World Cup stars, underdogs, and old grudges define the tournament so far
This World Cup has become a showcase for elite attackers, with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane all present and scoring. Argentina, France and Norway have repeatedly played on the same matchdays, and Messi has again dominated the headlines, but Mbappe is also carrying France, which has won its first two matches convincingly. His link-up with Ousmane Dembele is working, Michael Olise has been impressive, and France looks every bit the leading contender.
Cristiano Ronaldo also reminded everyone not to write him off. After a poor opening match, he celebrated by shouting, "I'm Back," and became the first player ever to score in six World Cups. The article notes that since Messi's last World Cup goal, he has scored 11 more, and says Ronaldo is still the main attraction wherever he appears.
Other teams have also stood out. Spain looked balanced again, with Mikel Oyarzabal, scorer in the Euro final, presented as a serious Golden Boot candidate. The Netherlands routed Sweden in a performance built on confidence and attacking depth. England disappointed in its second game, leaving open whether it is the dominant side seen against Croatia or the shaky one that struggled against Ghana. The United States has already clinched a place in the next round after two rounds, despite Christian Pulisic's injury, while Mexico is living and breathing football as usual and Canada has claimed its first ever World Cup win.
The piece also highlights a remarkable Curaçao story. The team has made pre-match prayer a defining ritual, and after games players have stayed on the pitch to pray with opponents, including after a heavy loss to Germany and a draw with Ecuador. Coach Dick Advocaat, described as the oldest manager in World Cup history, has relaxed his usual discipline and allowed family members to stay in the team hotel, with players and partners getting separate rooms and children given extra space.
Cape Verde, another surprise, is unbeaten in two matches and looks headed for the knockout stage. After taking points off Uruguay, a draw against Saudi Arabia in the final group match should be enough, and the team has already produced a tournament goal from Maccabi Tel Aviv winger Helio Varela. The article also recalls two journalists who lost their jobs over World Cup-related reporting errors and comments. Looking ahead, the final group round will answer key questions about Norway, Belgium, Brazil, Morocco, the Netherlands, Japan, Argentina and Jordan, while Austria versus Algeria carries special historical weight because of the 1982 "Disgrace of Gijón," when West Germany and Austria played out a result that eliminated Algeria and sparked outrage.
