There were 19 goals on day four of the World Cup, with Germany (thanks to a 7-1 win over Curacao) and Sweden (who beat Tunisia 5-1) scoring 12 between them.
And if goals aren’t your thing, there were plenty of storylines besides, with Japan snatching a late equaliser against the Netherlands in possibly the game of the tournament so far, Ivory Coast sneaking a 1-0 win against Ecuador and the first use of ‘snicko’ technology in the Swedes’ win over Tunisia.
The Athletic will provide daily recaps of the World Cup’s biggest talking points throughout the tournament. This is what happened on Matchday 4…
It was a goal befitting a wild celebration. A top off, a leap into the crowd, at least a roar.
But Yasin Ayari’s 25-yard half-volley produced only a clasped-hands gesture before he kissed the turf. It was a half-apology.
The reason? His father is Tunisian, the country he had just scored against for Sweden at the World Cup.
The Brighton midfielder’s mother is Moroccan and it highlights how integral countries tapping into their diaspora network has become.
“It’s been just natural for me to stick with Sweden,” he said this week. “My father as well said, ‘You decide what you want to do.’”
Curacao is another nation that has gone to great lengths to exploit the Dutch population with links to the island. Haiti has done the same with France and Cape Verde, too, with Portugal. Even Scotland have tapped into English talents with a Scottish parent or grandparent. It is a global race now to cap players early.
Morocco set an international football first against Brazil by fielding the first XI of players born outside of the country they are representing. Four came from France, three from Spain, two from Belgium and one from each of Netherlands and Canada.
Folarin Balogun, who scored twice in the United States’ 4-1 win over Paraguay, is another player who had to make a decision between three nations. He qualifies for the U.S. due to being born in Brooklyn while his parents were on holiday but he could also have played for Nigeria, the country of his parents, or England, the nation he grew up in.
It used to only be at club level that players would perform a muted celebration against a former club or the side they grew up supporting.
Ayari’s show of respect for his first goal against Tunisia may feel overly twee, given international football is regarded as the most emotionally charged theatre in the sport (and he was more animated after his second goal in Sweden’s 5-1 win), but his show of contrition is unlikely to be the last time it is seen on the international stage.
MetLife Stadium, renamed the New York New Jersey Stadium for this tournament, will host the final on July 19.
But given the varying climatic and logistical challenges, the Dallas Stadium — a semi-final host and a long-time frontrunner to host the final — made a strong case that it may have been better suited for the task.
The 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan, capped by Daichi Kamada’s late equaliser, made it a candidate for game of the tournament so far. The roof and state-of-the-art climate control technology helped cool the conditions, which perhaps contributed to the contest.
Hydration breaks were still adhered to in each half despite the air conditioning and lack of direct sunlight, which is sure to irk the managers and fans who have criticised its commercialisation and how it disrupts the flow of the game.
But the pitch also looked like a carpet compared to the surface in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The latter presented a unique challenge for FIFA due to the artificial surface and the locally-grown turf being ditched after a harsh winter, while 1,470 seats had to be removed to accommodate a wider surface that complied with the World Cup organiser’s regulations.
Brazil winger Vinicius Junior was critical of it, saying after Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco on Saturday: “Because of the heat, the grass dries up very quickly and the game gets stuck. We can’t keep the pace up. But we’ll have to adapt. We’ll improve and evolve and we’ll get great victories.”
Dallas, meanwhile, received rave reviews. It is due to host eight games, including one of the semi-final matches, with England vs Croatia, Argentina vs Austria, Japan vs Sweden and Jordan vs Argentina to come in the group stage. If its debut was anything to go by, it could be the showpiece venue.
With echoes of the start of the Club World Cup (which had 32 teams) last summer, the World Cup’s expanded format brought with it an expectation that European teams would wipe the floor with every other continent.
A year ago, it was South American sides who produced several upsets. In the first four days of this tournament, it is Asia that has made the strongest start.
Japan have been tipped by some as a team to watch, especially after their victory over England in March. They lived up to that reputation by earning a point against the Netherlands, following South Korea’s victory over the Czech Republic and Australia’s shock 2-0 defeat of Turkey. Qatar, beaten in all three matches when hosting in 2022, even earned a point against group favourites Switzerland.
It means that teams from the Asian Football Confederation have collected 10 points from a possible 12 so far. Europe is sitting on 12 from 24.
In the past, Asian teams have widely been viewed as a comfortable opponent for the top sides but Japan has led the way in exporting top-tier talents. They have expanded their talent pool in Europe and, importantly, improved the athletic aspect that was felt to have held them back. And their supporters tidied up after themselves.
South Korea were outsiders against the Czech Republic but outplayed them with a technical possession game. It was refreshing in a sport that has increasingly become about power and set pieces but they are not alone in developing clear identities.
Uzbekistan have also started developing elite talents and the other continents are showing that there is diversity in style beyond Europe.
On Sunday, 13 World Cup nations also hit back at a claim from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin that the expanded 48-team tournament has created “uninteresting games”.
Germany’s 7-1 win over Curacao was not the ideal example for the smaller nations but the debutants did at least equalise. Haiti also proved against Scotland that they have quality beyond what is perhaps known.
For the 48-team format to really work, however, it needs a few shocks and not a disproportionate number of European nations in the quarter-finals.
Tournament favourites Spain make their bow against Cape Verde, and they will look to lay down a similar marker as Germany did against Curacao.
Belgium face Egypt in Seattle, where the former talismans of Manchester City and Liverpool will recommence battle. Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah are playing in what will surely be both of their final appearances at a World Cup. How far can these faded greats take their teams?
Saudi Arabia made quite the first impression at the last World Cup. They beat Argentina 2-1 in the opening group game and looked to have killed Lionel Messi’s dreams of glory. It turned out to be an anomaly but they face another South American team in Uruguay — even if the task of defeating a side coached by Marcelo Bielsa and packed with hard-working players is a daunting one.
The final game of the day sees Iran take on New Zealand in Los Angeles but it may be remembered more for what it represents off the pitch than on it. Let’s see.
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