Mexico’s 2-0 elimination from the 2018 World Cup at the hands of Brazil will live long in the memory. Stunning victories over Germany and South Korea, coupled with a miraculous qualification to the Round of 16 despite that huge letdown against Sweden, had served to enhance the El Tri narrative to a fever pitch ahead of the match at Samara Arena.
You don’t grapple with Sergio Ramos. Unless you want to damage your shoulder ligaments or score a disastrous own goal in front of 80,000 of your countrymen, just stay away from the guy. He’s always a threat on set pieces — especially when the clock reads 92:48 — but he’s also a major threat with his understanding of judo.
It wouldn’t be a World Cup without Luis Suarez making headlines for negative actions. In 2010 it was his hand ball to save a goal against Ghana. In 2014 it was biting Giorgio Chiellini. In 2018 against Portugal, he was caught faking a head injury, with the referee not buying it at all.
Luis Suarez combined with Edinson Cavani for the game’s first goal, which was vital in a match between two teams with defenses that can be difficult to break down.
The last day of group stage play led to Senegal's elimination on the FIFA Fair Play points rule, and the afternoon featured one of the most boring games of the tournament, although it happened to have a great goal and an even better celebration.
This World Cup featured the craziest group stage I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if it was the VAR, something in the Russian water or if Putin's cronies were up to something, but the 2018 edition of the world’s greatest sporting event will forever live on as one of the best.
The presidents of the United States and Portugal sat down for a bilateral meeting on Wednesday. Beforehand, Donald Trump and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa held a joint press briefing, with comments that ventured into the realm of soccer, the World Cup and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Trump Ronaldo comments were just about the most bizarre thing the U.S. president has said while in office, which is saying something.
If England and Belgium had played in the first match day for Group G, it probably would’ve been one of the best matches of the group stage. Instead, as the final match of the group stage, it turned into a bit of a bore. Belgium forward Michy Batshuayi perfectly summed up the feelings of fans everywhere with a celebration gone wrong.