Heartbreak in major tournaments seems woven into England’s story. The only mystery is the timing and the cruel fashion in which it unfolds. This defeat marked a staggeringly harsh new chapter. Thomas Tuchel’s side matched aggression with aggression in a match crackling with raw tension. The opening period was a bruising battle, yet utterly compelling. […]
Continue ReadingJust a few weeks ago, Kylian Mbappé hinted that all paths might eventually point toward Florida. In a playful mood, he shared that David Beckham had been persistently selling him on the idea of a switch to Major League Soccer, teasing the possibility of teaming up once more with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. “We’ll […]
Continue ReadingTwo British television networks intend to broadcast the entirety of Fifa’s contentious half-time performance during the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, although they still do not know how long the interval entertainment will run. Last month, a newspaper report indicated that networks were worried about the duration of the half-time […]
Continue ReadingStaging its final in the world’s largest media hub ensured that the North American World Cup would inevitably place a heavy emphasis on its marquee players. The broadcasting approach certainly leans into this trend. Matches are promoted as prizefights pitting two supremely gifted individuals against one another, rather than a tactical battle involving 22 players […]
Continue ReadingIt’s all about the ball, until, in an instant, it’s about something else entirely. On Sunday afternoon Godoy Cruz met Defensores de Belgrano in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football, and amid a sea of blue home banners hung two St George’s crosses, apparently snatched from England supporters at the 2014 World Cup. […]
Continue ReadingThomas Tuchel expects England to encounter an Argentina side “driven by their past” in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final in Atlanta. This marks the sixth World Cup meeting between the two countries, with the last three encounters taking place after the 1982 Falklands conflict. The most contentious clash occurred in the 1986 quarter-finals when Diego Maradona’s […]
Continue ReadingPerhaps Didier Deschamps had the right idea from the beginning. Over his 14-year tenure leading France, he has faced scrutiny for being overly conservative, emphasizing stability, and not fully unleashing his array of attacking talent. At this competition, his final one as head coach, Deschamps has become more permissive — at least in terms of […]
Continue ReadingA diverse group of entertainers, from film star Tom Cruise to online personality IShowSpeed, will take part in bringing the World Cup to a close, tournament organizers revealed on Tuesday. The sport’s governing body unveiled the program for the finale event, scheduled to begin 90 minutes ahead of Sunday’s championship match. In an official release, […]
Continue ReadingAfter it emerged that match 102, a World Cup semi-final, would pair England with Argentina, the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas war came up during Lionel Scaloni’s media briefing. “No, no, no,” the Argentina head coach said with firm dismissal. “This is purely a football contest. Let’s not search for anything beyond that. It’s a game against a […]
Continue ReadingIn the lead-up to the World Cup, the entrenched hostility that had accompanied Jude Bellingham virtually from his breakthrough at senior level grew more vociferous. Numerous scribes, commentators and one-time professionals doubted whether one of the country’s most gifted footballers could become a divisive presence within the team. The starkest articulation of this position appeared […]
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