And finally, here’s Uruguay v France ... and it’s live!
Right, that’s about us, so some stuff to enjoy before I go:
One of the things I noticed in Lukaku’s brilliant Players’ Tribune piece was that when he talked about his finishing and how he was shooting to kill, he specifically said that there was no finesse about it. This is the area of his game that, to me, needs most work. The majority of his goals – that aren’t headers – come from high percentage, low difficulty finishes, smacked with the inside of his foot or the laces. Sometimes he needs to place the ball, or delay things; if he can learn to, he has huge scope for improvement.
I’m not sure there’s much else to learn from Cavani...
Lukaku doesn't get recognised for just how hard he works on his game. He studies Cavani to try to emulate his movement - and is so obsessed about Drogba that he remembers what boots he wore when scoring specific goals for Marseille. He has enhanced his reputation at the World Cup
— James Robson (@JamesRobsonMEN) July 6, 2018
This France kit is slightly odd, with its mottles and Robert Flecks. What is the point of them?
⏳🇫🇷❗️❗️❗️❗️ #JourDeMatch pic.twitter.com/ahTY1b5M31
— Lucas Hernández (@LucasHernandez) July 6, 2018
Confirmation: Edinson Cavani will not be playing this afternoon, which is a major situation for Uruguay. Over the last year, Luis Suarez has not looked the same player who terrorised defences the world over, and I fancy he needed his mate to make an impression this afternoon.
Oooh yeah!
I guess the problem with a diamond is how you serve Lukaku - you’d need a lot from the full-backs, so perhaps a regular 4-4-2. I also think Belgium need to find a way of getting more from De Bruyne, but Martinez seems happy with how that’s going...
“Maybe because at club level he’s always at the end of an assist or at the end of a goal and then it’s easy to bring a highlight out of him,” he told Goal.
“His influence in our team has been a lot deeper, allowing us to have influence in the final third and being a real playmaker for us.
“I will always remember there was a moment at 0-2 down against Japan and he’s the one that is giving a bit of composure, a bit of belief and he’s getting everyone to know that we’ve still got time to get back into the game.
“That’s a role that allows us to be a team. He’s essential for us.”
“I think the crux of this game will come down to whether or not Martinez can shelf his weird obsession with unconventional systems,” emails Louis Smith (I don’t know if it’s that Louis Smith). “4-2-3-1 suits the players Belgium has just fine as demonstrated by the three goals they put past Japan after they switched to it. If he plays the same 3-4-3 with De Bruyne in a defensive pivot and Carrasco at left-wing-back against the attacking talent Brazil boast then it’ll be over before half time.”
Yes, I feel you - three at the back looks like an invitation to Brazil’s wide attackers to play in the spaces. If I was Martinez I’d be thinking about two up front to properly test Brazil’s defence, maybe via diamond.
“Dear Daniel,” begins Mac Millings. “I’m sure this is too stupid and too long, but I’ve been enjoying this World Cup so much that I got a bit carried away and made some quarter-final predictions:
Uruguay vs. France
Diego Godín might look like he’s just escaped from the secret room on the top floor of Victor Frankenstein’s gaff, but he and his defesive cohorts mean that Uruguay are as solid at the back as my mate who only eats rice. France, meanwhile, looked as potent as my grandma’s milkman (true story; remind me later) in their last game, but Óscar Tabárez won’t have his back line defend quite so far up the pitch as Sampaoli/Messi/Mascherano, who left more men hanging than an episode of The Handmaid’s Tale. Even without Cavani, Suarez is more than capable of nicking one. If he does, can France break their skilled, well-drilled opponents down? The way they played against Australia suggests not.
Uruguay 1-0 France
Brazil vs. Belgium
Brazil aren’t nearly as good as everyone (aka, that one article I read) says, as proven by Lozano, Vela, et al. giving them a solid test in the last round (particularly in the first half). Coutinho’s been all right, and Willian has shown flashes, but while Neymar may float like a butterfly, he falls like a drunk (that is, often, and usually of his own doing).
Belgium won’t underestimate them like they did Japan. Hazard’s boys may be from a small country, one divided by history, language and culture, with a small population and therefore very infrequent Golden Generations, each of which has a subsequently disproportionate amount of pressure heaped upon their young shoulders, so that, despite some near misses, they’ve never quite...oh.
Brazil 2-1 Belgium
Russia vs. Croatia
For me, Croatia is beauty. The Dalmatian Coast; Split’s centuries-old elegance; Luka Modrić. Russia, by contrast, is the nation of Stalin, Putin, and the “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” audience that routinely sabotaged any contestant who asked for their help. I’ve loved this World Cup. Someone’s got to ruin it.
