World Cup Final – Lionel Messi Leads Argentina to Victory

This was a fantastic tournament on the pitch. Not quite the best tournament of all time, but still very good nonetheless. We should remember it for the football, not who hosted it.

I can remember watching World Cup finals going back to the late 90s, and I have to say that this was the best one I have ever seen. An absolutely thrilling match in every way.

Argentina vs. France

The opening half of this match belonged to the South Americans, full stop. They were better in possession and looked much more threatening in attack. They went up 1-0 on 23 minutes from the penalty spot, after Argie winger Angel Di Maria went down in the French penalty area. The contact on Di Maria from French winger Ousmane Dembélé appeared to be minimal, but Di Maria is a master of making the most out of contact in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The legendary attacking midfielder and captain Lionel Messi stepped up to the spot, and with the eyes of the entire world on him, he calmly sent French keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way for the first goal of the match.

La Albiceleste extended their lead on 36 minutes after a very swift and precise counter-attack. They won the ball just outside their own box and after a series of neat passes involving Messi and striker Julián Álvarez, the ball was played to midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in space just outside the French penalty area on the right side. Mac Allister hit a deft diagonal pass back across the face of goal along the ground, where it found Di Maria streaking toward the back post. He redirected his first-time shot back across Lloris and into the right hand corner of the net. He wheeled away in celebration of a beautiful counter-attacking goal. Di Maria has not played much this tournament due to injury and fitness issues, but he still an incredible player and he certainly contributed heavily today. The two goal deficit forced France into tactical substitutions on just 40 minutes, a rarity at this level. At 2-0 though, Argentina went into halftime with one hand on the Jules Rimet trophy.

But it was indeed only one hand. They needed to come out and continue attacking the French, but for whatever reason they did not seem as committed to doing that as they were against Croatia in the semis. This approach was a cause for concern. Yes it was 2-0, but the Argentines have given up two goal leads at this very tournament. Their defense is good, but they have problems holding up to sustained pressure with no outlet. Almost any defense would. They kept France out for about 34 minutes or so, but everything changed on 79 minutes when French striker Randal Kolo Muani was fouled in the box after beating his defender to the ball. Truth be told, if the light contact in the box on Di Maria earlier was a penalty, then this one was definitely a penalty. Muani sold it well, but the contact on the back of his leg was much more significant than the one on Di Maria earlier. Superstar striker Kylian Mbappé stepped up to the spot and planted the ball past a diving Emiliano Martinez in goal to pull one back for Les Bleus. Martinez frustratingly got a hand to the ball, but the shot had so much power on it that he couldn’t keep it out.

This match turned into absolute bedlam just a minute later though, barely after the restart. France won the ball in the Argentina third, and Mbappé played a very neat 1-2 with forward/winger Marcus Thuram on the left side of the Argentine penalty area. Thuram’s neat ball over the top found a sliding Mbappe, who swept home with an impressive finish from about 16 yards that Martinez had no chance at. A truly impressive goal from a very impressive striker. Argentina were shell-shocked and the French were in ecstasy. The Argies had this match won, but they lost their heads for just a moment France punished them. The goals in quick succession late on were also typical of France. They had done largely nothing in this match in terms of creating dangerous chances, until they all of a sudden decided to start playing aggressive roughly 80 minutes in. Argentina brought this on themselves though. A third goal at any point before then would have salted the match away, but they played too conservative and took their foot off the gas. There was chances for both sides after that goal, but after 90 minutes and stoppage time it was still 2-2.

Extra time would be needed to decide this match, and the chaos would continue for another 30 minutes. Argentina had been attacking more since the French goals, and France’s defense was looking shaky at best. Lloris had to spectacularly deny Messi the winner in stoppage time from long distance. They’d always manage to get the final block or clearance in, but Argentina were in the ascendancy for the first half of extra time. They got their reward on 108 minutes from the magical Messi once again. The Argentine front 3 combined well with a series of passes that quickly found substitute striker Lautaro Martinez. Martinez unleashed a wicked shot from about 12 yards out on the right side that Lloris did well to save, but the rebound fell straight to Messi who powered a shot over the line. A French defender cleared the ball out quickly, but he was at least 3 yards inside his own goal and the ball definitively crossed the line before he cleared it. Messi celebrated with his teammates and after a quick VAR check for offside, the goal stood. 3-2!

Argentina supporters had thought they won it. And normally, a goal that late is the winner. But France weren’t done. There would be one more twist of the knife, and it came on 118 minutes when France were awarded a second penalty. A shot from Mbappé towards goal was blocked by Argentina, but it came off the elbow of right back Gonzalo Montiel in the area. I saw this exact same thing happen in a Paris St. Germain match in the Champions League a few seasons ago – a defender jumping and turning in the air to make a block that results in a handball. Defenders are trained to turn their backs to the ball when trying to clear an oncoming shot, but a side effect of jumping into the air is that one’s arms tend to be raised up to one’s sides. Under the old handball rules this kind of deflection likely would not be a penalty as the defender wouldn’t even be looking at the ball, but nowadays if the arm is an “unnatural position” when it contacts the ball, it’s a penalty. What constitutes “unnatural” however is not always clear. It looked harsh on Montiel, but it’s the correct call under the current rules. Mbappé confidently stepped up and dispatched his penalty to complete his hat-trick on the day. He sent Martinez the wrong way, and in doing so became just the second man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final. 3-3!

The French got one more gilt-edged chance in stoppage time of extra time when Argentina failed to clear a bouncing ball over the top and it fell to Kolo Muani on the edge of the area. Martinez rushed out and made himself big, and in doing so pulled off one of the biggest saves of the tournament with his left leg. Kolo Muani should have scored and he knew it. The final whistle blew though shortly after that and we were headed to penalties.

Penalties are always a test of nerves, and it was the Argentines who had slightly more nerve. The keeper Martinez is a big man of course but he has an equally big personality, and he is never short on confidence. His aura alone was much more imposing than that of Lloris. Aside from Mbappé, I wasn’t really impressed with any of the French penalty takers. They weren’t willing to take risks with their shots in the same way Argentina was. The French missed one penalty wide, and I think 1-2 more of them were saved by Martinez. When Montiel redeemed himself for the penalty by scoring the winner, Messi sank to his knees in the center circle and yelled with joy while he was mobbed by his teammates. Argentina won 4-2 on penalties!

Leo Messi is the greatest player ever. Hands down, no two ways about it. People talk about Pelé, Diego Maradona, and Cristiano Ronaldo all being the greatest, but it’s Messi. He has the skills, the accolades, and now he has a World Cup to hang his hat on. He has brought Argentina it’s third world cup and it’s first in 36 years, and the reactions from the people in the streets of Buenos Aires was magical. Pure elation and joy. Well done to Messi, all of his teammates, and manager Lionel Scaloni. His tactics in this match almost cost them, but not even a poor 2nd half plan could stop Messi achieving destiny. Watching him raise the trophy with his teammates was amazing to behold. His little kiss on the trophy as he walked past it earlier will be an iconic photo for years to come.

Despite the Herculean efforts of Mbappé, he could not drag his country over the line. France’s injuries finally caught up to them, and truth be told they were lucky to still be in the match despite doing basically nothing for the first 78 minutes. In most scenarios, Argentina wins this handily 2-0 in 90 minutes. It was primarily due to Mbappé that France even made it to penalties. While Messi is done at the World Cup, Mbappé is only just getting started. If France can have better luck with injuries next time, they can still easily win it in 2026.

Individual Awards:

Golden Gloves winner (best keeper) – Emiliano Martinez

Best Young Player – Enzo Fernandez

Golden Boot (top scorer) – Kylian Mbappé (8)

Golden Ball (best player) – Lionel Messi

And with that, the World Cup is over for another four years. I’ve really enjoyed doing these write-ups, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to read. Wish it was a different result for England, but us losing is nothing new. Now it’s time for a few days off before the domestic leagues start again. Manchester United play in the League Cup Round of 16 on Wednesday, Dec. 21! Congrats to Argentine center back Lisandro Martinez on bringing a World Cup winner’s medal back to the red half of Manchester!

World Cup Final – Preview: Argentina vs. France

Qatar should get no recognition or goodwill for hosting this event and FIFA needs to be investigated by some sort of regulatory commission for corruption.

