Afterthought

I did not care much about the final as I was traveling. That said, from what I have seen, it was war, just as I had predicted; a match for the times. Good Spain won, the best team, and it is always good that the best team wins. 

But the final sad reflection for me is a tournament that has lost its magic, at least for me. I never found that magic; on the contrary, I became more and more disillusioned by the bickering, hate and media. That said, I admit I am probably an old nostalgic fart, since it is clear that the tournament was perfect for the society today, and FIFA are brilliant at creating the narrative, the atmosphere and excitement that the world needs in difficult times.

So let me congratulate the World Champions of Spain, but most of all, congratulate FIFA for the best World Cup in history. 

It is just not for me.

War!

I was happy to see Argentina win against England, despite the fact that I no longer live or enjoy football as I used to, and probably never will as I enter the winter of my life.

I have seen it all, been hurt and sad, especially in this tournament, so I was expecting nothing from the semifinal, except the hope of seeing a fair and good match between great sportsmen, and no references to history of politics (where I am frankly also much more knowledgeable than the idiotic rabble).

As expected it was dramatic nevertheless, more intense than pretty, but fair enough. 

As many say that the entire tournament is fixed, they should probably look towards England, who had everything to win the match after going ahead 0-1 by the new Barcelona player, Anthony Gordon. But instead of pressing for another goal, England decided to defend deep, giving away the entire match to the Argentinean World Champions, and notably Messi, who after a poor match, suddenly had space and time to create perfect passes into the English area; the little master (whose skills I do not know how FIFA has fixed) provided the assists for both Enzo Fernandez’ and Lauraro Martinez’ goals.

Spain-Argentina in the final; the two best amid the top four in the world who made it to the semifinals in a tournament that despite 48 teams lacked real surprises (frankly, Cape Verde and DR Congo were not surprises). Two sides that have much in common, whose players in many cases know one another, and specially Messi, who is facing many players he knew as kids in Barcelona. Two different sides, two different cultures, two different nations.

It would be a beautiful story if I believed in any of the beauty. Instead what I see is two sides, two countries, that hate one another. 

This is war by other means, nothing else, and as any war, it sells, the rabble loves it. I have one prediction: it will be ugly, it will be violent, and whoever loses, will not accept it, because what characterises the world of today, is accusing the others of cheating whenever you do not win.

No Sweat

The match between Brazil and Norway was a bit of a disappointment in terms of quality, but certainly had the correct winner: Norway, with two great goals from Erling Haaland, who is surely one of the best strikers in the world, if not the very best.

The match was slow. At times it appeared as if the players did not want to sweat too much; Norway passed the ball around slowly, with little pressure from the Brazilians, while the Brazilians were indeed more dangerous in their attacks, but generally also slow to recover the ball from the Norwegians. 

That said, the match could have been entirely different were it not for the inefficiency of the Brazilian attack. Bruno Guimaraes did not shoot like a Brazilian when he missed the penalty in the first half. A young and overrated Endrick, who truly added nothing to the Brazilian team, made a huge miss in the second half. Perhaps it would have changed the match, but Brazil appears to have forgotten that to win you need a striker as efficient and unforgiving as the great Norwegian.

Why does Brazil not produce players like Erling Haaland any longer?

In the end Neymar, coming in as a failed saviour managed to score on a penalty against the excellent Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, who laughed off Neymar's frustration in the dying seconds.

Probably last kick of Neymar in a World Cup... 

Norway may not become World Champions; they still have weaknesses in defense and depend greatly on Haaland, but they are now surely the darlings of the tournament as they deserved a victory against another hugely disappointing Brazil side that is again eliminated in the knock-out phase against a European side (they have always been eliminated by European sides since 2006), and against a tiny but great Scandinavian nation that they have never defeated... 

Big Cheers to our Norwegian friends! 

