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

[katanic97]

Last night’s match was nerve wrecking, I didn’t place a bet on the match neither am I Portuguese but I was so invested in the match because it would be heartbreaking to see Ronaldo lose his last World Cup like this but then again I’m also a big fan of Modric. Croatia were incredible on the pitch, some fans may argue that they were robbed but I think they were just unlucky not to win the match.

I can say Portugal got away with it this time. It was a great match, but i've never seen a team as unlucky as Croatia was last night. It would have been fairer if the game had gone to extra time and the winner had been decided that way. I'm not sure how Portugal will cope against a strong Spain side. So far, the Portuguese players haven't really convinced me with their desire, intensity, and fighting spirit

[Shadiq]

Despite believing that anything can happen in football, I would never have expected that Cabo Verde would defeat Argentina in this match. The highest they can achieve is a full time draw, but even that would be difficult for Cabo Verde, even if they defend throughout the match.One thing I also believe is that Argentina may have observed the defensive tactics that Cabo Verde have been using in this World Cup tournament. Because of that, Argentina should be able to find a solution against them.Cabo Verde were just lucky to draw against Spain. If they were to meet Spain again now, Spain would likely find a way to beat Cabo Verde. In fact, no team can remain so defensive when facing a side with a strong attack. The constant pressure from such a team will eventually lead to a goal.

Argentina's main strength is to create great plans against the opposing team. Argentina can create plans to fight against all the teams in the world, they can make the opponent's strategies useless. Breaking through strong defenses is not difficult for Argentina. In the last World Cup, we saw them break through defenses and score goals against strong teams like Netherlands, Poland, Croatia and France. To win against Argentina or to perform relatively well, you must have an offensive strategy as well as a defensive strategy. Although Cabo Verde is relatively strong in defense, it is very weak in attack. Argentina is going to win this match very easily, the result may be 3-0 in favor of Argentina.

[Just Say]

Spain has always been one of the best teams in this tournament, the World Cup could really be won by them, but by winning the match against Austria they will meet Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, which strikes me as a truly formidable team that is not afraid of anyone and is clearly strong.

Who knows, Spain are also a tough side in the tournament, and they will face Portugal in the round of 16, obviously Spain are the bigger side, and my bet is on Spain to qualify for the quarter final, Portugal despite their victory against Croatia isn't convincing enough for me to take them as the favorites.

Obviously Spain is a tough team in this tournament but I think that Spain will be the favorite to win the Round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup,Because every player in the Spain squad is playing with great rhythm. However we noted that Portugal won the UEFA Nations League last season by playing against Spain, accordingly, the Portugal team may be a little confident but we still think Portugal will face a tough challenge in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 because Spain is the champion of Group H in this World Cup and were able to win by a large margin against Austria in the knockout stage match today.

[Queen uloma]

Portugal was lucky to win their match yesterday. Croatia played very well if not that they cancel some of their goals. They would’ve won the match.  Portugal need to step up if they want to win the World Cup this year because they are not performing as everyone was expecting them to perform when the World Cup started They have world class players, but they are not playing as word class players. They are playing as average players Portugal need to step up because their  win yesterday was just a lucky win.
Croatia did everything they could to make sure that they win the match they put on their best, and their best was not enough.

[HelliumZ]

Portugal was lucky to win their match yesterday. Croatia played very well if not that they cancel some of their goals. They would’ve won the match.  Portugal need to step up if they want to win the World Cup this year because they are not performing as everyone was expecting them to perform when the World Cup started They have world class players, but they are not playing as word class players. They are playing as average players Portugal need to step up because their  win yesterday was just a lucky win.
Croatia did everything they could to make sure that they win the match they put on their best, and their best was not enough.

Today's match will be called lucky for Portugal because Portugal conceded a goal early on and every member of the team was under a lot of stress. Cristiano Ronaldo could not play at his best, in that case I will definitely blame the balance of the team, especially if you cannot support Ronaldo, then Ronaldo will not be able to give his best. However, in the case of Croatia, it was seen that Croatia performed better than Portugal but unfortunately they missed many goals. They almost came close to equalizing dramatically towards the end but the goal was disallowed due to offside and Croatia was eliminated from this year's World Cup.

