FIFA World Cup 2026 :Canada/Mexico/United States: Discussion Thread

[verdinio]

Age is not a problem for Ronaldo when playing in a weaker football league like the Saudi football league, or in World Cup qualifiers against weaker opponents, I agree. However, the question is how competitive Ronaldo can be in games against the strongest football opponents in the World Cup. He is no longer as fast and explosive as he was when he was a younger player. It was already evident at the World Cup in Qatar that Ronaldo was powerless to help his team in the most important and decisive matches, such as the match against Morocco.

I think he can still make the difference and he can still do it at the highest level, even if he is a certain age the performances are still very high, certainly in very important games he is slipping away a bit but let's always remember that he is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best in the world

[KTChampions]

The USA didn't kidnap a president. They arrested a bloody dictator. Only Venezuela's allies recognized Maduro as the legitimate president, all the rest of the world didn't. Maduro rigged the last 2 election. He wasn't the president, he "simply" was the guy in charge. The people chose another person to be president so, please, let's not try to make Maduro look like an innocent poor guy who did nothing wrong.

You are tripping  
I don't deny that Maduro is a bad guy, a dictator and all that, but it's literally only the US (and maybe a couple of allies) that doesn't recognize him as president.

Dude, Google is free, why don't you use it before showing everyone how ignorant you are?

I copy-paste from Google:

~

Yep, you are tripping 
Politicians' "opinions" mean nothing. Have you ever heard of sovereignty? Maduro may be disliked by anyone in the US or their friends (and he may be a dictator), but he's the president of Venezuela. This is not a matter of discussion.

You wrote:

The USA didn't kidnap a president. They arrested a bloody dictator

Who signed the arrest warrant? Which jurisdiction (which covers both Venezuela and the US) issued it?
You are definitely tripping. Or how to explain that this ended up in your head.

By the way, since you're such a champion of justice, could you explain to me why the US now only wants Venezuela to comply with economic demands? They're perfectly happy with the torture and murder of the opposition, the dictatorship over the people, etc., as long as US interests are respected. From the outside, it seems to me like the US is becoming an accomplice to a bloody dictatorship. Where am I wrong? Please explain.

For some reason you completely missed this part  Apparently you're not a completely hypocritical, and in some ways you enjoy being "morally correct," but in other ways it's better for you not to get dirty with the unpleasant truth 

[Dump3er]

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Yep, you are tripping 
Politicians' "opinions" mean nothing. Have you ever heard of sovereignty? Maduro may be disliked by anyone in the US or their friends (and he may be a dictator), but he's the president of Venezuela. This is not a matter of discussion.

You wrote:

The USA didn't kidnap a president. They arrested a bloody dictator

Who signed the arrest warrant? Which jurisdiction (which covers both Venezuela and the US) issued it?
You are definitely tripping. Or how to explain that this ended up in your head.

By the way, since you're such a champion of justice, could you explain to me why the US now only wants Venezuela to comply with economic demands? They're perfectly happy with the torture and murder of the opposition, the dictatorship over the people, etc., as long as US interests are respected. From the outside, it seems to me like the US is becoming an accomplice to a bloody dictatorship. Where am I wrong? Please explain.

For some reason you completely missed this part  Apparently you're not a completely hypocritical, and in some ways you enjoy being "morally correct," but in other ways it's better for you not to get dirty with the unpleasant truth 

He is tripping like hell.

KTChampions is not denying that Maduro was a bad guy. Look Ale88, if you know a really bad guy and you buy a gun, execute a thorough plan and shoot him, as per the law, did you murder him? Yes you murdered him because above all, this is what the law says. Now the broader community might agree with you that morally you have done the right thing, but that doesn't mean you didn't break the law. This is what KTChampions is trying to tell you.

KTChampions I think you are running into a thick wall trying to explain this.


It is funny to see how the FIFA World Cup 2026 topic can get derailed.

Give me a chance to bring it back on track. Venezuela didn't only lose their president and they are not only going to lose their oil, but they also lost the playoffs against Columbia and will not participate in the World cup.