Brazil-Norway preview

I think that today's match between Brazil and Norway has the potential of being a great match. Norway has been playing some excellent football led in particular by the two stars Martin Ødegaard and Erling Haaland, while Brazil has shown the potential to get far, even as their name is not among the biggest favourites, with Vinicius Jr. as the main star so far. Norway's attacking prowess is without question, but their defense has more than once proven shaky during the tournament, something that Ancelotti has probably eyed. Raphinha still appears to be doubtful, but may be replaced by Neymar, something that could prove either a huge risk, or a huge opportunity. 

It is notable that Norway is one of the few countries in the world that has never lost to Brazil. They have only played four times, with two victories for Norway and two draws. In 1998 they faced one another in the group stages of the World Cup that France later won against Brazil in the final. Norway won 2-1 with two heroic goals within the last ten minutes of the match by Tor-Andre Flo and Kjetil Rekdal, after Bebeto had brought Brazil ahead. Brazil still won the group, but the victory meant that Norway advanced to the round-of-16, where they were eliminated by Italy.

So no matter what happens it will be history!

Another thing: after a disgraceful match with a team that refused to play football like Paraguay, I hope to see two teams of real sportsmen for whom fighting does not mean to be violent pricks (like Paraguay), but who will compete hard, as equals and with mutual respect. 

Good luck to both and may the best team win!

Civilized team versus Paraguay

In one of the worst matches in a this World Cup, Paraguay lost 0-1 to France on a penalty kick by Kylian Mbappe. 

Paraguay are the worst example of a football team, playing not just defensively, but played a destructive and filthy style; the type of style that does not deserve to be called football, and not a single of those Paraguayans belong on a football pitch. Neither does the referee Ilgiz Tantashev, who allowed every violent trick by the South Americans. Hope he never referees again.

What is VAR for!?

Paraguay will not be missed and hope never to see them in any tournament again.

France has been the best team in the tournament, and despite the difficulties in winning this match, this is one of the most important matches on their way to win the tournament, because they won a difficult match against an opponent that refused to play football.

How is it going?

I have really tried to enjoy the World Cup; trying to find that magical feeling of a tournament that has defined my love for football. I have been to two of the matches in person, enjoying the atmosphere and beautiful stadiums. I have had beers over matches and been to fan zones and bars in four different cities in three countries; I have read, listened, talked and written about the tournament.

How is it going as we enter the round-of-16 phase of knock-out matches?

Not good. 

While the good things generally outnumbered the bad things four years ago in Qatar, there are too many bad things about the tournament to enjoy it:

• 48 teams are too many; too many poor sides and defensive matches that will barely be remembered. A few good moments on the pitch, but it is too far between them.
• VAR: the technology continues to be used far beyond its original purpose. Instead of settling controversies, it just deepens them, as it is clear that most decisions have a level of referee discretion. It thus becomes an excuse for referees not to make decisions, as well as a waste of time, rather than the tool it could be in selected situations.
• Hydration breaks are a terrible symptom of the excessive commercialization of the World Cup; an excuse for commercial breaks that directly damages the flow of the game. 
• Prices: I lived this myself; prices of tickets, but also of everything surrounding the tournament, from increased consumer prices and cable network subscription packages that include the World Cup. I am not suffering economically, but can see that the peoples’ sport has become exclusive to a rich globalized minority.
• The fans: A video has been circulating showing a Mexican woman who, unprovoked, pours beer on two Ecuatorian fans before the Mexico-Ecuador match. Social media has poured its collective punishment on the woman, who is said not to represent Mexico. Obviously she does not, but she does represent a growing part of football culture: ignorant supporters all over the world who have been herded like sheep by social media and FIFA's commercialization of nationalism to see football less as a shared celebration than as a way to express hostility towards others.  

Football does not unite.

Perhaps that is what saddens me most. I have spent this tournament trying to rediscover the feeling that made me fall in love with the World Cup as a child. Instead, with every match, I find myself feeling more distant—not only from the tournament, but from the world that has grown up around it.

May France crush Paraguay

Former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert may have been a great goalkeeper, but his opinions are provocative and nasty. Before Paraguay face France in the last-16, Chilavert has said that Paraguay are facing an African side and not France. While one could ignore this comment as coming just from a bitter old man, the worst part is how many people (ironically many of the South Americans descended from immigrants themselves) agree and even applauds this nonsense. 

