The game’s an original drama unlike any other, but for 40 minutes of Argentina versus Nigeria at Saint Petersburg Stadium, this felt like a rerun. There was Javier Mascherano, bloodied, stretching every sinew as the side’s aging lynchpin and guilty of doing too much.
For the entirety of 38 games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, you could do whatever the hell you pleased at corner kicks. Use Pepe as a battering ram to create some space for Ronaldo? Sure. Tackle Harry Kane to the ground with two players? Why not. Shove Miranda in the back to snatch a Swiss equalizer? That sounds wild, but we’ll definitely allow it.
After watching first Lucas Biglia and then Enzo Perez do little except play balls into places where things go to die, it’s looking like Argentina’s riding Ever Banega next to Javier Mascherano from here on out (which still might not be very long whatsoever). Regardless, my God was it nice to see a ball from the Argentina midfield that wasn’t first coated in the feces of a leaky Mascherano anus.
With Argentina’s back up against the wall in a must-win match to close out Group D, Lionel Messi finally showed up. The Messi goal vs Nigeria put La Albiceleste on top 14 minutes into the game and the reaction from Diego Maradona was priceless.
Messi, who is trying to pass Maradona as Argentina’s all-time greatest player with a World Cup title, made a great run spotted by midfielder Ever Banega. The lofted through ball, the first touch and the finish were all sublime for the Messi goal vs Nigeria.
World Cup final viewers surpassed the one billion mark for Germany's 1-0 win against Argentina in 2014. That made the World Cup final the most-watched sporting event in history, and it should break its own viewership record this year.
Although the Olympics slightly outpaces the World Cup in terms of overall viewership, no single game or match can stack up against World Cup Final viewers.
England vs Belgium kicks off Thursday, June 28, at 2:00 p.m. ET on FOX and Telemundo, with the winner taking top spot in Group G. With both nations sitting on six points and with a goal difference of +6, it’s possible a draw could see FIFA fair-play points determine who wins the group. (England currently has one less yellow card than Belgium.)
The Paolo Guerrero goal on Tuesday was a happy epilogue to all the drama that surrounded the Peruvian striker's participation in the World Cup.
After helping Peru clinch a spot in the intercontinental qualifier against New Zeland, Guerrero failed a doping control test, and that's where a whole nation's odyssey started.
He was first banned from all FIFA competitions for one year, which meant he would miss the World Cup.
One of Uruguay’s nicknames is La Garra Charrúa. Garra meaning claw in Spanish, the nickname signals Uruguayans' relentless disposition; the fact they are willing to use nails, teeth and claws to get what they want.
Former Uruguay player and international star Diego Forlán once told the following anecdote referring to Uruguay’s traditional tough play.
Manager Óscar Washington Tavárez would sometimes tell his players “let’s end this match playing with 11 men,” in an effort to prevent them from playing too harshly and getting a red card.
This is where the introduction usually goes but fire the torpedoes!
Oops, VAR did it again. There's no denying VAR got it right, but wow. Portugal had all but wrapped up first place in Group B, but two VAR decisions in stoppage time from both the Portugal vs Iran match and the Spain vs Morocco match put Spain on top.
In Portugal vs Iran, referee Enrique Caceres initially allowed play to continue after what seemed like an unintentional handball in the box by Portugal right back Cedric Soares. After being prompted to consult VAR, Caceres reversed his decision and pointed to the spot.