***** Official World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Thread *****

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deadbq03
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In reply to wangus12 • 1:15p, 7/7/26
AG
I dislike Argentina even more than France.

This year in particular because they got an amazingly easy draw and they're just scraping by.
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boogieman
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In reply to NoahAg • 1:15p, 7/7/26
AG
NoahAg said:
Egypt hasn't been this mad since God hit em with the 10 plagues.

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wangus12
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In reply to THE_CHOSEN_ONE • 1:16p, 7/7/26
AG
THE_CHOSEN_ONE said:
Dill-Ag13 said:
Gonna be France Argentina re-match methinks

Not if Spain has anything to say about it, especially if the get Nico Williams back for their next match against Belgium

Nico Williams hasn't been anything more than a sub for club and country since the end of April with hamstring issues. They said yesterday he was a break glass in case of emergency option and still didn't come on in a tied match at the end. That isn't gonna be fixed in the next 4 days.

Spain need Yamal to start doing what he does in La Liga. He's been largely anonymous in the World Cup other than a tap in goal against Saudi Arabia.
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Iraq2xVeteran
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1:16p, 7/7/26
AG
Defending world cup Argentina defeats Egypt 3-2 to advance to the quarterfinals.
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ColoradoMooseHerd
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1:21p, 7/7/26
Ai showed up
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oh no
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In reply to NoahAg • 1:22p, 7/7/26
AG
NoahAg said:
Reversing that goal was absolutely the right call in this age of VAR review. That whole sequence leading to the goal was a direct result of the foul.

looked super soft and weak to disallow for an "obvious" mistake by the ref.
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Enrico Pallazzo
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1:22p, 7/7/26
It just seems like Argentina isn't long for this tournament given how much they've been pushed by some middling teams. But we'll see
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Scientific
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In reply to Fenrir • 1:30p, 7/7/26
AG
Fenrir said:
BSD said:
I'm on a ferry in Mexico right now and they have the game on. The boat went nuts when Egypt got their second goal. It's been pretty silent since. Apparently they don't like Argentina here.

Messi on Mexico:
Quote:
They put themselves in a position of having a rivalry with us that doesn't really exist. There's no comparison between Argentina and Mexico and I don't know where that came from.


So its our own rivalry on a soccer field apparently
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NoahAg
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1:36p, 7/7/26
My ranking on who I want to win:

1 - Argentina
2 - England
3 - Norway, Colombia, Switzerland
4 - Spain
5 - Belgium, France, Morocco

But I think it'll be France over England.




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zgolfz85
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1:37p, 7/7/26
AG
I'm all in on Norway now, with England 2nd. If those 2 go out, I'll be rooting for Messi to go out on top
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ColoradoMooseHerd
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In reply to NoahAg • 1:43p, 7/7/26
NoahAg said:
My ranking on who I want to win:

1 - Argentina
2 - England
3 - Norway, Colombia, Switzerland
4 - Spain
5 - Belgium, France, Morocco

But I think it'll be France over England.







1. Norway, England, France
2. Spain, Belgium
3. Morocco, Colombia
4. Switzerland

**** Argentina
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sts7049
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1:46p, 7/7/26
AG
norway is a fun story, but haaland is their only threat. their defense is a bit suspect for me. but, if argentina could win with only one primary threat norway could too.

if argentina keep getting goals from others though that's when they really become dangerous.

spain, france, and argentina are probably the favorites from here. france will certainly want revenge against argentina.
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oh no
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1:47p, 7/7/26
AG
USMNT really needs to focus on getting an elite goalkeeper and getting faster central defenders. We finally got decent midfield probably the best midfield USMNT has ever had in the pool and we finally got some good number nines.
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fig96
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In reply to oh no • 1:54p, 7/7/26
AG
The lack of a deep goalkeeper pool is wild to me. Over the last 4-5 cycles we've had Friedel, Keller, Howard, even Meola before that, it's the one position we've been near world-class. And now it's like...we have some guys.

