Last week I made a point: that it was time for the soccer world to take Mexico seriously. And now we have another team that merits the same attention: England.

The Mexicans have been very, very patient. Far too patient, I think, in trying to establish their right to belong up there with the top soccer countries.

There are problems with the VAR system that FIFA has decided to introduce at the World Cup. That decision itself is quite likely the biggest of the problems.

For some decades now, I have been asking referees -- at all levels -- a certain question. At least one hundred referees, I'd say, have given me an answer to this question:

It was not to be, was it? Too many surreally bad things happened to Liverpool in Kiev. Surely some curse was at work here making sure that Liverpool and its fans would have to bear yet another burden of tragedy and gloom.

Some assumptions are necessary here, before I get to my main point. Assumption No. 1: that, a few weeks back, a new president of U.S. Soccer was elected.

The oddities that surround VAR decisions continue to baffle. Last Wednesday's decision to nix Atlanta's early goal against Kansas City, for example.

We can thank VAR for the almost vaudeville images we now see of soccer referees drawing imaginary rectangles in air.

The gasps of astonishment and the avalanche of praise that greeted Ronaldo's superb bicycle kick goal against Juventus held a particular interest to me.

Two things: 1) trying not to be irritated by Jose Mourinho, and 2) another goalkeeper incident.

Trapped in my New York apartment. An exaggeration. But it is snowing quite hard. And this is the third week of March.

Harry Kane is seen by English fans as a major reason for giving England a chance of showing well in this year's World Cup.

Decidedly interesting comments from former England striker Michael Owen. He came clean on a dive that he took in England's game against Argentina during the 2002 World Cup. David Beckham scored from the penalty, the only goal of the game. England won and Argentina was out of the World Cup.

Both in the English Premier League and in MLS there were some pretty bad referee calls this past weekend.

The news from Howard Webb and his PRO group of referees is good -- but not good enough.