Matthew Lowson

@leedstrinity graduate. Blades supporter. Sports Fan (Snooker in particular) - Quiz league competitor! A keen quizzer and writer. A qualified snooker ref too!

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@A_Randomnigga @WorldCup26HQ They were tougher prospects than Senegal would be on paper but France were huge favourites going into that World Cup. They'd dispatched Denmark easily at the Euro's two years earlier and Uruguay had qualified for the first time in a while when they reached the 2002 Finals.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@nikicaga Alternative formats could have been:
12 group winners directly qualify for the last 16. The best 8 runners up playoff for the remaining last 16 spots.

The 8 best group winners directly qualify for the last 16 wirh the other 4 winners and the 12 runner-up playing off.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@nikicaga I agree with you. I think it was the right time to expand the World Cup (to either 40 or 48) but I don't think in any tournament it should be more teams advancing than not.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@ibetGlobal Whilst they're capable. History's against them.

1966, 2002, 2010, 2014, 2018 Round 1.
1974*, 1978*, 1982, 1986 Round 2.
1970, 1994, 2006, Quarter-Finals
1990, 1998, 2022, Final

*Round 2 was the last 8, contested in 2 groups of 4 from which the Winners contested the Final.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@A_Randomnigga @WorldCup26HQ There wasn't much thought given about Group A, as really with a debutant with no World Cup pedigree who would have expected the holders to come a cropper against Senegal.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@A_Randomnigga @WorldCup26HQ Group F certainly was. All four had reached the Semi-Finals, Quarter-Finals, or Last 16 of their previous World Cup.

Added onto the fact that by how the draw was arranged, whoever finished second would face the winner of Group A in Round 2.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@talentspotter23 Would be 45 or 47 matches (which wouldn't be that different to the 51 currently used)

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@talentspotter23 Regarding third placed sides qualifying, I dont disagree but there are alternatives to having 32 teams.

If the Euros adopted the format used in the 1982 World Cup, then you wouldn't have situations where third placed sides were qualifying.

Alternatively, you could have a...

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@talentspotter23 ...knockout stage with 10 or 12 teams.

10 teams: The six Group winners qualifying for the Qaf directly with the best 4 runners up playing off for the remaining spots.

12 teams; The best four
Group winners qualifying direct for the QF with the other 8 playing off.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@RobJF24 @TheBookshopMan @RobJF24 do you think you might get called Bert from now on?

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@Soccer_Pharaoh Had three for a win been in play in 1986 and 1990:
1986 - Hungary would have qualified rather than Uruguay.
1990 - No changes as both Austria and Scotland would have had negative GD compared to Netherlands on 3 draws.
- In 1994, the worst third placed side (Italy) had 4 points.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@Soccer_Pharaoh Across 1986, 1990 and 1994, 3 points (or the equivalent back then in 1986 and 1990) would only have qualified for 3 of the 12 spots for third placed sides across all of those World Cups

To qualify (based on 3 for a win)
1986 - 2 points (-2 GD)
1990 - 3 points (0 GD)
1994 - N/A

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@England_Pod The 0-0 draw with Italy which saw them qualify for France 98. - I didn't realise the importance of it until the World Cup got underway the following June.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@FPL_Rockstar @StatBoy_Steven I believe that Argentina also did it in 1978. So that in the 1978 final you had one goalkeeper (Fillol) wearing number 5, and then Jongbloed wearing number 8.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

But if I thought the Scots were sluggish in their opener - then that's nothing compared to the Three Lions. #SimulatedWorldCup

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

Early results from the #SimulatedWorldCup. Points for the hosts as Mexico and Canada both secure draws. The USA achieve a good win over Paraguay and a point for Scotland in their opening game after a goalless draw with Haiti in Boston.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

With a dozen days to go until the 2026 World Cup Kicks Off - I better get cracking with the #2026SimulatedWorldCup

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@loodoftrojan Sending best wishes to you all Kris. Take care.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@RebelWAC86 @MarkOHaire Sweden were runners-up when hosting in 1958.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

@cufcmike Ahead of the last World Cup, I was telling work colleagues who they'd drawn. One colleague said he wanted to watch the 'live draw' - on the Sweepstake Generator website to see his team. I told him he'd got a seed and he was relatively happy.
I don't think Qatar was who he wanted.

[Matthew Lowson @PLtheLegend]

And three seconds after the final whistle went to seal England's World Cup fate - the bell went to start the day at School.

[Sam @SibsMUFC]

Getting into school early in the morning to gather in the assembly hall, watching David Seaman get lobbed by Ronaldinho as England were knocked out by Brazil.

Core memory for many English people of my generation…