2018 FIFA World Cup

[sharkman]

Belgium is stacked...I would add to the names of De Bruyne & Hazard...the name of Dries Mertens....that's 3 attacking players that also double up as playmakers and come back to defend!

Agile is the new buzzword in football and Belgium has several jewels that play that style!

Very rare these days...

On another note, I am clueless as to why Hazard would want out of Chelsea!

 

[sharkman]

Perisic was injured in the semis against England and his status for tomorrow WC final is uncertain!

If Perisic - an attacker - cannot play in the WC final, I can't see how in the world Croatia can depend solely on 32-year old Mandzukic for offense up-front, even with Croatia's a great midfield!

Croatia will certainly miss striker Kalinic for tomorrow's final after sending him home for insubordination!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Sharkman,

The answer to your question is simple. Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus and Real Madrid needs to replace Ronaldo. They are sending love notes to Hazard containing allusions to lots and lots of $$$$$$. This is a sport where love is purchased. Hazard wants some love and Real Madrid is ready to show him some. That’s it basically.

 

[sharkman]

Hazard can get lots of love in Chelsea...new coach coming in...new player signings....team is prepping up for the Champions League Cup.....
...and some of the hottest SPs in the City are in Chelsea!!!!:flame:

 

[jalimon]

Dont you think Mbappé will end up in Madrid?

 

[jalimon]

Haha Sam right I would take Madrid over Chelsea for the girl in a heartbeat!

 

[sharkman]

Anything can happen with Real these days...including the transfer of Ronaldo to Juventus which is now official!...and even Zidane after he quit hinted that major changes were coming!

 

[EagerBeaver]

I was referring to the player’s love for a team- in response to Sharkman’s question. It is most definitely an item that can be purchased. Hazard has $151 million reasons to love Real Madrid.

 

[Meta not Meta]

Dont you think Mbappé will end up in Madrid?

He's a hometown boy and PSG have the resources to say otherwise ....

 

[EagerBeaver]

Apart from salary, the one other “Love” consideration players want to see is relief from taxation. This is one thing I have never understood about professional soccer. A number of very high earning pro soccer players have run afoul of the taxing authorities of the countries where they play. You would think all of these issues are worked out in advance when a contract is signed. Taxes can be withheld by the club, I presume. Yet somehow guys like Ronaldo and Messi and others end up in huge pissing matches with taxing authorities and then leaving in a dramatic huff. I don’t really understand why this only seems to be an issue in professional soccer.

 

[sharkman]

I understand what you were referring to EB...Hazard can also get a dog if he wants more love on top of his $151 million!

 

[Meta not Meta]

Almost exactly twenty years ago today France beat Brazil 3 - 0 to win the 1998 World Cup. Earlier in the semi-final France beat Croatia 2 - 1 (thanks to France's most-capped player, Lillian Thuram, with the only goals he ever scored for France).

But on Sunday I think we'll see a different scoreline:

France 2 Croatia 0

 

[sharkman]

Very good EB...now we're taliking!!!....After-tax net earnings is King!

In the Premier League / England, players' earnings can be taxed either as:

1) individuals (higher tax rate) at source, or
2) corporations (lower tax rate)

 

[EagerBeaver]

I do understand that these European athletes are taxed more highly than their American professional athlete counterparts, but I presume their liability is essentially fixed unless they are allowed to funnel a certain amount of money into an IRA. That’s what I can do and they must be able to do it. Yet I read these stories about soccer players getting $13 million tax bills and I am like, how the hell does something like that happen?????

 

[sharkman]

Why do you think Ronaldo and Messi have tax problems with the Spanish Tax Authorities???

...they have been trying to keep as much top line income as corporations because their tax accountanty have been essentially "cooking the books" for them...
That's called tax avoidance!!!

...and now the British Tax Authorities have many clubs and players on their radar and under investigation as well!

 

[sharkman]

The Italian Serie A league was one of the first to suffer the big crackdown of the tax authorities...that's one of the reasons why many top players bypass or leave the Italian Serie A for other more friendly tax friendly leagues!

That's why I laugh when Ronaldo says he his happy to join Juventus...his primary motivation is because of his tax problems...He must be is such deep shit with the Spanish Tax Authorities that he jwas willing to jump ship to go play in Italy...I wonder how much of his tax bill Juventus is picking up!!!

 

[EagerBeaver]

I am sure CR loves Juventus right now.

Big time- I think he is actually being overpaid, even though he is still performing at a very high level, because he is at his peak now at age 34 and it will all be downhill from here. It's like the Albert Pujols contract in baseball, massive and no way that will end well. Pujols has actually been vastly overpaid for around 4 years now. In Ronaldo's case they may get one season of worthy performance out of him, and from there it's going to be diminishing returns. He could be in Miami as soon as year after next.

 

[sharkman]

Ha! Ha! On an eventual move of Ronaldo to South Beach, I am sure his tax accountant is looking into it with the IRS! :usa2:

 

[EagerBeaver]

Analysis of the Final!

Here is a really good analysis of the championship match tomorrow from CNN with charts and graphs:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

Although many of you have anointed Modric best player of this World Cup, this article actually posits that Kante has been the best central midfielder and player at this World Cup, noting his 5.5 tackles and interceptions per game. The difference is that Kante has been quietly effective and has not been the souped up media glamour boy like Modric.

It's curious that Giroud does not have a goal in the World Cup, but he has played very well.

 

[EagerBeaver]

That article meant to point out the defensive brilliance of Kante, but you are alluding to Modric's offensive vision. It's a potato, patato kind of debate. I am sure all of the hockey players and fans can also talk about defense minded centers who are not given as much credit as they should be given.