6 hours ago
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THE REAL QUIZ
Sure, an Argentina-England Geopolitics World Cup semi-final has a lot going for it. It’ll be 40 years since the Hand of God and, somehow, the first meeting between the two teams since an incredibly rare event: a memorable friendly, with Michael Owen’s late headers setting up a 3-2 victory in Geneva 21 years ago. In Atlanta, England supporters will finally have the chance to send some choice words in the direction of Lionel Messi. But we all know that the real show – the final in spirit, the game that’ll be far easier on the eye – is the other one: Les Bleus against La Roja.
The French have dazzled since strolling out for the second half of their tournament opener against Senegal, so much so that it’s Spain – the sublime European champions, the nation of Lamine Yamal and the sensation that is his little brother – who enter as the relatively boring side, keeping it tight at the back before Mikel Merino is awoken from his slumber and sent on to settle things once and for all. France have their magical front four (take your pick between Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola), scoring 16 goals in six games; Unai Simón has conceded just once for Spain. Hindsight has turned that goalless draw against Cape Verde into a defensive masterclass.
Even with his side operating at another level, Didier Deschamps has called the Spaniards favourites. “I don’t want to add extra pressure to Luis [de la Fuente] and [his] team,” tooted the France head coach as he added extra pressure to Luis de la Fuente and his team. “He knows very well that people are expecting greatly of Spain.” To be fair to Deschamps, it adds up: Spain were the victors in their Euro 2024 semi-final and triumphed 5-4 in an outrageous Nations League showdown last year. A GWC semi will surely invite more restraint from both sides, a touch of hesitancy when breaking forward, removing the prospect of another goal-laden humdinger, right? We sorely hope not.
It does feel as if the winner of this one will take the trophy, carrying the golden prize down the aircraft stairs in a week’s time. But even the losers must think carefully about what they plan to present to the snappers when they disembark on home soil now that Erling Haaland has set a precedent. Returning to Norway after a quarter-final exit, Haaland was pictured carrying his bags and, um, a taxidermied raccoon. As you do. Kylian Mbappé and Rodri will probably hope for something a bit shinier.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Scott Murray from 8pm BST for hot minute-by-minute updates from France 2-1 Spain (aet) in the GWC semi-final.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Based on the feedback I received, the players were not sufficiently reassured about being supported by him” – the fallout from Senegal’s exit continues, with national football federation president Abdoulaye Fall claiming their team doctor was “trained as a gynaecologist”. The Association of Sports Medicine furiously rejected the allegations as “unfounded and defamatory”.
Filling the gap in GWC action, I just watched Ein Sommer in Italien, the story of the 1990 World Cup from the perspective of the West German national team. It’s a fascinating documentary piece that mixes old home movie clips, archive TV footage, and fresh interviews with the 1990 squad. One moment really stood out. Having beaten Czechoslovakia to reach the semi-final, their manager Franz Beckenbauer wasn’t impressed. Interviewed on German TV straight after the game, he said: ‘It was an awful performance. I simply cannot understand how we played worse against 10 Czechs than against 11.’ As (substitute goalkeeper) Raimond Aumann recalled: ‘We’d won 1-0 and we were actually very happy with the result. Only one person wasn’t happy, and that was Franz.’ With the knowledge of what that German team went on to achieve, here’s hoping there’s a parallel with today’s England squad/manager dynamic” – Roger Mart.
Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. Thank you, grazie, merci, muchas gracias to Gianni Infantino, who has made this difficult week more bearable with his latest cash-wheeze brainwave. As an Irishman living in dread of waking next Sunday to a world where England might end the day as World Cup winners, you have at least given us something to look forward to for the next four years, by practically qualifying Ireland for your come-one-come-all 2030 jamboree” – Justin Kavanagh.
In recent tournaments you’ve provided us with the Ethics World Cup, the Human Rights World Cup and we’re now in the closing stages of the GWC. So I was wondering what name might be given to the next shindig and, with that in mind, may I humbly propose the Carbon Footprint World Cup? Given that it will take place in six different countries across three different continents, featuring a cast of nations limited only in size by the extent of Fifa’s potential ambition to make as many developing football nations as possible beholden to it, this seems the obvious choice” – Andrew Payton.
You’ve entirely overlooked the history that will be made on Tuesday at 8pm BST: Ireland will see two Bigger Cup matches kick off at the same time. Both Shamrock Rovers and Larne play in second-leg matches for the first qualifying round” – Alan Terlep.
If you have any, please send letters to [email protected]. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day goes to … Roger Mart. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.
RECOMMENDED LOOKING
Here’s David Squires on … England’s high-wire act continuing to the semis.
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