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One of the most exciting nights I’ve experienced in this World Cup took place without having to leave the hotel.
To sit in my room watching Group E come to a remarkably tense denouement on television was to know what the best of World Cup soccer is all about.
At the break, with Germany leading Costa Rica and Spain ahead of Japan, the two great European nations moved past what we had called the Group of Death.
Germany was eliminated from the World Cup for the second consecutive edition in the group stage.
With 20 minutes of both games to go, with both teams now trailing, they were both going home.
In the end, Germany scored three goals that gave them the win and thus sent Spain but not themselves. For Germany to progress as well, Spain had to recover and ultimately did not.
Flipping between channels to try and keep up with both games, I inevitably had the feeling that I was always watching the wrong channel. God knows what it must have been like to support one of the teams involved or even be in one of the stadiums.
This is one of the reasons why we watch the World Cup and other big tournaments.
It’s to see England and see big-name players, for sure. But it’s also being a part of dramatic nights like that, when soccer seems to be the only thing that matters in life as the fates of four nations swing irresistibly.
A night of high drama in Group E was one of the best in recent World Cup history.
Japan advanced at the expense of the Germans – against all odds by defeating Spain
In the United States, four years from now, however, there will be none of this. FIFA, in its wisdom, has decreed that 48 teams will participate in the 2026 World Cup, instead of the current 32.
We’re still not entirely sure what the format will be. It was thought that there would be 16 groups of three with two teams passing each. We now believe there may be 12 groups of four with the top two finishers and the eight best third-place finishers.
What we do know is that this will lessen the possibility of nights like last Thursday. In the potential 2026 format, Germany would have progressed to third place, or at least been left waiting to find out their fate once all the groups had been completed.
How weird. Eliminate all that fabulous intrigue, drama and excitement just because getting 16 extra teams into a tournament will mean more games, more sponsorships, more TV money.
It’s like FIFA values money over sport. As guardians of the world game, that can’t be true, right?
FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants to break this format in favor of a change to 48 teams
Louis puts the Dutch in the song
Louis van Gaal and his Dutch players sang and danced back to their team hotel after their win against the USA on Saturday.
As the likes of Memphis Depay and Virgil van Dijk danced and sang into the night, their 71-year-old coach followed behind with a beaming smile as he filmed everything on his mobile phone.
This is a limited Dutch team run by a man in the last days of his career. But they’re united and driven by a common purpose and that’s pretty rare as far as they’re concerned.
It’s a combination that could still get them past Argentina on Friday and into the quarterfinals.
The former Manchester United manager filmed the warm reception and hugged the hotel staff.
Arsene Wenger became ‘full FIFA’ some time ago.
It was his idea to organize the World Cup every two years and replace throw-ins with free kicks. On Sunday, he said: “Teams ready to focus on competition and not political demonstration played well.”
For a smart man like Wenger, taunting Germany — which embarrassed FIFA with a moving, courageous and memorable protest — from his perch in Gianni Infantino’s pocket was easy. And to think that there was a time when we hung on each of his words.
Arsene Wenger’s statement that Germany couldn’t focus on performance was an easy speech from FIFA
England referee Anthony Taylor has been criticized for blowing at full time before South Korea could take a corner against Ghana.
Referees are apparently encouraged not to end the game in an attacking phase of play. How absurd. When time is up, it’s up.
Gabriel Jesús is out of the World Cup due to a knee injury and that is bad news for Brazil.
It’s even worse news for Arsenal. Oddly enough, the Premier League restarts in just 21 days.