FIFA World Cup 2026 USA

[ShaunWhite]

Just been watching the match properly this morning.

Ronaldo having a hissy fit when he was substituted!

With regard to the offside, you can see the Croatian players looking to see if it's offside because it did look offside. In the end it came down to a very, very marginal call but ultimately it was offside.

Tough call, the ball didn't deviate in speed, direction or spin when it touched the Matanovic's hair, but technically offside. Will we now see Cucurella having a buzzcut if things attached to your body count as touching it?

What I didn't understand was why the Portuguese player behind him tried to duck out of the way.?

[Euler]

I think if you look at it from a proper sporting perspective, it should be a decision that overturns an obvious error, rather than one of these, which is very marginal. Doesn't add anything to the game.

[Euler]

BREAKING - it looks like the England game will be pulled forward, due to the threat of thunderstorms.

[sniffer66]

BREAKING - it looks like the England game will be pulled forward, due to the threat of thunderstorms.

I believe that makes it warmer though

[sniffer66]

What a last minute save by the Aussie keeper

[Euler]

BREAKING - it looks like the England game will be pulled forward, due to the threat of thunderstorms.

I believe that makes it warmer though

It doesn't look too hot there though.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3530597

I mean there's this big discussion around the altitude but I've climbed many mountains and never really struggled but as you get above 10,000 feet and towards 15,000 feet, obviously things get a lot harder. Below that I've never really felt anything.

I did ask AI though and this is what it returned.

7,000–8,000 ft

This is where things become interesting.

Around 7,200 ft (about 2,200 m)—roughly the altitude of Mexico City—many people experience:

breathing becomes noticeably heavier
recovery between repeated efforts slows
aerobic capacity falls around 10–15%
heart rate rises during exercise
dehydration occurs more quickly
decision making under fatigue becomes harder

This is why altitude becomes a major factor in sports such as football.

A football example

At 7,200 ft, a footballer who normally covers 11 km might still complete close to that distance, but:

fewer high intensity sprints
slower recovery after pressing
reduced repeat sprint ability
earlier fatigue in the final 30 minutes
more tactical pacing of effort

This is why teams playing in places such as Mexico City, La Paz or Quito often have a measurable home advantage, especially against visitors who have just arrived.

For the altitude you asked about earlier—around 7,200 ft—it's best thought of as the point where altitude shifts from being a subtle physiological factor to one that has a clear and measurable impact on endurance sports without yet posing a serious health risk for most healthy people.

[ShaunWhite]

There's a lot of physiological differences in people with high altitude genetics, larger lung capacities, increased resting breathing rates, and higher red blood cell and hemoglobin counts etc.