Congrats to Croatia for taking 3rd place today. Coupled with a runners-up spot in 2018, this is by far their most successful era. Morocco also deserve a congratulations, as their 4th place finish is the highest ever for an African side.

France vs. Argentina

France: The team known colloquially as Les Bleus are in their second straight World Cup Final and are looking to be the first team to repeat as champions since Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962. They already have two World Cups, having won in 1998 and 2018. They have an array of talented players throughout the team, with the obvious focal point being all-world striker Kylian Mbappe. He has been fairly quiet in recent matches as defenders have been focused on marking him out of the game, but he has been able to contribute with his runs on the ball pulling defenders away from teammates. The main thing I’ve noticed about this France team is that they do a lot with very little. Their past two games against Morocco and England have frankly been unimpressive, aside from brief moments of quality that they take full opportunity of. France only had two meaningful attacks against Morocco, but they scored on both of them. “Clinical” is a good word to use to describe France. Their greatest strength this tournament has been their ruthlessness in front of goal.

That being said, there are weaknesses in this team that did not exist in 2018. Their central midfield is lacking a consistent long-range passer, their fullbacks are backups or other players being played out of position, and they don’t have a ton of depth off the bench. All of these problems are caused by the numerous injuries that happened both before and during the tournament. Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Presnal Kimpembe, N’Golo Kante, and Christopher Nkunku would all be in as starters normally, but none of them have played a single minute in this tournament. Fullback Theo Hernandez, deputizing for his injured brother Lucas Hernandez, has had some calamitous moments at left back. Despite the presence of stalwart center back Raphael Varane, this French defense might be their biggest weakness. Argentina’s attackers will know this, and will likely be licking their lips.

Argentina: La Albiceleste are in their first final since 2014 and are looking to win their first World Cup since 1986. The South Americans lost in heartbreaking fashion in that 2014 final to Germany, and they find themselves facing European opposition again this time around. The big headline for Argentina of course is that this will be the last ever World Cup match for their captain and attacking midfielder Lionel Messi. Regular readers of this blog (and basically anybody who has ever taken the time to watch football) know all about Messi, and his plaudits are far too many to list. Suffice it to say, he’s the Greatest Of All Time. Of course, the one and only trophy he is missing from his treasure trove of silverware is the Jules Rimet trophy, a.k.a. the World Cup. This is literally his last chance to win it. He showed against Croatia he still has the mesmerizing ball skills that made him famous, and his contributions will be the key to Argentina’s chances. Messi will undoubtedly be looking at that patchwork French defense with hunger in his eyes and 2014 fresh in his mind. He is already the best to ever a kick a ball, but hoisting that trophy above his head will eliminate all lingering doubt.

Unlike 2014, Messi has a lot more support in attack and midfield this time. Striker Julian Álvarez is having himself a sensational tournament at the young age of 22. He has been the principal and primary beneficiary of Messi’s brilliance in recent matches. When Messi is able to pull defenders out of position, it leaves holes for Álvarez to sneak into and get a shot away. Argentina’s third goal against Croatia in the semis is the perfect example of this. A brilliant run from Messi to pull defenders in, and then Messi finds a mostly unmarked Álvarez for a simple tap-in. I have also been impressed with their build-up play through midfield, and they have the work rates of Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez to thank for that. When you couple attacking support for Messi with an improved midfield and the usual stingy Argentine defense, you start to see that this is a very complete team. Center backs Nicolas Otamendi and Lisandro Martinez have been having very good tournaments respectively.

The tactics of manager Lionel Scaloni will likely determine Argentina’s fate, however. How will they play this should they manage to get themselves into the lead? Will they keep attacking like they did against Croatia and win easily? Or will they go into defensive mode and try to hold on, like they did against Australia and the Netherlands? In those two games they conceded late, and it nearly cost them both times. They had to rely on penalties to beat the Dutch, for example. Put simply, if Argentina get an early goal or two, they should keep their foot on the gas for all 90 minutes. If they start pulling men back on 70 minutes to protect a slim lead, that could be disastrous against a team with France’s attack.

Here’s to an entertaining final where the referee is not part of the headlines!

Prediction: Argentina 2-1 France (Argies get a late winner in extra time)

World Cup Semifinals: Fr*nce Play Spoiler to History

FIFA is a corrupt cartel and Qatar’s government is built on repression.

France vs. Morocco

Argentina booked their place in the final decisively yesterday, and today it was all about determining who would be joining them there for a chance at history. France were the heavy favorites due to their superior talent in attack, but interestingly it appeared that Morocco’s defense may be better than France’s. Most in the stadium and those watching on TV and online were probably supporting Morocco as well, or they were if they liked rooting for the underdog. It’s been a real-life fairy tale for Morocco at this tournament. The first African side to reach the semis, and they have claimed the scalps of Belgium, Spain, and Portugal already. Very impressive from a team that not many gave a chance to.

But in this match, things were bad for Morocco almost from the off. The first goal was always going to be vital in this match, and it was the Frogs that struck first a scant five minutes into the match. A deflected and bouncing cross from the right side fell directly to left back Theo Hernandez, who was unmarked at the back post. He displayed quite a bit of athleticism to get his left foot to the ball, which had bounced up rather high on him. He struck it sweetly though and beat Moroccan keeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou at his near post. It wasn’t really Bono’s fault though, as Hernandez never should have been given that much space. It was the first time I had seen the Moroccans completely lose a man in the box this whole tournament, and they were punished for it.

I was worried how Morocco would respond as they had not been behind in this tournament up until that point, and it must be said they answered fairly well. They began getting the ball out to their wide men more effectively, and they were asking questions of Hernandez and his full back counter-part Jules Kounde. Forward/winger Hakim Ziyech was in particularly industrious form, seeming to pop up everywhere on the ball. The Moroccans were struggling to seriously test Les Bleus keeper Hugo Lloris though. He made a series of routine saves throughout the course of the first half, but I don’t think he was ever seriously worried. The French center backs Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konaté were somehow always on hand to make the vital final tackle, with defensive midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni helping to cover as well. The Moroccans hit the post on 45 minutes but try as they might, they just couldn’t find a way through and the first half ended at 1-0.

France were happy to have the lead of course, but everyone in the stadium was aware that the lead was an incredibly narrow one. Aside from the goal scored by France, Morocco had largely been the better team in the first half. That trend did continue for the most part in the opening stages of the second half as well. They kept running directly at the French defense, and if not again for those vital clearances at the last minute, Morocco could have exposed their back line. The French however started to find their attack again as the second half wore on. Winger/midfielder Antoine Griezmann was a monster in this match for them, particularly in the second half. His ball carrying and ability to win fouls were indispensable for his team today.

The match was put to bed on 79 minutes when France got their second, and maddeningly it was only their second real attack of the match. They worked the ball around the edge of the area well after Morocco gave the ball away in midfield. It eventually found the feet of striker Kylian Mbappe, who dribbled neatly into the area to get a shot away. A tackle came in at the last second though, which caused his shot to skid at an odd angle along the ground and straight into the path of substitute striker Randal Kolo Muani. Kolo Muani had been on the pitch for all of about 40 seconds before being presented with the greatest gift a striker can receive; the ball directly in front of him two yards from goal with keeper beaten. Bono had been trying to cover his near post to account for Mbappe, but the deflection took him completely out of the play. Well done to Kolo Muani for being in the right place at the right time and credit to France manager Didier Deschamps for the substitution as well, but it was a truly unlucky goal to concede from Morocco’s point of view.

Although the north Africans were visibly deflated after the second goal went in, they kept fighting nevertheless. They won a series of free kicks and corners that would have worried French fans, but nothing direct ever really came of them. Their best chance of the match came in stoppage time when a shot from close range was cleared off the line by Kounde with Lloris stranded. It was just not Morocco’s day today, and that happens sometimes in this sport. You can do everything right, but the ball just doesn’t want to go in. France were the more clinical side despite being less attacking-inclined, and they won 2-0. They are the first team with a chance to win successive World Cups in close to 60 years.

For Morocco, that early France goal really did them in. They are not a team built to chase games. They should be proud though. No matter the result today, just getting to the semifinals was a massive achievement for them. They did ever so well in this tournament and will be a nation to reckon with for years to come. Defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat needs to be in the team of the tournament, along with one or two of their back line. Defenders the world over can take lessons from the discipline and tackling shown by Morocco at this World Cup.

