Finally I realized it is not at all by accident the complete name of the competition FIFA World Cup, and not just a plain… World Cup. Of course, it is organized by FIFA, and the rules are set by FIFA. The only problem is that not only the written rules are set. In general, their interpretation and applicability is so different and diverse, that it is better to think only on the certain moments which defined this World Cup 2026. Because, in the end, as already agreed, this was not primary a sports competition, but a very large scale cultural even which ignited the whole world, the rich and the poor, the educated and the people without education, football lovers and… soccer lovers!
Norway, the best memory of World Cup 2026
My only favorite and team for which I rooted was Norway, as explained. Their exit was as surprising as their initial ascent (not for me!), because England didn’t deserve to qualify. It was a very debatable elimination in the quarter finals (first ever for Norway), with a very doubtful refereeing, but also with a huge Sørloth wrong decision who missed one of the biggest chances in football history to make 2-0 and to seal a history semifinal against Argentina, which would looked much different than the 12%-88% possession against England… It is a huge regret, but no way going back.
Row song and its social absorption at World Cup 2026
Norway didn’t provide only a huge performance, but wonderful stories. The “row song” remains simple, yet powerful. All the planet adopted and enjoying it. Not only this, but also the way in which the Norwegians celebrated: hundred of thousands on the street, but zero garbage or damage behind. It is a wonderful lesson for many, especially for what happened in Paris, as an example, a lot of times. Actually, the “row song” was adopted by many other nations, including France, Mexico, England and, even, Spain!
Erling Haaland, Instagram sensation; Patrick Berg – back to work at Bødo/Glimt
Erling Haaland remains another sensation. A huge European superstar striker beforehand, he gathered 30+ million Instagram followers after his seven goals in five matches performance, but also for is style. He surpassed even the rising social media sensation Vozinha, who spiked from 43K to 29.3M! Norway wrote a chapter in stone, in spite they left more empty handed than they could. And another and final example to this is Patrick Berg the (almost) one-man club who played an official game for Bødo/Glimt in the Norwegian first division, six days after the heartbreak with England in the World Cup 2026 quarterfinals.
Cape Verde, the small archipelago who wrote a page of history at the World Cup
Mentioning Vozinha was an excellent introductory for the second best chapter of this World Cup 2026: Cape Verde. A small archipelago from Africa managed to make memorable matches against both competition finalists, Spain and Argentina, with a solid overall performance. They didn’t won a single game, but neither they lost in 90 minutes, becoming the first World Cup team to achieve such a thing, a reward stamped to the overall impression left.
Australia’s lesson for Turkey
Going forward we remember, maybe, very well the Australia – Turkey 2-0 game where the Aussies played great tactical football, uncovering young keeper Patrick Beach to the world, a figure not even captured in Panini update set for the World Cup 2026 collection! But this also speed up Turkey’s departure, being the first national side to be put in this position, at this competition. A said truth, and maybe somehow unfair, but this ignited another story, an unpleasant one: Paraguay. This is one of the teams which wouldn’t have qualified if the World Cup stuck with 32 teams, not with the unnatural 48 (and to be 64).
Paraguay, biggest disgrace in the history of the World Cup
Paraguay, historically, is not a national side who didn’t participate at a World Cup, this time, their biggest achievements were:
- Almiron; first player in history to get a red card for covering his mouth (a ridiculous rule, to be honest).
- A disgrace of 0-0 with Australia in the last game, which facilitated both qualifying.
- The game against France, where Paraguay proved to be the biggest piece of shame from the World Cup history!
29th of June, a shocking day at the World Cup 2026
June 29th was, maybe, the most shocking day for this World Cup 2026. Morocco executed The Netherlands at shoot out, and the same did Paraguay to… Germany! All of a sudden, France’s lane became exponentially easier, almost the same as for Argentina. But Paraguay planned it different. Even if they played poor football with Germany, they were not necessary out of the ordinary when it comes to a football game. Against France, things look different.
