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Debate: Has Russia 2018 been a quality World Cup?

by
Mark Froggatt
Friday 06 July 2018 09:15

A fiery debate was sparked on MUTV this week, when Paddy Crerand claimed the 2018 World Cup has been "low on quality" and "lacking an outstanding team".

That opinion was by met with shock and despair from David May, who believes the tournament in Russia has been “one of the best in recent history”, with so many entertaining matches and upsets. 

Our ManUtd.com reporters are also split on the conversation, as well as fans on Twitter! Before you join the discussion, check out the debate on The Paddy Crerand Show in the video below…
Video
Watch as Paddy Crerand and David May disagree over the quality of the 2018 World Cup.
ANALYSIS

I’m with Maysie - ManUtd.com’s Adam Marshall

The World Cup, of course, highlights what a global game it really is and I love the intensity of the competition and what it means to so many people. I watched last weekend’s games in Madrid and there were fans supporting all of the countries involved and going through the gamut of emotions as the action unfolded in the knockout stages. Penalty shoot-outs are never dull.

The matches have, in the main, been enjoyable and many big stars have lived up to their hype, while most of the games have been on a knife-edge with something usually at stake – Belgium versus England aside. I may be against VAR but it’s added to the drama and there have already been some unforgettable moments, with the promise, no guarantee, of more to come.

I’m with Paddy - ManUtd.com’s Mark Froggatt 

Russia 2018 has undoubtedly been entertaining – the games have been tight, competitive and unpredictable – but Paddy is right to question the quality of football on show.  This tournament is meant to showcase the greatest teams and players in the world, yet the majority of big nations have disappointed: Germany performed terribly, Spain tanked, Argentina were a mess and Italy didn’t even qualify. Brazil, the clear favourites to win, and history's great entertainers, have also abandoned flamboyancy for functionality.  

Here in England, we absolutely love it because the Three Lions finally look like an ambitious, confident, likeable team with a genuine chance of glory (it’s coming home lads!). But if you take away that bias and consider the quality of the 32 nations, has it really been all that? I'm not sure it has and, in years to come, the football world may look back on 2018 as an underwhelming competition. 
Paddy Crerand says

"I think the World Cup has been very poor. The standard of the football has been very poor. There is not one outstanding team."

David May says

"It has been a brilliant World Cup, probably the best one in years. There has only been one 0-0 draw from 40 matches so far - it's been brilliant."

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