The best players, managers, referee, goal, and games of this World Cup
Bear in mind, the final has not been played.
(I’ve italicized the Best XI.)
Front-line players: Mbappé (France), Haaland (Norway), Kane (England), Messi (Argentina).
Midfielders: Ødegaard (Norway), Bellingham (England), Fernández (Argentina), Rodri (Spain), Xhaka (Switzerland), Ruiz (Spain), Tielemans (Belgium), Olmo (Spain).
Defenders: Cucurella (Spain), Mazraoui (Morocco), Laporte (Spain), Lisandro Martínez (Argentina), Akanji (Switzerland), Lucumí (Colombia), Muñoz (Colombia), Porro (Spain).
Goalkeepers: Bounou (Morocco), Nyland (Norway), Emiliano Martínez (Argentina), Pickford (England).
(English journalists have been savaging Pickford for letting in two goals that weren’t his fault. All the more reason to choose him.)
Most valuable player: Messi.
Best-all-around player: Bellingham.
Outstanding old player: Messi (39).
Outstanding young player: Bouaddi (Morocco) (18).
Outstanding substitutes: Lukaku (Belgium), Lautaro Martínez (Argentina), Quintero (Colombia).
Best managers: De la Fuente (Spain), Scaloni (Argentina).
Best referee: Barton (El Salvador), especially for Türkiye vs. Paraguay …
… and for France vs. Spain.
(The final will be refereed by Vinčić, the Slovenian. I thought him too generous toward Mexico; Argentina will eat him alive.)
Best goal: Kane’s second versus the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Best games: Türkiye vs. Paraguay; Ecuador vs. Germany; Netherlands vs. Morocco; USA vs. Belgium; Norway vs. Brazil; Mexico vs. England; France vs. Spain; and every knockout contest involving Argentina (may the final be the same).
(I’ve italicized the Best XI.)
Front-line players: Mbappé (France), Haaland (Norway), Kane (England), Messi (Argentina).
Midfielders: Ødegaard (Norway), Bellingham (England), Fernández (Argentina), Rodri (Spain), Xhaka (Switzerland), Ruiz (Spain), Tielemans (Belgium), Olmo (Spain).
Defenders: Cucurella (Spain), Mazraoui (Morocco), Laporte (Spain), Lisandro Martínez (Argentina), Akanji (Switzerland), Lucumí (Colombia), Muñoz (Colombia), Porro (Spain).
Goalkeepers: Bounou (Morocco), Nyland (Norway), Emiliano Martínez (Argentina), Pickford (England).
(English journalists have been savaging Pickford for letting in two goals that weren’t his fault. All the more reason to choose him.)
Most valuable player: Messi.
Best-all-around player: Bellingham.
Outstanding old player: Messi (39).
Outstanding young player: Bouaddi (Morocco) (18).
Outstanding substitutes: Lukaku (Belgium), Lautaro Martínez (Argentina), Quintero (Colombia).
Best managers: De la Fuente (Spain), Scaloni (Argentina).
Best referee: Barton (El Salvador), especially for Türkiye vs. Paraguay …
… and for France vs. Spain.
(The final will be refereed by Vinčić, the Slovenian. I thought him too generous toward Mexico; Argentina will eat him alive.)
Best goal: Kane’s second versus the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Best games: Türkiye vs. Paraguay; Ecuador vs. Germany; Netherlands vs. Morocco; USA vs. Belgium; Norway vs. Brazil; Mexico vs. England; France vs. Spain; and every knockout contest involving Argentina (may the final be the same).