World Cup Final – France vs. Argentina – Sunday, December 18th 11 AM PST (there’s also the third place match on Saturday between Croatia and Morocco but I am decidedly unenthusiastic about third place)

World Cup Quarterfinals – Morocco Make History, France and Their Referee Progress

This post is dedicated to American soccer journalist Grant Wahl and Qatari photojournalist Khalid Al-Misslam. Both of them died in Qatar recently and very suddenly. Wahl was (rightfully) a vocal critic of Qatar’s government and a very well-respected sports journalist. The causes of death for each of these gentlemen are unknown, but any time a journalist dies in a repressive country like Qatar, the death needs to be fully investigated. It’s unknown if foul play was involved or not as their causes of death have not been released, but there is always that suspicion when a public critic of a country unexpectedly dies while in that country. Also, whatever Qatar or FIFA says about his death should probably be met with a high degree of scrutiny.

Portugal vs. Morocco

Morocco made history last Saturday when they beat Portugal 1-0 and became the first African team to progress to the semifinals of the World Cup! Huge result for them, and it cannot be understated just how important that victory is for African football. Their style of play is not pretty and it has attracted plenty of criticism, although most of that is coming from the players of teams they have already beaten. It doesn’t matter what tactics a team uses to win though, so long as they’re legal. And of course, there’s nothing improper about parking the bus!

Striker Yousseff En-Nesyri got the only goal on 42 minutes, after he got his head to a lovely cross from left back Yahia Attiat-Allah. He beat Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa to the ball, and his downward header bounced over the line and back up into the roof of the net. The fans in the stadium were overwhelmingly in support of Morocco, and the crowd erupted into pandemonium once the ball went in. The Moroccan defense, marshalled by defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, then did their now-customary job of holding firm while waves of Portuguese attacks crashed against their defense for the entirety of the second half.

Despite going down to 10 men in stoppage time, the Moroccans held firm and were the winners at the final whistle. Well done to them all. They’ve now scalped Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. The Iberians for their part were not direct enough in this match. They had all the possession of course, but that possession was not purposeful enough. It’s going to take something special to breach this incredibly stout Moroccan defense, and Portugal lacked the creativity to find a goal. The north Africans shut down in-form striker Gonçalo Ramos, and striker Cristiano Ronaldo was once again ineffective. Ronaldo has not officially retired from Portugal now that his team is out, but this was surely his last chance to win it. I would almost be sad if he wasn’t so egotistical.

Well done Morocco! All of Africa, the Middle East, and this author will be supporting you going forward!

England vs. France

Alright, let’s get this post-mortem examination over with. England were the better team for the majority of the match. Simple as. France had a good spell to open the game, but England grew into possession and were the more dangerous team as the match went on.

France’s opening goal was a quality strike from distance by defensive midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, but the goal is tainted by the fact that Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio missed an obvious foul on England winger Bukayo Saka in the build-up to the goal. France wouldn’t have been on the ball in the first place had the foul been properly called! Not making excuses for England’s defending after the missed foul and it was indeed a wonder strike from Tchouaméni, but it never should have counted in the first place. Simple as.

England got back into the match just after halftime when Saka was fouled (again) in the box by Tchouaméni, and this time Sampaio remembered he had a whistle. He blew for an obvious penalty, and striker Harry Kane stepped up to the spot. After a long-ish delay he dispatched the penalty with authority by sending France keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way. Kane is now tied with Wayne Rooney as England’s all-time leading scorer!

The match continued in back and forth fashion, with Sampaio missing fouls on England players left and right. England were trying to play the game, while France was content just to foul our lads every time they got close. Sampaio was enabling this tactic by not calling fouls. He called yellow-card worthy fouls on occasion, but then failed to apply the appropriate punishment. He was mostly awful for England the whole match.

The Frogs forged themselves ahead again on 76 minutes unfortunately, and it was from a strong header by striker Olivier Giroud. The big man was allowed to steal into a good position by the England defense, and he headed home from close range. England keeper Jordan Pickford had no chance to get to it. England’s defense let them down on this goal, but it was the only legitimate goal France scored in this match. Giroud is damn near unplayable in the box sometimes, so every effort must be made to stop the cross from coming in the first place.

England had a golden chance to go level again in the 80th minute or so when substitute midfielder Mason Mount won England yet another penalty. He was ran into by French fullback Theo Hernandez while attempting to get on the end of a cross. Sampaio didn’t indicate a penalty right away though. VAR had to intervene and send him over to the monitor to check again. He did award the penalty after VAR got involved, but he wouldn’t have otherwise. It was as clear a penalty as the first one he awarded, so where’s the consistency?

Unfortunately, Kane skied the penalty over the bar and he joins the numerous ranks of England players who have missed key penalties at the World Cup. I was devastated for him. He had done so well in this match and England overall had played well, but it was still a missed pen. Kane doesn’t need me to tell him he has to put those away. He knows. England did not get another chance as good as that one, despite forward Marcus Rashford blazing just over the bar from a free kick in the dying seconds. The final whistle blew and all twelve (lol) French players on the pitch were elated.

Whenever England go out of a major tournament, there’s always a grand inquiry as to why. Was it the players? Manager Gareth Southgate? Some other crappy reason? Well, this time it’s especially maddening to try and figure that out because England didn’t do a whole lot wrong in this game. France were good in spells, but their defense is suspect and really only scored one valid goal in the whole match. Now it’s true that Kane needs to be burying his penalties and there’s no getting around that, but aside from that there isn’t much more England could have done here. Maybe Southgate should have gotten midfielder/winger Jack Grealish on earlier, but on the other hand his substitute Mount had won the penalty earlier. Can’t really blame England were attacking, playing with purpose, frustrating star forward Kylian Mbappe, and they almost nicked a result despite being hacked to death by the French. Southgate had them doing what every England fan wanted them to do!

The wait for another World Cup goes on. It’ll be 60 years without one come 2026. It is insanely difficult to be an optimist about this team, but we will still be very good in four years. We have a lot of players in their early 20s who got experience at this World Cup, and most of them will be at Euro 2024 as well. I didn’t expect to be saying this pre-tournament, but I want Southgate to stick around as well. What he may lack in tactical prowess he makes up for in facilitating team chemistry and a positive environment. He understands that the players’ collective mentality is of vital importance at a major tournament, and he has created an environment where England players look forward to playing for their country instead of worrying about being vilified. More relaxed players equals better football, as it were.

Speaking of, very happy to see a majority of England fans not vilifying Kane after he missed his penalty. Our lads took a beating from “fans” on social media after Euro 2021, but I am happy that has not been repeated. You can’t expect our most talented players to want to play for the national side if they’re going to be roasted and lampooned by the traditional media and social media should they lose. We have to support them, and when they play as well as they did, it’s a lot easier to do so. I do hope though that Sampaio stubs his toe rather hard in the coming weeks and that it hurts him way longer than it should.

Three Lions on the Shirts!

Semifinals – Morocco vs. France – Wednesday December 14th at 11 AM PST

World Cup Quarterfinals: Preview (Day 2)

Do not believe a single thing the Qatar state media says about Qatar. It’s all lies. Same with FIFA. They’re all liars and hypocrites.

Saturday brings us two excellent matchups!

Portugal vs. Morocco – Saturday December 10th – 7 AM PST

Morocco has shocked the world twice already by beating Belgium and Spain, and they will look to do that for a third time against an in-form Portuguese side.

There’s no real mystery as to how this game will go from Morocco’s point of view. They are going to use their well-disciplined back-6 (4 defenders, a defensive mid, and the keeper) to sit back and park the proverbial bus. They will be more than happy to let Portugal have all the possession, just like they did against Spain. When they recover the ball, they will look to quickly play it long towards their pacey wingers/forwards like Hakim Ziyech. If they can get those forwards in behind the Portuguese defense regularly, it could be yet another upset for them. The longer this match stays at 0-0, the bigger the advantage for Morocco. All they need is one good opportunity to score, and they will likely take it. They are just the 4th African team in history to make the quarterfinals of the World Cup, but they will not want their Cinderella run to end here. They will go at the Portuguese when the opportunity presents itself to try and win. They’ll be penned in their own half for most of the match, but Portugal will need to be on their toes if/when the balls breaks for Morocco.