Several players from the last cycle or two have ended up being generally average. Brady is young and really promising, I hope we start calling up him and some of the other younger guys and start rebuilding what used to be the strength of our team.
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Pahdz
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In reply to oh no • 1:55p, 7/7/26
oh no said:
USMNT really needs to focus on getting an elite goalkeeper and getting faster central defenders. We finally got decent midfield probably the best midfield USMNT has ever had in the pool and we finally got some good number nines.


It's wild that two traditional positions of strength for the USMNT are now glaring weaknesses
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LB12MEEN
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In reply to ColoradoMooseHerd • 1:57p, 7/7/26
AG
Don't be a hater. Argentina is awesome.
Gig ‘Em Baby!
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zgolfz85
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1:59p, 7/7/26
AG
spain is so boring, I want them out asap. I'd hate a spain final
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TXAggie2011
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In reply to fig96 • 2:00p, 7/7/26
AG
fig96 said:
The lack of a deep goalkeeper pool is wild to me. Over the last 4-5 cycles we've had Friedel, Keller, Howard, even Meola before that, it's the one position we've been near world-class. And now it's like...we have some guys.

Several players from the last cycle or two have ended up being generally average. Brady is young and really promising, I hope we start calling up him and some of the other younger guys and start rebuilding what used to be the strength of our team.


Turner wasn't going to quite be at that level, but it is too bad he just spent an entire WC cycle trying to make it at clubs he was never going to make it at.
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oh no
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2:04p, 7/7/26
AG
Zack Steffen and Matt Turner did what they thought was best for them with European moves and failed. But why is the pool so shallow? What ever happened to Horvath, Slonina, and the young Klinsmann?
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wangus12
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In reply to NoahAg • 2:10p, 7/7/26
AG
NoahAg said:
My ranking on who I want to win:

1 - Norway, Colombia, Switzerland
2 - France, Belgium
3 - Spain
4 - England, Morocco
5 - Argentina

FIFM

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AgLiving06
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2:10p, 7/7/26
It's terrifying if Freese was really the best we have.

He can't handle a cross to save his life, and apparently forgets how to kick the ball every once in a while.
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wangus12
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2:13p, 7/7/26
AG
Lineups for Switzerland vs. Colombia



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deadbq03
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In reply to zgolfz85 • 2:13p, 7/7/26
AG
zgolfz85 said:
I'm all in on Norway now, with England 2nd. If those 2 go out, I'll be rooting for Messi to go out on top
I'm with you on the first two but I just can't do Argentina again.

It's probably an unpopular choice, but I think #3 for me might end up being Belgium - kinda by default. Hear me out before you boo me off the stage…

Belgium vs. boring Spain - Belgium hands down
Belgium vs. France - Belgium hands down
Belgium vs. Argentina (this whole #3 exercise assumes Norway and England are out) - I'm gonna take Belgium. New winner. Iconic players, and by the finals I would've rooted for them twice so I'll be hooked.
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PatAg
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In reply to fig96 • 2:21p, 7/7/26
AG
fig96 said:
The lack of a deep goalkeeper pool is wild to me. Over the last 4-5 cycles we've had Friedel, Keller, Howard, even Meola before that, it's the one position we've been near world-class. And now it's like...we have some guys.

Several players from the last cycle or two have ended up being generally average. Brady is young and really promising, I hope we start calling up him and some of the other younger guys and start rebuilding what used to be the strength of our team.


Personally I think we spent a decade plus putting too much emphasis on the keepers ability to play with the ball at their feet. Shot stopping and command of the box should be paramount
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cutter
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In reply to TXAggie2011 • 2:27p, 7/7/26
If you can't make it at Nottingham Forrest you probably aren't going to make it. He was the starter and lost it because he wasn't good enough.
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zgolfz85
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In reply to deadbq03 • 2:31p, 7/7/26
AG
deadbq03 said:
zgolfz85 said:
I'm all in on Norway now, with England 2nd. If those 2 go out, I'll be rooting for Messi to go out on top

I'm with you on the first two but I just can't do Argentina again.

