Talent levels compared to past generations....

[bobbycass]

Originally Posted by jpamboris

Bale what? Because he said that he will always play for Wales? So what! Do you expect him to say otherwise?
The only players that may prioritise international football over club football are those playing in lower leagues and for smaller nations.

Bale enjoys playing for Wales. That is all. You dont believe him, I do. I get the impression he has more fun at Wales than he does at club level.

[bobbycass]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

He doesn't like anyone that isn't white. That's pretty much the long and the short of it.

If you're black in England, you aren't English, in his mind.

So Grealish and Kane, good immigrants, Sterling and Sancho, bad immigrants. Got it!

Obviously hes a very technical guy.

[Ashrqm]

Originally Posted by bberns

I was watching the 2006 World Cup match between Brazil and France today. Granted, that match was stocked with HOF players, but the quality of play seemed a lot higher.

One of the best, if not the best game of Zidane. Masterclass

[k13]

Originally Posted by bobbycass

Whatever he thinks about immigration, one of the positives it does bring is a better talent pool for sports.

What's he on about? France has gotten worse because go immigration? Is he a mentalist?

France's "success" is way overrated when you look deeper.
Let's look at the last 10 years or so in reality.

2010 WC - Failed to get out of an easy group. Can't even win one game.
2012 Euro - Losses in 1st knock out game to Spain 2-0
2014 WC - Losses in QF to Germany, only beats Nigeria in Knock out round
2016 Euro - Losses to Portugal in Final without Ronaldo can't score again
Along the way beats powerhouses Iceland and Ireland to make Final
2018 WC - Wins World Cup - Never had to play a great team to do it. Everyone so impressed here but they beat Argentina/Uruguay/Belgium/Croatia.....in knock out rounds....wow
2020 Euro - Losses in 1st knock out game to Switzerland

What are we supposed be impressed by here?

Germany is a great example of what happens when you ruin team chemistry.

[k13]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

He doesn't like anyone that isn't white. That's pretty much the long and the short of it.

If you're black in England, you aren't English, in his mind.

I never said I don't like anyone ever.

[YayNJ]

Originally Posted by k13

I never said I don't like anyone ever.

You're too cowardly to be direct.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by k13

2018 WC - Wins World Cup - Never had to play a great team to do it. Everyone so impressed here but they beat Argentina/Uruguay/Belgium/Croatia.....in knock out rounds....wow

What nonsense.....Argentina & Belgium were two of the favorites to win the 2018 WC.

If they weren't great teams, then who were the great teams at WC 2018?

France are one of only two teams in the modern era of the World Cup (along with 2002 Brazil) to win all four of its knockout round matches in 90 minutes.

[gomiamigo]

Why do you even bother to engage?
Click the ignore button.

[jpamboris]

Originally Posted by bobbycass

Bale enjoys playing for Wales. That is all. You dont believe him, I do. I get the impression he has more fun at Wales than he does at club level.

I took that commend from Bale as more of a dig at Real Madrid than anything else.

[bobbycass]

Originally Posted by k13

France's "success" is way overrated when you look deeper.
Let's look at the last 10 years or so in reality.

2010 WC - Failed to get out of an easy group. Can't even win one game.
2012 Euro - Losses in 1st knock out game to Spain 2-0
2014 WC - Losses in QF to Germany, only beats Nigeria in Knock out round
2016 Euro - Losses to Portugal in Final without Ronaldo can't score again
Along the way beats powerhouses Iceland and Ireland to make Final
2018 WC - Wins World Cup - Never had to play a great team to do it. Everyone so impressed here but they beat Argentina/Uruguay/Belgium/Croatia.....in knock out rounds....wow
2020 Euro - Losses in 1st knock out game to Switzerland

What are we supposed be impressed by here?

Germany is a great example of what happens when you ruin team chemistry.

Germany is a great example of what happens when you hang onto a coach too long. Guarantee they will be back to their usual once they bring in a new guy.

Lets look at the realiy of French football since forever.

No world cup wins, barely getting past first round for 50 years and a sort of third place in 1950.

As immigrants start making up a bit of the team they become an actual world class team. Very close to winning it in 82 they do so in 98 and another one 20 years later.

So what the hell are you on about?

Christ almighty. Can you be more picky about data? And even allowing for your pickiness the point youre trying to make fails to be made.

[KMBP10]

Originally Posted by k13

France's "success" is way overrated when you look deeper.
Let's look at the last 10 years or so in reality.

2010 WC - Failed to get out of an easy group. Can't even win one game.
2012 Euro - Losses in 1st knock out game to Spain 2-0
2014 WC - Losses in QF to Germany, only beats Nigeria in Knock out round
2016 Euro - Losses to Portugal in Final without Ronaldo can't score again
Along the way beats powerhouses Iceland and Ireland to make Final
2018 WC - Wins World Cup - Never had to play a great team to do it. Everyone so impressed here but they beat Argentina/Uruguay/Belgium/Croatia.....in knock out rounds....wow
2020 Euro - Losses in 1st knock out game to Switzerland

What are we supposed be impressed by here?

Germany is a great example of what happens when you ruin team chemistry.

That's quite normal since France team is quite young. You never win a competition directly because you have some good young players ...

In 2010 the team were not so good and the alchemy between players and the coach was super bad (Like when Anelka insulted the coach during the competition, then the team refused to practice, etc ....). They also missed Zidane who retired in 2006, they did a bad Euro2008, and yes a bad WC2010.

Then things started to be better since they changed the coach (Deschamps arrived in 2012), found a better alchemy between players, had a better generation, etc ...

Also:
WC1998 : France won
Euro2000: France won
WC2002: Lost 1st round (overconfidence)
Euro2004: Lost during 1/4 against Greece, Greece won the Euro
WC2006: Lost during Finals against Italy, Italy won the WC
Euro2008: Lost 1st round
WC2010: Lost 1st round
Euro2012: Lost during 1/4 against Spain, Spain win the Euro
WC2014: Lost during 1/4 against Germany, Germany won the WC
Euro2016: Lost during Finals against Portugal, Portugal won the Euro
WC2018: Won

It take time to construct a good national team, and their longevity is relatively short. We are not in 1960-70 when a team could reign on the world. Lot of countries are good, football is international and the global level in way better than before.

But now, can you give me some countries who played since a quarter century:
- 3 World Cup Finals (1998, 2006 and 2018) and won 2 Finals,
- 2 Euros Finals (2000 and 2016) and won one (2000)?

The ones i found are:
- Spain: WC2010 + Euro 2008 and 2010 (it is mainly due to a very strong generation which dominated everything over a short period)
- Brazil: WC1994 (so a little more than 1/4 of century), WC2002, Copa America 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019