[katanic97]

Age is not a problem for Ronaldo when playing in a weaker football league like the Saudi football league, or in World Cup qualifiers against weaker opponents, I agree. However, the question is how competitive Ronaldo can be in games against the strongest football opponents in the World Cup. He is no longer as fast and explosive as he was when he was a younger player. It was already evident at the World Cup in Qatar that Ronaldo was powerless to help his team in the most important and decisive matches, such as the match against Morocco.

I think he can still make the difference and he can still do it at the highest level, even if he is a certain age the performances are still very high, certainly in very important games he is slipping away a bit but let's always remember that he is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best in the world

Yes, but it’s also about his age. It’s not the same now as when he was in his 20s. He still scores goals in that league, but it would be difficult for him to keep up in europe. You’re right, he is still Cristiano Ronaldo and physically he’s fitter than many players in big clubs, but age is what prevents him from giving his absolute maximum. I’m glad i’ll get to see him at the world cup, but whether he can keep up the same pace as before… honestly, i don’t think he can. Portugal has a very good team, and of course Ronaldo, as captain with his experience, can advise them and assert his authority.

[ShowOff]

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I think he can still make the difference and he can still do it at the highest level, even if he is a certain age the performances are still very high, certainly in very important games he is slipping away a bit but let's always remember that he is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best in the world

Yes, but it’s also about his age. It’s not the same now as when he was in his 20s. He still scores goals in that league, but it would be difficult for him to keep up in europe. You’re right, he is still Cristiano Ronaldo and physically he’s fitter than many players in big clubs, but age is what prevents him from giving his absolute maximum. I’m glad i’ll get to see him at the world cup, but whether he can keep up the same pace as before… honestly, i don’t think he can. Portugal has a very good team, and of course Ronaldo, as captain with his experience, can advise them and assert his authority.

That is true, the biggest challenge for Ronaldo is his age, although it must be acknowledged that he can still have a significant impact on the Portugal national team. Many people certainly hope to see Ronaldo play at the 2026 World Cup, but I doubt he would be able to play full matches in every game. The competitive level of the World Cup will be very different from the Saudi Pro League, so at his current age, it will be very difficult to score goals.

On the other hand, it might be too selfish to rely on Ronaldo in every match, as the Portugal national team has many talented young players. Overall, all decisions will depend on the manager and how he chooses to manage Ronaldo in order to take Portugal further in the upcoming World Cup.

[Ale88]

The USA didn't kidnap a president. They arrested a bloody dictator. Only Venezuela's allies recognized Maduro as the legitimate president, all the rest of the world didn't. Maduro rigged the last 2 election. He wasn't the president, he "simply" was the guy in charge. The people chose another person to be president so, please, let's not try to make Maduro look like an innocent poor guy who did nothing wrong.

You are tripping  
I don't deny that Maduro is a bad guy, a dictator and all that, but it's literally only the US (and maybe a couple of allies) that doesn't recognize him as president.

Dude, Google is free, why don't you use it before showing everyone how ignorant you are?

I copy-paste from Google:

Yep, you are tripping  
Politicians' "opinions" mean nothing. Have you ever heard of sovereignty? Maduro may be disliked by anyone in the US or their friends (and he may be a dictator), but he's the president of Venezuela. This is not a matter of discussion.

Are you still going with this? Maduro lost the election, twice, having the power doesn't automatically make you a legitimate president. If tomorrow I come at your house and I throw you out, does it make me the new owner? No, it just makes me someone who, using force, gained access to your house. That is what Maduro did.

How you can just brush off this saying "Politicians' opinions mean nothing"? Venezuelan people's opinion don't matter either? The fact that you are here defending a dictator that completely ruined one of the richest countries on Earth is mind-blowing.

Answer a very simple question: if Maduro was the legitimate president, what did he rig the elections twice in order to maintain the power?

You wrote:

The USA didn't kidnap a president. They arrested a bloody dictator

Who signed the arrest warrant? Which jurisdiction (which covers both Venezuela and the US) issued it?
You are definitely tripping. Or how to explain that this ended up in your head.

