Not sure it makes it to the next WC. The only active threads I see have some constant activity are the YA and the En-Ger-Land fans on their boards and even those are weak by comparison to 3-5 yrs ago. I remember, during major tourneys when every match had a thread.
I have been here for a loooong time. I saw a huge migration to facebook groups and a lot of it was because many of us started hanging out and going to matches. Facebook groups were created and a few solid posters got pissed off at power hungry mods and decided they never needed to return. I speak mainly about the Germany boards - primarily Bayern. There was a HUGE exodus of some solid great posters. All on Facebook groups now and chat groups. Cannot speak for other forums on Big Soccer.
Geez, I figured it was social-media related, but thought they went somewhere cooler, not what my grandpa is addicted to. Facebook?
I don't know if it's dying, but the volume is considerably down. The Red Bulls forum was dead a LONG time ago because the fans created their own. The NWSL forum in essence is dead. No one ever posts there. The only forum I post nowdays has shown a decrease in activity there as well, with the same 10 individual posting now and then. 20 years ago when I first came aboard BigSoccer, it was the only forum I knew about. Nowdays? There are many on the internet and Facebook. It's a shame because I miss the early days. I don't agree about the opinion that some of the moderators are one of the main causes.
I can only speak for some of the boards I frequented and discourse between users and Mods on some of the German boards were definetly an issue but the Mods were NOT the problems in all cases though the finger was aimed at them.
It seems Croatia is not as strong as it was 2 or 4 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised Croatia will be eliminated in the first round.
We're not as strong as 5 years ago as we never replaced former Juve forward Mario Mandžukić and Seville captain Ivan Rakitić. However, we still won 3rd place in the last World Cup and were finalists in the Nations League last summer. We've still been plodding along despite this. Against Spain, they scouted us well that we were slow in central defense and the starting lineup was incorrect. Against Albania, we had the same struggles on defense (unusual for us historically) and had chances to put the game away at 3-1. Historically, we do well against Italy and they do not have speedy players upfront as Spain did which gave us many issues.
They are much older now. Modric is on the bench in Real Madrid Brozovic is in Saudi Arabia. No more intensive matches with Inter Milano. Defenders like Pongracic, Erlic play in weaker clubs. Sassuolo relegated and Lecce isn't strong. Attackers: the only decent attacker is Kramaric. And he scores often. Others are just weak. Petkovic can't connect 2,3 serious matches in stronger league. Budimir isn't talented at all. No longer Mandzukic (Bayern, Juventus) careers with running abilities, he made pressures against defenders. Croatia needs someone like Kane, Morata, Mbappe, Giroud... LB and RB with Sosa and Juranovic are not good. Croatia needs two great CB players. This EURO is a revival of injured players and players without proper career: Perisic, Pjaca, Marco Pasalic. I don't understand why they don't place: Sucic, Mario Pasalic, Budimir, Kovacic? Alibi solutions, if someone wants to be critical, coach can say: I placed Modric, Brozovic. Not sure is Vida really injured? Vida noticed that he isn't the solution for Dalic, so he reacted maybe. Whoever comments something, they remove him: Rebic, Kalinic, Livaja.... Younger players must respect the hierarchy. Petkovic should not take the penalty against Spain. Coach went with that publicly. Defenders are not good. Pongracic and Sutalo make mistakes. Before, this worked somehow with Lovren, Vida, Schildenfeld...it's silly to place Gvardiol on LB. Juranovic isn't good at all. He playes in weaker Union Berlin. One tournament flash and that's it. Sosa, Gvardiol, Erlic, Stanisic seems much better. If you don't carry the game in better clubs like: Inter, Juventus, Milan, Bayern, Dortmund, Real, Barcelona, Man. City, Liverpool, you can't ask too much. If your team has older domestic league players, something is wrong there: Petkovic, Perisic, Marco Pasalic, Pjaca... Old and injured players who want to have some new spin offs, based on some old debts. Pjaca got injured against Estonia, so Federation wants to help him with his club career. Perisic ended in Hajduk Split, injured, wants to recover and maybe collect one major transfer. MLS, Saudi Arabia markets...I doubt that he can have a role in Champions League club. Modric plays maybe 10-20 minutes for Real Madrid. The shape of their goalkeeper Livakovic isn't much. They don't take international goalkeepers like Grbic and Kotarski...hard to say why? Yes, many problems for Croatia.
What do you guys think about Albania vs Spain for tonight? If Albania wins one of Croatia/Italy will be out for sure and Spain did something like this recently.
Even if Spain plays all bench players it will be difficult for Albania to win. So much talent on that squad. I think Italy beats Croatia in a great match.
They would have advanced anyway almost certainly, but pretty much ended Croatia's life. That's 3 matches in the 4 played yesterday and today where huge, game-altering goals were scored in stoppage time. And in 2 of them it was the last kick of the match.
I give Croatia mad props and respect for the magical run they have done over the last few cycles... ...but it was nice to see Italy do to them what they have done to other teams in the recent past.
Actually, Croatia went out like this in 5 consecutive Euros. Modric's entire Euro career! Not quite out yet, but doesn't look good.
Turkey needs to beat Czech Republic, Portugal needs to beat Georgia, Denmark needs to beat Serbia, and England needs to beat Slovenia 3-0. The most later is the very unlikely.
Well the way they knocked out Belgium recently in the Group stage is more the way I was thinking. But yes they still have a chance.