No fouls, but shame
Paraguay didn’t play football. Well, they don’t know how anyway, as you might saw none of the national team components play in Europe, so very hard to find a better argument, but their approach was horrible. All game their only preoccupation was to sting and pinch French players. Slap them in some moments, hit them… mildly. The type of behavior which can’t be even tracked as foul, let alone to be penalized in any way. But it had the role to make the French players lose their minds and react more violent. In the end, that didn’t happen.
Mbappe made the difference from a penalty
Mbappe scored the winner from a penalty and pushed thru, while Paraguay claimed – if anybody can believe it! – they were victims. A shame on the chick of this World Cup, the biggest of them all. I understand when an underdog is trying to use whatever he can to get increased odds of doing a result, but to “play” like this was the biggest disgrace in World Cup history, at least I saw from 1998 onward. Teams like this should not qualify at all for a festival such the World Cup 2026 became without necessary wanting or admitting it.
I am afraid Paraguay will be an everlasting presence at the World Cup from now on
Unfortunately, the raise to 64 teams in 2030, and the fact that Asuncion, capital city of Paraguay will host at least a game, will make their presence, once again, mandatory. And my fear is that, if the World Cup will stick to 64 teams, as it is more and more obvious it will, there will be no edition without Paraguay. This is the first big defeat of the increment of 48 teams at a FIFA World Cup…
The Netherlands, first big disappointment at the World Cup 2026
The Netherlands was the name stipulated to be the winner, but they were put out by Morocco so that made the first Joachim Klement bet going down, after Germany, France and Argentina materialized in the previous three editions. Unfortunately, the Dutch were sensational only when it comes to their supporters. It is the only reason for which they should have been higher in the ranks for sure. Their football was poor, very poor, and, in the end, “Atlas lions” deserved fully to go thru and enjoy a decent match against Canada, where they beat 3-0, even though they were not necessary the best team!
Curaçao as The Netherlands II at World Cup 2026
In fact, The Netherlands had two teams at this World Cup, with 25 out of 26 players from Curaçao born in The Netherlands. In fact, it makes sense, as Curaçao is more of a Dutch territory, with autonomy, than a stand alone state, as many illiterate would believe. They become the smallest territory, by population, to take part in a World Cup and they shared for minutes the spot light with Germany, after their 1-1 goal. In the end, that faded, because the Germans, a very poor national side, beat them 7-1. However, in the second game, a 0-0 against Ecuador placed keeper Room and his other colleagues, as well, in the history books of the competition.
Welcome back, Haiti and “Doctor” Congo
We can’t say these results don’t energize us, people who watch football more because its cultural immersing, so then each achievement of these small guys can remain like a proof that, for moments, everything can be done. So did the game Morocco – Haiti looked like, of course. Finished 4-2, the other Caribbean nation conducted the game twice, 1-0, and 2-1, even though their chances for qualification were zero before the third match of the group stage, which this one was. Of course, Haiti was present for the second time at a World Cup. Exactly like DR Congo.
Uzbekistan – DR Congo, a game for the history book at a World Cup
“Doctor”, though, has previously appeared under a different name: Zaire, and then they didn’t score a single goal, or raised any point. On top of that, in 1974, in their previous contest, a 0-9 against Yugoslavia shaped their history with a very long burden they managed to left behind only more than half a century later! Because, this time, DR Congo made it. Not only they draw 1-1 against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, but they stuck close to Colombia in a narrow 0-1 loss, and manage to beat for qualification Uzbekistan, 3-1, in a clash which is likely to take place once in a lifetime at a World Cup!
England, first sign of a very big weakness at World Cup 2026
Yoane Wissa might have been their star, but the opener with England in the last 32 was scored by a player who never played in a professional first league. Never! Brian Cipenga and his way of celebrating after the 7′ goal will remain a trademark, especially since Kane solved a game in which DR Congo played much better than did England against Argentina in the semifinal in the last 15 minutes. It was a sign of a poor “Three Lion” team even from this stage, in spite the fact that the Congolese looked really higher than expected.
