They shouldn't really include the 3rd/4th playoff. It shouldn't really even exist. What player from Belgium or England will be remotely interested in it?

i don’t know about players and their feelings (depends i guess), but i’ve seen plenty great 3rd place matches and im not missing this one.

this pairing could have been the final— my money is on belgium (well, imaginary money).

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as for the fantasquad, it allows for 2 dates to switch things around and fewer transfers needed

one can even use max bench boost and have everyone play.

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eta: and back to reality, golden boot chances! lukaku? kane?

For fantasy purposes, the game for 3rd place is a good one.

I'd get make sure of having a goalkeeper for saturday and one for sunday, in case the first one doesn't come back with a clean sheet.
I had forgotten about Trippier captaining my team. I spent the late stages of the semi wishing for Rakitic to score, as I thought I had finally named him as captain.


Croatia winning would be very good considering their tournament.
The French side had a poor start in the group stages. I'd be glad France wins, mind, but, well...


This said, paying attention to the local media, sports journalists keep on regretting the French ain't a nation that responds to football. No real signs of joy everywhere.
I'm not a crowd people so I watched the game in my apartment, not in a pub or wherever.

I've heard a honk here and there, nothing more. I live in the fringes of a 8000 people town.
I have colleagues from the Netherlands who confirm the French can't seem to care less.


Besides "we" have already won one. And lost another one.
Not sure what I'm trying to say.

A workmate of mine is French-Algerian, brought up in Marseille. He was saying within his community football is massive but that generally French people prefer rugby. No idea how true that is.

That could be true around Marseille. Rugby teams are from the southern part of the country, mainly.

People around me either prefer football or dismiss it completely. None really cares about rugby, except for my bro'.
He doesn't like football, considers it too messy.
Regarding Marseille, it is the French football team that has the biggest support (as showed in the Europa League semis when the crowd really did something for the players).
The team I support by going to the stadium twice a season, Rennes, never achieved much, has hardly been on the brink of relegation, I'm always amazed at how boisterous the opponent supporters are (especially when they travel from far away).
I'd like to go to Crystal Palace to see what it's like, or was it Fulham?
Anyway, sausages are great before the game, as 3 foreign teams will discover, since Rennes will play the Europa League. I'll try to catch one of those games to feel the difference.

The French would have minced England in the final, so losing at this stage is a blessing in disguise

yes

you got any predictions for france vs. croatia?

sure france are heavy favorites but i have the hunch (or the false hope?) that croatia could surprise...

Matuidi's fitness is important, but they can just throw world class players in his place if he cant play.

I fancy Griezmann to terrorise Croatias defence in any case.

Kante looks like he's just got off the plane.

Varane has been the most impressive central defender of the tournament

And if all else fails, they have the legend Hugo Lloris

So, in summary, Croatia will win and i will be massively depressed

If Ngolo Kante doesnt get a World Cup winners medal I will cry a bit inside, because he is the man.

see, plenty of competitiveness left for a third place match

belgium going all in per their lineup

england i dont know the new subs

whoever has meunier in their fantasquad is making a mint right now

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right before the goal i was about to post: belgium making kane run all over.

but now things shifted a bit england more forward kane has company

am i dreaming or are england doing a “spain”right now passing the ball around and trying to control possession instead of running running running?

and they seem fairly competent at it too

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at halftime englands attack completely neutralized no matter what they try

and the belgian counters...

England's disappointing, apart from Stones for Lukaku and Loftus-Cheel early on.


And, er, I have Meunier in my fantasquad...

haha you criminal—congrats on your fine choice

rashford in. “more speed” they’re saying. we’ll see...

not sure removing lukaku was the smart play for belgium...

without a forward route belgium too pressured in the back—much more dangerously than before he left

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well. hazard finally

the dembele substitution seems to be working

ofc i had the exiting dude on my fantasquad (3pts)

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fucking fox announcers just talking about tomorrow’s game

someone needs to stuff a rag in their pieholes

SHUT UP MEOLA

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guus hiddink called this precise score. wondering if he gambles.

so, i wonder how much little pulisic regrets having declared for the usa instead of croatia

and if he curses klinsmanns name for having sold him the idea

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

you wonder about Pulisic?? How about Kalinic!!!!!



about my fantasy team: I had picked Stones as a captain yesterday, he scored 0 points. Times two still makes zero points :) Don't know who to pick as captain now for the final so I chose Perisic. I first wanted to pick either Varane or Pavard, but if the Croats do score then they will suffer most points wise. There are six French in my team and only two Croats (him and the goalie)


And I also took out Lukaku, instead of Debruyne amongst others. Paid off well for me at least I think.

hahahaha i was not aware of kalinic’s news but thank you

i captained courtois, who scored 7 -> 14, i will attempt no heroics and keep him there

not sure who to sub in and out. i get the gut feeling that some croatians will get carded and if things don’t go well for them we might be talking reds and anti-points

Belgium is having a party this afternoon on the market square of Brussels