Portugal will be the toughest test for the north Africans so far. They have found good team chemistry despite the dramatics of one Cristiano Ronaldo, and they have a good mix of youth and experience. They scored for fun against the Swiss in the Round of 16, and I expect them to be on the front foot for most of this match. Striker Gonçalo Ramos, along with midfielders Bruno Fernandes and João Félix, will probably be responsible for Portugal’s attacking duties. All three of those players I just listed are in extremely good form right now. Without checking, I am fairly sure that Bruno leads all players in assists at this tournament. They are also much more direct than the Spanish, relying more on getting the ball forward quickly as opposed to trying to pass the opponent to death. Ramos also cannot be given any space when in the box, as he is capable of scoring from a variety of angles. If the Portuguese get a goal in the first half, it could be a very long day for Morocco.

Prediction: Portugal 1-0 Morocco (0-0 after 90 minutes, but Portugal gets the winner in extra time)

England vs. France – Saturday December 10th – 11 AM PST

Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Nerves are through the roof for this one. Where to even begin? France are the defending world champions and certainly have the talent to win another World Cup this year. England were semi-finalists in 2018, and were runners-up at Euro 2021 last summer. Both sides are loaded with talent, and both sides have the ability to win this match. Along with Netherlands-Argentina, this match is as about as close as it gets to a toss-up.

The big threats from France come from all-world striker Kylian Mbappe and striker Olivier Giroud, who will be supported by the likes of wingers Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann. All four of those guys are capable of winning matches on their own, particularly Mbappe. The man is in sensational form right now and leads all other scorers in the race for the Golden Boot. He not only has Olympic-caliber sprinting abilities, he also has the ability to score from almost anywhere inside 20 yards. His two finishes against Poland in the Round of 16 were real “poacher’s” goals, as they were hit not only with power but precision and from a fair bit of distance. Put simply, he is the main source of inspiration for the French and will need to be closely marshalled by the England defense. If he is given too much space in the box, France will score. One concern for the French is their number of injuries, and perhaps a lack of pace in the back line. France are extremely deep even with injuries to Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, and Christopher Nkunku, but as a result of those absences they are perhaps not as deep as they were when they won in 2018. I also think their fullbacks Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez lack a little bit of pace. That hasn’t hurt them so far, but they have not played an attack like England’s yet. This is not to say that the French back line isn’t good, as they are indeed anchored by world-class center back Raphael Varane. I do think however that attacks down the wings will create the most problems for France.

As for England, well, there is no denying their talent in attack. Going forward, this might be the strongest England side I have ever seen. They have the big physical center forward in Harry Kane, and he is often supported by forwards/wingers Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden. All four of them have scored at this tournament, and while Kane’s goals are slightly down he has contributed in other ways. His passes from midfield that find the runs of Rashford and Foden have been absolutely deadly. Whether Kane is in the box or distributing from midfield, he will have a very important role to play. Tactically I think manager Gareth Southgate will be happy to concede a little bit of possession to the French, as England’s first two goals in the Round of 16 against Senegal came via quick counter-attack moves. Midfielder Jude Bellingham will also have a vital role to play, as he is usually the one who carries the ball forward through midfield while riding challenges from the opposition. His balance and technique on the ball are among the best I have ever seen from a midfielder his size, and he is still only 19. England’s back line and defense will be tested against the French, but so far they have largely passed all tests presented to them. Interestingly, the best form of defense for England will be a good attack. If we keep the French on their toes and wary of us breaking on them, they will have a harder time throwing men forward.

It’s going to take the collective efforts of everyone in a Three Lions shirt to get a win on Saturday. Total focus and concentration. One error could be the difference between the semifinals and a flight home. This England team has taken so many major steps forward since 2018, and they must continue to do so here. A win over the French at the World Cup would be historic. They are a formidable foe, but then again, so are England. Southgate must take the handbrake off for this team and let them run at the French defense. If we lose, it will be because we played too conservatively.

Prediction: both teams to score at least one, but I am not going to pick a winner. Whatever I say, it will somehow negatively affect England. Superstition abounds right now.

World Cup Round of 16 – France and England Clinical

The government of Qatar is repressive and fascist. FIFA is corrupt and hypocritical. Simple as.

Neither match was a close one in the end today, but we have ourselves a serious showdown set in the quarterfinals here.

France vs. Poland

This was the early match of the day and defending champions France won fairly comfortably in the end 3-1, but there were undoubtedly a few moments of panic for them before and after they scored the opening goal on 43 minutes via Olivier Giroud. The Polish defense gave him far too much space and he was able to redirect a shot back across goal. Giroud actually hit the ball into the ground a bit first, which caused it to bounce over the hand of Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny and in for 1-0. It could be argued though that Poland should have already been ahead, and would have been if not for some goal line clearances by the French defense around the 35 minute mark. Szczęsny had been brilliant up until then, but his defense really let him down.

France were the better team on the day, as they were frequently the ones pressing the Polish and winning the ball high up the pitch to create chances. When the opposition’s front four contains Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Antoine Griezmann, giving the ball away to them is suicidal. The Polish were lucky to hold the French out for the first 40 minutes, and they were also fortunate to keep it at 1-0 until the 76 minute mark.

It was then that Mbappe decided to take over the game, and he did so by scoring two goals in quick succession, each of them powerful and precise finishes over Szczęsny that gave him absolutely no chance. Mbappe is one of, if not the, best players in the world right now and he showed why with those two goals. Everyone knows he’s a world-class sprinter, but he showed a real striker’s instinct and technique today too. Mbappe is the current top scorer at this World Cup with 5 goals.

Polish striker Robert Lewandowski got a goal back for his side from the penalty spot in the dying seconds of the match, and while it fooled French keeper Hugo Lloris it was nothing more than a consolation goal. Even Lewandowski knew it was just going to be one for the statistics, and of no other real significance.

France decisively move on to the quarterfinals. They look incredibly strong right now, even if it took them a while to score today. I was concerned about their injuries and team spirit coming into this tournament, but so far those worries have been unfounded. It helps that Mbappe is in absolutely scintillating form right now. Poland will be sad to be going home, but they lost to an extremely good team today.

England vs. Senegal

My stomach was turning itself inside out in anticipation of this match. England were favored coming in, probably in part due to the unavailability of Senegalese all-world winger Sadio Mané (injury) and industrious midfielder Idrissa Gueye (suspension). But the team known as the Lions of Teranga were not to be underestimated, as they are the reigning African champions.

And indeed, it was the Senegalese who were on the front foot almost from the off. They were using their pacey forwards to press England’s defense high up the pitch, knowing that England like to play the ball out from the back. This tactic employed by manager Aliou Cissé worked quite well for a bit, and they almost caught England out several times. Their best chance came around half an hour into the match, when forward Boulaye Dia found some space in the box and lashed a powerful shot towards goal that required a rather magnificent save from England keeper Jordan Pickford. He stuck out his left arm and held it firm to deny Dia, and England cleared.

England had a lot of possession in the opening 35 minutes or so, but they weren’t really doing anything with it. The middle of the park was devoid of England shirts, so there was nowhere for the center backs to pass it to. However, England finally got a meaningful attack going down the left wing on 39 minutes, and it resulted in the first goal from midfielder Jordan Henderson. A neat backheel fell to striker Harry Kane, who spotted the run of midfielder Jude Bellingham ahead of him. His weighted pass made it through the defense, and Bellingham latched onto the ball just outside the box. He ran into the box as his marker was level with him, but his cutback cross found Henderson in space. Henderson hit it first time along the ground, and it rolled into the goal just past the reach of keeper Edouard Mendy. A massive relief for England and very much against the run of play, but we’ll take it! Henderson is the 8th different English player to score at this tournament.

Senegal pushed forward to try and find an equalizer, but it was England who got an important second goal on the very stroke of halftime. England won the ball back via Bellingham after a deflected cross fell into his path, and he carried the ball forward while riding challenges from the opposition. He found winger/forward Phil Foden ahead of him to his left in a one-on-one with a defender. Foden hit a return pass into the path of Kane, who was running forward in support and unmarked. The ball deflected off a defender before falling to Kane, who took a touch and then buried a powerful shot into the net from about 12 yards out, just to the right of the penalty spot. Mendy had no chance, and Kane is now just one goal behind Wayne Rooney’s all-time England scoring record. Kane has been a wonderful facilitator of play so far this tournament, but getting him on the scoresheet today was very important. He showed his striker’s instincts with that finish, and England will need those instincts going forward.

