July 13 – FIFA’s technical director Marco van Basten, arguably the greatest striker of his generation, has a word of advice for Neymar: cut down on the play-acting.
By David Owen
July 13- Twenty years and five days ago France and Croatia played out a cagey, tense, tetchy World Cup semi-final that France were expected to win, but ended up making mightily hard work of. A game of similar characteristics may be anticipated on Sunday, when the same two countries meet at the Luzhniki in the final of Russia 2018.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 12 – As an entire nation digests the disappointment of football not coming home after all, Croatia’s star player insists his side were underestimated and deserved to reach the World Cup final at England’s expense.
July 12 – Africa will never fulfil their potential on the World Cup stage unless they develop their youth properly and have strong enough characters on the field.
July 12 – While racism has been virtually non-existent at the World Cup, the anti-discrimination group advising FIFA says broadcasters have focussed too much on picking out attractive females and that there has been too much sexism generally in and around cities.
July 12 – It will hardly register amid the disappointment of semi-final elimination but the English FA has been fined CHF70,000 after three players – Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling – wore unauthorised equipment at the World Cup.
July 11 – FIFA is investigating a new video of Croatia defender Domagoj Vida’s comments in the wake of his side’s quarterfinal World Cup victory over Russia.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 10 – Whether Russian football will revert to its pre-World Cup domestic issues of racism and fan violence once the tournament is over remains to be seen. But for the last four weeks the country has bent over backwards to be as welcoming and accommodating to the thousands of foreign visitors attending games.
By David Owen
July 10 – Belgium will try to keep the Adidas flag flying at Russia 2018 in St Petersburg tonight.
July 9 – In the latest political row involving players at the World Cup, Croatia’s Domagoj Vida has avoided punishment from FIFA after being filmed proclaiming “glory to Ukraine” in the wake of his side’s quarterfinal victory over Russia.
July 9 – One of the big success stories of the World Cup so far has been the welcome the Russians have given to visitors regardless of nationality, colour or religion.
By David Owen
July 6 – There is World Cup history attached to both of Friday’s quarter-final match-ups in Russia. In the case of France versus Uruguay in Nizhny Novgorod, I do not see it having any particular bearing on this week’s outcome; in that of Belgium versus Brazil, it very well might.
July 5 – FIFA has apologised on behalf of Diego Maradona for comments he made about the officiating in England’s last-16 World Cup tie against Colombia.
By David Owen
July 5 – Manchester City have more World Cup survivors at the quarter-final stage than any other club.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 4 – The hoodoo is over but not without considerable controversy. As England fans revel in World Cup progress after their team finally banished decades of heartbreaking penalty shootout eliminations in the most nail-biting of circumstances, Colombia’s coach has refused to go quietly.