The big Middle East Football - thread

[al-Hasani]

Barcelona lost 4-0 and 3-0. So if you add it up over two matches it is still not 8-0 which is the second worst defeat at World Cup history. Also Iran beat USA in '98 not '94. Anyway you can doubt that Iran will progress to the second round of the World Cup as much as you like, just like I can doubt that Saudi Arabia will never qualify for a World Cup again.

Still KSA resulsts in the AFC and World Cup are better than Iran's. That's a nice, lovely and beautiful FACT.

Well, you will see that we will quality for the World Cup in 2018. For the 5 time. That's a promise.

You qualifying from the group stages in a World Cup for the first time in your history is a whole other matter, LOL.

 

[Resurrection5782]

Just for 3 times 3 (1984, 1988, 1996) championship.Iran has have 3 times championship too.But Awards of S Korea Japan and Iran isnt comparable to sa, check this word "illeterate" dictation too.

 

[1000and1night]

Its a shame that countrys in the meddle east dont come along, Iran that Saudi arabia that. for god sake and we wonder why ME is a big mess

 

[Resurrection5782]

Still KSA resulsts in the AFC and World Cup are better than Iran's. That's a nice, lovely and beautiful FACT.

Well, you will see that we will quality for the World Cup in 2018. For the 5 time. That's a promise.

You qualifying from the group stages in a World Cup for the first time in your history is a whole other matter, LOL.

Like 2006 that u made the most interesting result of World cup Champions.

Germany8 KSA 0

 

[al-Hasani]

That is too funny dude. Did your friend that only you can see tell you this valuable information? You couldn't get past the first round of qualifications for the World Cup with one of the best managers, Frank Rijkaard, in charge. You have no good young players coming through and zero players playing in European leagues.

Anyway since we have a better AFC record and World Cup record we are allowed to have a few barren years. You are the ones that have to catch up not the opposite way.

Also a better Confederations Cup record. A tournament that you have never taken part in.

Actually Rijkaard was useless. Shows how much you know. The current Spanish manager is much better and we already see the results of his work. Qualifcation for the AFC in 2015 is already more or less secured. The team is playing better and better and many talented youngsters are coming up through the ranks.

Eh, is that why KSA in the tournament that we discuss in this very thread (AFC U22) managed to qualify from the group stages unlike Iran?

Anyway good luck trying to qualify from the group stages in a World Cup for the first time in your history. You will need it.

 

[al-Hasani]

You are comparing FCB to KSA?Just LOL. And in every other football club and national team that he has worked for he has been close to useless. Fact.

Anyway that's a lot of false bravado for a person whose national team is historically inferior to KSA when it comes to AFC and World Cup results. And the Confederations Cup.

It's been nearly 40 years since you last won anything, LOL. Better worry about that. Oh, and qualifying from the group stages of the World Cup for the first time of course.

Rijkaard or not KSA is performing much better under the new Spanish manager.

Who cares? We went through and you are out. That's all that matters.

 

[al-Hasani]

Good luck, I hope this U-22 tournament brings you a lot of pride.

Anyway enough with this useless discussion, bye bye.

Actually I do not care that much about this U22 tournament. Yet to watch a single match. KSA's team is amputated and not going to win anyway. Japan or South Korea will win it or maybe UAE or Iraq.

Anyway thanks for the pre-trolling discussion despite the differences we had regarding the importance of a FIFA ranking when it comes to measuring the actual strength of a team.

 

[ResurgentIran]

Anyway since we have a better AFC record and World Cup record we are allowed to have a few barren years. You are the ones that have to catch up not the opposite way.

Also a better Confederations Cup record. A tournament that you have never taken part in.

Actually Rijkaard was useless. Shows how much you know. The current Spanish manager is much better and we already see the results of his work. Qualifcation for the AFC in 2015 is already more or less secured. The team is playing better and better and many talented youngsters are coming up through the ranks.

Eh, is that why KSA in the tournament that we discuss in this very thread (AFC U22) managed to qualify from the group stages unlike Iran?

Anyway good luck trying to qualify from the group stages in a World Cup for the first time in your history. You will need it.

You dont have a better a better Asian Cup record. At least not to the point worhty of mention.
We have won it as many times as you have. Sure you have been to the final two more times (which you lost against Japan and Iraq). But I think that is really cancelled out by the fact that Iran has also won bronze 4 times vs Saudi Arabia 0.
Our Asian Cup record is more or less equal.
And Confederations cup record...really? Useless to talk about that since Confederations cup is a relatively new thing, and didnt exist back when Iran won the tournaments.
KSA really only qualified to one Confed Cup. I dont count the other one, because you hosted it.
I think combined in those two Confed Cups you played in, you registrered one win against Egypt. Otherwise you lost by big margins to the likes of Brazil, Mexico etc (7-0, 5-0 or something), including in the one where you had the home support.
Im not sure I would hang that in the Christmas tree....