Russia 1-0 Croatia
Sweden vs. England
If Harry’s brave boys get the first goal, they should pick off their opponents, but if Sweden score first, England are doomed. For all their other qualities (work ethic, aggression, schadenfreude), the English have always lacked creativity. This is a nation, remember, that voted, as its favourite painting, a ship being towed away for scrap. (An empty cart stuck in a river came second.) Luckily, Sweden’s only chance of a goal is if Marcus Berg (who has, thus far, shown all the manoeuvrability of his Titanic-bothering namesake, coupled with all the accuracy of a Trump-administration mouthpiece) boots one in off Emil Forsberg’s pretty little face.
Sweden 3-0 England
I totally hated Handmaid’s Tale. No light, no sweep, nowhere to go.
“Wes Brown has more significant honours than Wayne Rooney,” tweets Shizola. “Just saying”.
Wes Brown was a player. Unfortunately, he got a stack of serious injuries when he was a kid so ended up becoming a tackler when he had the talent to become an everything. Still, his performance at in the second leg of the 2008 European Cup semi-final is the best I’ve ever seen in the flesh, and now his wife’s left, I miss his cameos in the Real Housewives of Cheshire.
This is really interesting on patriotism and football in Croatia.
“I have to take issue with you over Lukaku,” emails Geoff Saunders. “He has been good, no more than that. The reason I say that I that he has been unable to hold the ball up and enable Belgium’s runners to get beyond him. Look at his performances so far and contrast with what Drogba did for Chelsea - the clearance ball reached him and it stuck, then he brought midfielders into the game. However the match will be won or lost on whether Dembele plays. Witsel has been poor - I do not know why Martinez does not play Dembele, he is the solidity and muscle they need in midfield and he is much more creative than he is given credit for. And, no, I am not a Spurs fan. Brasil replace the excellent Casimiro with Fernandinho - a slight down grade but not by much.”
I’m not sure you mean me, but Lukaku is a very different player to Drogba, who was a one-man forward line and big-game specialist. Lukaku is a goalscorer whose link-up play has improved a lot over the past season, and he’s miles ahead of where Drogba was at his age. I agree that Dembele is better than Witsel, but think that Casemiro is much tidier than Fernandinho.
“I’m an expat living in Brazil for the past 4 years, back in England for a few weeks to see it come home,” emails Kieran Schofield. “Has everyone been watching the same seleçãoas me? They beat an average Mexican side (Lads, it’s Chicharito and Carlos Vela) who were lucky to scrape through the group stages and suddenly they are favourites? The 7-1 from 2014 still weighs heavily on the shoulders of the players and fans, and I fear another thumping today.”
I backed them at the start because they seemed to most settled side, and also have plenty of options for when stuff doesn’t work. I’ve not seen much to make me revise that - they know what they’re doing and have improved in every game. France can beat them, but as I said, Belgium will need everything to go right. Either way, it’s still the greatest country in the world, for my money.
Should anyone fancy something to read. I wrote this...
England, English football, masculinity and waistcoats https://t.co/4td0saYpzh
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) July 5, 2018
Updated
I know it’d be bad for football in lots of ways, but I can’t get out of my head the joy and carnage of following my team through a club World Cup. My days.
“Have the World Cup quarter-finals ever not included at least one of these teams: Germany, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Netherlands?” asks Barry Yourgrau, whose internet appears to be broken.
The answer, though, is no – the closest we came was in 1962, when West Germany were the only one of those nations involved.
Trivioh time: do you know your Gary Stevenses from your Gary Stevenses? Test your knowledge of England World Cup squads past with this quiz.
Updated
As for the other tie, it’s hard to see Belgium finding enough to beat Brazil. The absence of Casemiro will make a difference, and for all their solidity, Brazil have conceded serious chances in every game. But you can rely on a level of performance with them, and you just can’t with the Belgians. They’ll need to play better than they ever have before and hope Brazil have an off-day; that is unlikely.
So what’s going to happen in today’s matches? Thanks to the Deschamps effect, France lack cohesion, tending to rely on good players doing good stuff, and against Uruguay will not be offered the kind of space in behind that Kylian Mbappé exploited against Argentina. But, in the end, and especially in the absence of Edinson Cavani, they ought to have enough; I’d go for 1-0, maybe 2-0 with the second coming on the break and Uruguay battle for an equaliser. No need to thank me.
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You have not have heard, so: France and Uruguay are playing a quarter-final! This afternoon! By amazing coincidence, today’s Fiver performs a deep dive into precisely that subject.
Updated
Meanwhile, in non-World Cup-related news, Dimitri Payet might be going back to West Ham. Read about it here...
And laugh about it here...