[Lillominato89]

The last three matches of the Round of 32 will be played, and the line-up for the Round of 16 will be finalised.
Australia v Egypt
Argentina v Cape Verde
Colombia v Ghana

I’m planning to bet on Egypt, Argentina and Colombia to win.
What do you think?
I think it’s very feasible

[Arenga pinnata]

Portugal won but i would have imagined that they would have done much more than they did, but it is still incredible to see how Cristiano Ronaldo is still playing so well, at this level, he is truly so consistent that at his age no one imagines it and instead he is always there to demonstrate his level.

Throughout the match, Portugal continued to dominate possession and constantly tried to build attacks. but to be honest, the Portuguese team lacked the courage to attempt long-range shots; I would have preferred to see them launch quick counterattacks. The slow pace of the game they displayed was clearly a weakness for the Portuguese team. Croatia managed to capitalize on this and nearly forced a draw, which would have sent the match into extra time.

I feel that Portugal’s style of play wasn’t exciting enough. and I hope this team can regain its aggressiveness in building attacks. because I doubt they can advance much further if they keep playing that way.

Cristiano Ronaldo is still as good as ever. The fact that he’s still playing at age 41 is extraordinary in itself. so, even though he’s no longer able to play at a fast pace, he still has a strong mentality and can handle the pressure.

[9ja Amaka]

Portugal was lucky to win their match yesterday. Croatia played very well if not that they cancel some of their goals. They would’ve won the match.  Portugal need to step up if they want to win the World Cup this year because they are not performing as everyone was expecting them to perform when the World Cup started They have world class players, but they are not playing as word class players. They are playing as average players Portugal need to step up because their  win yesterday was just a lucky win.
Croatia did everything they could to make sure that they win the match they put on their best, and their best was not enough.

I really think that Croatia were unlucky to lose the match yesterday,  they really played well and deserve to win. I also think that the last goal that was disallowed was a wrong call, because I think it's a clear goal.
Portugal on the other hand has not been impressive in the world cup, they have just been lucky to get to this stage. I really think they need to improve if they want to go far in this competition.

[jakdanyel]

This World Cup has been full of late winners so far... We have seen so many matches with a dramatic ending in regular time and extra time both. Tielemans' goal is even the latest in history of World Cup playoffs if I'm not wrong.  

This Australia - Egypt match today is also a candidate for such ending I think. Even though Salah's team is favourite here I still don't see it very clear for them. Australia would defend well I believe and I'm expecting a close score at the end.

[wozzek23]

Just a few minutes left at the start of the 14th game of the round of 32, with both teams from Asia and Africa going to entertain until now. No Asian team had a spot in the round of 16, while Morocco secured a spot, and now Egypt can make this two for Africa, which is having good performance in this event, but sadly is not able to keep their momentum in the knockout round.

Both teams are having a good level of quality and performance, with both also doing a good job. Australia did a good job when they outclassed Turkey in the first game. Egypt is undefeated in this event with 2 draws and 1 win. For this game, Egypt is slightly favoured, but this match can end in a draw.

[Alonso_]

Last night’s match was nerve wrecking, I didn’t place a bet on the match neither am I Portuguese but I was so invested in the match because it would be heartbreaking to see Ronaldo lose his last World Cup like this but then again I’m also a big fan of Modric. Croatia were incredible on the pitch, some fans may argue that they were robbed but I think they were just unlucky not to win the match.

I can say Portugal got away with it this time. It was a great match, but i've never seen a team as unlucky as Croatia was last night. It would have been fairer if the game had gone to extra time and the winner had been decided that way. I'm not sure how Portugal will cope against a strong Spain side. So far, the Portuguese players haven't really convinced me with their desire, intensity, and fighting spirit

Football comes with different things entirely, Ronaldo and Portugal have been very very lucky in this World Cup competition, and I don’t see anything that Christiano Ronaldo is playing at the World Cup, Croatia had an unlucky night, I was never in doubt of their performance but Portugal was more lucky in the game.

