The article previews several final group-stage matches at the 2026 World Cup, including Bosnia vs. Qatar, Scotland vs. Brazil, and Czechia vs. Mexico. It argues that the tournament’s crackdown on time-wasting has not stopped some mid-tier European teams from making their games ugly, especially Scotland, Czechia and Bosnia.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson, who has just left Liverpool and will play for Tottenham next season, was highlighted for gaming the referee’s public five-second count on throw-ins in Scotland’s 1-0 win over Haiti. The piece says Robertson realized the count started when the ball was in his hands, so he set it down and waited longer, confusing the official. That match, and Scotland’s 70-minute bunker against an opponent far weaker on paper, is presented as emblematic of Scotland’s style.
Czechia and Bosnia are treated similarly. Czechia has taken one point from six after leading in both of its first two matches, only to back off and lose control. Bosnia, after reaching the World Cup only once before, in 2014, has also relied on set pieces, including a corner-kick routine to steal a draw against Canada. The article says Switzerland has already beaten a team that never really tried to play, underscoring the contrast with more adventurous underdogs elsewhere in the tournament.
Looking ahead, Scotland sits on three points and may still qualify as a third-place team, but it now faces Brazil. Czechia must beat host Mexico in a hostile atmosphere, while Bosnia needs three points against Qatar. The piece also notes that World Cup expansion has added three more UEFA spots, but says that, based on what these teams have shown, the extra berths have hurt the tournament quality. Elsewhere, Canada meets Switzerland for first place in that group, Morocco can top its section if it beats already-eliminated Haiti, and South Africa plays South Korea in a match the article expects to be more open than the others.
