The 2022 World Cup is in full swing. At the end of every matchday, we’ll review the biggest talking points emanating from Qatar and break down all the action on the pitch. Below, we look back on Sunday’s last-16 games.
Mbappe is just absurd
The fact Kylian Mbappe is still only 23 years old is astonishing. Here’s a player who’s years away from his prime and doing things no one – not Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, or Diego Maradona – has done before.
It took Messi two decades to score in a knockout-round match. Mbappe had two in the 2018 World Cup final alone. Pele had eight World Cup goals before turning 24. Mbappe already has nine. He’s got more than Ronaldo and Maradona. He might even finish his career with more than them combined.
Every meaningful men’s scoring record is now under threat. If Mbappe stays healthy – and he’s rarely missed more than two or three games at a time – he’ll soar past Olivier Giroud and Thierry Henry on France’s all-time scoring list. He’ll surpass Miroslav Klose as the highest-scoring player in World Cup history, and he’ll overtake Ronaldo as the most prolific scorer in men’s international football. He could even do it all before he turns 30.
It’s not just about the goals Mbappe scores but about the way he takes over games. He’s too fast, too strong, and too talented to stop on the run and incredibly difficult to cover when he winds up to shoot. His goals against Poland packed an incredible punch, and while his opponents gave him more time than he needed to pick his spots, he still showed extraordinary composure to execute from near-standstill positions.
And pundits thought head coach Didier Deschamps would rely too heavily on Mbappe in this tournament. How silly. Mbappe’s always the solution.
Giroud takes long way to the top
For now, Giroud stands alone as France’s record-breaking men’s scorer. With 52 international tallies in 116 matches, the striker can enjoy the view from the top until Mbappe bumps him off his perch.
Giroud’s achievement is phenomenal – but not because of the figure itself. The record adds another notch to an already extraordinary career that nearly fell to the wayside in his youth. Giroud had to wait until he was 24 to make his Ligue 1 debut, and after making the move to the Premier League, he had to fight his way into starting lineups once again.
Joining AC Milan revitalized the 36-year-old’s career. He’s getting consistent minutes in Italy and enjoying his time there. More importantly, he’s shown he can do more than hold up play and win aerial duels. He can still do all of the extracurricular stuff that coaches ask of modern-day strikers without sacrificing his instincts. After going without a goal at the 2018 World Cup, Giroud had to prove all of that over again.
No one’s considered him a truly prolific striker because of all of the above. In truth, Giroud hasn’t scored more than 16 league goals in any of the last 11 seasons. In three of those years, he didn’t even manage more than 10. He’s more like Filippo Inzaghi in that sense: a player defined more by qualitative measures than quantitative. Giroud’s goals are more memorable because they’re more important. He picks the biggest possible moments to show up.
That’s why people appreciate him so much. It just took a long time to turn those heads.
Bellingham takes charge in midfield
Jude Bellingham is one of the most dynamic midfielders England has ever had. That’s no exaggeration. England’s had creative playmakers before. It’s also had its share of defensive stalwarts and destroyers. But it never quite had a midfielder who could do the job of two different players.
Those who didn’t know him before now know the story about this 19-year-old: that he’s quick on his feet, smart on the ball, and a captain in the making. Bellingham showed his best qualities Sunday in another authoritative performance against Senegal. Powering through the middle of the park, he showed the poise of someone 10 years his senior, waiting for the perfect moment to thread passes and put his teammates into good scoring positions.
Before taking a 2-0 lead, England needed Bellingham to intervene. Sensing an opportunity, the teenager jumped into the fray to win possession near his own area. Six touches later, the ball was 40 yards up the field. As much as he’s quick and powerful, Bellingham is intentional and never in a rush to do something. He calculates everything he does on the go, and he almost always finds the most economical solution to passing plays.
Declan Rice is also capable of moving the ball forward. He did so on a couple of occasions on Sunday and nearly set up a goal. But Bellingham’s just exceptional. When it comes to decision-making, England doesn’t have a better player.
If the Three Lions have any kind of success in Qatar, he’ll be a big reason why.
