https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=130.76.187.46explain xkcd - User contributions [en]2026-06-18T00:37:58ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:3260:_Messi&diff=414807Talk:3260: Messi2026-06-17T18:00:27Z<p>130.76.187.46: why not?</p>
<hr />
<div><!-- Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom. --><br />
Does Randall support Messi? [[User:SectorCorruptor|SectorCorruptor]] ([[User talk:SectorCorruptor|talk]]) 16:26, 17 June 2026 (UTC)<br />
:Who doesn't support Messi? :D [[Special:Contributions/130.76.187.46|130.76.187.46]] 18:00, 17 June 2026 (UTC)<br />
New football/soccer terms for me! 2 goals scored in one game = Brace, 3 goals = Hat-trick, 4 goals = Haul, 5 goals = Glut [[User:BorQhue del Sol|BorQhue del Sol]] ([[User talk:BorQhue del Sol|talk]]) 16:58, 17 June 2026 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think the explanation on the hover text is missing the point that, at 38 years old, this is likely to be Messi's last world cup, which is another way in which the statement "last world cup in which he faces serious opposition" is technically true.<br />
<br />
I think the curve might be exponential, referencing the "predictions" of AI future capabilities [[Special:Contributions/93.36.179.126|93.36.179.126]] 17:15, 17 June 2026 (UTC)</div>130.76.187.46https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3260:_Messi&diff=4148053260: Messi2026-06-17T18:00:03Z<p>130.76.187.46: /* Transcript */ cat</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 3260<br />
| date = June 17, 2026<br />
| title = Messi<br />
| image = messi_2x.png<br />
| imagesize = 393x343px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Commentators agree that this will probably be the last World Cup in which Messi faces serious competition.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|This page was created in Lionel Messi's 398th goal. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br />
In the vein of [[605: Extrapolating]], this comic utilizes the incorrect application of extrapolation to humorous ends, in this case what appears to be {{w|Extrapolation#Polynomial|polynomial extrapolation}}. Extrapolation is a form of estimation in which existing ones data points are used to estimate new ones beyond the range of the existing ones. In this case, Randall appears to have fit several data points regarding soccer superstar {{w|Lionel Messi|Lionel Messi's}} average goals per {{w|FIFA_World_Cup|World Cup}} game to a curve. It illustrates the danger of a small {{w|sample size}}, as the data point for "2026 (so far)" is based on only ''one'' game, and that data point is used to support extrapolation of a rapidly rising number of goals-per-game into the future. The data points for previous World Cups, which bounce around among various values but are all less than or equal to 1.0, are each based on many more games, and as such are likely to be much better estimates of how many goals-per-game Messi will score in the future.<br />
<br />
The title text says that this World Cup is the last one in which Messi will face serious competition. This is true, but literally so, as this is almost certainly Messi's last World Cup period.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br />
:[A graph is shown, with 1 axis having the numbers 1, 2, & 3 going up it, and the other having 24 unlabelled marks. There are 6 points on the graph itself, with them being labelled 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026, the latter having '(so far)' under it. There is a grey dotted curve going up in a curved fashion.]<br />
:[Title of graph:]Lionel Messi [new line] world cup points per game.<br />
:[Caption below text:]At this rate, by 2040 Lionel Messi will be scoring hundreds of goals per game.<br />
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude><br />
[[Category:Extrapolation]]<br />
[[Category:Math]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]<br />
[[Category:Soccer]]</div>130.76.187.46