4 days ago
Key events
In what feels for illustration an enjoyably bizarre subplot from a World Cup movie directed by nan Coen Brothers, immoderate enterprising individuals person stolen England’s boots. As reported by Jacob Steinberg, nan Football Association will person to liaise pinch section constabulary successful Kansas City arsenic it attempts to retrieve nan misappropriated items. If that fails, presumably Harry Kane and co will person to return connected Croatia barefoot.
double quotation markA man successful a tracksuit appeared holding aloft a aureate ball, for illustration immoderate ancient deity hoisting god’s gonad connected his shoulders. At which constituent an tremendous aureate Fifa motion appeared, each 4 letters astatine slightest 50ft high, winched down retired of nan ether for illustration a imagination of divine grace – if not nan astir ludicrous sporting spectacle of each time, past surely nan astir ludicrous yet.
Barney Ronay was astatine Los Angeles Stadium past nighttime and, well, it mightiness not beryllium rather correct to opportunity he enjoyed nan surreal pomp, pageantry and emblem waving, but he surely witnessed it. Here’s his return connected events.
Preamble
We’re 4 games successful and this tourney has already had it all: bombastic visuals, belting goals, dramatic comebacks, wide-eyed referees handing retired reddish cards for illustration sweeties, and the benignant of governmental grotesquerie that makes tuning retired look for illustration nan past sane option. It’s nan Doomscroll World Cup: you cognize it’s bad for you, but it feels almost intolerable to look away.
After the USA’s opening stroll against Paraguay past night, Qatar return connected Switzerland adjacent up astatine 8pm (all times BST) earlier Brazil spell up against Morocco astatine 11pm. Then it’s clip for Scotland’s high-stakes lucifer against Haiti astatine 2am, while Australia and Turkey look disconnected astatine 5am.
In nan meantime, you tin travel each nan buildup, latest news, scandals, contention and geopolitical maneuvering here. As Gianni Infantino might say to nan backdrop of a world successful flames, chill, relax, and bask nan show.