Next game is Spain vs Portugal it’s obviously a strong game, and we would see how it’s going to play in that game, and also see how Ronaldo is going to perform in games, Spain is stronger than Portugal, but Portugal is a very lucky team, so anything can happen, I can’t be totally sure about anything.

[yudi09]

The last three matches of the Round of 32 will be played, and the line-up for the Round of 16 will be finalised.
Australia v Egypt
Argentina v Cape Verde
Colombia v Ghana

I’m planning to bet on Egypt, Argentina and Colombia to win.
What do you think?
I think it’s very feasible

My picks for the three remaining Round of 32 matches are Australia, Argentina, and Ghana.
Australia will be the Asian team to advance to the Round of 16. Egypt is strong, but in this match, their fate won’t be the same as when they defeated Iran—a victory that sparked some controversy.

Cape Verde won’t give Argentina any trouble unless they play a purely defensive game. That’s unlikely to happen.
Ghana will be a different story in this match, even though Colombia is a reliable team.
That’s what I think.

[ArabBTC]

Portugal was lucky to win their match yesterday. Croatia played very well if not that they cancel some of their goals. They would’ve won the match.  Portugal need to step up if they want to win the World Cup this year because they are not performing as everyone was expecting them to perform when the World Cup started They have world class players, but they are not playing as word class players. They are playing as average players Portugal need to step up because their  win yesterday was just a lucky win.
Croatia did everything they could to make sure that they win the match they put on their best, and their best was not enough.

I really think that Croatia were unlucky to lose the match yesterday,  they really played well and deserve to win. I also think that the last goal that was disallowed was a wrong call, because I think it's a clear goal.
Portugal on the other hand has not been impressive in the world cup, they have just been lucky to get to this stage. I really think they need to improve if they want to go far in this competition.

Yea Croatia played well in yesterday game against Portugal but winning requires a lot of consistency of which the Croatia team lacked, this World Cup has really showed the defensive lapses of most teams, i can’t be a coach with an early goal lead and lose that match, most teams that are qualifying for the next round is coming from behind and this is what most coaches should really look into in the next stages.

Another key observation i noted from yesterday Croatia vs Portugal game was the fact that the referee didn’t keep to time, the goal that was cancelled by VAR that created so much tension wasn’t even supposed to happen if the referee was time cautious, sincerely FIFA should fine some of this referees because their negligence can cost certain teams not to qualify and create unnecessary tension in the World Cup.

[Balmain]

Croatia scored a last-minute goal, giving them renewed hope, but unfortunately, they didn't have enough time. Modric, at 41 years old, clearly showed his current level by playing the full 100 minutes. Portugal advanced to the next round they have a much stronger squad and did what was expected, eliminating Croatia. Ronaldo hugging Modric at the end of the match moved everyone. The Portugal-Spain match will be even more exciting. It seems difficult for Portugal to beat Spain.

[BitcoinHunt3r]

The last three matches of the Round of 32 will be played, and the line-up for the Round of 16 will be finalised.
Australia v Egypt
Argentina v Cape Verde
Colombia v Ghana

I’m planning to bet on Egypt, Argentina and Colombia to win.
What do you think?
I think it’s very feasible

Of your 3 predictions I am a bit doubtful about Egypt because I think both teams have the same chance so we can't rely on any one of them, there is a possibility that both teams will draw and the match will go to a penalty shootout, if it is true that it is through penalties then I agree Egypt has a chance to qualify, IMO. For Colombia and Argentina I think that's a safe option, the chance of winning is also higher yeah not bad for parlay bet. By the way I'm curious about Argentina I mean, I want to see how many goals Argentina will score because so far Cape Verde defense line looks quite solid. From the last 3 matches Argentina has scored 8 goals so can they score 2-3 more goals?

