No team has made it to halfway without looking vulnerable

No team has made it to the midway without looking vulnerable and lacking for at least parts of a game, sometimes an entire one. All the leading contenders have had a wobble

VULNERABLE: France line up before their group game against Tunisia. Pic: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

It was no longer Thursday night but now Friday morning. Twenty past midnight and the deafening volume of the BeIn Sports feed — Richard Keys, Andy Gray, Joe Cole and Jermaine Jones trying to digest what the hell had just happened — was finally turned down.

Rushing in to fill the airspace in place of the punditry came samba beats with carnival dancers in full regalia appearing out of nowhere. Brazil’s players would not be getting an early night.