The England fans in the stadium and around the world went from anxious to buoyant in the span of about 8 minutes! Cissé was forced into making three changes at halftime, but they failed to make much of an impact as England got the next goal on 57 minutes from winger/forward Bukayo Saka. This time it was Senegal giving the ball away in a dangerous area, with it being brought forward by Kane. Kane was tackled though and the loose ball fell to Foden, who beat a defender on the left wing before spotting the diagonal run of Saka across his man. The cross from Foden was inch-perfect, and Saka deftly lifted it over Mendy with his first touch for 3-0. England were running rampant and well on their way to the quarterfinals.

The tempo of the game slowed down a bit from there, as both managers made changes. England boss Gareth Southgate was keen to get some of his key players off to save them for the next match, while letting the talents of the bench players shine as well. Although no more goals were scored, England were closer to finding a fourth than Senegal was to finding a first. In the end it was a very satisfactory day for the Three Lions, if a bit nervy to start off.

Credit to Southgate for sticking to his guns and going with the team he felt was right. I was surprised at the omission of forward Marcus Rashford and the inclusion of Henderson in the starting line-up today, but both of those worries were without merit. It turns out that Southgate might just know what he’s doing, although I certainly could do without the slow starts in the future. In the first half hour I feared this game would go the way the one against the Americans did, with it ending 0-0 and England generally looking lackluster. But once England moved the ball up the levels of the pitch with pace and purpose, there was little Senegal could do about it. The first goal today was a product of Southgate’s system, make no mistake about it. The players’ positioning on the wings and playing the ball out from the back led to the opening for Kane to find Bellingham. The system does not always work of course, but today it did.

A special shoutout to Bellingham, who was Man of the Match (among many fine candidates) for me today. The 19 year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder showed a range of skills today I have not seen from an Englishman since maybe…ever? He can pass, he can dribble, he can head the ball, he can tackle, he has positional awareness, and while he did not score today he did so against Iran in the first match. This lad can do it all, and he can do it all at an extremely high level. If he keeps going like this, he can develop into the best midfielder in the world. Not being hyperbolic.

CAM ON INGERLAND!!!

Quarterfinals – England vs. France – Saturday, December 10th at 11 AM PST

World Cup Roundup – France Secure Progression and Argentina Arrives

Qatar is actually the perfect host country from FIFA’s point of view. It’s run by an authoritarian regime that is absolutely loaded with money. What a double bonus for them!

Australia vs. Tunisia

Australia got an absolutely vital victory today over Tunisia, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from striker Mitchell Duke on 24 minutes. He did well to get good contact on the ball, straining all the muscles in his neck to redirect a deflected cross from fellow striker Craig Goodwin past the Tunisian keeper. The Socceroos had to endure a torrid 68+ minutes after that from the overwhelmingly Tunisian crowd who created an extremely hostile atmosphere, but they kept them out and secured all three points.

Tunisia find themselves at the bottom of Group D with one point, with Australia in a surprising second place thanks to this victory. The Aussies would have been eliminated with a loss today, but they showed some real nerve and put themselves in good position to progress instead. The one thing Tunisia have going for them is that France might play reserves in their final match, so they might have a better chance at a result than normal. Unlikely given France’s talent, but possible.

France vs. Denmark

The other match in Group D saw defending champions France take on Denmark. Many tipped Denmark to be dark horses candidates for a deep run in this tournament, but that has so far proven to not be the case. They lost today 2-1 and find their World Cup hopes hanging by a very thin thread. Two scintillating goals from superstar striker Kylian Mbappe saw France through, despite being pegged back from a set piece header by Danish defender Andreas Christiansen. Both goals from Mbappe were from close range, but he was in the right place at the right time. Sometimes that’s all you have to do.

France have a lot of injuries right now, but as long as they have Mbappe, that’s really all that matters. While there are questions as to his ego and locker room presence, there is no denying his abilities on the pitch. The numbers speak for themselves. He has 7 World Cup goals at age of 24, something only Pelé has done. He has 32 goals for France as well. He is going to smash numerous international records if he keeps going like this.

By virtue of their victory today, Les Bleus have qualified for the Round of 16 and are the first nation to do so. They need only a draw against Tunisia in their final group game to guarantee 1st place in the group. The Danish are not eliminated, but they need a victory over Australia to secure progression. Anything less will do them no good, and would be a disappointment for team that is underrated in terms of talent.

Poland vs. Saudi Arabia

Group C was also in action today, with the surprising Saudis taking on a (so far) lackluster Poland team. This match ended 2-0 to the Poles though and was notable for the antics of the Saudis, who were flopping and diving so effectively they should have been awarded gold medals. They are a well-coached team, so it was no accident that the plan was to slow the game down as much as possible and make Poland really work to beat them.

Poland got their first from a swift move down the right flank, which ended with a deflected pass from striker Robert Lewandowski straight into the path of midfielder Piotr Zielinski, who blasted the ball into the roof of the net from close range on 29 minutes. The Poles were overjoyed at scoring their first goal of the tournament.

Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny was called into action on 55 minutes and made a fine double-save from close range to keep the Saudis out. The highlight of the match then came on 82 minutes, when Poland sealed the points via Lewandowski, who stole the ball off a Saudi defender on the edge of the box and slotted home Poland’s second and his first-ever goal at a World Cup. The joy on his face was impossible to miss, as he is 34 and therefore potentially at his last World Cup. His lack of goals at this tournament over the years has been the one black mark on his illustrious goal-scoring career, but today he can take pride in helping his nation go top of Group C on 4 points. Poland can advance with a draw against Argentina, and they can win the group if they beat them.

For the Saudis I have to feel that perhaps the success of the Argentina match was still lingering in their minds. They went behind fairly early and aside from the aforementioned close range chance on 55 minutes, they did not offer much in attack. They will need to regroup for their final group match against Mexico, as they are 3rd on 3 points. A win over Mexico sees them through for sure, although they might be able to get away with a draw depending on how the other match goes.

Argentina vs. Mexico

This match was highly anticipated by both sides, as there is a little bit of a rivalry between them internationally. For one reason or another, they always seem to be playing each other come the World Cup. Lots of shit-talking was happening online between supporters of both sides before kickoff. The Argentines would win 2-0, but it took two glorious strikes to get it done.

Before getting to the goals, a quick moment of recognition for how the Mexicans played for the first hour of this match. They were the better team in the opening 45 minutes. No two ways about it. They had the possession, they were passing better, and they had more attacking intent. Mexico’s best chance of the half came when winger Alexis Vega forced keeper Emiliano Martinez into a fine save from a free kick just before half time. It was 0-0 at the half but you sensed that the negative headlines in Buenos Aires were probably already being written.

The problem with Argentina however is that you cannot lose concentration when playing them, not once and not even for a second. They have a player named Lionel Messi that some may have heard of, and he proved today why he will go down as maybe the greatest player to ever kick a ball. He received a pass from winger Angel Di Maria and found himself in the most space he had been in the whole match, in the middle of the field just outside the penalty area. He took a touch or two forward and then lashed a low and powerful left-footed shot towards the right hand corner of the goal that beat Memo Ochoa and settled into the net just inside the post. The expression of joy on Messi’s face was similar to that of Lewandowski’s, and the Argentines inside the stadium were ecstatic.

Messi then turned provider on 87 minutes for the Argentine’s second, when he found midfielder Enzo Fernandez on the left side of the penalty area. Fernandez dribbled to create space and then lashed a beautiful curling shot into the opposite corner of Ochoa’s net. Points sealed, and it was largely thanks to Messi. Time and time again he has saved Argentina, and he was clearly not ready to bow out of this World Cup just yet.

Mexico will be disappointed with not capitalizing on their dominance in the first half, and for the momentary lapse in defensive concentration that led to Messi’s opener. They simply backed off him too far and let him do what he does best – run at defenses in space in the center of the pitch. That is a recipe for disaster against him, and it must be said that Ochoa did not cover himself in glory with his positioning either. The goal wasn’t his fault, but he maybe could have done better. Nothing he could do about the second goal.

Mexico’s problems are deeper than losing by two wonder strikes though. They are bottom of the group with just 1 point, and must beat Saudi Arabia to have any chance at progression. They were uninspired in attack against Poland and again today. They can play a lot of neat and tidy passes in the buildup, but then they fall apart when it comes to the final ball or getting a shot on goal.

