Rival animosity at the World Cup.

[si73]

Noticed Greece and Italy are playing a friendly this evening and were once not friends due to Italy trying to take over there in WW2. Given the expansion of the tournament is there a potentially explosive draw that might come up, with the potential for kick off?

Obviously Israel failing to qualify has massively reduced a lot of issues but Iraq and Iran fought a decade long war in recent living memory.

Both Tunisia and Morocco were (favourably?) colonised by the French but Algeria fought a bloody and violent war of independence with atrocities on both sides. Given the large immigrant/colonist populations in France might this provoke riots like PSG's ECL win if they play each other?

KSA and Iran is also no love lost too.

Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina also had a major spat in the 90s.

During the EC24 there was worries about when Albania and Serbia were playing on the same day/time but the police seemed to be out in force.

 

[Black Cat Gypsy]

Noticed Greece and Italy are playing a friendly this evening and were once not friends due to Italy trying to take over there in WW2. Given the expansion of the tournament is there a potentially explosive draw that might come up, with the potential for kick off?

Obviously Israel failing to qualify has massively reduced a lot of issues but Iraq and Iran fought a decade long war in recent living memory.

Both Tunisia and Morocco were (favourably?) colonised by the French but Algeria fought a bloody and violent war of independence with atrocities on both sides. Given the large immigrant/colonist populations in France might this provoke riots like PSG's ECL win if they play each other?

KSA and Iran is also no love lost too.

Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina also had a major spat in the 90s.

During the EC24 there was worries about when Albania and Serbia were playing on the same day/time but the police seemed to be out in force.

I was looking at an article about this year WC kits. Croatia's away likes eerily like a Yugoslavia shirt from the 90s.

I suppose USA v Iran. Or USA v Canada seeing as Trump wants them to be the 51st state. USA v Mexico over Trump's wall. Basically USA v (insert nation).

 

[forever changes]

Scotland v England
They’ll have their second shirts ready just in case they get knocked out

 

[contrarian]

Some people look forward and try to see positives instead of languishing in the past angry over someone who may have stole a goat from your ancestors à 100 years ago

 

[si73]

Scotland v England
They’ll have their second shirts ready just in case they get knocked out

Who is England's second choice?

 

[Wearside Wanderer II]

Scotland v England
They’ll have their second shirts ready just in case they get knocked out

Obsessed with us

 

[FlashGordon]

I think if the US and Iran both finish second in their groups, they face each other in the knockouts which may be problematic.

 

[Black Cat Gypsy]

Curacao v Netherlands
Haiti v France

Considering Curacao will have of Dutch born players and Haiti have a lot of French born players, they would be interesting match ups.

Off topic, Zinedine Zidane's son is in the Algeria squad. Luca Zidane.

 

[bomber]

Morocco v Algeria

 

[si73]

I was looking at an article about this year WC kits. Croatia's away likes eerily like a Yugoslavia shirt from the 90s.

I suppose USA v Iran. Or USA v Canada seeing as Trump wants them to be the 51st state. USA v Mexico over Trump's wall. Basically USA v (insert nation).

Yeah USA just seem to have pissed off almost everyone (more?) since the orange fruit loop took over.

The swing towards more polarised poilitics too seems to be a thing in a lot of countries just now which obviously won't help.

I'd like to see Iran beat USA, if its even possible for them to face each other, just for the meltdowns and to see Trumpy's reaction.

I think if the US and Iran both finish second in their groups, they face each other in the knockouts which may be problematic.

Or hilarious

Some people look forward and try to see positives instead of languishing in the past angry over someone who may have stole a goat from your ancestors à 100 years ago

And many don't, given the consequences of stealing a family's source of food and income.

Quite a few also have forms of vendetta which require responses to slights/offence.

Curacao v Netherlands
Haiti v France

Considering Curacao will have of Dutch born players and Haiti have a lot of French born players, they would be interesting match ups.

Off topic, Zinedine Zidane's son is in the Algeria squad. Luca Zidane.

GK had a decent game the other night but can't remember who they faced.