

Of Croatias last 12 games in WCs and Euros do they not have 2 wins also and havent won a single KO game in 90 minutes in any of those?

Yup. Actually, cant remember when was the last time we won in ko match in regular time. Japan now, spain in the euros where we lost in aet, wc 2018 england, russia, denmark all in extra time, euro 2016 portugal ko after extra time, and turkiye in 2008 aet ko.

 

[malvolio]

Tomorrow we are playing in a 45 k stadium capacity . Fuck. The Spanish are damn lucky. If it was a 110 k stadium it would have been filled with moroccans based on what im seeing in social media.

Nah man. Small teams get subdued by Spain's possession football. Bigger teams have tools to perform and finish counterattacks or beat them in some other way. But aside from some lucky goal, the likes of Morocco are light work for Spain.

 

[JamDav1982]

Croatia have 2 wins in 90 mins in last 12 tournament games... no 90 mins wins for KO games in last 3 tournaments.

Not great stats to try and bring up to manufacture some love in for Spain.

Spain were decent at last Euros and not mentioned regularly as one of faves for this WC.

It has been discussed plenty have poor they have been since 2012.

Spain were better than them in last Euros and put them out. This WC not been much in it to this point and neither look great really.

 

[Kul_z]

[MENTION=22291]Kul_z[/MENTION] [MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION] I didn't label Croatia as buss parkers or playing ugly football. But you overrachieved(like always?). And tbf you didn't have any exciting player since Modric peaked.

Not sure why you lads get so defensive because no one is on the bandwagon this time around.

Overachieved? Well you can say the same for argentina 86', and 'hand of god' situation. Or greece. Or italy. Difference is we didnt win anything. About exciting players beside modric i strongly disagree. We're not defensive, just curious what is the reason why someone wouldnt appreciate what croatia nt did and still does on grand stage.

 

[JamDav1982]

Overachieved? Well you can say the same for argentina 86', and 'hand of god' situation. Or greece. Or italy. Difference is we didnt win anything. About exciting players beside modric i strongly disagree. We're not defensive, just curious what is the reason why someone wouldnt appreciate what croatia nt did and still does on grand stage.

What appreciation are you wanting?

Folk thinking Brazil will beat Croatia in next round is not some huge insult or ignoring they got to WC Final four years ago.