South Africa, a different African country at the World Cup 2026
As Riyad Mahrez reminder people, nine of the 10 African nations participating qualified from the group stage. But in an age where first three go thru from the group stage, this fact is not that unusual. In the end, this was also European driven, as most of the players were either born and raised, or raised by European clubs. South Africa is the only big exception, and we seen how it turned out for them, what kind of game they offered. Decent results, but a performance which shows that, even their internal championship is far more developed than other African countries, football still remains a sport heavily shaded by rugby.
Why are they calling it “soccer”?
Speaking of football being shaded, we all know in US, the main host, it is “soccer”. And now there seem to be many reasons behind that, starting with the infamous cancelling of Balogun’s red-card before the last 16 against Belgium – a foul similar to the one Messi was not even cautioned in the game against Algeria – but not limited to this. One of those reasons, though, IS NOT the “hydration break” chapter. Many said it changes the game, it breaks football, it stalls it. One of those being Marcello Bielsa, Uruguay’s coach who gathered only two points, in a easy group. A guy who put Fernando Muslera between the posts, the keeper who could not stop a shot.
The hydration breaks are NOT a mistake!
Let alone we are talking about a former two times World Champion, let’s now get back to the “harm” caused by the hydration break. Here, to be honest, FIFA nailed it right. In the sense that tried to stop more fragmentation of the game, with one single even break for all. Of course it is not desirable, but in North America we had huge temperatures during the day, and there is no new thing for football players to waste time. They always simulate, keep the ball much more than they should. Now, it is more or less even. It is easier to be influenced by referees, though. This is painful, but it is an unwritten easy to fully prove rule. But those who watch football, who have a neutral and impartial character now.
Billionaires complain of other billionaires
Players and coaches should not be upset, maybe now they realize to what frustration they put all their audience, the good audience, the one who (still) believes in the game, not in an instrumented contest of failure. But, it is not cool, when somebody else fix the stalling time, and you are not the one leading it, based on your own small interest, I get it… Anyway, I don’t see why people condemn that, why people like Klopp, who earned tens, maybe hundreds of millions from football, label the FIFA board as “men in suit who sit in airconditioned offices” in a pejorative way. I believe Klopp doesn’t leave in a small 20 square meter dorm without air conditioning, when outside is 40°C…
Senegal – Belgium, like Argentina – France, before the “Balogun” case
While remembering the “Balogun” case, prior to the US 1-4 defeat against Belgium, I can’t rememorize the moment when Belgium seemed long gone back to Europe, but something unexpectedly happened against Senegal. The African team, perhaps the best on their continent, had a solid 2-0 lead in the 86 minute against Rudi Garcia’s side. The match was heavily dominated by Senegal, but then something happened. Belgium scored twice, exactly like in the World Cup final from 2022, when Mbappe equalized Argentina at 2-2 with a blink of an eye which saw two goals in two minutes. In the end, it went well for Messi & co since they managed to become World Champions.
Tieleman’s record at the World Cup
Senegal, who is Argentina in this movie, was not as lucky, and in the 120+5 they received against a penalty which put Tielemans in the position of becoming a national hero with the latest goal scored in the history of World Cup. Aiming high, Senegal felt from a height they could not manage, and seem to brook into pieces. In spite their excellent position to play the United States in a match that would have provided another exotic offering to the quarter finals. Exotic in the terms of football rules, because, like it or not, Belgium, as weak as it posed, it is a far solid name comparing to the both mentioned above.
Unai Simon: 650 consecutive minutes without goal conceded at a World Cup!
Of course Belgium’s road was stopped by Spain, without any comments. Spain started poorly, 0-0 against Cape Verde, but proved to be a solid and very intangible team. Merino scored late winners against Portugal, and against Belgium. They look thin victories, but Spain showed maturity, and a very strange story is the one of Unai Simon. Even if he is not a huge goalkeeper, not only he sidelines Arsenal’s keeper Raya, but he also beat a World Cup record backed in 1990 by Walter Zenga. The Athletic Bilbao’s player managed to account for 650 consecutive minutes without conceiving a goal, a record unlikely to be broken anytime soon.