The US chose to do it. That's it. Is it fair? Based on the rules, no. Do I care? No, because it's Maduro. The fact that people are celebrating for me is enough.

By the way, since you're such a champion of justice, could you explain to me why the US now only wants Venezuela to comply with economic demands? They're perfectly happy with the torture and murder of the opposition, the dictatorship over the people, etc., as long as US interests are respected. From the outside, it seems to me like the US is becoming an accomplice to a bloody dictatorship. Where am I wrong? Please explain.

For some reason you completely missed this part   Apparently you're not a completely hypocritical, and in some ways you enjoy being "morally correct," but in other ways it's better for you not to get dirty with the unpleasant truth  

I already answered when I quoted Rikafip: no one does a favor expecting nothing in return. In Italy there is this saying: Neanche il cane muove la coda per niente, which translates as "Not even a dog wags its tail for nothing". Of course they did because they want something in return. It's always been like that for centuries.

[Sithara007]

That is true, the biggest challenge for Ronaldo is his age, although it must be acknowledged that he can still have a significant impact on the Portugal national team. Many people certainly hope to see Ronaldo play at the 2026 World Cup, but I doubt he would be able to play full matches in every game. The competitive level of the World Cup will be very different from the Saudi Pro League, so at his current age, it will be very difficult to score goals.

On the other hand, it might be too selfish to rely on Ronaldo in every match, as the Portugal national team has many talented young players. Overall, all decisions will depend on the manager and how he chooses to manage Ronaldo in order to take Portugal further in the upcoming World Cup.

Be careful when you make these sort of statements. Have you ever watched any of the matches in the Saudi Professional League? If not, I don't think that you are qualified to make an opinion on this topic. SPL matches are extremely competitive, and personally I would rate the league at the same level as some of the European leagues such as Bundesliga or the Eredivisie. And Ronaldo had participated in almost all of Portugal's qualifier matches, including tough ones against teams like Ireland. Therefore I don't think that he will face any difficulty during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

[8rch7]

Be careful when you make these sort of statements. Have you ever watched any of the matches in the Saudi Professional League? If not, I don't think that you are qualified to make an opinion on this topic. SPL matches are extremely competitive, and personally I would rate the league at the same level as some of the European leagues such as Bundesliga or the Eredivisie. And Ronaldo had participated in almost all of Portugal's qualifier matches, including tough ones against teams like Ireland. Therefore I don't think that he will face any difficulty during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

I don't know why many people have bad opinion about Saudi Pro League competition most of them underestimate with the competitive of SPL but favorable the MLS League the competition without relegation yet every season. Several Saudi Pro League club signed top players on the top performance with Europe club and signing many top manager from Simione Inzhagi success becoming top head coach for Al Hilal. I don't have ideas why many people still blame with the Saudi Pro League competitive because they have many top players and top manager.

Cristiano Ronaldo since leaving Manchester United and joining Al Nassr still become important players for Portugal teams, looks how many time become top scorer from UEFA Europe qualifier and World Cup 2026 qualifier. So still doubt with reputation and competitive of Saudi Pro League?

[Publictalk792]

Be careful when you make these sort of statements. Have you ever watched any of the matches in the Saudi Professional League? If not, I don't think that you are qualified to make an opinion on this topic. SPL matches are extremely competitive, and personally I would rate the league at the same level as some of the European leagues such as Bundesliga or the Eredivisie. And Ronaldo had participated in almost all of Portugal's qualifier matches, including tough ones against teams like Ireland. Therefore I don't think that he will face any difficulty during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Actually, Saudi Pro League has been rapidly growing by attracting global talent and using top coaches and fact that clubs such as Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are able to maintain high standards of play is proof that quality of play is so high that even likes of Cristiano Ronaldo are not lost in action. Ronaldo is in great physical shape, and this time, he does not need to do everything alone and can focus on scoring, as his team is very talented in Portugal. Surprisingly, experience in playing in hot weather of Saudi Arabia could even help him in 2026 world cup in North America, where he would be used to hot weather which usually leaves players of cooler European leagues tired. Such physical edge would provide him with huge advantage during last minutes of game when other players are beginning to tire.