Afternoon all. Well, this is exciting. Over the next few days we’re going to learn whether or not this World Cup has what it takes. It’s all very well having nice group games and decent last-16 drama, but classic tournaments are defined by what comes thereafter. We need epic matches, and failing great teams, great players; for that reason, the highlights in my football-watching career are Mexico 86 and Italia 90, with France 98 just behind. Let’s be having you.
I’m off for some lunch, so will pass over to Daniel Harris. See yous in a bit.
Sweden have a plan!
@michaelbutler18 In the US, the Fox coverage in studio has been rough, but Derek Rae & Ally Wagner have been outstanding, & I've been surprised at how much I've liked Tony Meola--he's very sharp.
— david (@eulermacaroni) July 6, 2018
“We’ve been lucky in India where the segment is hosted by Joe “Footy”, hugely popular here,” writes Latha Ramanathan. “Of his commentators, the one whom our family, extended family, friends, extended friends have favoured is the India Captain, Sunil Chhetri. Wicked sense of humour, incisive insights and comments with a bite. The least liked - a toss up between David James (absurd and stupid comments plus impossible to fathom that drawl) and former United player, Wes Brown, who was straight out impossible to understand!!!”
Wes has been a busy man this tournament, he also appeared on the pitch before Colombia v England as a ‘Fifa Legend’.
FIFA legend Wes Brown pic.twitter.com/jlIm2qdHS3
— Leo Waldman (@Leo_Waldman) July 3, 2018
Updated
We need to talk about Belgium. Roberto Martínez has been pretty gung-ho thus far with his tactics, and while it worked well in the group stages, Belgium nearly came unstuck against Japan. It will be interesting to see who tries to wrestle control of the ball against Brazil, both teams will want to keep possession but also have the ability to use a more counter-attacking strategy if they so choose. Belgium look a little fragile at the back, so I would expect them to err on the side of caution. I’m really interested to see how Romelu Lukaku gets on, he’s had a fabulous World Cup so far but seems to struggle in games where chances are at a premium.
Jonathan Wilson has his own thoughts on the tactical battle tonight.
Once Dani Alves was ruled out of the squad through injury, Brazil always looked vulnerable at right-back. Danilo – who on Thursday night was ruled out of the tournament because of an ankle injury – played in the draw against Switzerland, since when Fagner has been deployed there. Vela, and Hirving Lozano when he moved to the Mexican left, both made him look slow on the turn. The problem for Belgium, though, is that their 3-4-2-1 does not necessarily push a player tight up against the full-back. Yannick Carrasco can get forward from left wing-back but he is likely to have his hands full dealing with Willian. That then means Eden Hazard, who operates almost as an inside-left behind Romelu Lukaku, with Dries Mertens alongside him, needs to pull to the left to try to pressure Fagner.
But that in turn leaves an additional problem, one that Mexico faced, which is how to get sufficient players into the box to take advantage. If Hazard pulls left, it places great onus on Kevin De Bruyne to get forward to join Mertens and Lukaku in the box.
You can read the rest of Jonathan Wilson’s blog right here.
Just seen this. Roll on tomorrow.
Unbelievable scenes last night pic.twitter.com/iEnFbMZFz2
— Joe Bone (@josefbone) July 4, 2018
“Hi Michael,” emails Simon Cowley. “In Germany, we don’t even have co-commentators. Just one solitary commentator, alone in the stadium, regularly calling players by the wrong name or contesting correct refereeing decisions. Mostly they sound very, very bored.”
Paul Doyle on Gareth Southgate, and why what managers say to the press – and how they say it – matters.
A few of you have got in touch re Brazil.
“I think the Brazil-hating, for me at least, is two-fold. 1) Neymar 2) They just don’t look like the Brazil’s of old and haven’t for about 12 years. I and a lot of others were brought up on Brazil basically being the Harlem Globetrotters of football; total entertainers. This and the 2014 side just look average and perfunctory and they stir nothing in me. I think they’re going to get found out at some stage” – David Penney.
“I doubt I am the first to say this but it was certainly not one instance against Mexico that changed things... Indeed, they have been unlikeable since the first game of the tournament DESPITE players like Coutinho being, as pointed out, charming chaps. It is not only Neymar - others too have been guilty of horrendous playacting” – Gary Naylor.
“Is this not another case of English fans getting ahead of ourselves… and visualising a final against Belgium being a less-difficult thing than a final against Brazil? Or is it just a nice neighbourly love-in? I think the first” – Sam Hedges.
I still have them down as favourites to win the tournament, and I don’t necessarily agree that they haven’t brought the pizazz this year. Considering their last truly great World Cup side was in 2006 (where they were beaten by another star-laden side France), I think they’ve done quite well to bring some samba flair, and stay true to the sensible tactical changes that Tite has brought in. Both centre backs, Thiago Silva and Miranda, have been superb, and the attack/defence balance they have in midfield – Coutinho, Paulinho, Casemiro – is unrivalled. Up front has been hit and miss, and I would not be surprised to see Firmino start against Belgium tonight.