In fact, only three players on the French squad are born outside France. One in Italy, one in England, and one in the DR Congo (only the latter is in fact in Africa). 

In the meantime, five players in Paraguay’s squad are born outside Paraguay…

What really bothers these people is that France have players of African heritage. They are the same type of people who more than 100 years ago complained bitterly when Uruguay was the first country to use players of African heritage. People on the wrong side of history.

Because let us face the truth: the entire French team is thoroughly French. Many players are French of African heritage, and while I am not French, I am as a European proud of our diversity and inclusion whereby we accept people of any heritage as our compatriots who work, struggle, and celebrate together (I am deeply aware that not everyone agrees on this in Europe… ).

Chilavert and his people will never understand that.

Almost one hundred players in the World Cup are born and raised in France; in fact it speaks to the greatness of France and French football that they today produce footballers of a quality and skill that benefits the entire world of football. 

Players of a quality that Paraguay will never produce.

I hope that the French team crushes Paraguay today and sends them crying back to their hero, Chilavert.

VIVE LA FRANCE!

Argentina out

I am going to say something nobody likes to hear: Cape Verde are not a very good team. 

Yes, they qualified for the World Cup, they tied Spain, they tied Uruguay, and tied a very poor Saudi Arabia to luckily end second in their group. This was a surprise, yes, but was built on the luck of facing the poorest Uruguay side in history, as well as a Spain on its worse day in decades.

Facing Argentina, defending “world champions”, the Cape Verdians scored two goals by Dutch-born players Deroy Duarte and Sidney Lopes (we are unlikely ever to hear more about these players who play in the Bulgarian and Turkish leagues, respectively), with the latter perhaps the best goal of the tournament. 

In the end Argentina won 3-2 after extra time, taking away the aspiring sensation, but everyone is giving Cape Verde credit, when the result should be assigned exclusively to Argentina being a poor side that relies only on Messi and a bunch of overrated second-rate players who have no reason to call themselves “world champions” any longer. Argentina should destroy a team like Cape Verde 8-0; anything else is inacceptable. 

This predicts the end of the road for Argentina, who will be facing Egypt in the next match. 

Too many teams in the World Cup; too many teams that add nothing to football quality.

When in Spain

Today I happened to be in Madrid, Spain, and enjoyed a boring match that Spain won 3-0 over Austria. Mikel Oyarzabal scored two, Pedro Porro one, to give Spain an easy victory against an Austrian side that added nothing to the tournament.

Just another proof that 48 are too many teams.

We have not yet seen what Spain are capable of. Future champions usually pace themselves for the important matches; it would appear to be what Spain is doing.

Arrogance

There is a big difference between self-loathing and humility. Self-loathing is the result of a mixture of arrogance and inferiority complex. Humility is about being sure of your own abilities, but recognizing your limits, and especially admit when others are better. All things indicate that Joshua Kimmich lack humility: In an interview after Germany's elimination, Mr. Kimmich was full of self-loathing, saying that they had lost to teams that had no "world class".

I supported Germany against Paraguay and thought that they deserved to win until I heard Mr. Kimmich's arrogant comments. They sound particularly arrogant for a team that for two World Cups did not qualify beyond the group stages, and this world cup barely did, only to be defeated by a team that Mr. Kimmich ranks below his own "world class level". 

From Mr. Kimmichs comments I now believe that Germany lost because of arrogance and lack of humility. Again and again we see that you cannot underestimate any team, but that is a lesson that Mr. Kimmich and Germany appear to ignore again and again. That is a lesson that will take years to learn, specially because they have players like Mr. Kimmich, who thinks that you can win games by name alone, instead of by the skills that they obviously lack.

After being disappointed at Germany's defeat, I must at least thank Mr. Kimmich for opening my eyes again as to why I should not be disappointed.