[Daniel91]

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I think he can still make the difference and he can still do it at the highest level, even if he is a certain age the performances are still very high, certainly in very important games he is slipping away a bit but let's always remember that he is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best in the world

Yes, but it’s also about his age. It’s not the same now as when he was in his 20s. He still scores goals in that league, but it would be difficult for him to keep up in europe. You’re right, he is still Cristiano Ronaldo and physically he’s fitter than many players in big clubs, but age is what prevents him from giving his absolute maximum. I’m glad i’ll get to see him at the world cup, but whether he can keep up the same pace as before… honestly, i don’t think he can. Portugal has a very good team, and of course Ronaldo, as captain with his experience, can advise them and assert his authority.

That is true, the biggest challenge for Ronaldo is his age, although it must be acknowledged that he can still have a significant impact on the Portugal national team. Many people certainly hope to see Ronaldo play at the 2026 World Cup, but I doubt he would be able to play full matches in every game. The competitive level of the World Cup will be very different from the Saudi Pro League, so at his current age, it will be very difficult to score goals.

On the other hand, it might be too selfish to rely on Ronaldo in every match, as the Portugal national team has many talented young players. Overall, all decisions will depend on the manager and how he chooses to manage Ronaldo in order to take Portugal further in the upcoming World Cup.

I think it's already clear to everyone that today's Ronaldo is not at the level of the Ronaldo from 10 or 15 years ago, when he was at his peak; biology is relentless. 
Ronaldo still has charisma and authority, as well as vast experience, but the coach of the Portuguese team will make a big mistake if he relies on him and gives him priority over younger players. 
Of course, on the other hand, it's not easy to leave such a player out of a match, and that will be a big challenge. 
We saw how that ended at the World Cup in Qatar.

[KTChampions]

Are you still going with this?

Have you forgotten how it all began?

~the USA did by kidnapping the Venezuelan president~

The USA didn't kidnap a president. They arrested a bloody dictator.~

You literally did this meme:



The person didn't write anything controversial or provoking discussion, but for some reason you felt the need to write something obviously stupid because it was "morally correct."

Are you still going with this? Maduro lost the election, twice, having the power doesn't automatically make you a legitimate president. If tomorrow I come at your house and I throw you out, does it make me the new owner? No, it just makes me someone who, using force, gained access to your house. That is what Maduro did.

How you can just brush off this saying "Politicians' opinions mean nothing"? Venezuelan people's opinion don't matter either? The fact that you are here defending a dictator that completely ruined one of the richest countries on Earth is mind-blowing.

What does this have to do with the fact that the US kidnapped the president (leader/powerful person/etc.) of a sovereign state, killing about 80 people and violating all international laws?
You wrote "arrested," but that's the dumbest nonsense one could write, since an arrest is a legal action that is carried out in accordance with the law, etc., and here we have a simple kidnapping.
I bet I won't see you in any thread correcting people who use the term "US President" instead of "international criminal/terrorist." Or will I? 

Answer a very simple question: if Maduro was the legitimate president, what did he rig the elections twice in order to maintain the power?

Because this is how the internal struggle in the sovereign country of Venezuela has developed. Did you really want to know this, or is there some kind of catch for you?

The US chose to do it. That's it. Is it fair? Based on the rules, no. Do I care? No, because it's Maduro.

"If I don't like a criminal, then they're a criminal. If I like a criminal, then they're not a criminal, and all is well!" Thank you for your honesty, but I don't understand how you internally distinguish yourself from scumbags like Maduro, Putin, and the like.

I already answered when I quoted Rikafip: no one does a favor expecting nothing in return. In Italy there is this saying: Neanche il cane muove la coda per niente, which translates as "Not even a dog wags its tail for nothing". Of course they did because they want something in return. It's always been like that for centuries.

