**The World Cup 2018 Official Thread**

[Spiritual Stratocaster]

i got money on Mexico to win... but Korea has to score



i cant believe yall in the states still cant bet on sports... how do y'all get invested in boring sports like baseball and horse racing without betting apps?!

It's legalized...most states are getting the ball rolling

Deleware has it in place already.

 

[Bucciarati Joestar]

My dumbass still thinks South Korea has a good chance of making it...I'm only doing this for my boy Son

 

[Trajan]

Xhaka and Shaqiri:

This one is for Kosovo
From Albania with love

the double albanian eagle disrespect





Balkan fukkery

translation: Serbia I broke your net, else they wouldn't call me Granit Kosova

These Albanian Swiss finna cause World War 3

Talk that shyt Xhaka, talk that shyt

'Double eagle' celebration provokes Serbs

Serbia has hit out at a "provocative" double eagle celebration by two ethnic Albanian goalscorers in the World Cup.

Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri scored for Switzerland who beat Serbia 2-1.

Their gesture is a nationalist symbol representing the double headed eagle on Albania's national flag. Critics say it could inflame tensions among Serbian nationalists and ethnic Albanians.

Albanian leaders applauded the pair. A pro-government Serbian newspaper said they had "humiliated" Switzerland.

The celebration has brought political tensions in the Balkans on to the World Cup stage.

BBC Monitoring reports that in Serbia, pro-government newspaper Informer used a derogatory term for Albanians, saying "the Albanian clan within 'clockmakers' team was sending poisoned arrows weeks before, so the match couldn't pass without a provocation".

Some Swiss papers also called the gesture a provocation betraying a lack of political sensitivity.

Both players had earlier been booed by Serbian fans during the match.

Xhaka's father spent three-and-a-half years as a political prisoner in Yugoslavia for his support for Kosovan independence. Shaqiri was born in Kosovo and his family fled to Switzerland as refugees.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence in 2008 but Serbia, its ally Russia and most ethnic Serbs inside Kosovo do not recognise it.

There had already been some tension between the Serbian and ethnic Albanian Swiss players before the game.

Ethnic Albanians celebrate Shaqiri's winner in the Kosovan capital Pristina


Shaqiri wears boots displaying the Swiss flag on one heel and the Kosovan flag on the other - but Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic asked: "If he loves Kosovo so much and decides to flaunt the flag, why did he refuse a chance to play for their team?"

The Switzerland attacker was then roundly booed by Serbs when his name was announced.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said he was "proud" of the players, adding: "Kosovo loves you".



Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama shared the picture on his Facebook page:




'Double eagle' celebration provokes Serbs


Goddamn. Albanians scoring two goals (one close to stoppage time) to beat Serbia in the WC...then letting the Birds fly high on Serb fans to rub in the ether

 

[Trajan]

Fifa investigates Switzerland duo over goal celebrations

Football's world governing body has opened an investigation into Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri's goal celebrations during Switzerland's World Cup victory over Serbia.

Both players are ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, where a Serbian crackdown on the Albanian population only ended with Nato military intervention in 1999.

They appeared to make an eagle gesture as they celebrated in a symbol of the two-headed eagle on the Albanian flag.

Both players were booed by Serbia fans.

In a statement, Fifa said its disciplinary committee had opened proceedings against Xhaka and Shaqiri, adding: "In relation to the same match, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Serbian FA for crowd disturbance and the display of political and offensive messages by Serbian fans.

"Furthermore, a preliminary investigation has been opened against the coach of the Serbian national team, Mladen Krstajic, for alleged statements made in the aftermath of the said match."

It is unclear what the investigation into Krstajic refers to, but in comments to Serbian reporters on Saturday, he said of match referee Felix Brych: "I wouldn't give him either a yellow or red card, I would send him to The Hague. Then they could put him on trial, like they did to us."


World Cup 2018: Fifa investigates Switzerland duo over goal celebrations

 

[WavyHair ChippedTeeth]

#6 #8 #10 at highest level consistently. Always been a fan (I love midfielders) but I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t think he had those clutch moments in him.

Salute to Toni.

 

[PoorAndDangerous]

so much fukking flopping

 

[PYRRHUS 88]

My dumbass still thinks South Korea has a good chance of making it...I'm only doing this for my boy Son

My dumbass bought *too many* shares in Lee Jae-sung on Football Index after hearing KNT fans gassing him up on a podcast

I got like 1000 Lee Seung-woo too and the coach won't even start him


Korea hurting my profits man.

 

[Dat Migo]

I think that late goal Mexico allowed will bite them in the ass

 

[Dushane Hill]

Dont watch futbol but i Just happened to catch that last 10 mins. Wow. Sweden should commit that, especially dude who caused thar stupid penalty at the end

 

[mbewane]

Haven't been online but had to salute my Diables Rouges

Not feeling overconfident though, we still wasting way too many opportunities and defense still looks shaky. But I'll take these two wins

 

[Bucciarati Joestar]

My dumbass bought *too many* shares in Lee Jae-sung on Football Index after hearing KNT fans gassing him up on a podcast

I got like 1000 Lee Seung-woo too and the coach won't even start him


Korea hurting my profits man.

Football index? shyt I never knew that existed. How much are ppl investing?


Lmao 1000 on seungwoo? He ain't doing shyt..... Can't rely on these Koreans.... Place ur bet on Koo ja cheol but then again he wasn't playing today.

 

[Spades Of Aces]

I think that late goal Mexico allowed will bite them in the ass

That is highly possible! I was just looking at all the scenarios for qualifications in Group F. Just beyond insane! The safest way for Mexico is to win or draw. They can’t afford to lose the next game as there is no room for error due to multiple scenarios.

 

[PoorAndDangerous]

lukaku black excellence

 

[Sensitive Christian Grey]

If Germany go through (likely) I hope Spain knocks them out. They got the talent, and I like this trend of the trophy being unretainable

 

[Torrential]

that germany goal in stoppage time