Mexico in ecstasy

 Mexico is in the last-16 after eliminating Ecuador 2-0, on two great goals by Julian Quiñones and Raul Jimenez. The first half of the team was fantastic. With their incredible home crowd in the legendary Azteca stadium the Mexicans look like one of the best teams of the tournament, and surely expectations are growing as they advance. Javier Aguirre's starting lineup was very offensive and seemed to take the Ecuatorians by surprise; it looked as if they home team would crush the South Americans, but second half they stood back comfortably as Ecuador made some feeble attacks.

There was never a doubt about who would win. 

Mexico will face either England or DR Congo in what will be a huge hurdle for both sides. But it will also be Mexico's last match in the Azteca, as future games will move to the USA if Mexico advances. This will be interesting to see, but Mexico are celebrating that they are perhaps one fo the best teams in the world in their mighty home stadium. 

 

Congrats to Paraguay and to Germany

For some time, Germany appeared to be going the same way as Italy; since they won their fourth World cup they have been awful! 

In 2010 and 2014, following their famous 2006 victory, Italy failed to get past the group stages. The same has happened to Germany, who after winning in 2014, failed to get past the group stages in 2018 and 2022. So this is where Germany has improved compared to Italy. 

The Italians have failed to qualify for all World Cups since 2014, while Germany in this World Cup improved markedly from their two previous World Cups in that they moved beyond the group stage and to the last-32. However, today this was the end for Germany, who lost on penalties to a difficult Paraguay side, after a tough 1-1 (Germany's first loss in World Cup penalty contest ever). 

While some may say this is disappointing for Germany, I applaud them for getting out of the group stages and playing a good match against Paraguay; they were the better team but lacked speed and imagination against a South American side that played like they always do: organized, defensive, and counting on corners and free kicks. And with a strong goalkeeper in the San Lorenzo’s Orlando Gill, Paraguay proved too much for the German feeble attacks.... 

Germany are, like Italy, not at the level of former times; the players they produce are nowhere near the level of the players they used to produce and not only lack the skills and speed to defeat a team like Paraguay, but also lack a winning mentality that in the end might have been why they could not win on penalties. Paraguay are surely celebrating and will look forward to play another defensive and organized match in the last-16. 

Congratulations to Paraguay but I will certainly not support them as I do not like how they play.

In the meantime, I congratulate Germany for getting through the group stages and hope they continue improving after having fallen so far from their 2014 pinnacle. 

Brazil-Japan

Japan-Brazil was bound to be an exciting match, but it was more disappointing: the disappointing thing were Japanese side. The Asians have been touted as a potential new world power in football, but were tepid to say the least against the Brazilians, who were the deserved winners. 

Japan started the match defensively; they appeared nervous and were under pressure until after half an hour, when Danilo lost a ball to the Mainz´ player Kaisho Sano, who just rushed towards goal and shot flatly to the right of Alisson. 0-1 for Japan was completely against the match stats, but it was the result at halftime. 

Second half was the same: if anything, Japan pulled back even more, relying on sporadic and lukewarm counterattacks, while Brazil pressed forward. Japan was rather lucky in some situations and finally relief came for all football fans when Casemiro headed the ball into the Japanese goal. If anything, the goal gave Brazil more confidence and Japan more nerves, but despite hitting the post and numerous approaches, Brazil was unable to score until the dying second of the match, when a bad defensive mistake by the Japanese put Arsenal´s Gabriel Martinelli in a free position, and he scored Brazil´s winner via the goalpost. 

Thank football for Brazil being in the next round! They will face the winner of Norway-Cote d’Ivoire. 

In the meantime Japan will not be missed, and confirm the dreadful tournament for Asian sides: of 9 teams, only two (Japan and Australia) qualified for the last-32, and now Japan has gotten (rightfully) eliminated. Next World Cup Asia should lose some qualification spots to Africa.