It seems this team lacks a center forward, so one has to ask yet again why Mexico’s all-time leading goal scorer Javier Hernandez was not included in this team. He is fit to play and was in good form pre-tournament, yet it seems there are some internal politics and ego in play here. Mexico manager Tata Martino apparently has some kind of personal, non-football related issue with the man nicknamed “Chicharito”, and it has led to him not being called up to this tournament. If that is the truth, and by all accounts it is, then Martino must be sacked as manager. Hernandez is arguably Mexico’s best player, so to leave out over a personal dispute is completely unprofessional and outright negligent. Couple this baffling decision with some of the questionable tactical decisions Martino has made during this tournament, and it becomes clear why so many Mexican fans are calling for his head.

World Cup Groups C/D Roundup – Saudi Arabia Shocks the World; and the Canonization of Santo Memo

Starting off as we always do – Qatar is an awful host country and FIFA are the most corrupt, hypocritical, and money-grubbing bastards on the planet.

Saudi Arabia vs. Argentina

Truthfully, this match was a blip on the radar of this World Cup when the groups were announced. Argentina are one of the top teams at this tournament in terms of talent, and given that it’s the last World Cup for the legendary Lionel Messi, many thought Argentina would be extra motivated to play well. Further, the gulf in talent between the teams in this particular match is about the size of the Grand Canyon. Everyone thought this would be a neat and tidy result for the Argentines without too much fuss from the Saudis. However, those predictions not have been more wrong. What happened in this match is arguably the most stunning upset in World Cup history, and it’s certainly the biggest upset in at least 25 years.

Argentina were on the front foot first via Messi, who slotted home easily from the penalty spot after a Saudi defender pulled down an Argentine in the box during a corner. It was a pretty clear penalty, as the tackle in the box was probably more appropriate for rugby than football. But with a 1-0 lead early on, everyone fancied the South Americans to kick on and win comfortably. They even had the ball in the Saudi net again a few minutes later, only for it to be called back for offside in the build-up. It was close call, but VAR was consulted and it was ruled out.

As the first half wore on though, it became clear that Argentina was going to struggle to get a second goal. The tactical discipline of the Saudi back line in this match was among the best I have ever seen. Every single player along that back line of defenders was on exactly the same page today, probably even the same line and word. They executed the offside trap perfectly at least three or four times, despite Argentina finding the back of the net those three or four times. To rely on the offside trap is dangerous, as a defense has to rely on the linesman to call offside when the trap is sprung. Relying on an official to get the call right/in your favor is risky, but the Saudis played it to perfection today.

They got their equalizer in the opening moments of the second half via striker Saleh Al-Shehri. Argentina lost the ball in midfield and it was played forward in the air towards Al-Shehri and fellow striker Firas Al-Buraikan. Al-Buraikan got a touch on the ball with his foot that directed it straight into the path of Al-Shehri. He took a touch to go around his marker on the outside before slotting home across the face of the Argentine goal and into the far corner. A goal from nowhere to be sure, but a very good goal nevertheless. Well done to Al-Shehri for maintaining his composure on the finish and to the Saudi players as a whole for pouncing at just the right moment. The Argentines were stunned.

They went from stunned to downright dizzy just five minutes later though when Saudi Arabia went ahead. The ball was being passed around in and near the Argentine penalty area, and the Albiceleste (as they are sometimes called) failed to clear their lines properly. The ball fell to winger Salem Al-Dawsari, and after controlling the ball he dribbled around just inside the left hand portion of the penalty box a bit to try and create an opening. He eventually found one and placed an excellent shot high into the opposite corner and beyond keeper Emiliano Martinez for 2-1. The Saudis players and supporters were jubilant!

The Saudis then had to hold on for another 35+ minutes and the Argies had their chances to find an equalizer, but the Saudi defense and keeper Mohammad Alowais held firm and the match ended 2-1. This is by far the biggest result for Saudi Arabia at a World Cup and the goals scored by Al-Shehri and Al-Dawsari will go down as the most famous goals in their national team history. The level of upset pulled off here cannot and should not be understated, especially given that this is the same nation that lost to Russia 5-0 in their opening match in 2018 and have generally been World Cup whipping boys for at least 25 years.

This is what I’m talking about when I say that team spirit and tactical discipline can overcome a lack of talent. Argentina should be playing a team like this off the pitch on paper. They are simply better in every which way. But this victory for the Green Falcons was no accident; it is the result of a specific plan put in place by French manager Hervé Renard and his staff. They offside trap was the key feature, and they also clogged up the midfield effectively in the second half. It also helps that nine of the starting XI players for the Saudis today all play at the same club in Saudi Arabia. They all know each other very well, to say the least. Renard also said that after the match he felt that Argentina did not take them seriously, which could explain some of their misfiring in attack in the second half.

Whatever the reasons, all citizens of Saudi Arabia get the day off tomorrow to celebrate this victory, as declared by the King himself. That’s a bit of sportswashing for sure, but it’s also sure to be enjoyed nevertheless. I like this Saudi team, but I have the same level of disdain for their government that I do for Qatar, maybe even more. I expect Argentina to bounce back from this defeat as well, and rather emphatically. Today was embarrassing for them, but it should serve as a wake-up call.

Mexico vs. Poland

With Saudi Arabia turning Group C on it’s head, both Mexico and Poland knew that a win for them in this match would take them top of the group and strongly increase their respective odds of progression. This match was very close on paper. Poland have all-world striker Robert Lewandowksi and a very good goalkeeper in Wojciech Szczęsny, but the rest of the team around them is fairly average. Mexico do not have a world class player at any position, but their talent is more evenly spread throughout the team. They have many above-average to good players, and today they had the support of the crowd. Credit to the Mexico supporters today for a fantastic atmosphere.

Mexico were on the front foot for almost the entire first half. They were pressing, passing well, and generally doing all the things a team needs to do to find a goal. Poland by comparison were poor. They didn’t appear to have a plan for Mexico’s press and were caught in possession several times and had to rely upon Szczęsny to bail them out. Lewandowski was isolated by the Mexican midfield and defense, and he can’t work his magic when he doesn’t have the ball. The tactics from Mexico were simple but effective in terms of keeping Poland out. Mexico failed to score at their end in the first half as well, but they looked like the team more likely to score when the halftime whistle blew.

Poland changed their tactics somewhat at halftime though, and they were better after the resumption of play in terms of pressing and getting the ball forward towards Lewandowski. They were rewarded for their attacking intent on 57 minutes when the referee gave them a penalty after a VAR check for a foul in the box. This penalty incident was a little more questionable than some others I have seen, but the decision stood and Lewandowski stepped up to the spot to take it.

But now we pause. We pause to stop and talk about Mexico’s keeper, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa. This man has been between the sticks for Mexico since the 2006 World Cup. He is adored nationally not only for his flying saves and wild hairstyle but for his leadership and reliability. The man is truly fearless, and that attitude is loved by Mexicans far and wide. He has saved their skin numerous times, and he was called upon today again to do so. Despite the big occasion and moment, Memo was certainly not going to be over-awed, even when facing a striker the caliber of Lewandowski. His nickname is “Santo Memo” for a reason.

With all of Mexico and Poland waiting with baited breath, Lewandowski struck the ball to low and to his right, but Memo was equal to it and parried it away after he dove. The overwhelmingly Mexican crowd roared in approval and there was a mad scramble in the box to clear the ball. Memo had done it again! Even if you’re not Mexican, you have to appreciate the level of goalkeeper he ascends to whenever playing for El Tri. His save today was celebrated as if the Mexicans had already won the tournament, and the fans were singing and chanting his name for the rest of the half! From a Polish perspective, Lewandowski’s shot was rather poor. It wasn’t far enough away from the keeper and it lacked a bit of power.

Despite Poland’s good spell of pressure for 20 minutes or so, the Mexicans regained a foothold as the match wore on. They created several half chances, but could not find a winning goal. Memo’s save was the highlight of this match, and it ended 0-0. Mexico can take some positives from the day, but it is clear they are missing a good center forward. They need a finisher, plain and simple. The absence of one Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez from this squad is rather conspicuous.

Group D

This part will be shorter, don’t worry.