Quick free-kicks
Kane finally off the mark
Harry Kane is on the board. There was much consternation about the England captain’s inability to find the net prior to Sunday’s 3-0 win, but England’s ability to get goals from various sources has been on full display throughout this tournament. Kane’s marker against Senegal made him the eighth different player to score for England at this World Cup, a testament to the attacking depth at Gareth Southgate’s disposal. Even when he wasn’t scoring, though, Kane was integral. His intelligent movement opens up space for teammates, his ability to drop deep, hold up the ball, and orchestrate the attack remains elite, and his passing range is outstanding for any player, let alone a center-forward. England doesn’t need Kane to be the primary scorer to have success in Qatar. But the Tottenham Hotspur star looked sprier against Senegal than at any other point in the competition thus far, and that could be bad news for the rest of the field, beginning with France.
Lewandowski, Poland should be proud
If Robert Lewandowski’s final touch at a World Cup was scoring a goal, it’s a fitting way to go out. In his second attempt at an injury-time penalty – his first was easily saved but called back and re-taken due to an infraction by Hugo Lloris – Lewandowski stutter-stepped toward a second goal in Qatar in what could be the 34-year-old’s last appearance on football’s biggest stage. Despite the disheartening result Sunday against a dominant France side, it was mission accomplished in Qatar for Lewandowski and Poland. The Barcelona star was, as predicted, instrumental in helping his nation reach the knockout round for the first time since 1986, netting his long-awaited first World Cup goal in the group stage to further cement his place as Poland’s greatest-ever scorer. While it’s possible he suits up in two years’ time for the Euros, a 38-year-old Lewandowski will have likely hung up his international boots long before the 2026 World Cup.
Senegal defied odds in Qatar
It’s the end of the road for Senegal, a team that undoubtedly deserves a ton of credit for persevering in the face of adversity. After being tipped to mount a serious challenge at the 2022 World Cup, the West African nation’s hopes of making history suffered a cruel twist of fate days before kickoff. The loss of talisman Sadio Mane was viewed by many as a monumental blow that could’ve resulted in a premature group stage exit. But instead, Senegal proved critics wrong with an exciting brand of attacking football that earned the country a knockout round berth for the first time in 20 years. In the end, England proved too tough of a task, but that shouldn’t damper spirits for a Senegal team that deserves a hero’s welcome upon its return home.
No room for bling
French defender Jules Kounde was forced to remove two gold chains that were on clear display for nearly the entire first half of Sunday’s match against Poland. Incredibly, Kounde’s jewelry wasn’t discovered by the match officials until the 41st minute when he went to take a throw-in right beside the assistant referee, who noticed the bling that onlookers had spotted on the television broadcast almost immediately. “I know that Jules is superstitious and he usually wears that necklace even in training and I said to him, ‘You are lucky that I wasn’t next to you because I would (have) completely taken it off as well,'” Deschamps said after the win. “I know that players don’t have the right to wear necklaces or bracelets. He’s not allowed to wear a necklace, you can’t play with sunglasses, or a watch, or a ring, or a necklace, for that matter. It is not allowed, and I thought he had taken off, but he hadn’t. So that’s our fault.” Football with sunglasses and swag? Sign us up.
Breaking down thrilling EPL title race with 10 games left
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One of the most intoxicating title races in Premier League history is, mercifully, ready to resume.
The quirks of the calendar – an FA Cup weekend succeeded by an agonizing international window – means the titanic tussle between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City will have been on hiatus for a full three weeks before it gets back underway on Sunday.
But there are no more impending interruptions. With 10 matches remaining for each title contender, we’re barreling toward a resolution to the type of three-way battle that’s exceedingly rare in England’s top flight. There’s never been a season in the Premier League era where three teams went into the final day with a chance to hoist the trophy. This could be it. The last time it happened was the 1971-72 campaign, when Derby County won an incredible four-team fight, narrowly beating Leeds United and, ominously, Liverpool and Man City to the crown. We’re overdue for that kind of drama.
That three sides have converged this way at all is, frankly, remarkable.