The last-32

For the first time in World Cup history, we have 32 teams (too many!) in the knock-out round. So, the 32 teams are paired as follows: 

• Canada-South Africa: one of the surprise sides against one of the hosts. Both teams have for the first time ever progressed from the group stages. Canada are probably favourites but the South Africans have shown they must not be underestimated.
• Brazil-Japan: The five time world champions against up and coming Japan, who struggled to get a result against Sweden. Many people seem to think that Japan can make it, but I put my bet on Ancelotti’s Brazil.
• Germany-Paraguay: Thinking of this match makes me fall asleep. Paraguay only know how to defend; they never try to win a match. Germany always wins, even without trying.
• Netherlands-Morocco: this is the match to watch in the last-32. Morocco are strong, experienced and ambitious, as are the Dutch, who have been playing some great football. I will surely support the European side against the side that did not win the Africa Cup of Nations.
• France-Sweden: In my view France have been the best team in the tournament and they should hopefully walk over the Scandinavian side.
• Mexico-Ecuador: Mexico has only once defeated a CONMEBOL country in a World Cup: Ecuador in 2002. I think they will repeat the victory at home, in front of a passionate crowd, against an Ecuador side that only started playing with their potential when they defeated Germany.
• England-DR Congo: Most people will be cheering for the Congolese, but I hope England wins as I prefer to see the strong British side in a knockout match against a quality opponent.
• Côte d’Ivoire-Norway: two strong sides but with weaknesses, so this should also be one of the few interesting matches in the last-32. Very difficult to predict and both teams deserve to go through.
• Belgium-Senegal: The Belgians only woke up in their last group match, defeating New Zealand 5-1 to win the group. But they have not impressed. Senegal in the meantime lost two good matches in a difficult group, only to crush Iraq in their last group match. I think the Senegalese have the edge, but the Belgians are always unpredictable and have great players.
• USA- Bosnia Hercegovina: Pochettino’s USA were set to go through on maximum points but lost their last group match to Turkey. They still won the group, and I think Pochettino has paced his side to the knockout stages. So I do not give the Bosnians much of a chance.
• Spain-Austria: Spain has not been impressive, but they remain favourites and hard to see that they would not win this match.
• Switzerland-Algeria: Also a match that will not attract many neutral fans. Switzerland probably has the edge against an Algerian side that are not as strong as before.
• Portugal-Croatia: two top level European side that match each other well, so this will be a great match. Croatia has gone through with experience and solidity, while Portugal has not impressed. But both teams can defeat anyone in the world on a good day, and both will be great to see in the last-16.
• Australia-Egypt: Australia make me yawn, and will hope Egypt goes through because of the great Mo Salah.
• Argentina-Cape Verde: The little African nation are surely the darlings of the tournament and will have the support of most of the world. Not me. I will supporting the defending champions, but also have a soft spot for Cape Verde, so I mainly hope it will be good and fair match.
• Colombia-Ghana: May the best team win.

Stop watching and celebrating

I am not naive about football. It is moved by money, by interests, and referees and players can be bought. Declans Hill’s great book, “The Fix”, widely documents a history of match fixing going back to the 1930s to the early 2000s. 

I cannot comment on the possibility of corruption in this World Cup, but contrary to popular belief there is one thing I am certain about: FIFA has not fixed the tournament for a particular team to win. All FIFA cares about is money, and that money is the same whoever wins; in fact, surprises by “smaller” nations is probably even better for FIFA than the usual teams winning, as it brings in more interest from people who may not have watched. If any country should have an advantage in the tournament, it is the home teams, where the bulk of money is being earned during the tournament, but nobody has yet accused Mexico, Canada or USA of being future World Champions. And nobody mentions the favorable referee decisions for “smaller” countries as proof; instead if your team wins it is because they were good, if they lose, it is the referee’s and FIFAs fault. 

Nothing is ever your own fault because you are perfect, your country is perfect and your football team is perfect.

That is the pure true ugly nationalism of football fans.

In the meantime many matches of teams had some very questionable situations that could suspiciously fall into the categories that Declan Hill documented; players from sides that have less attention make strange mistakes and drops in certain core situations. 

I have often criticized FIFA. I am no romantic about it. But you are a fool if you think the entire tournament is fixed.