Argentina didn’t approach’s Spain’s goal
In the end, Unai Simon conceded only one goal, from Belgium, in the quarter final. In eight games, only one! And many of the matches were absent of danger altogether, starting with the final against Argentina, the most one-sided games I saw in my entire life, at least at such a level. With zero danger at his post, Unai Simon was not a key to this game, but he remains a piece in the defense which seems to be one of the greatest in the history of 21st century, at least. Previously, Casillas and Buffon kept only five games with clean sheet. Unai Simon made it to seven! Records which look very unlikely to be broken anytime soon at a World Cup.
64 teams will dissolve the World Cup quality even further, and many records can follow!
This can be a paradox, because in the event of a World Cup with 64 teams, more weak opponents can help in building this kind of records, but then again, we saw all team could score at this competition, except one: Panama. Even though they lose close with all three teams from the group, Ghana, Croatia and England, their sheet remains poor, and another proof that in the absence of US, Canada and Mexico from the qualifiers, CONCACAF provided very poor alternatives for the World Cup 2026. In spite, to say, Costa Rica and Honduras, teams which are historical better, couldn’t make it. While also Suriname and Jamaica were almost there.
Cristiano Ronaldo, rumored to aim World Cup 2030. At 45 years!
If Suriname would have qualified, then we would have… three Netherlands! But this is a story that can be written maybe at another stage, for now, lets stick to FIFA World Cup 2026. It seemed to be, like in the previous two editions, to be the last World Cup for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but, as hard we might find it to believe, it may be not. Especially since both Argentina and Portugal will host, at some level the next one. CR7 will be 45 and a half then. It would be an outrage for Portugal, because it is obvious, at this moment, he is keeping the team with the breaks on. For what?
First knock-out phase goal: penalty kick against Croatia, at 41 years
He scored in six editions of World Cup – a pale record – but with what relevance? Believe it or not, this is the first time he delivered a goal outside the group stage, and it was just a penalty against Croatia, in the last 32 teams. A team also with Luka Modric as a serious burden, like it happened for Senegal and Egypt with Salah or Mane; players that are required to be on the field because of their name, and what they achieved many years back, than what they actually can do at the moment. IF for these two African sides the steaks were not huge, for Portugal it might be.
Portugal missed the path followed by Argentina
With a lot of players from Paris Saint Germain, they could not crack even DR Congo or Colombia, because otherwise they could have faced an easier lane on Argentina’s side. The standing world champion in 2026 landed almost directly into the semifinals, where they shamed an English team which refused to play after they opened the score. Apart from that… the games against Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland were a poor match, but somehow quite challenging and mostly signaling what was about to come towards the epilogue of this World Cup 2026.
Jayden Adams tragic story, days after the World Cup 2026
The World Cup 2026 is not only about simple stories, about impressions born out of expectations, hopes or even frustration. It can breed tragedies, or at least contribute to them. Few days after South Africa was knocked out by Canada, one of their players, Jayden Adams, was found dead at his home in Cape Town. At only 25 years, it doesn’t even mater what is presumed to be the cause, but the output… A sad story which would stuck to World Cup 2026 for eternity, at least in the conscience of those who care about all details.
We want more teams for Europe at the World Cup, but is this correct?
Other stories are said in their own way, but nothing compared to the above mentioned tragedy. But football can be also very sad for the watchers. We often hear that Europe deserves more teams at the World Cup. Do we? Seeing Turkey, Czech Republic, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Scotland, for example, we can’t say they were much better than others. OK, the order is on purpose, Turkey did play some football, but being cut off by Australia and Paraguay, regardless the approach, you still have big dues to your supporters.
Sweden, a paradox with three power horses in front!