Re the third email, I definitely agree, but surely the ideal scenario is winning the World Cup final by beating Brazil. The ultimate glamour tie. OK, OK, we’re getting ahead of ourselves again.
It’s amazing how one incident against Mexico can turn public sentiment so greatly against Brazil. Neymar aside, Brazil are a very likeable team: mostly relatively humble stars like Coutinho, Firmino, Casemiro, Paulinho and Gabriel Jesus, a coach that has galvanised and balanced the team since the 7-1 drubbing four years ago, that blue kit – woof. Yet most people I’ve seen are rooting for a Belgium win.
Non-World Cup gubbins: Remarkably, Payet could be on his way back to West Ham, although it is likely that Marseille would ask for more than the £25m they paid in January 2017.
Sign up to the Recap, here. It’s a really handy way of keeping tabs on the best sport journalism we produce every week. It lands in your inbox at midday (BST) on a Friday, so if you sign up now, you’ll get the latest one coming through in about 40 minutes.
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“Hi Michael,” emails Ciarán Gill. “Regarding good non-UK commentators at the World Cup, Ireland has been lucky to have been exposed to the eccentricities of Brian Kerr - ex-Ireland and Faroe Islands manager. Here’s a list of some of his quotes from the tournament so far:”
- “Milinkovic-Savic, that’s only one bloke”
- “Dead-eye dick. Straight into the corner!” – on Kolarov’s free kick.
- “He’d hardly get a yella card for kicking himself would he?”
Everyone deserves to hear Brian Kerr‘s description of Xherdan Shaqiri because Brian Kerr is a national treasure #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GsbPpbdWB0
— Darren Cleary (@RadioCleary) June 22, 2018
It’s your boy, David Squires.
There’s a discussion on Guardian sport’s web desk: are there any good co-commentators at this World Cup? From a UK perspective, Ally McCoist seems to be the best of a bad bunch. What about in Finland? Or Japan? Are there any co-commentating legends in Paraguay? Do hit me up on the usual channels, or comment below the line.
I wrote a poem.
Let me take you to the place
Where football has a smiling face
Brush shoulders with the stars
Where Southgate takes you by the hand
And welcome you to wonderland
Win 6-1 against Panama
Come to Samara, trains are free
Fun and sunshine, there’s enough for everyone
All that’s missing is the sea
But don’t worry, there’s a river!
No room for Tardelli, apparently, nor Siphiwe Tshabalala’s effort for South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 tournament :(
This is a fine interview with Lúcio, the 2002 World Cup winning defender with Brazil, who is still lacing up his boots every weekend.
I actually included Lúcio in my Brazil all-time XI, he was an absolute man mountain in 2002, and also at club level for Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern and Internazionale. You can build your team here.
“Hiya Michael, hope you’re well,” emails Panini Cheapskates. “You asked what people have been up to... well, you can probably guess in our case.”
⚽️ END OF DAY 22 ⚽️
— Panini Cheapskates (@CheapPanini) July 5, 2018
Waaah, we’ve just passed £4,800 raised for our charities 🎉
We flipping love you lot for joining us on this nonsense quest. Can’t believe the £5000 mark is within sight.
462 stickers down
220 to go
£4816.62 raised
Donate ⬇️https://t.co/UgWl8lURfa pic.twitter.com/xv50wWi4IR
I made a video before the World Cup on Panini stickers, in which Alex and Sian feature. They are extremely nice people, with all proceeds from their project going to charity. You can watch the video here.
If, as we all hope, they are reunited with their families in the coming days and their health allows them to travel, Fifa would be delighted to invite them to attend the 2018 World Cup final in Moscow as our guests.”
FIFA, via a letter from Gianni Infantino to the FA Thailand President, have invited the children and coach currently in the cave to the World Cup final if circumstances allow. pic.twitter.com/ycC2GfPfeA
— Dave Phillips (@lovefutebol) July 6, 2018
I would have Godín in my World XI, alongside Sergio Ramos in central defence. He’s that good. Don’t @ me.
There’s been a lot of talk about Kylian Mbappé …
… and rightly so, after his utterly ridiculous performance against Argentina. But there is simply no way that Uruguay will play with as much defensive reckless abandon as their South American neighbours. While Mbappé was brilliant against Argentina, they played right into The Frenchman’s hands, leaving space in behind which he brilliantly exploited with his lightning pace. Godín and co simply won’t allow that to happen today, Uruguay will sit deep, be nice and compact and France will likely have to unpick the lock. In that regard, Griezmann is much more likely to be a bigger influence for France today.