If not, why the fuck are you watching? Or even celebrating?

Uruguay's failure

A manager is a leader; he or she is expected to set direction, objectives, communicate it well, and coordinate and manage a team so as to achieve the objectives. Respect is not automatic; a good leader earns it. It is not easy; I could and will never do it, as one of the best qualities of a leader is to identify the skills and personality of each of his or her team members, and distribute the tasks and motivate them accordingly.

Marcelo Bielsa is not a good manager. He may be a great football thinker; perhaps one of the greatest, but his great tactical vision of the game is overshadowed by his lack of understanding of how to manage a team of people. In my view Bielsa failed in 2010 as Chile manager, and in 2026 he failed as Uruguay manager.

Granted that Bielsa has in an overtly emotional tone admitted to this failure, but it was a tragedy foretold when players announced their dissatisfaction with the Argentinean manager, who already made controversial choices, without listening to anyone but himself (perhaps the worst characteristic of an already bad leader is not to listen).

One of the more controversial choices was putting the veteran Fernando Muslera on goal. He cost goals, most notably Alex Baena's poor shot against Spain, that ended up giving Spain the victory and eliminating Uruguay from the World Cup. But this was not the only mistake by the manager who acts emotionally, but fails to see players as more than his chess pieces on a football pitch.

Not getting rid of Bielsa before the tournament was the biggest failure of the Uruguayan football federation. Perhaps hiring Bielsa was an attempt to make Uruguayan football look forward and not backwards; but that was not needed! Oscar Washington Tabarez, el Maestro, had already given Uruguayan football a direction for the modern age! Uruguay will never be World Champion again, but they have excellent players, history, and a solid and proud football identity. Bielsa attempted to disrupt that and failed miserably.

Time for Uruguay to go home, lick their wounds, forget about Bielsa and return to their football identity. 

The best team (so far): France

So far in the World Cup we have seen some great teams, some good teams, and some very bad teams. Today we saw a good team, Norway, play against a great team: France.

Granted, Norway did not play their two stars, Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, but the team is good (and those two players bring them a level up), and it was not bound to be easy for France as the sides clashed for the first spot in Group I.

France were extraordinary in the first half hour, and it was enough to close off the match: three goals by the 2025 Balon d'Or winner, Ousmane Dembele in the first half an hour, was enough to give the French a comfortable lead that could have been more had it not been for goalkeeper Egil Selvik and the Glasgow Rangers' striker Thelo Aasgaard's Norwegian goal.

Ousmane Dembele has scored four goals in the tournament. While attention always seems to focus on Kylian Mbappe, there is no doubt to me who carried the French side; besides his goals, Dembele runs, fights and has the vision to push an already extraordinary side forward.

In the second half France pulled back as Norway vainly pressed forward (and the Scandinavians even missed a penalty kick). The French were nevertheless not done, and in the dying seconds the young PSG player Desire Doué scored his first World Cup goal (having already scored two in the 2025 Champions league final), and I am not afraid to say that it will probably not be his last.

France has in my view stepped into the limelight as favourites to win the title. It is hard to see that anyone can defeat them, but of course, anything can happen as we move into the knock-out stages.

But watch out for the Fantastic Frenchmen! 

Norway ends second in the group and will be facing Cote d'Ivoire in what will also be a great match. 

Record and surprise in Group A

Tournaments are often notably hard to predict, and Group A in this World Cup was notably difficult. After the opening match between Mexico and South Africa it was impossible to predict the strength of those two sides: Mexico won 2-0 against a very poor South Africa, and the home side only started showing their true strength when they defeated South Corea 1-0. Today Mexico were fantastic: 3-0 over a Czechia side that only played decent football during the first half hour, on goals by the Alkmaar defender Mateo Chavez, Julian Quiñones and Alvaro Fidalgo. 

Czechia proved to be one of the poorest side in the tournament, but that does not take away the fact that Mexico, for the first time in their World Cup history, won three matches in the group stages and progresses with a score of 6-0. The Mexican side, managed by the experienced Javier Aguirre, have shown that the doubts about the side were baseless, and that they are a side that aims to get far in the tournament. 