The others were pale shadows, which looked worst than Iran or Saudi Arabia, in some regards. They were feast for Mexico or US. Scotland barely beat Haiti, one of the countries in the worst socio-economic shapes in the whole world. Sweden played at the World Cup 2026 with only two point gathered in the initial qualification, and after they made it thru the group stage, they were easily crushed by France. In spite of a very powerful three man in front: Gyökeres – Isak – Elanga. Normally, these should do more, much more, but they settled for a presence in the last 32…
Egypt’s unique story at the World Cup 2026
We spoke about Salah and his poor performance, but in the end, Egypt did manage to qualify from the group stage, and even won their first game: 3-1 against New Zealand. One victory in their all participations at the World Cup. Pretty strange, considering the point they were just minutes to reach. On 7th of July, Argentina – Egypt was the turning point of the morale compass of what can happen at a FIFA World Cup. The Pharos scored the second, for an unbelievable 2-0 lead in the 67 minute, already having one disallowed ten minutes earlier for a made up foul that happened… one minute before the goal!
7th of July 2026, the day in which FIFA didn’t hid anymore
Egypt had the initiative, Argentina was down, but things went sideways in the 79th minutes, when Messi & co. started scoring, after Egypt left the guard down, heavily. But the 90+2 minute changed everything, and build the puzzle. Argentina scored the winner on counter-attack, after an identical action which brought the cancelling on Egypt’s second goal. Only that, now, happened in Argentina’s box, where Salah was stamped. In theory, it is not a real foul, but if you judge which two units of measurement, than you define a clear pattern.
Egypt and their main guilt for not qualifying in the quarterfinals of World Cup 2026
The referee was not even considering going to VAR. Because that meant not only disallowed goal for Argentina, but also aa penalty kick for Egypt in the 90+2 minute, and that was not easy to digest if the score became 2-3. I agree that Argentina could have still won it, but it was never for granted. The planet witnessed this and it will remember it forever. But Egypt should be angry only because of them, since they scored three goals and couldn’t keep it up 20 more minutes. That was really their shame. They wouldn’t had a chance anyway, regardless of the score, but in this case the main fault is on them.
Switzerland a harder opponent than England for Argentina at World Cup 2026
Going further, Argentina scored three again, this time against Switzerland, a team known as a quite peaceful one, but for those who saw the match the hilarity behind newly built FIFA football came thru in a funny way. Immediately after equalizing to 1-1, Swiss main striker, Embolo was sent off after a so called simulation discovered with VAR. You can’t make this up… Argentina beat Switzerland in extra time, but the prospects before England were poor. Good for the “Pumas” that England was also a very poor team, and that statement was perfectly visible after they opened the score, as in the last 40 (!!!) minutes they had only 12% ball possession. Yep, Argentina turned the score and won in 90+2, after a clear foul made by Messi, before his pass, but – hey! – Messi can’t hurt anybody, is against all (FIFA) laws!
Panini, the only romantic side of the World Cup 2026 which is about to fall
FIFA is not disappointing only at a sports scale, but at a cultural scale altogether. One of the core reasons for each football tournament became Panini. A history that doesn’t need to be explained here, but only to be accepted and recognized as one of the most powerful and influential from the moment they decided to print the famous football players stickers, in 1970, at the World Cup in Mexico, in a time when the competition gathered only 16 teams, a normal behavior for an encounter destined to the best of the best. After 60 years round, the 2030 edition will be the last one with the partnership between the parties.
Cultural greatness from 1998 (for me) to World Cup 2026
Stickers will continued to be printed out, but by other entities which are far behind the spirit and quality promoted by Panini. I saw this at the EURO 2024, because EURO, as the World Cup where historically, in the last few decades, printed by Panini. You knew, every two years, a great album with all the nations participating to the final tournaments will be on your desk, and you will start filling them with the participants. To me, starting from 1998, this created the impression of same greatness between European Cup and World Cup which, in many senses it really is.
EURO 2024, a major fail, after Panini partnership ceased
As I am still going strong with the collections, for 28 years now, I assume many knowledge was shaped by this type of collectibles. Knowledge about geography, culture, even cuisine maybe and so on.sticker albums are a wonder, for children mostly. And in 2026 I’ve noticed even more hype in terms of collectibles, in Romania. A country which didn’t participate at a World Cup since… well, 1998! Now, for the EURO, other company already took over and the result, in 2024, is more than disappointing.