You do have a better World Cup record. Iran and Saudi Arabia qualified as many times, but KSA has indeed made it out of the group once, whereas Iran hasnt. 1994 was Saudi Arabia's best team. On the other hand, Iran has not suffered humiliating defeats like 8-0 (which was embarassing for whole of Asia).
But again, I do concede that KSA has a slightly better record there.

Today Iran is a better team than KSA obviously. Our head 2 heard record is also superior.
We are in the World Cup BRAZIL, which is going to be the biggest World Cup of all time. Not just because its taking place Brazil (the beating heart football country of the world), but also because ALL of the previous world cup winners in history are in this World Cup.
Soccer-Sluts, toothpick thongs and Team Melli football samba style baby!!

Oh and about Iran U22 not making it out of the group. Our team was literally patched together in the last week. The Iran U22 team that beat South Korea U22 3-2 a couple weeks ago in a preparation friendly, is not the one that took part this tournament, as the IPL clubs demanded all of the key players back. So Iran U22 missed 17 players from original squad, not to mention our original U22 coach Mansourian resigned in protest. So we got an inept interim coach with a new team that had not played together before.
Actually Im surprised the team still did pretty well, considering the circumstances.

If would be pissed if this tournament was vital, but thankfully its not. It is the next Championship that will serve as Olympic qualifiers.

 

[al-Hasani]

@ResurgentIran

Our Asian Cup record is superior because we have been to more finals and our wins are recent unlike yours. You have not won the AFC in nearly 40 years! Back when you won it 40-50 years ago the competition was much more inferior than when KSA won it (1990's and 2000's). That's clear for all. But a trophy is a trophy and I will not dispute the wins.

Our World Cup is also much superior. The fact that we qualified from the group stages in 1994 as the only country ever from the ME after Turkey is a IMMENSE achievement. Beating European opponents as well in the process.

We also scored one of the best goals in World Cup history in that tournament.

The Confederations Cup is the 3 biggest trophy you can win as an Asian team. The fact that we qualified twice and only lost 3-1 in the final against Argentina in 1992 is a big thing. A Argentina team that just won the Copa América and who 2 years previously lost the World Cup final against Germany!

Lastly we reached number 4 in 1999 and there were 8 teams back then. Not bad.

So if you look at the facts we have a superior AFC and World Cup record until now. Obviously also Confederations Cup record.

But both KSA and Iran are among the giants of Asia together with Japan. There are not really anyone else aside from South Korea than can rival those teams. When it comes to history and trophies won at least. Not current form.

Eh, KSA have been piss poor since we lost the AFC final in 2007. Already said that, LOL. Thanks to Rijkaard. But we are already getting better and better and we are more or less qualified for the Asian Cup in 2015.

Given that the infrastructure in KSA in terms of sports cities and football stadiums is increasing rapidly etc. I am sure that more talents will come up.

If we had a population that was 45 million bigger so it reached the size of Iran we might have been even much better.

Anyway it's far too early to talk about the "best World Cup tournament" before it has even begun. I don't actually think that it will be that great due to the humidity and warm climate. Not many teams like that and football games usually suck in this environment.

 

[ResurgentIran]

@ResurgentIran

Our Asian Cup record is superior because we have been to more finals and our wins are recent unlike yours. You have not won the AFC in nearly 40 years! Back when you won it 40-50 years ago the competition was much more inferior than when KSA won it (1990's and 2000's). That's clear for all. But a trophy is a trophy and I will not dispute the wins.

Our World Cup is also much superior. The fact that we qualified from the group stages in 1994 as the only country ever from the ME after Turkey is a IMMENSE achievement. Beating European teams as well in the process.

We also scored one of the best goals in World Cup history in that tournament.

The Confederations Cup is the 3 biggest trophy you can win as an Asian team. The fact that we qualified twice and only lost 3-1 in the final against Argentina in 1992 is a big thing. A Argentina team that just won the Copa América and who 2 years previously lost the World Cup final against Germany!

Lastly we reached number 4 in 1999 and there were 8 teams back then. Not bad.

So if you look at the facts we have a superior AFC and World Cup record until now. Obviously also Confederations Cup record.

But both KSA and Iran are among the giants of Asia together with Japan. There are not really anyone else aside from South Korea than can rival those teams.

Eh, KSA have been piss poor since we lost the AFC final in 2007. Already said that, LOL. Thanks to Rijkaard. But we are already getting better and better and we are more or less qualified for the Asian Cup in 2015.

Given that the infrastructure in KSA in terms of sports cities and football stadiums is increasing rapidly etc. I am sure that more talents will come up.

If we had a population that was 45 million bigger so it reached the size of Iran we might have been even much better.

I do think KSA has better World Cup record Iran. Thats obvious and I have already conceded to it. If Im not mistaken, KSA has two registrered wins and reached round of 16, where as Iran has one win and not reached it. So "much superior" is a bit of a stretch imo. But Iran still has to advance from group stage to claim a better record than KSA. Until that happens, KSA has better record. No arguments there.

