World Cup 2026 - Official Thread

And its over to the bird in the kitchen for an update on her noughts and crosses marathon.

I thought that was the test card.

A brilliant counter attack goal, just as 'the momentum' looked to be with Croatia.
Whilst the subs suggested retaining an eye on attack I wasn't quite expecting that.

This has been a far from convincing performance, but it's better than the tentative anticlimactic dross we often start tournaments with and against a team who I think it's fair to say are not going to win this but are better than Cape Verde.

So is Ando the first Forest player to play for England in a World Cup since Sir Desmond in 1990?

Think he’s the first in a squad since 1990: so must be.

Sir Stuart as well.

Has a Forest player ever scored for England in a World Cup?

I don't think so. I think Tricky Trev scored a couple in Spain 82, but was a Man Citeh player by then.
Tbh, I'm struggling to think of many Forest players of any nationality who have scored at a World Cup.
Archie in 78, Robbo in 82.
Bryan Roy scored at USA 1994, but I'm not sure if he signed before or after the tournament - it was certainly before he'd played a game for Forest.

Famously.. but he didn’t play in the 3rd place play-off.

I was watching with a good work friend who is Croatian, when they came on he turned to me and said "we're fucked now". Just as in the last friendly, they looked next level when they came on - I can't tell if it's because the opposition were tired (especially against a fairly geriatric Croatia) or if they're just better. I do think though that Tuchel, even trying to put aside my innate bias, is not a very good manager at the level we need as a legitimate contender. I worry how we're going to look when we go behind.

Anderson was excellent. Again. He just goes up another level and looks like he's been playing there his entire life. Special talent.

I'm going to really miss him in a Forest shirt.

And the retaken-penalty rule around stutter runs is ridiculous. A spot kick is already heavily stacked in the kicker's favour without making it harder for the goalkeeper.

If Kane, or anyone else, fucks it up by deliberately trying to dupe the keeper into diving one way early, then tough shit if it goes wrong. What's the goalkeeper supposed to do if the attacker suddenly checks his run as he's about the strike the ball?

I think the encroachment offence was actually the defender running into the box too early. Since he was the one who got to the saved ball first and headed it out for a corner it had to be retaken.

I get it.. but he’s not supposed to move off his line until the ball is struck. You surely can’t say ‘except if the shooter does a stutter’ because that’s basically unenforceable.. and you can’t just scrap the rule.

We get it Dave. You are a Bayern fan and know all about TT’s tactical genius (or otherwise).

It’s a bit like all of us professing to know Sabri Lamochi’s next move with Tunisia. Oh!