Godín v Griezmann is perhaps the key clash then, the two Atlético team-mates going head-to-head. Godín, in case you didn’t know, is godfather to Griezmann’s daughter, the two are best friends.
“He says he is Uruguayan,” said Godin. “He made his debut with Martin Lasarte [at Real Sociedad in 2009] and had a lot of time for him. He has always been surrounded by Uruguayan players. He likes how we are and our customs: eating the barbecue, our music, he even drinks more mate than me!”
Again, if you’re catching up, this is the drink Godín is talking about:
Another member of that City team, Fabian Delph, is back with the England squad after flying home for the birth of his daughter, who arrived the morning after the win over Colombia. The lads even gave him a gift.
This is pretty tidy, except that Danilo has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup for Brazil.
A statement published on Brazil’s official website read: “Right-back Danilo suffered a ligament injury in his left ankle after sprains in training this Thursday in Kazan. “In conversation with the technical committee, Danilo requested and will remain with the cast.”
The #mancity, #worldcup quarter-final squad! 🤩
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 5, 2018
What a team! pic.twitter.com/OxyfML9MPH
Hadn’t previously heard the audio to this. Genuine chills.
When the football's on again. pic.twitter.com/myulp8sEcc
— heartbeeps (@hrtbps) July 6, 2018
Thank Christ that World Cup football is back today. Before the last couple of days, we’d only had one fallow day (last Friday). Whilst that rest day seemed do-able, reasonable even, considering the swell of drama and action we’ve had. But these last two days have been tough. I’ve been reduced to blankly staring at my wall chart, and have even tried other activities, such as ‘cooking’ and ‘phoning my mum’.
What have you been up to? Do get in touch. Email michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet me @michaelbutler18.
Of course, if you’re in Samara like Nick Ames, there is plenty of stuff to get your teeth into, like a basement-based football museum, beach footy on the riverbanks with a few Brazilians or Stalin’s old bunker.
*Reads another blog about how the World Cup is bringing everybody together, etc, so on*
I was on a packed train to Leeds yesterday. A lad on his phone was selfish and ignorant enough to share half his conversation with the rest of us, during which he agreed to an appointment on Saturday from 12-6pm, insisting that he finish 'in time for the England game at 7'.
Ha ha. No one told him. Not one of us. Ha ha.
It’s getting to the stage now that if I open a video on WhatsApp or click on a YouTube link that is NOT related to ‘It’s coming home’, I’m genuinely shocked.
Rip those two stars off immediately.
@michaelbutler18 re the build-up, and in general, could you settle this debate please: To me #URU is either “4-time World Champion” or “2-time World Cup winner” but not as often stated “2-time World Champion”, see pic. What’s @guardian_sport official stance please ? pic.twitter.com/DUpPeoVG92
— Marc (@_LeMarc) July 6, 2018
Rumours! Get ya rumours!
Marcus’s piece also features the 1994 Swedish equivalent of ‘It’s coming home’. The amount of hair on show in the video is frankly staggering.
Behind me in Guardian Towers, Marcus Christenson has started animately talking very quickly (I assume) in Swedish to somebody on the phone. I have so far only managed to catch the words ‘football’ and ‘Three Lions’ and ‘It’s coming home’ so I think it must be work related.
He wrote this very nice piece yesterday (in English) on Thomas Brolin, what it means to grow up in Sweden, enjoy their third-placed finish at the World Cup in 1994 and then move to England in time for the madness of Euro 96.
Thanks Jonathan, and yep it most certainly is. But before we get too excited about Saturday, let’s deal with Friday; specifically the early kick-off between France and Uruguay. Luckily Paul Doyle has done this handy guide on the history of the fixture …
Anyway, as I wistfully consider the ageing process and rewatch the entirety of The Day Today from start to finish I’ll hand you over to Michael Butler. I’m pretty sure that in his capable hands it’s definitely coming home.
@JPHowcroft might as well enjoy this while it lasts eh? @whoislukeagain here you go! #threelions #EnglandvSweden #WorldCup18 #meme #itscominghome #ICHAPOCALYPSE pic.twitter.com/aHHDaOXTxM
— Brett Turner (@realBrettTurner) July 6, 2018
I don’t mean to be one of those “you know you’re getting old when” bores, but it pains me to think Alan popped up in World Cup, erm, world, as far back as USA 94. Ruddy hell.
The best one yet... https://t.co/8kPV2vbD7i
— Daniel Taylor (@DTguardian) July 6, 2018
David Flynn has nudged me in time to comment: “Where the multiverse theory really falls down is in opening up the possibility that somewhere there’s a universe where an England manager realised Gerrard and Lampard couldn’t play together and dropped one of them. Obviously that could never happen. Theory disproved.”