Yes, yes, I get it. Maduro is a bloody dictator, and Trump, who left the Venezuelan people under Maduro's dictatorship (or rather, his successors') simply redirected financial flows in favor of the United States, is a fine fellow.

It is funny to see how the FIFA World Cup 2026 topic can get derailed.

Give me a chance to bring it back on track. Venezuela didn't only lose their president and they are not only going to lose their oil, but they also lost the playoffs against Columbia and will not participate in the World cup.

However, there will be many other teams at the World Cup with complex political backgrounds. It's a shame Iran wasn't in the group with the USA - that (as in previous editions) would have been the game with the largest media presence 

[cande86]

Cristiano Ronaldo since leaving Manchester United and joining Al Nassr still become important players for Portugal teams, looks how many time become top scorer from UEFA Europe qualifier and World Cup 2026 qualifier. So still doubt with reputation and competitive of Saudi Pro League?

I also think that the Saudi Pro League is actually an excellent level where there are many players, who are actually very strong and who can do very well, the leagues are full of strong coaches and equally strong, players who have also won important trophies, I don't understand why there are doubts

[verdinio]

His performance is amazing with he is still doing impressive job with his club and country but due to his presence things are always not work as his team just because of this having some change in role can bring better results for Portugal without any doubt they are having fair chance of winning FIFA World Cup this time, but they needed to manage things on good balance.

I think that there is an age for everything and Ronaldo's biologically speaking is still the field, even if the years go by verlocentemen and i believe that between PCOO his greatest ability can be converted into that of a coach that will certainly be very important and that can bring a lot of value

[Hanadawa]

Age is not a problem for Ronaldo when playing in a weaker football league like the Saudi football league, or in World Cup qualifiers against weaker opponents, I agree. However, the question is how competitive Ronaldo can be in games against the strongest football opponents in the World Cup. He is no longer as fast and explosive as he was when he was a younger player. It was already evident at the World Cup in Qatar that Ronaldo was powerless to help his team in the most important and decisive matches, such as the match against Morocco.

I think he can still make the difference and he can still do it at the highest level, even if he is a certain age the performances are still very high, certainly in very important games he is slipping away a bit but let's always remember that he is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best in the world

Many underestimate Ronaldo because, as a striker, CR7 no longer plays in high-level competitions. Although the Saudi Arabian League has become one of the most prestigious leagues in the world, the overall quality of the Saudi League is still inferior to some of Europe's top leagues. Perhaps the SPL is slightly above the MSL. But what many people don't realize is that CR7 can still make a significant contribution to Portugal. You can see CR7 still scoring crucial goals for Portugal when playing in the UEFA Nations League. I believe CR7 still has a significant contribution to Portugal. Although he may not play the full 90 minutes, CR7 still plays a role in shaping the mentality of Portuguese players, always having a winning mindset in every match.

[changaa]

That is true, the biggest challenge for Ronaldo is his age, although it must be acknowledged that he can still have a significant impact on the Portugal national team. Many people certainly hope to see Ronaldo play at the 2026 World Cup, but I doubt he would be able to play full matches in every game. The competitive level of the World Cup will be very different from the Saudi Pro League, so at his current age, it will be very difficult to score goals.

On the other hand, it might be too selfish to rely on Ronaldo in every match, as the Portugal national team has many talented young players. Overall, all decisions will depend on the manager and how he chooses to manage Ronaldo in order to take Portugal further in the upcoming World Cup.

Hes certainly old enough, you're right, the biggest challenge is playing at a high level despite his age.
I think he can do it because he trains so hard and consistently. He's someone who works hard on his physique, and it shows in his dazzling shape.

[SuperBitMan]

Age is not a problem for Ronaldo when playing in a weaker football league like the Saudi football league, or in World Cup qualifiers against weaker opponents, I agree. However, the question is how competitive Ronaldo can be in games against the strongest football opponents in the World Cup. He is no longer as fast and explosive as he was when he was a younger player. It was already evident at the World Cup in Qatar that Ronaldo was powerless to help his team in the most important and decisive matches, such as the match against Morocco.