1100 stickers in an unique World Cup 2026 Panini album!
I thought for FIFA World Cup things will remain unchanged – I would say for eternity – but no, 2030 will be the latest edition, it seems. Everything is getting even stranger because, for the first time, a message from Gianni Infantino was printed on the first page, him encouraging collectors, in 2026. Like an eulogy, before the two roads part ways. For now, in 2026, the collection was greater than ever, with 980 initial stickers, because of the first edition with 48 teams. 120 updates followed and, unlikely it should, I am not replacing players which didn’t make it to the World Cup. Instead, I found space for all in the album, and now I have more than 1100 stickers! I think I am one of few of this kind.
If you can’t put Mbappe, just use Zidane, you can’t fail… Can’t you???
In 2030, I am expecting many more stickers, because I am almost certain the 64 version of the FIFA World Cup will go thru, so then the last edition is projected as a collector’s feast. But after that, I think the era will cease, because what is following doesn’t look good at all. For example, in 2024, because players like Mbappe or Neuer were not present, we had… Zidane and Kahn…! Huh? Zidane is my fav, but he player in 2006, not in 2024, so any kind of “poetical” substitution for lack of copy rights. The outlay is also very thin and poor looking. The conclusion, the end of this partnership is sad, and it removes one of the last pure joys of football.
The record has fallen after 68 years, but Fontaine’s one stands
Football is very scarce, and is missing the essence. Maybe the third place game at this FIFA World Cup 2026 stood out from the rest, and proved many points, because it beat a record standing from 1958: ten goals in a match. England beat France 6-4, after leading 4-0 at half break. The match offered a lot of sparkling football at a first glance, but disguised into a hidden reality where the 22 players didn’t give a shit for the result. But they should, and this is a deep, deep problem. In ’58, France beat Germany by 6-3, and Just Fontaine scored four, and he became the man with the most goals scored in one single edition: 13.
Argentina, no shot for 120 minutes at Spain’s goal in the World Cup 2026 final
Two very different finals, because Spain didn’t had an opponent, as said in an upper statement. The victory sealed by Torres in 106′ looks deceiving for many, but the reality is that the pitch looked to be downhill towards Argentina’s post, as Messi’s team didn’t have any shot in the first 120 minutes of the game. They had only a try in the last sequence, but I am not sure if that specific ball was ever found. The shame was total and it couldn’t be dissolved even in the unjustified tears from the end, when the South-Americans started crying as they ever had any chance of putting Spain’s post in danger. Spain was put in danger only by the referee who couldn’t really explain why he called off Williams’ goal.
Brilliant defense for the new World Champions
Sure, a defender was mildly stamped, the type of “foul” that happens tens of time in a game, but usually it is signaled when Argentina is involved, in the role of the victim, of course. But Spain didn’t crack, with a huge defense where Unai Simon was backed by Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella and Rodri, no one could get close. Spain’s problem was in front, but somehow they pushed it thru, like in 2010. Only, this time, a bit early. It was a happy end, as it usually happens in a big game. Because football can be fouled in many ways, but not in the way which counts the most. To win a big trophy, you eventually need to play with real challengers, not only with convenient adversaries.
Don’t worry, Messi still has time to prove more at the future World Cup!
Still, I have great news for those who root for Messi. I am almost positive he will still have time to beat other important records and add numbers to his digit bag: the most goals netted in the group stage, most against teams from Africa, teams from Asia, oldest scorer at a World Cup – he will have it difficult here if Cristiano Ronaldo also decides to continue proving points as well – but for sure Messi will score at least 25 altogether. My only fear is that Argentina can’t make it more than the last 16, which would be fairly decent, but it also depends on the opponents level. For now, this was the World Cup 2026. To me, a real final should have been Spain – Norway. But we don’t live in the kind of world which can favor fairness.