So that made me Google “Stephen Hawking” along with “Gerrard” and “Lampard” in the hope one of the great theoretical physicists may have been encouraged to address this very conundrum, and you know what, he sort of did.
It’s nearly time for me to sign off, before I do, try this fun little quiz.
@JPHowcroft The criticism of Neymar seems to not respect that Neymar is kicked an awful lot. I dare say any player kicked as much would find ways to exact justice.
— Bruv (@Bourgy) July 6, 2018
A fair point, and worth adding that Neymar has been kicked from pillar to post for nearly a decade, and has suffered his share of injuries during that time as well.
Kimberley Thonger is convinced football is coming home. “Football may well be coming home, but not to England, rather to Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950. They’ve looked consistently hard to beat, and Suarez is perfectly capable of exploding into life and delivering killer punches.”
Updated
Phil Porter got me thinking. “A recent study shows the correlation between the amount of chocolate a nation eats and the number of Nobel prize winners it produces. Perhaps someone can do a study on pies/world cups?”
Considering the tiny sample size (20 World Cup finals) this kind of study is extremely open to distortion. For example, you could indicate a decent correlation between the consumption of caipirinhas or maté and winning World Cups, such has been the dominance of three South American countries.
But on the subject of booze I realised the eleven countries that export the most wine incorporates over 50% of World Cup wins, the top three all being World Cup winning countries (Spain, Italy, and France).
It’s not pies mind you.
The possibilities of a multiverse (see preamble) are being considered below the line. “If we’re really to believe the multiverse theory,” begins Akardyagain, “then every possibly outcome has happened in one dimension... so in that sense England have already won the World Cup. Which means I’m off to down a pint of vodka and run around Chester city centre naked but draped in an England fan crying and screaming.”
We could be in for a long and traumatic summer.
In case you missed it, Bjorn Kuipers has been announced as referee for England’s quarterfinal with Sweden.
Thought Kuipers was brilliant in St Petersburg dealing with Neymar's gravitational issues. Also told him to stop chirping. Got a Var penalty overrule right. Good ref. https://t.co/dewH56SpTs
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) July 6, 2018
Kuipers reffed this year’s Europa League final and the 2014 Champions League final.
That last entry reminded me of a similar pre-tournament piece where neutral fans were invited to share their thoughts on the World Cup. It’s memorable for the Dutch entry where things get very very salty indeed.
Updated
Tom Stevens has canvassed Guardian readers for their quarter-final predictions. Spoiler alert, it may not be coming home.
I expect today will be a low-productivity workday in offices up and down England. I hope someone calculates the hit to GDP caused by hours spent generating and retweeting ICH memes.
It’s coming home! 🏴 #threelions #EnglandvSweden #WorldCup18 #meme #itscominghome pic.twitter.com/68zhGAjPmr
— Chris Gillen (@chris_gillen) July 5, 2018
If you like your preview content informative and concise, you’ll enjoy these four nuggets of quarter-final gold from Martin Laurence.
According to Martin, the semi-finals will pit Uruguay against Brazil and Croatia against England.
The universe is trying to tell us something. If only we could figure out what it is...
World Cup Quarter Finals
— knighty (@LeonKnight_) July 5, 2018
France: 6 letters
Uruguay: 7 letters
Brazil: 6 letters
Belgium: 7 letters
Sweden: 6 letters
England: 7 letters
Russia: 6 letters
Croatia: 7 letters
Games to be played on 6 & 7 July
6+7 =13
13 letters in
It’s coming home
🏴👻
In case you’d forgotten, it is still definitely coming home.
It’s coming home lads ⚽️🏴⚽️🏴 pic.twitter.com/KqQEmByM61
— Lauren Cunningham (@Laurencunzy) July 6, 2018
Not strictly Russia 2018 related but 2006 World Cup winning keeper Gianluigi Buffon seems set to confirm that he is on his way to Paris Saint Germain. It’s a rumour that’s been doing the rounds for sometime and appears to be drawing to a conclusion with a two-year deal ready to be announced early next week.
Someone below the line just asked for an update on Edinson Cavani’s fitness. I don’t have anything groundbreaking to report, but the last I heard he was unlikely to start and remains in doubt to feature at all. However, he did take part in training on Thursday, the first time he’s appeared since collecting a calf injury during his star turn against Portugal.
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But what is “shithousery”, the buzzword of this World Cup? Funny you should ask because John Ashdown has the answer.
Shithousery is a fairly nebulous term, taking in as it does pretty much all the dark arts employed on a football pitch – everything from diving to headbutting via haranguing the referee and time-wasting. Generally, in its most simple guise, shithousery is an attempt to gain an advantage by unfair means and therefore it has existed around football for a long time.
Stuart James has seen enough from Neymar and his ilk this World Cup to demand action before such shithousery dirties the beautiful game beyond repair.
