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

[Iamgoat]

expectations are very high for this team, they are clearly one of the favorite teams, and having someone like Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch, even if he is old, in my opinion always makes the difference and those who say no don't understand much about football, the experience he has is a gift for other young people who are in the team!

Portugal is sure one team every one should have an interesting watch this tournament. They are currently one of the strongest teams in Europe currently despite having a bit of less of squad depth when compared to national teams like the England and France but the Ronaldo led team also won their second nations league title in 2025 which is one success to be factored in. Although the club should also be in sober moments right now with the tragic passing of their forward Diego Jota who died at the age of 28 after celebrating a premier league title with his club the Liverpool recently as well as the nations league with potugal. This world cup is also symbolic for Portugal knowing well it is the last lap for Ronaldo and whatever he does in this world cup will tell on his achievements with his national team in his career. Though the guy is old by age but he's still keeping fit and staying strong for the most part of his last career as a professional footballer.

[leea-1334]

Funny, I know exactly who you are talking about without even going back a few pages to check the name.  

That guy is an epitome of football shitposters and I strongly believe that he never saw a single football game in his life, as only that would explain so many weird opinions that make no sense.

Now that I see three guys, and 2 which I know well,,, say the same thing I know I did not imagine it. These Stake posters, and again I mean nothing personally,,, bringing something 'unique' to the forum quality  

For me even it is not about football knowledge, the problem I have is these guys probably do not even bet on sports, and this is a Gambling

[Rikafip]

For me even it is not about football knowledge, the problem I have is these guys probably do not even bet on sports, and this is a Gambling

Not betting? That's least of my problems. I have a feeling that like 80% of the people writing here on Gambling board don't even watch the sports they are writing about.

They just check the result, see the stats and write some generic crap. Rinse and repeat.

[Ale88]

Honestly, in Portugal, the only player who stands out is Cristiano Ronaldo, and to make Portugal a competitive team, you can't rely solely on one player! Which is what they do; just because you have Cristiano in the team doesn't mean the rest shouldn't be important. And that's precisely why they struggle in the World Cup.

I'm sorry, but do you even watch football? Could you please tell me what kind of sport Vitinha and Joao Neves play? Because that is probably the best midfielder duo in the world right now, and they are Portuguese. Please go ahead and find a national team with two midfielders better than them. Not even Spain with Rodri and Pedro.

[slapper]

expectations are very high for this team, they are clearly one of the favorite teams, and having someone like Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch, even if he is old, in my opinion always makes the difference and those who say no don't understand much about football, the experience he has is a gift for other young people who are in the team!

Portugal is sure one team every one should have an interesting watch this tournament. They are currently one of the strongest teams in Europe currently despite having a bit of less of squad depth when compared to national teams like the England and France but the Ronaldo led team also won their second nations league title in 2025 which is one success to be factored in. Although the club should also be in sober moments right now with the tragic passing of their forward Diego Jota who died at the age of 28 after celebrating a premier league title with his club the Liverpool recently as well as the nations league with potugal. This world cup is also symbolic for Portugal knowing well it is the last lap for Ronaldo and whatever he does in this world cup will tell on his achievements with his national team in his career. Though the guy is old by age but he's still keeping fit and staying strong for the most part of his last career as a professional footballer.

First thing, it's Diogo, not Diego. He didn't die on the night after winning a Premier League championship either! He passed away July 3rd, last year, in a car accident in Spain. He'd had some lung procedure done in Porto and doctors told him he literally couldn't fly. So on his way, through Spain, to catch the ferry back to England for pre-season. A tyre on the motorway blew out. Car caught fire. Him and his brother Andre who was only 25.

The club won the Nations League just under a month ago. This team is yet to let it go. And not in the sad way, in the dangerous way. In Porto's title celebration, as three weeks ago, Costa was crying on camera wearing the name of Jota. Liverpool retired his number. Even United fans did a tribute for him at Old Trafford.

So, yes, the last dance of Ronaldo is important, yes. But I believe it is the Jota bit that is really driving this team at the moment. That's different than just wanting to win a trophy.

That sort of energy is not reflected in any pre-tournament odds or predictions. However, it secures the 118th minute when the legs are removed, and you're looking for another tackle from somewhere. That is exactly what Portugal did in the Nations League final with Spain. Came back twice, barely had the ball, went perfect in penalties.

I wouldn't want to face them in a knockout game right now. I really wouldn't.