The "Confederations Cups" before 1997 was called King Fahd Cup, which Saudi Arabia hosted and didnt qualify per se for. So I do make a distinction between King Fahd and othr Confederation Cups.
And Confed Cup did not exist when Iran won the Asian Cups, so I think its an unbalanced comparison.

I stand firm on the Asian Cup thing. Maybe two silver medals weigh more than 4 bronze medals, but I dont think so, certainly not my much. I think our record there is more or less equal.

Meh, importance of population size is overstated.
Look at China as an example. Over 1 billion and they dont have nearly the same football pedigree as Iran and KSA.

 

[al-Hasani]

I do think KSA has better World Cup record Iran. Thats obvious and I have already conceded to it. If Im not mistaken, KSA has two registrered wins and reached round of 16, where as Iran has one win and not reached it. So "much superior" is a bit of a stretch imo. But Iran still has to advance from group stage to claim a better record than KSA. Until that happens, KSA has better record. No arguments there.

I stand firm on the Asian Cup thing. Maybe two silver medals weigh more than 4 bronze medals, but I dont think so, certainly not my much. I think our record there is more or less equal.

Meh, importance of population size is overstated.
Look at China as an example. Over 1 billion and they dont have nearly the same football pedigree as Iran and KSA.

Ok, that's good at least, LOL.

Well, it's actually 3 silver medals. All recent.

The 3 KSA wins are also all recent compared to Iran who has not won the AFC for nearly 40 years (!)

One simply has to admit that the level and competition was inferior back then. Many less competitors so if one should analyze each countries wins KSA would win there as well because they were arguably harder. But a win is a win.

Let me give you an example. Italy won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938. But each of those wins are vastly inferior to the World Cup Italy won in 1982 and 2006. Due to the amount of competitors, significantly more teams that played in those last 2 World Cup wins and the level of play in general. BUT on paper they are the same.

Yes, but unlike KSA and Iran China has no interest for football. They accelerate in individual sports not team sports. Look at India too. They are useless when it comes to football despite having 1.2 BILLION people. Because football is not a big sport there. Whole of South Asia are miserable. The best team is Afghanistan and they have not been able to perform internationally for decades due to unrest.

What do you think about this claim I wrote earlier in that post?

"Anyway it's far too early to talk about the "best World Cup tournament" before it has even begun. I don't actually think that it will be that great due to the humidity and warm climate. Not many teams like that and football games usually suck in this environment."

 

[ResurgentIran]

Ok, that's good at least, LOL.

Well, it's actually 3 silver medals. All recent.

The 3 KSA wins are also all recent compared to Iran who has not won the AFC for nearly 40 years (!)

One simply has to admit that the level and competition was inferior back then. Many less competitors so if one should analyze each countries wins KSA would win there as well because they were arguably harder. But a win is a win.

Let me give you an example. Italy won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938. But each of those wins are vastly inferior to the World Cup Italy won in 1982 and 2006. Due to the amount of competitors, significantly more teams that played in those last 2 World Cup wins and the level of play in general. BUT on paper they are the same.

Yes, but unlike KSA and Iran China has no interest for football. They accelerate in individual sports not team sports. Look at India too. They are useless when it comes to football despite having 1.2 BILLION people. Because football is not a big sport there. Whole of South Asia are miserable. The best team is Afghanistan and they have not been able to perform internationally for decades due to unrest.

What do you think about this claim I wrote earlier in that post?

"Anyway it's far too early to talk about the "best World Cup tournament" before it has even begun. I don't actually think that it will be that great due to the humidity and warm climate. Not many teams like that and football games usually suck in this environment."

Yes but football progresess all the time. In 20 years, the level of competition will be even higher because the Levant countries will arguably become much more competetive, and even GCC countries like Qatar and UAE. In fact that has already happened.Oman for example routed KSA in third round of qualification and reached the final round. That doesnt negate KSA's World Cup record bcause it was played in earlier time. So I question the validity of the argument.
Like you said, a win is a win, and not much attention should be paid to the timing, unless you apply it to everything. Iran qualified in 1978, when only ONE country from Asia AND Oceania could qualify to World Cup. But I still dont weigh that qualificaiton higher or less. A record is a record.


As for the weather forecast, I have to check up on it. 1994 Word Cup were in some matches 40 degrees Celsius. I dont think weather will be a spoiler. Look at the 2013 Confed Cup. It was huge success. World Cup is gonna be even bigger and I am convinced it will be the biggest in history.

 

[al-Hasani]

Well, I agree with this but at the same time I will not despute the fact that the level will be probably higher in 20 years time than it is now. So one should have no problem saying that the level of competition was much worse 40 years ago in Asia than it was 20-10 years ago.

Was the 1994 World Cup not pretty boring? Yes it was immensely hot. But not humid from what I am aware of. Brazil is nasty on this front. Due to being located near the equator.

Humidity is the worst thing for any sport. It's a bitch.

 

[1000and1night]

Now S.Korea - Syria match start and in three hours will Jordan - UAE play

 

[1000and1night]

S.Korea-Syria 2-1 and by that S.Korea is the first team to make it to the semi
in 30 min Jordan-UAE match will start