Play-acting has been commonplace at this World Cup. It’s become a cancer in the game, not just a stain on it, and Fifa needs to find a cure. Either football’s world body confronts it head on, by introducing tougher penalties and urging referees to adopt a zero tolerance approach, or we hand over control to the players and resign ourselves to the fact that shithousery is now “part and parcel of the game”. What a depressing thought.
David Penney (not that David Penney) asks “How far do Neymar’s antics go before Nike take him aside and say “You know what? You’re damaging our brand.” Or do you think they don’t really care and there’s no such thing as bad publicity?”
I think Nike have invested too much in Neymar to risk jeopardising the relationship and they’ve never shown themselves to be too squeamish when it comes to controversial endorsements.
Nobody has ruffled feathers in Russia quite like Brazil’s number 10. The hair, the tears, the injuries, the maybe-not-quite-injuries, and the rest, have made the PSG gazillionaire the pantomime villain of this tournament.
For instance, The Fiver has calculated how long Neymar has spent nae bothering about the ball so far this World Cup.
And now follows the Neymar bit...
Want to know the alchemy behind Belgium’s golden generation? Try this from Alex Clapham on the Anderlecht academy that has produced 35% of Belgium’s squad and contributed more goals than the Brazil team at Russia 2018.
But even if Brazil have a weakness, exploiting it while the seleção are stewarded by Tite is another matter entirely, as Nick Ames explains.
Tite’s calmness and knack for man-management have been revelatory in this World Cup and the two years before it; he has instilled a sense of clarity, feathered with a little lightness, into this Brazil team and it was little surprise to hear he learned from the best. Bianchi was renowned, during his spells managing Vélez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors, for his leadership skills and a club director once put it best by lauding his ability to instruct players “to put the toilet in the bathroom and the oven in the kitchen”. It captures the Tite process precisely: everyone accountable; everything in its correct spot.
The second match today is Brazil against Belgium in Kazan, kick off 9pm local time.
Jonathan Wilson has cast his eye over proceedings and figured out how Belgium can advance from dark horses to thoroughbreds.
Once Dani Alves was ruled out of the squad through injury, Brazil always looked vulnerable at right-back. Danilo – who on Thursday night was ruled out of the tournament because of an ankle injury – played in the draw against Switzerland, since when Fagner has been deployed there. Vela, and Hirving Lozano when he moved to the Mexican left, both made him look slow on the turn. The problem for Belgium, though, is that their 3-4-2-1 does not necessarily push a player tight up against the full-back. Yannick Carrasco can get forward from left wing-back but he is likely to have his hands full dealing with Willian. That then means Eden Hazard, who operates almost as an inside-left behind Romelu Lukaku, with Dries Mertens alongside him, needs to pull to the left to try to pressure Fagner.
Václav Šmerda is upbeat down in the comments section.
“Amazing World Cup. Among the favourites were Germany, Argentina and Spain and they are all out and I would find it difficult to argue that the eight teams that are in the quarterfinals did not make it there on merit. I don’t agree with the talk about the stronger / weaker half of the draw. I think there is a tendency to see the less predictable or more unusual half of the draw as weaker, but the fact we rarely see Russia, Sweden, Croatia or England in quarterfinals does not make these teams weak.
This tournament is a great example of how team is more important than individuals in a team sport. France and Brazil have some “stars” like Pogba and Neymar, but all really play as a team. Great examples were Lukaku’s assist for the third goal against Japan, Sweden’s response to the racist harassment of Durmas, there are many more. The only spoiler for me is really just Neymar.
Personally I would love to see Belgium vs England final. We need that match played properly with the first XIs and all the fans that travelled for the group match should get a free ticket. I really like these two teams.”
So... is one side of the draw the “also rans” and the other the true semi finals?
— WaterfallpoiMonkey (@Wtrfallpoimonky) July 6, 2018
Having not been around many English folk recently, are they serious, half serious or joking with a touch of hope?
I think it’s a combination of all of the above WaterfallpoiMonkey. The English sense of humour combined with the tendency to hype up the football team only to be let down creates spaces like this one where everything is permissible simultaneously. It is therefore possible to be naively excited about England’s World Cup chances, but with one’s tongue firmly pressed against one’s cheek so as to provide an emotional safety valve when it all inevitably goes belly up.
Only kidding, we only need six more. It’s definitely coming home.
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So that’s Uruguay’s song - what about the other seven?
Kim Jong-Won has sent in the first, and quite probably the best, email of the day. “Hi Jonathan, greetings from Uruguay! What songs are popularly linked to the eight teams still in the tournament?” Great question - over to you dear readers.
“Here is the 2004 Cielo de un solo color by the No Te Va Gustar band and the Agarrate Catalina murga, made popular during the 2010 World Cup campaign.