[ndutndut]

Honestly, in Portugal, the only player who stands out is Cristiano Ronaldo, and to make Portugal a competitive team, you can't rely solely on one player! Which is what they do; just because you have Cristiano in the team doesn't mean the rest shouldn't be important. And that's precisely why they struggle in the World Cup.

I'm sorry, but do you even watch football? Could you please tell me what kind of sport Vitinha and Joao Neves play? Because that is probably the best midfielder duo in the world right now, and they are Portuguese. Please go ahead and find a national team with two midfielders better than them. Not even Spain with Rodri and Pedro.

It seems @broccolo9 has never followed football closely; in Portugal, he only knows Ronaldo.  

However, if he takes a closer look at the squad in this year's World Cup, Portugal has a truly luxurious squad, from defense to attack and the presence of C. Ronaldo will only strengthen their mentality. So in my opinion, Portugal has the potential to win this title, considering the three champion players at PSG: Vitinha, Neves and Nuno Mendes. Plus, Man City players like Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Nunes, plus other stars like Cancelo, Felix and Bruno Fernandes. So, it would be a mistake to say that Portugal relies solely on Ronaldo.

Moreover, Portugal is now managed by coach Roberto Martinez. So far he has made a significant impact and made significant changes to Portugal, from fighting spirit, improvisation in attacks and transitions between attack and defense. Therefore Portugal is one of the favorites in this World Cup.

[bastisisca]

They need to hone another Ronaldo or at least a very competitive athlete. Because that is right, when you say Portugal, we all think first of Ronaldo. So more than likely, there will be another athlete that will at least raise the flag of Portugal once Ronaldo totally retires from this sports.

It's not exactly easy to find another Ronaldo.
There are some players that are unique and happen once every 20 years.
I could give you the example of Alessandro Del Piero for Italy, or Zinadine Zidane for France.
In short, there are examples.

[leea-1334]

They need to hone another Ronaldo or at least a very competitive athlete. Because that is right, when you say Portugal, we all think first of Ronaldo. So more than likely, there will be another athlete that will at least raise the flag of Portugal once Ronaldo totally retires from this sports.

It's not exactly easy to find another Ronaldo.
There are some players that are unique and happen once every 20 years.
I could give you the example of Alessandro Del Piero for Italy, or Zinadine Zidane for France.
In short, there are examples.

This is a team sports why do you need one man to raise the flag? I think without Ronaldo Portugal have a great squad on its own,,, I would even argue they could be even better without him.

For me even it is not about football knowledge, the problem I have is these guys probably do not even bet on sports, and this is a Gambling

Not betting? That's least of my problems. I have a feeling that like 80% of the people writing here on Gambling board don't even watch the sports they are writing about.

They just check the result, see the stats and write some generic crap. Rinse and repeat.

It is a big problem for me,,, this is Gambling Discussion, which of course means Sports discussion but I can handle a guy who does not watch the games but bets because that guy is usually me, 90% of the games happen in my sleep time The matches I can watch are 10% of the level of Europe sadly  

What I cannot handle is people who do not bet, but wear casino signatures and post 100% in Gambling Discussion and even in paid pool threads to annoy us,,, unfortunately with Chatgpt they are getting bolder!

[Fiatless]

I think Ronaldo could help Roberto Martinez more by coming off the bench and playing when he’s really needed, instead of pushing himself to play every single minute. He’s still a top level player, but he’s obviously not at the same level as before and he’s nowhere near as fast as he used to be.All of that affects the way Portugal plays, but this current squad really does look like a golden generation of players

His experience and mentorship will be more helpful to the squad than him playing in every game. I am not saying that he is not a good player or not in good shape to compete. However the fact still remains that his strength and pace has reduced to a large extent. There are younger players that can perform better than him. But his experience outshines most Portuguese players and he could also be a motivator to young players. 

[KTChampions]

They need to hone another Ronaldo or at least a very competitive athlete. Because that is right, when you say Portugal, we all think first of Ronaldo. So more than likely, there will be another athlete that will at least raise the flag of Portugal once Ronaldo totally retires from this sports.

It's not exactly easy to find another Ronaldo.
There are some players that are unique and happen once every 20 years.
I could give you the example of Alessandro Del Piero for Italy, or Zinadine Zidane for France.
In short, there are examples.

