All the things about France that make it attractive — its individual talent and its youth — are also its weaknesses, and tbey were certainly on display on Saturday in Kazan. Les Bleusedged Australia, 2-1, but they needed VAR to award them their first goal scored by Antoine Griezmann from the penalty kick and a […]
World Cup Watch
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Group F Preview: Germany has chance to find its groove
The draw was kind to Germany, which aims to become the first back-to-back world champion since Brazil in 1962. Die Mannschaft’s first opponent is Mexico, which fell, 4-1, to a German B team at the2017 Confederations Cup and has beaten Germany only once in 11 encounters — a 2-0 friendly win in Azteca Stadium in […]
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Group E Preview: Ticos boast experience but Brazil is clear favorite
Brazil looks like a shoo-in to top Group E, which promises a tight battle for second place between an experienced Costa Rica, a balanced Switzerland, and a Serbian team that topped its qualifyinggroup. After a Cinderella run at the 2014 World Cup, Los Ticos have only five players on their roster with fewer than 30 […]
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Group D Preview: World Cup is the last stand for Argentina with Messi
Every World Cup group is rife with storylines, yet the lineup in Group D ticks all the boxes culturally as well as competitively. Two-time champion Argentina is ledby Lionel Messi, one of the all-time greats whose brilliant legacy is destined to be at least partially eclipsed if he can’t lead his nation to the title. And […]
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Group C Preview: France's Deschamps goes straight to the kids
Before France played the USA last Saturday in the Lyon suburb of Decines, French coach Didier Deschamps said he wouldn’t deviate much from that lineup he put when Les Bleus open the World Cupagainst Australia in Kazan. But he seems to have changed his mind after the 1-1 tie in which the attack struggled to […]
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Group B Preview: Spain still has all the makings of a championship team
Group B might be the toughest group at the 2018 World Cup. Portugal is the reigning European champion, but the team to beat is Spain, which was a second-tier seed but enters the tournament with a20-game unbeaten streak. But one or both teams might not make it out of the group. Frenchman Herve Renard has […]
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World Cup Watch: Expectations for Belgium ramped up
The consensus is clear: Belgium is taking the strongest squad in its history to the 2018 World Cup. It is also taking heavy expectations. It is stacked with quality players — EdenHazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois — throughout the roster and is led by Spanish manager Roberto Martinez, hiredtwo years ago […]
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Mexico arrives in Russia after a loss and party controversy
After a paltry 2-0 loss to Denmark on Saturday, the mood surrounding Mexico slid from slight unease to possible panic. Andres Guardado (18) and Jesus Gallardo (21)during Mexico’s 3-0 win over Iceland in March. (Photo byConall Gaffney) Anything but a quarterfinal finish for El Tri would be unacceptable for its fans, and reports of a […]
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World Cup Retro 2010: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the 19th World Cup, hosted by South Africa and won by Spain. Nelson Mandela. The first African nation to host had been banned, because of itsApartheid government, from international soccer from 1963 to 1992. Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned for 27 years, credited South […]
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Brazil firing on cylinders one week ahead of opener
Brazil’s comfortable 3-0 win against Austria allayed fears about Neymar‘s fitness as the Selecao dazzled against a team that beat the world champion last week.