World Cup talking points: France and Argentina setting the early pace
SETTING THE PACE: Argentina's Lionel Messi, golden ball, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, golden glove, and France's Kylian Mbappe, golden boot after the 2022 World Cup final. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
Back on day three of this thing we reported from New York on how compelling it was to see France figure things out in real time against Senegal. And how consequential it could be. After an insipid first 45 minutes at this World Cup Didier Deschamps’ side have been irresistible. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé both made hay in a tough Group I, Michael Olise purring too.
Deschamps’ first World Cup in Brazil was brought to an end by Germany in a tight knockout game. France’s path puts them on a fast-track to face the the Mannschaft in Philadelphia on July 4. First up is Sweden on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi’s other-worldly group stage means Argentina aren’t very far behind the French but the paucity of opposition the holders faced needs to be taken into context. Argentina’s path all the way to the semis looks soft now.
It does feel like there’s a gap from those two to the rest but Spain should thank Cape Verde for their own wake-up call on opening day. They’ve looked much better since, unsurprising with Lamine Yamal back in the swing of things. After being kicked asunder by disgraceful Uruguay, Austria offer a soft landing of sorts.
Momentum is a precious thing in a World Cup. Norway had so much going into their meeting with France. The decision to wave a white flag and rest the stars felt like a viking boat rowing back out to sea. Can they rediscover their rhythm against Ivory Coast?
England had momentum then lost it for over two hours of futile football. Like standing at the back door waiting for your dog to take a shite, was a Twitter take we couldn’t help but agree with. And then? Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane rose above it all to show their class. Behind them there are huge concerns in England’s rearguard. More probing tests are on the way.
Toronto, a city with a quite enormous Portuguese population, may play host to Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup appearance. It will be a farewell for him or Luka Modric. We know which one will certainly still be on the field at the end of it: no one played more match minutes than Ronaldo in the group stage. What a farce.
Among the best of the rest, it is Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil who have both found and then built on their momentum. Behind the Messi, Mbappe and Haaland rush, Vinicius Jr is having a wonderful tournament. On Monday in Houston, Japan will test whether Brazil’s forward motion can be stalled.
There are surely many more fitting superlatives out there to desire the Pico Lopes odyssey but to keep it simple, it has to be one of the coolest Irish sporting yarns for some time.
The LinkedIn angle is overplayed but that’s what happens when you go global. To keep it more parochial, what a joy it is to see a stalwart of the League of Ireland represent our domestic game with as much quality and character as Lopes has during Cape Verde’s dream run to the knockout stages. Next up? Messi in Miami on Friday night, because of course it is.
The Blue Sharks are far from alone in doing wonders for the reputation of African football. Nine of the 10 African sides who travelled here have hung around, abysmal Tunisia the exception.
Morocco look by far the continent’s strongest yet face the toughest Last 32 tie: a Netherlands side which has found its focal point in Brian Brobbey and looks very solid elsewhere. Monday’s Monterrey showdown is our pick for tie of the round.
Mo Salah and Egypt are the most fancied to move on, facing Australia in Dallas far from daunting. Could DR Congo’s chemistry and chaos cause enough England problems in Atlanta? They caused Ronaldo plenty. “The weight on our shoulders was hard to bear,” striker Yoane Wissa said after Congo clinched progress. They’ll be lighter in load against the Three Lions.
Can we take a victory lap from a dead rubber? Maybe a bit too hasty. Nonetheless, we’re firmly on the record here that Mauricio Pochettino’s American side, while impressive in attack and zipping things through the middle, have so many question marks at the back. The bluster from bloviators like Alexi Lalas that the USA can take on anyone here has already proven tiresome. With a much-changed lineup, they leaked goals all the way to the final seconds against Turkey. Now it’s Yank newscasters who are doing their image no help, an ABC reporter in Los Angeles who trumpeted that she couldn’t even point out Bosnia on a map going instantly viral in the Balkans then globally. No population takes more pride in ignorance than this one.
Edin Dzeko and co. must wait til Wednesday to have their say in San Francisco, the winner of that one facing whoever comes out of the meeting of a finally motoring Belgium and Senegal. America’s march to the quarters looks less clear now.
With Canada first out Sunday, that leaves one other co-host waiting to roar. Mexico have been most impressive of the three but against hugely limited opposition in Group A, Ireland’s absence only growing more excruciating as that group went on. El Tri joined Spain as the only two sides among 64 who started to avoid conceding yet. They get to stay at home for a Tuesday night showdown with revitalised Ecuador. Huge test. But win that and their prize is likely welcoming England to the Azteca. Saucy.
We’ve had two and a half weeks to get used to FIFA’s cloak and dagger transformation of the game into one of quarters. The fans have made their feelings known. No matter how loudly they blast Mr Brightside, the boos pierce through.
Yet one knock-on effect noted through the group stages could become all the more clear and telling in this expanded knockout stage. The hydration breaks have led to significant swings in momentum of matches. In a win-or-go-home setting those couple of minutes shape to be crucial. The pushback may only grow from here.
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