More like 100 years. I find it hard to imagine any modern footballer being so driven to play at the highest level for so long and so consistently. Even if we just talk about statistics, I was recently thinking about Haaland (he certainly has a quicker and easier start than Ronaldo in terms of scoring goals), and even with regard to him, it is extremely doubtful that he will be able to beat Ronaldo’s record for goals scored. He is already 25 and has scored just under 300 goals. By the age of 35, he needs to score 70 goals per season to reach a thousand.

[Rikafip]

It is a big problem for me,,, this is Gambling Discussion, which of course means Sports discussion but I can handle a guy who does not watch the games but bets because that guy is usually me, 90% of the games happen in my sleep time

Yeah ofc, but problem is that majority do not bet.

The matches I can watch are 10% of the level of Europe sadly  

I know the feeling. Time difference is one of the reasons why I stopped watching NBA asctively (at least during regular season) as priorities change once you grow up. Its going to be a major problem for World Cup, fo us that are Europe based, but that is only every 4 years so I will suck it up.

[Catenaccio]

More like 100 years. I find it hard to imagine any modern footballer being so driven to play at the highest level for so long and so consistently. Even if we just talk about statistics, I was recently thinking about Haaland (he certainly has a quicker and easier start than Ronaldo in terms of scoring goals), and even with regard to him, it is extremely doubtful that he will be able to beat Ronaldo’s record for goals scored. He is already 25 and has scored just under 300 goals. By the age of 35, he needs to score 70 goals per season to reach a thousand.

Haaland is strong but he is too young while in a long player career, injuries play important role for prolong a career or destroy it. A strong legendary striker like Ibrahimovic eventually had to fail in his fight again age and ageing effects with injuries in late of his career. It's too early to say how many years Haaland will be able to play, and more important at high quality level.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are like the beasts in football as they have all managed prolonging their career too much, it's really hard to witness any player like them in future years. Such players must be strong in physical genes, professional with training and diets as well as enough luckiness for avoiding severe injuries.

[Hispo]

Due to the high prices of tickets in this incoming world cup, it is expected to see a shrinking in the number of Argentinian fans attending to games in which their national team will play.
It seems that regardless of how good Argentina is innterms of football, they do not seem to be able to score a single goal when comes to economics, inflation and making their life more affordable in a general sense.

It would be quite an ironic thing if Argentina was able to get to finals and their fans could not be able to be there for them.

What do you all thing about that situation.?

[Alpha Marine]

IMO, here are the top-10 teams:

1. Argentina
2. Spain
3. France
4. England
5. Brazil
6. Germany
7. Netherlands
8. Norway
9. Belgium
10. Uruguay

Don't forget how pathetically Portugal performed during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They crashed out during the quarter-final stage, after losing to Morocco.

HOW do you rate teams like Uruguay, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands ahead of Portugal? There is no way you can tell me Portugal is not among the top 10. Portugal was not humiliated in the last World Cup; they were knocked out 1-0 by a very in form Morrocco. Spain was also knocked out by Morocco, so how come you placed them 2nd on your list? Brazil was humiliated by Germany in the 2014 world cup, they were knocked out again in the 2018 and 2022 world cups.

You use current form to determine who is good and who is not and based on currenct form, Portugal is better than at least the last 4 countries on your list. 

[Ale88]

Due to the high prices of tickets in this incoming world cup, it is expected to see a shrinking in the number of Argentinian fans attending to games in which their national team will play.
It seems that regardless of how good Argentina is innterms of football, they do not seem to be able to score a single goal when comes to economics, inflation and making their life more affordable in a general sense.

It would be quite an ironic thing if Argentina was able to get to finals and their fans could not be able to be there for them.

What do you all thing about that situation.?

Not only Argentinians, but fans from all over the world. Let's be honest, who can afford to travel, maybe with a whole family, when just to enter the stadium for a group match you have to spend thousands of dollars? If you already live there then ok, maybe it could be worth, but for everybody else unless their income is high, it's a waste of money. I really dislike pretty much everything about this world cup: the prices, the new 48-team format, and also playing in 3 huge countries. For example there are teams that would play the first match on the West Coast, then the second close to the East Coast, and then back to the West Coast again. How ridiculous is that?

[Hispo]

Due to the high prices of tickets in this incoming world cup, it is expected to see a shrinking in the number of Argentinian fans attending to games in which their national team will play.
It seems that regardless of how good Argentina is innterms of football, they do not seem to be able to score a single goal when comes to economics, inflation and making their life more affordable in a general sense.

