Did a spot on Cole Hedlund impersonation this morning. Meanwhile the supposedly over the hill Cristiano Ronaldo was stunningly fantabulous in Portugal’s opener with France’.
Well, to be fair, Messi didn’t miss the net. Iceland’s GK made a tremendous save. You see some PKs that look like a Tarvaris Jackson pass – way over the target.
I’m rooting for Iceland, by the way. Entire nation has fewer people than Pulaski County, yet they (a) make the World Cup and (b) get a result against Argentina in their opener.
Well as you can probably tell, I did not see the match. Now I know what really happened. I just saw the blurb on the net that said “Messi blows PK”. I just assumed the Iceland coach called timeout and iced him. 
Pardon the pun. I’m not sure a keeper on the planet could have stopped Ronaldo yesterday though. Round 1 to Cristiano. As for a favorite, I haven’t decided on one yet. From those cutesy commercials where World Cup fans court Americans to adopt their sides, I have to say that the Brazillean hottie makes the strongest argument. The reason however, has nothing to do with soccer/futbol.
This was just match 1 for both. Long way to go before we know who has the better World Cup.
However, Lionel is a different player when he suits out for Argentina. He plays tight with the weight of the whole nation on his shoulders. When he plays for Barcelona, he is a lot more relaxed and freewheeling. He just does not make the kind of runs down the field that he makes for Barca. Being tight can freeze your feet.
Messi needs to really win the WC to make Argentinos like him. They have not been happy with him ever since he left for Spain at an early age.
BTW, Messi is just two years younger than Cristiano and where did you hear that Ronaldo was over the hill? He has been lighting it up for Real Madrid. Also, Portugal’s opener was against Spain.
I did not say that he was over the hill. I said that some have said that he is over the hill or at least that his best days are behind him. I’m a huge fan of both. Very different players, but both are greatness X 10. Yes we are just getting started, but I find the Ronaldo/Messi sub plot to be every bit as interesting as the battle for the Cup itself.
neither is over the hill, Messi has less fitting cast with him than does Ronaldo. Plenty of Euro stars on Portugal. Tight for sure and just like the VW commercial those Argentinians are passionate… The VW commercials are funny and they have me torn between Iceland and Brazil for favored spokeswoman… Which will be the GOAT and which will be the BLOAT for the younger generation is at stake??? Ronaldo just accepted a plea for his tax fraud in Spain and is potentially facing 21 months in prison. No distraction. Messi is so much better than his surrounding team that it hard to find a way to make a team out of the Argentinian choices, agree with Herman Crespo on that point.
A player of Messi’s skill should probably score at least 8 out of 10 times on PKs. Some would say 10 out of 10 but we’ve learned from shootouts that very rarely does everyone in a shootout for either team score. Messi has had more problems than he should, both for Argentina and for Barcelona. I don’t know if that’s nerves or that he is too predictable or what. Certainly the Icelandic GK guessed correctly today.
Ronaldo got the suspended jail term and has to pay back $16m. No sweat.
Do you really think Portugal has more star power than Argentina? I don’t know. Granted some of Argentina stars are aging.
Renaldo won me some money yesterday. Messi cost me some today. But having watched both game. Renaldo reminds me of James Harden. He plays a lot of Olé defense. Very good offensively, but if you attack Portugal, he will fail to help. Watching Messi reminded me of watching Cleveland. Everyone stands around watching and will try to force the ball to him, even if four guys are around him. It sure looked like Renaldo had the better supporting cast. Now, Neymar is the guy I think will supplant both guys. He plays tomorrow night. By the way, his team (Brasil) is the favorite. And he does have a better supporting cast.