The article argues that the current World Cup is no longer producing the occasional upset, but a new normal in which smaller nations regularly trouble far richer, better-known teams. It points to Qatar’s draw with Switzerland, Saudi Arabia’s match against Uruguay, Morocco’s game against Brazil, Australia’s win over Turkey, Cape Verde’s 0-0 with Spain, Senegal stretching France for more than an hour, and the Democratic Republic of Congo embarrassing Portugal.
The writer says the big teams deserve some leeway because their players have had exhausting seasons in domestic leagues, European competitions, national teams, and, exactly a year earlier in the United States, the Club World Cup. Add the heat and travel of a World Cup, plus too little time for the stars to train together, learn the coach’s tactics, and build chemistry, and the favorites often look blunt early on. Some also took their opening matches too lightly.
The gap has also narrowed because of globalization in football, the article says. FIFA’s investments in the developing world have improved facilities, training pitches, staff, nutrition, video analysis, and data tools across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Many players from those regions now play in Europe and bring back tactical discipline and training habits. The article also notes that a quarter of World Cup squad members were not born in the countries they represent.
Tactically, smaller teams pack the area around their penalty box and force favorites to rely on moments of individual brilliance. France needed a brilliant action from Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé’s finishing to beat Senegal, Germany used a perfect corner routine to recover against tiny Curacao, and Iraq stayed level with Norway until a defensive error let Erling Haaland strike. The article adds that expanded World Cup fields, from 32 to 48 teams, increase the odds of shocks, and says Cape Verde can still dream of reaching the final 32, with Saudi Arabia and Uruguay still ahead in the group. It closes by crediting Arsène Wenger’s long-standing argument that talent exists everywhere, but infrastructure, organization, and global exposure are what were missing.
