Erling Haaland leads the “Viking Row”. Picture: AFP/File
WASHINGTON:
The primary 48-team World Cup has supplied an exhilarating spectacle and a string of compelling storylines.
AFP Sport picks out a number of the key speaking factors after greater than 5 weeks of motion in Canada, Mexico and the US.
Hotshots
The race for the Golden Boot caught fireplace early and has remained absorbing till the ultimate weekend.
The names on the prime of the charts are a who’s who of the world’s prime marksmen — together with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, ErlingHaaland and Harry Kane.
Mbappe, who scored twice in France’s 6-4 defeat by England in Saturday’s third-place playoff, leads Messi by two objectives with simply Sunday’s ultimate to come back.
The Frenchman can be now the highest goalscorer in World Cup historical past — with 22 to his title throughout three tournaments, one forward of Messi.
Minnows sparkle
Debutants Cape Verde completed the group stage unbeaten and superior from a piece that included former champions Spain and Uruguay.
“To be sincere, it looks like I am dwelling in a fairytale,” mentioned DeroyDuarte after his staff arrange a last-32 match in opposition to defending champions Argentina.
The African nation pushed Lionel Messi’s males to the brink, twice coming from behind, earlier than a winner for Argentina in extra-time.
Caribbean island Curacao — the smallest nation to compete at a World Cup by each inhabitants — additionally had their second of glory, holding Ecuador to a goalless draw after a gap 7-1 hammering by Germany.
Argentina comebacks
Again and again Argentina have appeared weak on the 2026 World Cup, however they’ve all the time discovered a method.
The defending champions cruised via their group however have been taken to extra-time by Cape Verde and recovered from 2-0 down late within the sport in opposition to Egypt.
They wanted extra-time once more to beat Switzerland within the quarter-finals and have been looking at defeat in opposition to England within the semi-finals earlier than a late double.
Argentina haven’t performed the silkiest soccer however their never-say-die angle is their superpower.
Balogun row
The World Cup was remarkably freed from off-field controversy till Folarin Balogun discovered himself on the centre of a political storm.
The US ahead, who scored three objectives, was despatched off in his staff’s last-32 match in opposition to Bosnia-Herzegovina, ruling him out of the following sport.
However FIFA stepped in and suspended his ban, resulting in widespread condemnation, particularly when it emerged that US President Donald Trump had intervened.
The host nation have been outclassed 4-1 by Belgium within the final 16, with Balogun making little impression.
Afterwards, the 25-year-old admitted the episode had put additional strain on the staff.
Haaland goes viral
Erling Haaland fired Norway to their best-ever World Cup end — and in addition turned a social media sensation along with his quirky posts.
The towering Manchester Metropolis ahead has gained 30 million Instagram followers because the begin of the event to maneuver to greater than 71 million.
Haaland, 25, whose staff have been overwhelmed by England within the quarter-finals, now has much more Instagram followers than Metropolis’s official account.
One among his posts featured the “Viking row”, which might be one of many abiding photographs of the event.
The ritual featured gamers main Norway followers in a rhythmic row in a faux Viking boat.
He additionally shared an image of himself arriving again in Norway accompanied by a stuffed raccoon, explaining: “It adopted me dwelling.”
Falklands dispute
The build-up to the semi-final between Argentina and England was dominated by discuss over the contested Falkland Islands, recognized in Spanish because the Malvinas.
Argentina recovered from a purpose all the way down to win 2-1 and attain their third ultimate in 4 World Cups.
After the ultimate whistle the gamers held a banner that learn: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine).
Britain known as for FIFA to look into the incident and the governing physique put out an announcement saying it was “assessing the match studies”.