The Offside Scholar @OffsideScholar

So this could turn out to be a World Cup final.

To answer the questions: The moment the ball makes contact with an outside object (in this case the camera cable) play becomes dead and should be restarted with a dropped ball. VAR could have intervened as it was in the immediate attacking phase of play that directly led to England's goal. FIFA, meanwhile, say they’ve "checked the data - no peak on the graph from the connected ball heartbeat sensor" 🙃

Melissa Reddy @MelissaReddy_

2 weeks ago

For the benefit of those who haven’t seen the review of the ball hitting the camera cable before England’s equaliser on Fox Sports…

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Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power. #FIFA #WorldCup #GianniInfantino #DonaldTrump

Just a reminder that shortly after being appointed president in 2017 that Infantino was instrumental in a major FIFA overhaul that ousted the two independent co-chairmen of the Ethics Committee, Cornel Borbély and Hans-Joachim Eckert. At the time, the committee was actively investigating… Infantino

FIFA Media @fifamedia

2 weeks ago

FIFA President Gianni Infantino: “I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance. “FIFA’s judicial

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Strong from Wayne Rooney on the BBC on the Balogun affair: “I got a three game ban before Euro 2012 so I was due to miss the three group games and basically got told if I go over to Switzerland and do a training session with a bunch of kids the third game gets taken off. Which I didn't agree with but I agreed to do it because I didn't want the three game ban but I thought that was wrong. But for this to be suspended? They either take the red card away, which I think was probably the right decision and then he can play. But to suspend it for a year I think is an absolute disgrace and Infantio should be ashamed of this because I think for the sportsmanship of this game is in question here. If I'm the USA's opponent I'd be absolutely fuming. I think it's wrong in every way. I think it's an absolute disgrace."

James Ducker @TelegraphDucker

3 weeks ago

Bombshell day at the World Cup 🔺President Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino asking to review Balogun red card 🔺Trump thanks Fifa for “reversing a great injustice” 🔺 In submission to FIFA, US Soccer’s legal team’s case centred around challenging use of slow motion

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Thoughts on Colombia vs Portugal?

For those of you who don’t know, he grew up in extreme poverty, used to practice with rocks, then at 17 left his nomadic family and ventured to Tehran alone (without his father’s support), was homeless camping outside one of the soccer team camps until someone gave him a chance. What a man.

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57 years ago

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I cannot believe Cape Verde actually convinced this guy to play for them via LinkedIn😭. Monster of a defender. His mother is Irish, his father is from Cape Verde. He was born and raised in Ireland, and currently the captain of Shamrock Rovers. He represented Ireland at youth level before switching to Cape Verde. In 2018, Cape Verde were looking for professional footballers with Cape Verdian heritage and the coach came across Pico Lopes. He messaged him on LinkedIn to play for them, Lopes was working part time as a Mortgage advisor in a bank then and still playing professional football. He didn’t respond because the message was in Portuguese and he didn’t understand, he thought it was a spam. A year later (2019), the coach messaged him again, this time he did it in English. Lopes agreed to play for Cape Verde and the rest is history. A very good addition to the squad, a pure leader. Ladies and Gentlemen, Pico Lopes.

Japan's pressing is relentless. The pace they chase the ball down at is something else. 4-0 over Tunisia. First Asian team ever to score 4 goals in a World Cup game — also their biggest ever win. Tunisia fired coach after the Sweden defeat. Renard hasn't fixed it. They're out.

History! Our first ever point at the @FIFAWorldCup #TheBlueWave #Curacao

Eloy Room: 15 saves. One short of Tim Howard's all-time World Cup record. Plays club football in the USL - America's 2nd division. Age 37. Called up last month. Curaçao get their first ever World Cup point. Ecuador's tournament hangs by a thread.

Brazil 3-0 Haiti. Cunha brace, Vinícius with a goal and an assist. Finally some end product to match the talent. Raphinha subbed off injured in the first half. Brazil's best attacking trio is him, Vini and Cunha — losing any of them changes everything. Ancelotti needed this.

Saibari again. 70 seconds into the game. He's now scored in both of Morocco's first two World Cup matches — joining Mo Salah as the only African players to do that in tournament history. Brahim Díaz with the assist. Again. Bayern are getting a serious player this summer.

Spain and Portugal both dropped points too. Context matters. But Brazil drawing Morocco with this midfield isn't a coincidence. Paquetá lost the ball that led to their goal and he shouldn't be starting at a World Cup. Ancelotti needs to find a different shape.

A goalkeeping blunder is all it took. Mexico 1-0 South Korea. Romo punishes a Kim Seung-Gyu error. 87': Rangel produces a stunning double save to deny the equalizer. Mexico are first to the Round of 32 and still haven't conceded all tournament.

Canada have never won a men's World Cup match. Until today. 6-0 over Qatar. Jonathan David hat-trick. The biggest win by a CONCACAF nation in World Cup history. Overshadowed by Ismaël Koné being stretchered off after a horror tackle. Get well soon. 🍁

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Rúben Neves. Vitinha. Bruno Fernandes. And Roberto Martínez's game plan is: get wide and cross it in. Portugal have one of the best midfields at this World Cup and they're using it like a Championship side. He is wasting this generation after destroying Belgium.

Portugal. 75% possession. 29 touches in the box. 723 passes at 92% accuracy. 1 shot on target. All that control and they couldn't beat a team making their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. Martinez has/is a serious problem.

Masuaku's cross. Wissa's header. DR Congo's first ever World Cup goal. 52 years since they last played here. Down a goal. Nobody gave them a chance. That celebration wasn't about football. That was a nation feeling something.

Messi at the double!!