[Joeboy]

I can say Portugal got away with it this time. It was a great match, but i've never seen a team as unlucky as Croatia was last night. It would have been fairer if the game had gone to extra time and the winner had been decided that way. I'm not sure how Portugal will cope against a strong Spain side. So far, the Portuguese players haven't really convinced me with their desire, intensity, and fighting spirit

The first half, Portugal was in control of the pitch but the problem they had was their inability to convert their chances into goals .. Assuming those missed opportunities were converted to goals, it would have been like 4 to 5 goals for Portugal... What majorly disrupted Portugal was that 4 men substitute that was done by Roberto Martinez...
Well I don't see Spain being much of a problem for Portugal since Spain gameplay is already known to Portugal.. Last Nation League Portugal defeated Spain though it was in Pk shootout, but regardless of that it still shows that Portugal may be more likely to have dominance in the game..

[GIF-JOBS]

Portugal was lucky to win their match yesterday. Croatia played very well if not that they cancel some of their goals. They would’ve won the match.  Portugal need to step up if they want to win the World Cup this year because they are not performing as everyone was expecting them to perform when the World Cup started They have world class players, but they are not playing as word class players. They are playing as average players Portugal need to step up because their  win yesterday was just a lucky win.
Croatia did everything they could to make sure that they win the match they put on their best, and their best was not enough.

That's right, Croatia performed very well, and Croatia deserved to win this match, but Croatia lost only to fate. Honestly, I feel very sorry for them, they lost to fate after trying so hard, and it's very difficult for Croatia fans to accept. Anyway, Portugal is now in the round of 16, now they should do better in the next match, Portugal definitely has to do better in the next match, because in the next match they will face a bigger superpower, which is Spain, in the case of Portugal, it is very difficult to survive against Spain, Spain is a much stronger team than Portugal, So I don't see much chance for Portugal here, although nothing is certain.

[Mame89]

Last night’s match was nerve wrecking, I didn’t place a bet on the match neither am I Portuguese but I was so invested in the match because it would be heartbreaking to see Ronaldo lose his last World Cup like this but then again I’m also a big fan of Modric. Croatia were incredible on the pitch, some fans may argue that they were robbed but I think they were just unlucky not to win the match.

I can say Portugal got away with it this time. It was a great match, but i've never seen a team as unlucky as Croatia was last night. It would have been fairer if the game had gone to extra time and the winner had been decided that way. I'm not sure how Portugal will cope against a strong Spain side. So far, the Portuguese players haven't really convinced me with their desire, intensity, and fighting spirit

It could be said that this was a world class match. The sportsmanship was extraordinary and Croatia accepted defeat, despite having several goals disallowed, even though it was a crucial match for the next step. While Croatia goal in the final minutes was controversial, considering FIFA rules on offside and onside, it was clearly offside. Portugal was incredibly fortunate in this match.

For me, this match was a dramatic clash between two legends. It was a truly crazy match I can't imagine the emotions of the fans especially Croatian ones. They took the lead (happy), equalized (okay), then conceded again (sad), and scored in the 102nd minute (so happy), but when VAR checked, it wasn't a goal, this certainly left Croatian fans deeply disappointed and saddened.

Yes, if Portugal continues to play like this, it will be a tough match against Spain. Martinez needs to improve significantly in the next match, be quicker with the ball, and develop more combinations in the opposing defense. The Spanish team won't be easy, especially as they haven't conceded a goal and have a more organized game.

[LFC_Bitcoin]

Australia 0-1 Egypt after 15 minutes. I am fully rooting for Mo Salah to send Egypt to the last 16

Argentina vs Cape Verde later, you would expect Argentina to win that comfortably.

Colombia vs Ghana might be closer but I think the South American’s take it.

[HustleZ]

Last night’s match was nerve wrecking, I didn’t place a bet on the match neither am I Portuguese but I was so invested in the match because it would be heartbreaking to see Ronaldo lose his last World Cup like this but then again I’m also a big fan of Modric. Croatia were incredible on the pitch, some fans may argue that they were robbed but I think they were just unlucky not to win the match.

The match was probaly one of the best matches i have watched, i was on my toes the whole game. The first half went without scoring but the second half was just fabulous. Some people would have been surely left disappointed but still a great game to see. Though i am only confused by how Ronaldo got the Man of the Match because his contribution was nothing, imo leao should’ve got it cause he gave it his all.