France came from behind to beat Australia 4-1, while Denmark and Tunisia tied 0-0. The French keep losing players through injury, but that was not a problem for them today. Australia looked confident at times in the first half but it was clear the French were a step ahead today in terms of talent in attack. Kylian Mbappe is simply the best striker in the world when he’s in the mood. Their injuries could be a problem later in the tournament though. They are the defending champions and are easily the deepest team at this tournament talent-wise, but I worry that the French are due for an implosion soon. Injuries interfere with team chemistry, and the French have to be clicking with one another for them to be at their most deadly.

Both Denmark and Tunisia were both largely uninspiring in their match today, but it was nevertheless a massive result for the Tunisians against a Danish side many have picked as a dark horse to make a run in this tournament. Australia vs. Tunisia now becomes a very interesting match indeed, should the Danish lose to France. The winner of Aus/Tun could easily find themselves in second place in the group, perhaps somewhat unexpectedly.

Why is Leo Messi Leaving Barcelona?

The question of where the greatest player of all time is going to play is always of great interest in any given sport, and it’s an especially intriguing in world football right now. For those who are unaware, it was announced by both Barcelona and Lionel Messi that he will not be playing at the club next season, effective more or less immediately. Fans of the Catalan giants across the globe are desolate right now because they are losing the greatest player in their history. Shoutout to my occasional contributor Jose, a dyed-in-the-wool Barca supporter who couldn’t even write anything for this post due to being so despondent. Poor bastard!

Messi wasn’t happy last summer and threatened to leave Barcelona, but all reports from more recently seemed to indicate that he was back on board with re-signing. Barca have always wanted to have him back, and again it seemed like he was going to take a club-friendly deal to play for reduced wages. So if Barca wanted him back and he wanted to go back, what’s the problem?

The answer is somewhat complicated, but it has to do with outside factors that are uninfluenced by the respective desires of Messi and the club. The problems lie with La Liga’s salary restrictions, Barca’s wage structure, and also the massive amount of debt Barcelona is currently carrying as a club. Essentially, it boils down to the issue that Barcelona cannot afford to pay Messi and stay within La Liga’s salary rules while also paying all of their other players they are attempting to sign during this transfer window.

La Liga requires that salaries for all players not exceed 70% of the club’s revenue. This rule is in place to prevent big clubs from simply out-spending everyone else, and also to keep the small clubs from going bankrupt and being placed into administration. There is some very healthy debate about whether this rule serves those purposes or not, but the rule is in place nevertheless. Messi’s current contract, plus the obscene wages being paid to players like Antoine Griezmann, Samuel Umtiti, Frankie De Jong, and Gerard Pique puts the wage bill at or around 115% of the club’s revenue. This is not only a violation of the rule, it’s also not a financially sound way to run a club. Even a club as big as Barca cannot afford to be paying 115% of their revenue to players, especially when there is a litany of other costs associated with running a club.

Due to the award of these massive contracts that they are now stuck with, it has become impossible to re-sign Messi at any price while still being able to pay the other players. Even if Messi played completely for free, the wage/revenue ratio would still be a staggering 95%. They simply cannot afford to keep him while paying out the contracts they are already locked into, along with making their new signings (Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay). While the exact specifications of each contract are not known, it is rumored that Griezmann, just Griezmann, was making £800k/week last season. That is absurd -especially for player who has not found his best form for the club. Just for reference and perspective, the highest earner at Manchester United is Paul Pogba, rumored to be on £290k/week. When you see that Griezmann is being paid 2.5 times that amount and simply isn’t as good as Pogba, you begin to see the scope of the problem. Barca’s wage bill is, simply put, out of control.

Barca’s president Joan Laporta has been a key figure in this whole process, having recently taken over again as president after the unsuccessful reign of Josep Bartomeu. Bartomeu is really the one at fault here in my opinion, as it was during his tenure that these massive contracts were signed. They were trying to get help for Messi having lost Neymar a few years ago, but most of their new signings have not panned out as they should have. Less success = less attractive place to play = having to pay the player more money to keep him from going somewhere else. This is precisely what happened with Dutch midfielder De Jong. He is making twice what he would be making at almost any other club. Now he cannot be offloaded to another club because there are maybe 2-3 other clubs in the world who could afford to pay him those wages, and none of those clubs are interested in paying him those wages when they could get someone who does the exact same thing De Jong does for half the price. He’s a great midfielder of course, but he’s simply not worth £400k/week. He could take less money to play elsewhere, but no halfway intelligent player is going to negotiate against himself like that if there’s no need to.

Laporta has conceded it would have been possible to keep Messi for next season and stay within La Liga rules if they signed a deal with a private equity firm that was looking to invest in La Liga. That significant injection of cash would have put Barca under that 70% threshold for the next several seasons. However, Laporta decided against signing the deal because it could have seriously infringed on TV revenue that Barca heavily relies upon, and it could have affected several decades’ worth of future revenue. It is understandable why Laporta would want to shy away from the deal – it’s a Band-Aid on a problem that requires surgery. Taking in more money would not reduce Barca’s bloated wage bill. The real solution for Barca is to either offload the massive contracts or simply let them expire before signing more big-name players. Laporta had to make a tough decision for sure, but in the end he adopted the conventional mantra that no one man – not even Messi – is bigger than the club.

That is a solid philosophy to adopt, but the significance of the loss of Messi cannot be understated. Messi has more trophies to his name than many clubs do, and even though he is 34 and past his best days he is still a top-5 player in the world. You don’t win the Ballon d’Or a record 6 (six!) times on accident, after all. Messi isn’t Catalan or even Spanish but his name is synonymous with the club, and he has been with them at one level or another since he was 13. He owns just about every club record conceivable, including being the all-time leading goal scorer. I cannot fathom the emotions he is going through, but judging by his press conference this morning it’s clearly been very difficult for him. He didn’t want to leave, and he certainly did not want to leave like this. But this is the bed that Barca have made for themselves, and now they have to lay in it.

As soon as the story broke that he was leaving the immediate question became where he will be playing next. He has shown no interest in retiring and he is certainly still good enough to play at the elite level, but the issue is finding a club who could afford to pay him the wages he was accustomed to at Barca. Any club could sign him if he agreed to make his contract work with that club’s wage structure, but there’s no need for him to agree to reduce his wages when clubs like Paris St. Germain and Manchester City exist. These clubs are owned by the governments of Qatar and Kuwait respectively, so both are completely loaded with oil money. Plus, neither of those clubs is subject to La Liga’s salary restrictions. They are the two clubs in the world that could afford Messi as things currently stand. He does have a connection to Man City because his former manager Pep Guardiola is currently there, but there is also a connection to PSG via his old friend and teammate Neymar. Realistically, it looks like PSG. City just spent £100m on England midfielder Jack Grealish, so it seems unlikely that they will splash out the cash needed for Messi right now. The Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules could also have a say in this transfer, as PSG/City could be precluded from buying him by UEFA. There are so many issues with UEFA/FFP though its hard to say what effect, if any, either entity will have.

PSG is his next club for me, with a big payday from MLS coming after that 2-3 years down the road. He doesn’t have to be the main goal-scoring threat or main creator in Paris, and he gets to play with other elite-level talent. He can prep for his last major international tournament (World Cup 2022) without being challenged too heavily in the French league and he will not have to play every minute of every match. It also helps that PSG’s manager Mauricio Pochettino is Argentine, like Messi is. If PSG do manage to secure his services, they would become even stronger favorites for major trophies. A front three of Messi – Kylian Mbappe – Neymar would be virtually unstoppable.

So yes, Messi has to leave and everyone is miserable because of it. I don’t think Blaugrana supporters should be too upset with Messi, Laporta, or the current crop of players though. The departure of their greatest ever player is down to poor financial decision making under Bartomeu and the previous Board of Directors. I think Barca are in for some lean years coming up, but the sooner they offload these contracts the better. They need to re-center their focus on developing players at their academy (La Masia), because that is where they have found most of their success in the past. Sure, they used to make the occasional big signing, but they developed legends like Messi, Pique, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Carlos Puyol, and many others. They’ve relied too much on splashing cash on big names in the past few years, and now it’s come back to bite them in the ass.

Euro 2020(1) Round of 16, Day 3 – What a Thriller!

Two very appetizing matches happened on the penultimate day of the Round of 16. Spain took on Croatia in Copenhagen, Denmark before France and Switzerland travelled to Bucharest, Romania for their match. What resulted from today was probably the single best day of international football I have perhaps ever seen.