It would be quite an ironic thing if Argentina was able to get to finals and their fans could not be able to be there for them.

What do you all thing about that situation.?

Not only Argentinians, but fans from all over the world. Let's be honest, who can afford to travel, maybe with a whole family, when just to enter the stadium for a group match you have to spend thousands of dollars? If you already live there then ok, maybe it could be worth, but for everybody else unless their income is high, it's a waste of money. I really dislike pretty much everything about this world cup: the prices, the new 48-team format, and also playing in 3 huge countries. For example there are teams that would play the first match on the West Coast, then the second close to the East Coast, and then back to the West Coast again. How ridiculous is that?

I don't like they decided to host the event in three countries at the same time either, it sounds like a logical hassle to constantly move all those teams, personnel and people back and forth.
It would have been easier if they decided just to host this world cup in one of those north American countries instead, provably Canada or The United States, since there have been much security concern in matter of security and civil safety in Mexico.

Hopefully the FIFA will stop.messing around by the next world cup, so we can have a good experience, like the one we had back in 2014 in Brazil.

I would not even say the Qatar experience as so good as previous world cups from the early 2010's...

[Alex077]

Due to the high prices of tickets in this incoming world cup, it is expected to see a shrinking in the number of Argentinian fans attending to games in which their national team will play.
It seems that regardless of how good Argentina is innterms of football, they do not seem to be able to score a single goal when comes to economics, inflation and making their life more affordable in a general sense.
It would be quite an ironic thing if Argentina was able to get to finals and their fans could not be able to be there for them.
What do you all thing about that situation.?

The thing is really strange,

Although they are one of the best football team in the world. However the economic situation of country is very shaky. People are losing their breath due to inflation. I saw on Google that inflation is still over 30-40% per year. And the value of their currency is going down day by day. Due to this chaotic situation buying ticket abroad or watching game in the gallery is now a luxury for ordinary Argentines

In other words winning  championship on field does not bring much money to everyones pocket. No matter how strong the team is many fans may have to be content with watching the game on TV due to poverty. Maybe some crazy fan may be able to show up at the stadium in some way or another.

[katanic97]

I think Ronaldo could help Roberto Martinez more by coming off the bench and playing when he’s really needed, instead of pushing himself to play every single minute. He’s still a top level player, but he’s obviously not at the same level as before and he’s nowhere near as fast as he used to be.All of that affects the way Portugal plays, but this current squad really does look like a golden generation of players

His experience and mentorship will be more helpful to the squad than him playing in every game. I am not saying that he is not a good player or not in good shape to compete. However the fact still remains that his strength and pace has reduced to a large extent. There are younger players that can perform better than him. But his experience outshines most Portuguese players and he could also be a motivator to young players. 

He’s the one and only captain, and his desire to win the world cup is unreal. I agree that he’ll probably be more useful as a mentor and extra support for the squad. But even if he’s not in his best form anymore, i still think he can give at least 20 solid minutes at the highest level. We’ll see what happens, but either way i’m really happy that both him and Messi will be at the tournament

[Ale88]

Hopefully the FIFA will stop.messing around by the next world cup

Ehm, are you talking about the World Cup that is going to be hosted across six countries and three continents?  The same tournament that will start in South America (Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay) and then move between Europe (Spain and Portugal) and Africa (Morocco)?
And you know what's the craziest thing? That all this mess is just to rotate the continents so they could give the 2034 edition to Saudi Arabia (Asia) otherwise in couldn't have been possible because Asia already had Qatar 2022. This is literally pure corruption in broad daylight.

[Tipstar]

Hopefully the FIFA will stop.messing around by the next world cup

Ehm, are you talking about the World Cup that is going to be hosted across six countries and three continents?  The same tournament that will start in South America (Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay) and then move between Europe (Spain and Portugal) and Africa (Morocco)?
And you know what's the craziest thing? That all this mess is just to rotate the continents so they could give the 2034 edition to Saudi Arabia (Asia) otherwise in couldn't have been possible because Asia already had Qatar 2022. This is literally pure corruption in broad daylight.

This stupidity from FIFA should stop. It's okay for upto 3 small neighboring countries hosting the world cup like in europe as the teams would be moving from one ground to other anyway but hosting games on multiple countries and continents not only would make the organization and managements of games more hectic, the players won't get proper rest and neither would they get accustomed to the grounds.