These are the three best teams in the country by an enormous margin. They’re the only ones with an expected goal difference per game of plus-1.0 or greater this season. The next best mark, surprisingly, belongs to Mauricio Pochettino’s erratic Chelsea team at plus-0.36. So, yeah, it’s not close.
The three of them are also on a tear and show no signs of slowing down. Arsenal have won all eight of their league games in 2024, scoring 33 goals in the process; Liverpool have collected 22 of a possible 27 points in that time; reigning champions Manchester City have racked up 23 of 27 points. They’ve combined for just one loss since the calendar flipped – Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat against Arsenal in early February.
The only sides that look capable of halting their progress are each other, which makes this weekend’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad all the more significant.
Euro 2024 playoffs: Miraculous Ukraine comeback, big result for Wales
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Wales, Greece, and Poland registered statement wins Thursday, joining three other teams in next Tuesday’s playoff finals for the three remaining places at Euro 2024.
Ukraine staged an incredible late comeback against Bosnia and Herzegovina in its semifinal to keep its Euro dream alive.
The highest-placed team in FIFA’s rankings that’s no longer in contention to reach the tournament in Germany is 60th-placed Finland.
Here’s how the playoff semifinals across Path A, B, and C played out.
Path A
Mateusz Slodkowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Poland 5-1 Estonia
Estonia barely stood a chance. Down to 10 men as early as the 27th minute, the northern Europeans could only muster a consolation goal in a 5-1 loss to Poland. The Polish achieved the rout without Robert Lewandowski getting on the scoresheet and remain unbeaten in 21 Euro qualifiers at home, a magnificent run dating back to September 2006. Poland is trying to make up for a poor qualifying campaign in which it finished third in Group E, four points behind the Czech Republic and Albania. The country hasn’t missed the Euros since 2004.
Wales 4-1 Finland
The Red Wall might descend on Germany this summer. Wales’ raucous supporters have legitimate hopes of traveling to another major tournament after the Dragons scorched Finland without the retired Gareth Bale and with Aaron Ramsey, 33, on the bench after more injury problems. Teemu Pukki gave the visiting team some hope just before halftime following well-taken finishes from David Brooks and Neco Williams. But Wales needed just 73 seconds of the second period to restore its two-goal cushion via Brennan Johnson’s tap-in. Daniel James took advantage of a defensive error before rounding the goalkeeper in the 86th minute to give the host a resounding victory.
Playoff final: Wales vs. Poland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET
Path B
David Balogh – UEFA / UEFA / Getty
Israel 1-4 Iceland
Iceland’s Albert Gudmundsson stole the show with an emphatic hat-trick against Israel on Thursday. His stunning free-kick into the top right corner canceled out Eran Zahavi’s opening goal for Israel, and he created a nice cushion for his country with a pair of markers in the final 10 minutes. Just before that, Zahavi blew an incredible opportunity to equalize the match at 2-2, missing a penalty awarded for handball against Iceland’s Gudmundur Thorarinsson. A red card to Israel’s Haim Revivo didn’t help the trailing side. Iceland is now a game away from making only its second-ever appearance at the Euros following its quarterfinal run in 2016.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine
Ukraine scored twice with just minutes remaining in regulation to snatch what seemed to be a sure victory from Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. Bosnia controlled play for most of the match and took the lead in the 56th minute when Mykola Matviyenko turned in Amar Dedic’s shot into his own net. But a colossal defensive lapse cost the Bosnians a chance to make it a record four countries from the former Yugoslavia at Euro 2024. Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to equalize in the 85th minute and teed up Artem Dovbyk’s sensational winning header three minutes later to turn the playoff semifinal on its head. Ukraine now faces Iceland with a third consecutive Euro appearance at stake.
Playoff final: Ukraine vs. Iceland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET
Path C
GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE / AFP / Getty
Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg
Two clever finishes from Budu Zivzivadze in Tbilisi assured Georgia of a place in Path C’s final – and all without the help of suspended talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But it wasn’t that simple for the host. Luxembourg thought it equalized during the second half, only for the goal to be eventually snatched away due to Maxime Chanot’s apparent foul 45 seconds earlier. Luxembourg’s Chanot was controversially sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Zivzivadze effectively ended the match six minutes later with his second strike. Kvaratskhelia is available for the final.
Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan
Anastasios Bakasetas lashed home a penalty, Dimitrios Pelkas headed into the net’s roof, Fotis Ioannidis tapped in from close range, and Dimitrios Kourbelis added another header. And that was all before halftime. Kazakhstan’s impressive 2022-23 Nations League campaign and notable Euro 2024 qualifying wins over Denmark, Northern Ireland (twice), and Finland suddenly seemed ages ago, as Greece recorded its biggest halftime lead since October 1978 (5-0 against Finland). Aleksandr Marochkin’s embarrassing own goal in the 85th minute made Kazakhstan’s day even worse.
Playoff final: Georgia vs. Greece, Tuesday 1:00 p.m. ET
Look: Nike unveils beautiful kit selection for Euro 2024, Copa America
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Nike released a stunning batch of threads ahead of Euro 2024 and Copa America on Monday.
Days after Adidas launched its lineup for the summer’s top two tournaments, Nike followed suit with an array of colorful designs.
The U.S. manufacturer also announced redesigns for Canada and Poland, even though they’ve yet to qualify for their respective tournaments. The Canucks face Trinidad and Tobago in a one-off Copa America qualifier on Saturday, while Poland must navigate a four-team playoff to reach Euro 2024.
(All images courtesy of Nike)
Euro 2024
Croatia
Home
The square-shaped design that gives Croatia its unique look gets a slight upgrade. The home shirt features larger squares than ever before.
Away
Croatia’s away shirt plays on the national flag, with the traditional checkered pattern now on a slant.
England
Home
Influenced by England’s 1966 training gear, the home shirt has a classic feel with a rich blue collar and gorgeous trim along the cuffs.
Away
England embraces a deep purple hue for its away selection. The crest stands out with a contrasting off-white tint that makes the three lions pop.
France
Home
France’s home shirt may have the biggest crest of all of Nike’s offerings. The oversized rooster defines this shirt as much as the royal blue that’s made France’s kits a crowd-pleaser.
Away
The pinstripes mirror the colors of France’s national flag and span the width of the shirt in a simple, yet elegant design.
Netherlands
Home
Nike could’ve offered anything orange here, and it would’ve been perfect. But the Netherlands has something bolder and better to wear. The zig-zag pattern adds edge.
Away
The orange collar and cuffs pop alongside the three shades of blue Nike has chosen to create the abstract design on this work of art.
Poland
Home
Poland dedicates premium real estate on the country’s home shirt to its imposing crest.
Away
Poland’s away shirt is a daring choice. The graphic treatment adds texture, giving it a rugged feel while separating from the red tones of years past.
Portugal
Home
With possibly the best home shirt in Nike’s collection, Portugal leans heavily into its traditional red-and-green motif with a polo collar and thick cuffs. The logo sits prominently as well. A smash hit.
Away
Here’s another winner. Portugal’s away strip has a stunning textile imprint that gives off a cool summer vibe.
Turkey
Home
This is a menacing look. Turkey will look like a whirring red army with these imposing shirts.
Away
The classic red band returns to Turkey’s away uniform. Like the others, it features an oversized crest in the middle of the shirt.
Copa America
Brazil
Home
Nike goes big with Brazil’s crest and adds an intricate design to the same yellow hue the Selecao have used for decades.
Away
Brazil’s secondary strip feels like the beach. A horizontal wavy pattern covering the entire shirt mimics the country’s picturesque coastline.
Canada
Home
The only blemish in Nike’s lineup. Why is there a circle around the swoosh? And why are the shoulders so much darker than the body? None of it makes sense.
Away
The 13 pinstripes are supposed to represent the 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. Unfortunately, the rest of the shirt looks incomplete.
United States
Home
The United States men’s national team gets a classic home shirt with patriotic detailing along the color and sleeves.
Away
The gradient works perfectly with the red shorts the U.S. will wear at the Copa America.