Spain vs. Croatia

This match was so good and so entertaining it almost deserves its own post, but I shall try to summarize effectively. I unfortunately did not get to watch this match due to a work engagement and I’m rather perturbed about that, because this was probably the most entertaining game of the tournament so far.

Most pundits and fans probably would have picked Spain to win this match, but only a fool would have written off Croatia and the result was far from certain. Spain hit 5 goals in their last group match, but before that they were having trouble breaking down more defensive-minded teams. Croatia were runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and still sport some incredibly talented – if old – players. Whenever your team has Luka Modric in it, you have a chance to win.

What transpired was everything a neutral fan could dream for – world class talent, rookie mistakes, and 8 goals scored. Spain made all the early runs and had the better chances in the first 20 minutes, but they found themselves down 1-0 after a fairly routine back pass from the Spanish defense bounced over Spain keeper Unai Simon’s right foot and rolled into the goal. Huge error, and you normally don’t see such a massive kerfuffle at this level. It was clear that Simon took his eye off the ball as it rolled back to him and he just…missed it. I’ve been a goalkeeper at the very amateur level, and I can tell you that there’s no worse feeling in the world than letting an easy one in. Elation for the Croats, though.

That elation didn’t last too long, as Spain were soon equal via midfielder Pablo Sarabia. The ball broke kindly for him in the box and he did well to ride a challenge and lash the ball past Croatian keeper Dominik Livakovic. It was probably the fair outcome, given that Spain had dominated the game since going behind and at halftime it was 1-1.

Spain got two more later in the second half via defender Cesar Azpilicueta, and then the other came in the 76th minute from striker Ferran Torres. I bring them both up simultaneously because both goals were scored after some bad defensive errors by Croatia. Azpilicueta was unmarked for his headed goal and couldn’t miss from so close, while Torres went around his defender like he wasn’t there for his goal. At 3-1 no one would blame you for assuming that the game was over for Croatia, given their defensive issues and lack of chances created.

But assumptions are not facts, and Croatia proved they have plenty of fighting spirit. Substitute winger Mislav Orsic put the cat amongst the pigeons by getting a second for Croatia in the 85th minute, and the goal galvanized his team. Croatia suddenly had a lot more energy, and Spain were holding on for dear life in the last 5-7 minutes. They couldn’t quite completely hold on though, as fellow substitute and midfielder Mario Pasalic headed home a cross from close range in the 92nd minute to send the Croatian fans into delirium. It was a stunning sequence of events and it meant that extra time would be necessary. In all honesty, striker Andrej Kramaric was unlucky not to put Croatia ahead 4-3 when his shot was blocked off the line by a defender. Spain were inches from losing this match!

But Spain once again were the stronger side to start the final 30 minutes, and this time their dominance paid dividends. The much-maligned Alvaro Morata put them ahead on 100 minutes, after he smartly controlled a high cross into the box and was able to volley it past Livakovic for number 4. I was happy for Morata, as he has been the target of a lot of criticism from the Spanish press and social media. He had missed a few of his easier chances, but converted the most difficult one at the most pivotal time. Usually when a team goes ahead in extra time they play more conservative, but Spain did not. Attacking midfielder Mikel Oyarzabal but the tie beyond all doubt when he slotted home from close range after another dangerous cross in from the right side. Croatia created some half-chances after that to keep things interesting, but Spain held on until the final whistle.

I hope I covered it all, but no written words can capture the drama and tension of this match. Just a classic, all around. Spain do seem to have defensive issues at times but 10 goals in two matches should make them feel much better about their attacking abilities. Up next, Spain will play the winner of France and Switzerland on Friday in the quarterfinals.

France vs. Switzerland

I didn’t think that this match would come anywhere close to the level of drama in the Spain match, but I was happy to be proven wrong. We got two high-scoring thrillers today, and two such games are great advertisements for this sport.

Most people expected France to brush aside the Swiss fairly easily. France are the reigning world champions and tons of articles have been written about their talent levels – Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, N’golo Kante, Antoine Griezmann – all world beaters. On top of that, they have players on their bench that would probably start for any other country. Such is their strength in depth. The Swiss have some talent in the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, but on paper France should be taking this. But no match is played on paper, and France learned that the hard way today.

Much to everyone’s surprise, the first goal came from Switzerland. France looked uncomfortable in the opening 45 minutes; perhaps even unsettled. I would tend to think they weren’t helped by their tactical set-up, though. For some reason, France manager Didier Deschamps decided to employ a back 3 instead of France’s traditional back 4. I think this led to a little bit of passiveness for France. Why make a tough pass forward from the back when you can just square it to the extra center back? They weren’t used to this set up and I think subconsciously expected the Swiss to roll over for them, however they did not. It was some excellent center forward play from Haris Seferovic that earned the Swiss their goal. He is a big, strong striker and he simply outmuscled the Frenchman marking him to get his head on a cross from the left. Sometimes football really is that simple.

It was 1-0 at halftime and France looked a little shell-shocked. You knew it wasn’t over, but they knew they would need to play much better in order to win this match. France got a little bit of luck when the second half resumed when keeper Hugo Lloris saved a penalty from left back Ricardo Rodriguez. There were questions as to why Rodriguez was taking the penalty as he is not traditionally a goal scorer, and indeed it’s somewhat of a mystery as to why Seferovic or another striker didn’t take it. VAR checked the foul and the penalty call was probably correct, but Lloris showed his own class by making the save. That save energized the French a bit and they soon started playing like how most people expected them to.

Striker Karim Benzema brought France level from close range after a slick pass from Mbappe, and he got a second one only two minutes later after he headed in a cross/shot from Griezmann. France were ahead in a matter of mere minutes, and it was during this time that they really showed what they are capable of. They can just flip a switch and all of a sudden you’re losing. Pogba got a third roughly 15 minutes later, hitting an absolutely sublime strike past Swiss keeper Yann Sommer from about 22 yards out. Pogba really can hit some amazing shots; I just wish he would score like that for Manchester United as often as he does for France!

Again, at 3-1 with roughly 10-12 minutes left, no one would blame you for assuming France had it in the bag. They didn’t play well throughout the match, but most felt that 20-30 minute spell of world-class play would probably see them through. But once again, just like Croatia earlier in the day, the Swiss were not done. Seferovic popped up again with 9 minutes to go and headed in a lovely cross from the right side from close range. He found space between the French defenders this time and was able to get good contact on it. Now only down 1, the Swiss pressed on.

Striker Mario Gavranovic was then the hero for Switzerland, doing well to beat the French defense with a dribble before sliding an equalizer past Lloris in the 90th minute. He received an excellent pass through the middle from Xhaka and went around the closest defender like he wasn’t there. As good as France were for that 20-30 minute period, they were pretty bad in the final ten minutes. No concentration, poise, or game management. I do think a bit of hubris got to them today, especially once they were winning. All credit to the Swiss though for sticking to the task and forcing extra time after being down 2.

The extra time in this match was far less eventful than the early game. Both teams were clearly very tired, and some sloppy fouls by both sides really broke up the rhythm of the play. Mbappe probably should have scored after a sublime pass from Pogba through the middle, but he delayed just a fraction too long and blazed into the side netting. France were also required to make several subs due to injury and fatigue, having to take off winger Kingsley Coman, Griezmann, and goal-scorer Benzema. No goals scored in extra time meant that a penalty shootout would decide things.

Some argue that penalties are a lottery and not really a fair way to decide close matches, and while I can understand that argument, penalties were perfectly appropriate for this back-and-forth nature of this match today. The first nine penalties – 5 by the Swiss and 4 by France – were essentially perfect. Lloris came close to saving one but the ball still slipped past him despite contact with it. The hero of the day though was Sommer, who did very well to parry out the 5th French penalty. Mbappe took that last penalty and most expected him of all people to convert it, but he struck the ball rather unconvincingly and Sommer made a good save diving to his right.

World champions and tournament favorites France are OUT! Huge upset for Switzerland, even bigger than what the Czechs did against Netherlands yesterday. Switzerland earned the privilege to take on Spain in the quarterfinals next Friday.

Man of the Match: Granit Xhaka. Got the game-tying assist and was absolutely everywhere for the Swiss today, both in defense and attack.

Tomorrow

England vs. Germany (9 am PDT)

Sweden vs. Ukraine (Noon PDT)

England really need to beat Germany now. The stars are aligning for a deep tournament run if we can just get past the Germans!