Any team that will face Mexico will struggle, not only against a great team, but also with an incredible local support.

We will see who they will play in the next match soon! 

In the meantime, everyone underestimated South Africa (including myself), most notably the South Coreans, whom everyone was expecting to go through on second place after Mexico. All the Asians had to do was tie South Africa. Instead, the South Africans won 0-1 on a goal by Thapelo Maseko, and they take second place in the group (and will be facing Canada next). It is a huge surprise, given how they played in the first match, and the fact that they only managed to tie Czechia (again: perhaps the poorest sides in the tournament). 

South Corea, who looked so good in their first match, and played a good match against Mexico, can only be disappointed as they are now on the verge of being eliminated. They can still hope to go through as one of the best third-placed teams, but with only three points and a score of -1, this would be incredibly lucky indeed!

The best tournament teams do not underestimate anyone, and pace their tournament. Mexico and South Africa perhaps paced themselves after the opening match, but now they are both deservedly celebrating that they are through to the last-32.

Why so surprised?

England were great in their first match winning 4-2 over Croatia, so they were obviously favourites against Ghana today. But Ghana managed to hold the favourites to a 0-0 draw that is probably a small disappointment for the English, who nevertheless appear to have the best odds of winning the group in their last match against Panama.

That said, I find it somewhat baffling that Mexican TV commentators called it one of the big surprises of the tournament: Ghana are in my view a solid side, with technically skilled, disciplined and athletic players, who can match all European sides, and defeat many of them, something they have proven before. Besides the fact that they are managed by the experienced manager Carlos Queiroz, they count players in top clubs in England, Spain, France, with wide experience at all levels.

Anyone who did not know that Ghana would not be a walkover for England, does not watch enough football.

Ghana have four points for two matches, and nobody has yet scored against them. They will face Croatia in their last match in what will surely be one of the matches to watch. Croatia fought hard to defeat a solid Panamanian side 1-0 (more surprising than Ghana is in fact how good Thomas Christiansen's side is), so they need a victory to pass Ghana in the group, and at least a tie to ensure a best third place.

I put my money on my dear old Black Stars. 

Koulibaly and I

If I had been a professional football player, Kalidou Koulibaly is whom I would have liked to emulate. I have admired the great Senegalese footballer since his times in Napoli (my favourite Italian side), when he was undoubtedly one of the best defenders in the Serie A and in the world. His strength, defensive vision, uncompromising style, and hard work, are qualities that I also try to have in my own working life. 

In 2022, before the World Cup, I was driving through Senegal, where I purchased a Koulibaly shirt, and proclaimed myself as his greatest fan amid the laughs of Senegalese and foreigners alike. I was wearing that very shirt when I celebrated his fantastic goal against Ecuador in the 2022 World Cup, and I have always kept admiring him, although not following his career as he moved to Saudi Arabia.

As Senegal faced Norway I was happy to see him on the pitch in what was surely to be a great match, and indeed it was, but not for myself or Koulibaly. In the 43rd minute, after a good match by the West Africans, Koulibaly gave the ball away to Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, who resolutely shot and scored Norway's first goal. Soon into the second half, Koulibaly was late on an interception on a pass by Ødegaard to Erling Haaland, allowing the Manchester City striker a shot that he seldomly misses. Again in the third Norwegian goal (after Ismaila Sarr had pulled one up for Senegal), Koulibaly seemed slow as Haaland scored again, and in the end the great Koulibaly was substituted.

Senegal scored a second almost at the end, and was close to equalising, but in the end Norway prevailed, and Senegal are likely out after two great matches (defeats nonetheless) against France and Norway.

I like Norway, but found myself disappointed about Senegal's defeat. most of all I was saddened because of Koulibaly, whom I identified with more than ever: a great youth behind us, but having reached the age where we reluctantly must accept we are no longer as sharp or good at things as before. That not much is ahead but the memories…