Habib Msallem

Comms guy. Follow on LinkedIn for useful work stuff. This place is just for occasional commentary on football, culture, politics, & the demise of the UK

[Mike Bird @Birdyword]

I feel so silly now having whined about 48 being "too many teams," staring at a completely empty world cup timetable for Wednesday. You don't miss the water 'til the well runs dry.

[LM10 Brasil @MessiLeoBrasil_]

🎙️🇧🇷 A lenda do Brasil, Rivaldo mijando cara da seleção brasileira via Instagram:

"Que espírito de luta, que vontade de vencer, que batalha e dedicação de todos! É exatamente isso que o torcedor espera do seu time na Copa do Mundo.

Quanto a falar de Leo Messi, nem é preciso dizer. Que jogador! Aos 39 anos, disputando a sexta Copa do Mundo de sua carreira, ele ainda demonstra a mesma paixão pela camisa da Argentina; ele comemora, luta, chora e, mais uma vez, é o jogador decisivo.

Sou brasileiro, amo meu país e sempre torcerei pela Seleção Brasileira. A rivalidade faz parte do futebol, mas também sei apreciar e admirar quando vejo uma grande partida e um time que entrega tudo em campo.

Jogos como esses valorizam o futebol e são dignos de uma Copa do Mundo. Parabéns à Argentina pela classificação."

[Sean @shornKOOMINS]

I'm old enough to have seen Maradona but at this point anyone saying Maradona is just trying to be edgy or a hipster or something. He was the best player in the world for 3-4 years. Messi has been that for 20 fucking years ffs. It's not close.

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

Most telegraphed block ever and Marmoush didn’t have the nous to meg him or lift the ball higher. The fact he took the ball out of Salah’s stride as well, Salah more likely would have pulled it off

[virtual 🇦🇷 @18aralik2022]

arjantin kupayı alırsa bi 4 yıl da bu müdahaleyi konuşuruz inanılmaz bir şey aq

[Jed 🇬🇧 @TigersJUK]

If you wait until high school to start playing football you’re already never making it.

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

The fact he almost scored a free kick from 30 yards out soon after as well

[Jaack @Jaack]

Messi being shit at penalties is like the world’s best chef not being able make a ham sandwich.

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

@tomTL1984 Many now aren’t either. Neymar, Casemiro, Rodrygo, Bruno Guimarães etc… many humble beginnings but not favelas as Europeans imagine them to be. OP point is bollocks though. Plenty of poor kids still play plenty of football in Brazil. That’s not the reason

[Annie Eaves @AnnieEaves]

Must have watched this 100 times. It’s oddly the friendliest video you could see.

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

@BenjaminFogel @BeecherP Meh, he really wasn’t. Two goals against Hungary, one against wales. Largely ghosted

[Nuel @LfcNuel]

Salah is disappointed that the referee keeps helping Messi and Argentina. Salah was through on goal and the referee blew a foul against Egypt for Parades failing to get the ball.
Truly Pathetic.

[Stan's Account @tristandross]

dragged an incredibly talented portugal side out by his zimmer frame in a pathetic, monomaniacal attempt to match the world cup winner messi, then feigns he doesn't care and thinks the trophy is actually small time. 42 years old. a truly poetic hatewatch

[Yoghurt @TheChelseaTalk]

This is why he cant fucking score, why the hell does he know who Langston Hughes is, do you know the face Emam Ashour would make at you if you said Langston Hughes

[Rob Harris @RobHarris]

Egypt disallowed goal:
It's allowed under VAR rules but tech in football was never meant for that - to wind back the play so long to review a softer tackle at the other end of the pitch not directly in the final phase of the counterattack. A tackle seen at the time by the ref

[Melissa Reddy @MelissaReddy_]

An absolute farce. And if you’ve been paying attention, an intervention that would have never come had the goal been scored by Argentina.

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

Well, that was a robbery

[Dale Johnson @DaleJohnsonBBC]

Egypt's disallowed goal was completely against how this tournament has been refereed.

You can't have a light touch where you don't give fouls for minimal contact and then rule out a goal through VAR for a very minimal hold of the shirt.

#ARGEGY

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

@IshmaelRJohnson What’s worse is how Americans act like their height and size is the biggest in the world. Average height way below Belgium and lots of European nations. Lots of NFL players coming out of west Africa and Polynesia and they’re not even trying lol

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

@Alonso_GD Brazil has like 1 certified superstar right now. The teams of the past had many. There are probably structural reasons for this that many are talking about - not prioritising creative profiles etc. They didn’t even bother to take Coutinho in 2014

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

@Alonso_GD Meh, somewhat agree but Vini is not a 10. He’s not technical enough. Brazil are suffering because teams are more organised and they lack the plethora of attacking talent they’ve had. Ronaldinho would have struggled without Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Cafu, R Carlos, Kaka etc around him

[Habib Msallem @habwrites]

Underrated effect of the global football monoculture: South American and Southern Europeans discovering other countries have learnt to play dirty. Spain out next and we’re laughing