Before that it was the 1992 Cuando juega Uruguay by Jaime Roos. Its video version features the legendary Obdulio Varela, who captained Uruguay during the 1950 World Cup.
If only there were more Bob Mortimers the world would be a better place.
Yorkshire World Cup Scene
— bob mortimer (@RealBobMortimer) July 5, 2018
Mother "Do tha know name of that Brazilian Lad who keeps rolling ont floor"
Son "Neymar"
Mother "Nevermind, was worth an ask"
Thomas Hitzlsperger has been impressed by Benjamin Pavard.
Benjamin has been a revelation at Stuttgart and it is his technique that has always stood out. It is remarkably complete for a 22-year-old and one of the reasons why he earned a call-up to France’s World Cup squad. That decision caused surprise, particularly in France, but to people who have watched him perform in Germany, and especially those of us who have worked with him at Stuttgart, it made sense, and after his wonder goal against Argentina it appears Benjamin is finally getting the wider recognition he deserves.
Jorge Valdano has emerged as one of the star columnists of Russia 2018 and his contribution to the discussion around Kylian Mbappé is no exception.
When Mbappé arrived at the World Cup he was still under observation, an object of expectation. In the first few games neither he nor France appeared comfortable. The midfielders could not generate fluidity in the play and the three forwards distributed the space badly. They won, but did not convince. But the knockout phase came against Messi’s Argentina and Mbappé definitively demonstrated that his talent was as high as the expectations. It was one of those games in which a player walks on to the pitch as someone and, thanks to his enormous talent, walks off again as someone else. Football is an emotional, mind-altering drug, bending perception.
Let’s dwell for a little while on the first of the four quarters, Uruguay’s clash with France, kicking off at 5pm local time in Nizhny Novgorod.
Stuart James has taken a closer look at a man who is sure to take centre stage tonight, Luis Suárez.
Controversy stalks Suárez but, love him or loathe him, his scoring record is phenomenal. With 53 goals in 103 internationals, he averages better than one every other game for his country. At club level the figures are staggering. In the last five seasons, which comprise one campaign at Liverpool and four with Barcelona, Suárez has scored 141 league goals. To put that return into perspective, the only players to have scored more in Europe’s top five divisions are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Next on the list after Suárez comes Robert Lewandowski, followed by Cavani, which gives an idea of how just blessed Uruguay are when it comes to their forward line.
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DesertStorm17 buying into the tough half and weak half of the draw argument in the comments section. “The best four teams left to battle it out today. Tune in tomorrow for the World Cup equivalent of the Northern Premier League.” The NPL now the evocatively titled Evo-Stik League, dominated last season by Altrincham FC.
Further to my highly caffeinated preamble (see below), it has only just come to my attention that the theme music to ITV’s The Big Match was composed by Rod Argent, formerly of chart-topping beat combo The Zombies, and the eponymous Argent, famous for the psychedelic belter Hold Your Head Up.
Today is already a good day. Further proof (if any were needed) that football is indisputably coming home.
May I also submit these excellent contributions to the ICH time capsule:
From Garden State...
Literally spent half an hour teaching myself iMovie to do this. What have I become. pic.twitter.com/KcVWssYoac
— Ed Cumming (@edcumming) July 4, 2018
And from High Fidelity...
To any editors on here I promise I am On The Case but also, because @HadleyFreeman asked so nicely: pic.twitter.com/4pZOdIvwXP
— Ed Cumming (@edcumming) July 5, 2018
SEE! I told you. It is coming home. The memes have spoken.
Preamble
It’s coming home. Isn’t it? Football, it’s definitely coming home. Small boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts, the theme tune to ITV’s The Big Match, David Pleat’s tan slip-ons, Statto, the statue of Michael Jackson outside Craven Cottage; IT’S ALL COMING HOME!
Somewhere in the multiverse it already has come home. Imagine that, football already back where it belongs, in another portion of the space-time continuum, oblivious to all the fuss its relocation has caused.
Because we occupy a different slice of existence we must go through the ritual of actually completing the remainder of the 2018 World Cup, on the off-chance the calculations are skewiff and football might not indeed be coming home after all.
That rigmarole begins today with the two quarterfinals on the ‘tough’ half of the draw: Uruguay vs France and Brazil vs Belgium.
Tomorrow sees Sweden take on England and Russia host Croatia, after which the battle for ownership of football will be down to just four competing nations.
I will be around for the next few hours to look ahead to those blockbusters, keep you up to date with any breaking World Cup news, and - of course - to share the spiciest ICH memes.
Please keep me company as I coax football out of its hermitage and shepherd it towards home. Emails to jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk and tweets to @JPHowcroft.
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Do the world a favour Belgium.