Argentina’s maestro against Poland’s star striker was no contest but both ended up embracing in celebration after a tense nightLionel Messi headed one way, put the brakes on and with a turn of the ankle and a dip of the shoulder set off in the other direction, defender desperately chasing. Robert Lewandowski was the man there, following him and then fouling him. The Argentinian didn’t look pleased; the Pole didn’t either, but there was no way he was going to complain; doing so could cost his country a place in the World Cup, he knew.It was the 94th minute and it was the first time Lewandowski had got anywhere near Messi, and this wasn’t the way he had imagined it....
Argentina’s captain and maestro was never going to give up the dream of winning his final World Cup lightlyListen, mortals, the sacred cry. Freedom, freedom, freedom. Suddenly, there it was, there he was, and it was all let out. In a moment, a flash of that left boot Lionel Messi was liberated and so were they, released with a single shot. All around this place, thousands of Argentinians absolutely lost it. Below them, so did Argentina’s captain, clinging hard to his last chance. He wasn’t going to let this end yet. Not just this game, not just this World Cup, but all of it.It was too early for that, even as it started to feel late at Lusail, time slipping...
Mexico was one of the first countries outside England to embrace the game – so why is it not a Test-playing nation?“Had one been asked to name the thing with which there was the least chance of meeting in a country like Mexico,” wrote William Bullock in the mid-19th century, “one might very well have fixed on a game of croquet.” But even in Montezuma, his fellow Victorians still insisted on getting a game in.It was around the same time as he stumbled upon croquet that Bullock – an English journalist and a first-class cricketer – discovered its near namesake was even more popular in the country. His book of his travels, Across Mexico in 1864-65, contains the first written...
It is clear that the Brazil forward is having to deal with huge expectations but the team need to shut off the outside noise as they prepare to face MexicoBrazil are entering the business end of the tournament and with that comes added pressure. Our team, of course, who have some of the best players in the world, are used to playing under pressure and that is certainly true for Neymar.You could see that from the contrasting emotions after the final whistle in the second and the third games. Against Costa Rica he broke down in tears at the end, despite Brazil winning 2-0. Against Serbia, however, after Tite’s team had secured first place in the group, he was laughing...
Twenty-three nations have booked their places for the World Cup in Russia, with the holders and Brazil looking in good shape but we rank England in 13th place, below IcelandIf the world champions were frustrated by their failure to win continental honours at Euro 2016 they have certainly taken it out on everyone else since. Germany won 10 qualifying games out of 10 and, even if San Marino’s presence in Group C needs taking into account, a record 43 goals scored suggests things are back in their old working order. So too did their Confederations Cup title in July, achieved with an experimental squad; Joachim Löw can select from an unrivalled depth of talent and, while winning back-to-back World Cups...