World Soccer XXX: We Have Men Too!

[Jimjamesak]

Average player age for the qualified teams.

US is by far the youngest team at the tournament. I think I saw a tweet that calculated it at almost three standard deviations.

[SonofSouthie]

Sad.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...-abuse-charges

[Jimjamesak]

Sad.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...-abuse-charges

But not shocking.

[Jimjamesak]

Match schedule is out.

US games all at 10pm local, 2pm ET.

[Spartanforlife4]

Match schedule is out.

US games all at 10pm local, 2pm ET.

I thought they drew this early because these things would take time.

If it took less than a day I don’t get why they didn’t wait for all the qualifiers to allow for the pots to be 100% in line with rankings.

[Jimjamesak]

I thought they drew this early because these things would take time.

If it took less than a day I don’t get why they didn’t wait for all the qualifiers to allow for the pots to be 100% in line with rankings.

Teams want to schedule friendlies for the June and September windows.

[French Rage]

Do we get the air-conditioned stadiums?

Oh wait.

[Jimjamesak]

Do we get the air-conditioned stadiums?

Oh wait.

Yeah, I don't think we got anything Qatar promised in their bid.

Outside of the massive bribes of course.

The draw presentation screamed "PAY ATTENTION TO US! WE ARE TOTALLY NOT INSECURE!" The kind of ostentatious display that impresses fools like Trump.

[Slap Shot]

On paper Iran is a weak team, and when you hear "UEFA playoff winner" you aren't struck with fear. But these games aren't played on paper, they're going to be played in a Middle Eastern desert and Iran will have the crowd (and dare I say, the refs?) and the UEFA team is likely to be Wales, which is about equal to the USA. There are worse draws out there, but there were better ones too. This could easily be a 1998 debacle, where the USA went 0-3 and scored a single goal - in a 2-1 loss to Iran.

Yeah sorry the shrieking about playing Iran in Qatar is ****ing hilarious. The crowd will matter not and I don't buy for a second the refs will be in it for Iran. If the US gets less than 6 points I will be heavily surprised.

[Jimjamesak]

Yeah sorry the shrieking about playing Iran in Qatar is ****ing hilarious. The crowd will matter not and I don't buy for a second the refs will be in it for Iran. If the US gets less than 6 points I will be heavily surprised.

Iran is literally right across the Persian Gulf from Qatar. And yes the crowd will matter, it always does even at a World Cup. There’s a reason why Euro teams dominate at European World Cups, why South American (and Costa Rica) teams performed above average in Brazil, or Ghana making the quarterfinals (and nearly the semifinals) in 2010 in South Africa.

[Slap Shot]

Iran is literally right across the Persian Gulf from Qatar. And yes the crowd will matter, it always does even at a World Cup. There’s a reason why Euro teams dominate at European World Cups, why South American (and Costa Rica) teams performed above average in Brazil, or Ghana making the quarterfinals (and nearly the semifinals) in 2010 in South Africa.

Ok well World Cup's over then. What a shame.

[ticapnews]

Ok well World Cup's over then. What a shame.

What? Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Meanwhile, I don't see Italy listed in the any of the groups. Better Google them and see what's up...

[Kepler]

Iran in a Middle East World Cup, Ukraine or Wales?

Not the weakest group at all. We got boned.

If we can't get out of that group we deserve to go home.

It's the World Cup.

[unofan]

If we can't get out of that group we deserve to go home.

It's the World Cup.

Oh look, it's that guy.

[French Rage]

Well, I mean, it is the World Cup. There shouldn't be a walkover group, and there likely won't be. At a certain point if you want to win you have to beat some good teams.