I think he can still make the difference and he can still do it at the highest level, even if he is a certain age the performances are still very high, certainly in very important games he is slipping away a bit but let's always remember that he is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best in the world

He's indeed one of the best players in the world and he is always showing that till date, Cristiano Ronaldo is a very good player and if the world cup start he will perform very well and he will score goals for his country as usual, anyone who is saying that Cristiano Ronaldo is too old and should not play the world cup is actually a Christian Ronaldo heater because you cannot say someone who is very fit and playing very well in this age should not play the world cup, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best player in the Portugal team right now and playing this 2026 world cup will be a big advantage for his country team.
There's nothing to argue much about Cristiano Ronaldo playing or not because he is already in the list of players that we participate in the world cup and I'm sure he will deliver.

[dollyamo]

The World Cup schedule has been set and cannot be postponed, so it will still be held in the three host countries. The US-Venezuela conflict will not impact the World Cup, especially when matches are played in the US. Therefore, the World Cup will proceed smoothly in the US without any security disruptions, as the US will implement strict security measures.

I think that football is good for them and sport unites people, that is its purpose and reason for existing, especially for football which is fundamental in countries like Latin America, i think it is fundamental, right now they have to pay attention only to safety

[giorgione]

I think it's already clear to everyone that today's Ronaldo is not at the level of the Ronaldo from 10 or 15 years ago, when he was at his peak; biology is relentless. 
Ronaldo still has charisma and authority, as well as vast experience, but the coach of the Portuguese team will make a big mistake if he relies on him and gives him priority over younger players. 
Of course, on the other hand, it's not easy to leave such a player out of a match, and that will be a big challenge. 
We saw how that ended at the World Cup in Qatar.

Surely the matter has changed and Ronaldo is not at the level of 15 years ago clearly he has changed but we cannot say that he is a player to throw away on the contrary let's say that he can still give a lot to his national club and can spur them on to go and win and in some games in my opinion he can still have his say

[martinom]

Actually, Saudi Pro League has been rapidly growing by attracting global talent and using top coaches and fact that clubs such as Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are able to maintain high standards of play is proof that quality of play is so high that even likes of Cristiano Ronaldo are not lost in action. Ronaldo is in great physical shape, and this time, he does not need to do everything alone and can focus on scoring, as his team is very talented in Portugal. Surprisingly, experience in playing in hot weather of Saudi Arabia could even help him in 2026 world cup in North America, where he would be used to hot weather which usually leaves players of cooler European leagues tired. Such physical edge would provide him with huge advantage during last minutes of game when other players are beginning to tire.

It has grown a lot, absolutely true and fair, but it still can't cover the costs.
In my opinion, they are spending a lot of money, too much.

I don't understand in my mind what plan they have to cover the enormous costs of player and coach salaries.
It's true that they have a lot of money, i don't know.

[Lida93]

The age factor isn't a problem for Christiano Ronaldo as long as the Portuguese captain remains fit, besides the Portuguese player hasn't shown any sign of weakness as a result of his age and at such doesn't have to skip any game, we saw how he led the Portuguese team during the qualifiers and I don't think anything has changed that requires the coach to make any changes to the team when the world cup kicks off.

Age is not a problem for Ronaldo when playing in a weaker football league like the Saudi football league, or in World Cup qualifiers against weaker opponents, I agree. However, the question is how competitive Ronaldo can be in games against the strongest football opponents in the World Cup. He is no longer as fast and explosive as he was when he was a younger player. It was already evident at the World Cup in Qatar that Ronaldo was powerless to help his team in the most important and decisive matches, such as the match against Morocco.

If you are in doubt of Ronaldo's fitness concerning the forthcoming World Cup then I recommend you back and watch his last encounter against Spain in the UEFA Nations league finals, I believe that would be enough to restore your confidence in the Portuguese captain, even the coach can't even imagine replacing Ronaldo at this point in time not because he doesn't have several other options but due to the player's numerous abilities on the air and his goal scoring abilities it has become paramount for the coach to consider him as his trusted choice upfront for the team and no one else and that's what we will see at the World Cup.