It's probably an unpopular choice, but I think #3 for me might end up being Belgium - kinda by default. Hear me out before you boo me off the stage…

Belgium vs. boring Spain - Belgium hands down
Belgium vs. France - Belgium hands down
Belgium vs. Argentina (this whole #3 exercise assumes Norway and England are out) - I'm gonna take Belgium. New winner. Iconic players, and by the finals I would've rooted for them twice so I'll be hooked.

as an arsenal fan and one sad to see Leo shipped off, I can get behind that
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txagman1998
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In reply to Enrico Pallazzo • 2:43p, 7/7/26
AG
Quote:
It just seems like Argentina isn't long for this tournament given how much they've been pushed by some middling teams. But we'll see.


Yup…Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cabo Verde (needed Extra Time), Egypt (needed a miracle comeback).

Congrats to Argentina, champions of the 2026 African Cup of Nations!
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deadbq03
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In reply to oh no • 2:48p, 7/7/26
AG
oh no said:
Zack Steffen and Matt Turner did what they thought was best for them with European moves and failed. But why is the pool so shallow? What ever happened to Horvath, Slonina, and the young Klinsmann?
Klinsmann is now 29. Horvath is 31. They never grabbed the brass ring.

But Slonina is still 22. Brady is 22. Kochen (@ Barca) is 20. Schulte and Celentano are both 25. GK is a position where guys peak late. I think the pool here is deep enough to be fine.
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oh no
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In reply to deadbq03 • 2:51p, 7/7/26
AG
deadbq03 said:
oh no said:
Zack Steffen and Matt Turner did what they thought was best for them with European moves and failed. But why is the pool so shallow? What ever happened to Horvath, Slonina, and the young Klinsmann?

Klinsmann is now 29. Horvath is 31. They never grabbed the brass ring.

But Slonina is still 22. Brady is 22. Kochen (@ Barca) is 20. Schulte and Celentano are both 25. GK is a position where guys peak late. I think the pool here is deep enough to be fine.

...but Freese was our guy this cycle... oooof... pool is just not deep enough to the point we can't align the all time peak of our midfield with our traditionally decent central defenders and GK.
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fig96
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In reply to PatAg • 2:53p, 7/7/26
AG
PatAg said:
fig96 said:
The lack of a deep goalkeeper pool is wild to me. Over the last 4-5 cycles we've had Friedel, Keller, Howard, even Meola before that, it's the one position we've been near world-class. And now it's like...we have some guys.

Several players from the last cycle or two have ended up being generally average. Brady is young and really promising, I hope we start calling up him and some of the other younger guys and start rebuilding what used to be the strength of our team.


Personally I think we spent a decade plus putting too much emphasis on the keepers ability to play with the ball at their feet. Shot stopping and command of the box should be paramount

Give Brad Stuver a callup.
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zgolfz85
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2:53p, 7/7/26
AG
in his defense, he only really had 1 bad game....but he didn't get tested much in the others. his 1 bad game was the worst thing I've ever seen though...
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deadbq03
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In reply to oh no • 2:58p, 7/7/26
AG
I think we were too weak at CB to advance much further, too.

Love Tim Ream, but he got exposed against Belgium, and the fact that no one else is a better option is really sad and scary.
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LB12MEEN
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In reply to zgolfz85 • 3:05p, 7/7/26
AG
zgolfz85 said:
in his defense, he only really had 1 bad game....but he didn't get tested much in the others. his 1 bad game was the worst thing I've ever seen though...

It was one very bad play that no one will ever forget.
Gig ‘Em Baby!
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oh no
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3:06p, 7/7/26
AG
Yeah, Ream's experience and decision making as far as positional intelligence had him ahead as far as left-footed central defenders despite the known and obvious liability for killing counters and making the recovery runs, but in the end, it wasn't counters but marking a guy on crosses that killed us. ...and Ream is so far ahead in passing/ distribution / footwork skills of Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson.

I wonder if a healthy CCV would have made much of a difference? or if Trusty (might have not been fit for Belgium) was one more year ahead in his development.
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oh no
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In reply to zgolfz85 • 3:08p, 7/7/26
AG
zgolfz85 said:
in his defense, he only really had 1 bad game....but he didn't get tested much in the others. his 1 bad game was the worst thing I've ever seen though...

...but Baker got to play the second half in the Senegal match right before the tournament and he left A LOT to be desired and Matt Turner has had too many howlers and not enough minutes in the last 2 years.... so Freese was it. and that sucks.
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