Things are now really beginning to heat up at the Fairer World Cup, where we are down to the Last 16.
Last time out, Round 2 concluded with some thrilling comebacks, a couple of costly red cards, and the ominous resurgence of a certain Nordic robot. Oh yeah, and England did their usual England thing of coasting through in second gear.
Our remaining teams have played four matches so far in North America, and the eventual champions will have to win another four. Now it’s time to see who are the real contenders for the title…
LAST 16 DRAW
There is no doubt which is the pick of the Last 16 ties. Spain have so far justified their favourites tag with four straight victories, but England have a great tournament record in recent years and will be determined to halt their charge. Whoever comes through that battle will likely face the defending champions Argentina next… but not if Denmark have anything to say about that.
Aside from Argentina, there are two other teams from the Americas still standing. Colombia have had a fine tournament so far, but Mohamed Salah and Egypt will be eager to end Los Cafeteros’ winning streak. Meanwhile, Paraguay’s reward for eliminating Canada is to give themselves a crack at the Netherlands, who famously stunned Brazil last time out.
At least one African nation will be in the last eight, with a highly-fancied Nigeria team taking on an Algeria outfit who guarantee goals at both ends. In the same quarter, Norway’s Erling Haaland continues his quest for the Golden Shoe against Germany, who are still looking for a record-equalling fifth World Cup title.
After their heroic shoot-out win over dark horses Jamaica, Thailand will want to keep the good times going. The last Asian survivors will be massive underdogs again when they face the Republic of Ireland, who also needed penalties to see off co-hosts Mexico. A Quarter Final against either the Ivory Coast or Türkiye awaits the victors.
The tournament bracket is taking shape, and our 16 remaining teams are now halfway down what they hope will be a road to World Cup glory. But now, eight more must go home…
IVORY COAST vs TÜRKIYE
(1 July – Monterrey)
Ivory Coast goalkeeper Guillaume Restes – who played in Mexico for Tigres – had been a solid presence between the posts throughout this Fairer World Cup. Unfortunately, his tournament was cut short when he broke his arm catching a corner in the 8th minute, with Angers’ reserve keeper Yahia Fofana having to take his place.
Mind you, that didn’t hurt the Ivorians’ fortunes at the other end. Four minutes later, Serge Gnabry swung in a corner, which Brighton centre-half Ibrahima Bamba nodded past Ugurcan Cakir to give Les Éléphants the lead!
Gnabry’s crossing abilities caused Türkiye more bother in the 32nd minute. The magical winger found striker Karim Konaté, whose shot deflected off Çağlar Söyüncü’s chest and into the net for 2-0! Lord Farquaad hadn’t been this embarrassed since he was overthrown by Shrek!
Türkiye were at their lowest ebb yet, and coach Joachim Löw demanded a strong second half to save their skins. The Crescent-Stars finally started to shine in the 73rd minute. Can Bozdogan’s through-ball was clinically driven home by 20-year-old Manchester United striker Semih Kılıçsoy, pulling it back to 2-1. Six minutes later, Orkun Kökçü continued the comeback with a brilliant drive into the top corner – set up by Cengiz Ünder.
Questions were now being asked about the Ivory Coast’s defence – and their resilience – as what appeared to be a straightforward victory had turned into extra-time. Their resolve would be tested even more when midfielder Johan Bakayoko was forced to join Restes on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Their remaining 10 players would fall behind before long, as Kenan Yıldız beautifully half-volleyed the ball home after a clever one-two with Emre Can.
From 2-0 down, Türkiye had come from behind to win 3-2 – and book the first ticket to the Quarter Finals! The Ivorians were devastated, exhausted, and their tournament had ended in utter heartbreak.
NETHERLANDS vs PARAGUAY
(1 July – Zapopan)
It’s fair to say Paraguay had ridden their luck throughout this tournament – and indeed before it, in the qualifiers. A Dutch squad shorn of most of their quality probably wouldn’t have expected to reach the Last 16 either. Though the Netherlands created more scoring opportunities than their opponents in a pretty dire first period, it unsurprisingly finished 0-0.
Things did improve from the second half – at least from a Dutch perspective. Captain Frenkie de Jong had a fierce long-range effort pushed behind by Paraguay keeper Carlos Coronel on the hour mark. About 15 minutes later, Miliano Jonathans finally made the breakthrough with a bullet header from Joey Veerman’s cross.
Paraguay had to come up with an equaliser in the closing stages… and with seven minutes to go, they did. Flamboyant wing-back Pepê showed them the way to Amarilla, as he laid on a simple finish for Luis Amarilla, who scored 16 goals in Liga MX for Mazatlán last season. 1-1!
The Oranje defenders were at each other’s throats – and to make matters worse, defensive midfielder Maarten de Roon saw red in stoppage time for a mindless two-footed challenge on Pepê. The Netherlands would now have to play 30 extra minutes with just 10 men.
The Netherlands’ collapse continued in extra-time. Paraguay winger Julio Enciso’s incisive cut-back to midfielder Damián Bobadilla was halted by a clumsy challenge from Matthijs de Ligt to give away a penalty. Amarilla squirmed his spot-kick underneath Bart Verbruggen, and when he headed in another goal for his hat-trick soon afterwards, La Albirroja moved 3-1 ahead!
20-year-old Tijn den Boggende pulled a goal back just before the break, raising Dutch fans’ hopes for a comeback of their own. Those hopes were raised in the 115th minute, when Enciso was sent off for a kamizake challenge on Jonathans – levelling the scores up in terms of players! However, the Netherlands could not equalise the most important statistic, and so Paraguay held on for an extraordinary 3-2 win!
NIGERIA vs ALGERIA
(2 July – Mexico City)
I’d already written “geria” into the Quarter Final bracket on my wallchart, but which two letters would precede it? After five minutes, the odds were on those two letters being “Al”, as Nabil Fekir finished off a sublime attacking move from Algeria.
Nigeria would now need to show their fighting spirit again. We hadn’t seen much of Victor Osimhen at this World Cup yet, but after hitting the bar in the 15th minute, Liverpool’s newest signing finally opened his account to equalise 10 minutes later. And the assist came from… you guessed it. Michael Kayode, the right-back, with his fifth of the tournament.
Kayode could have had yet another assist before half-time had Arnaut Danjuma not hit the post. The Super Eagles’ attacking dominance – and woodwork misfortune – continued after the break when Bukayo Saka also rattled the frame of Antony Mandréa’s goal. Mind you, the gods weren’t entirely favouring Algeria, because Mohamed Amoura hit the post as well!
Then, after almost exactly an hour, Nigeria’s goalkeeper Noah Atubolu made a costly boo-boo. Atubolu came off his line to claw away a cross from teenager Enzo Sternal, but he was down on the turf when Hicham Boudaoui’s spectacular half-volley restored Algeria’s advantage. Could they hold on this time?
Of course they couldn’t – not when Nigeria had so much strength in depth going forward. Folarin Balogun stroked home a cross from his fellow Hale End hero Saka to give the Super Eagles their fourth equaliser of the knockout rounds. Balogun was in full Flo by the 84th minute, when he banged in another to make it 3-2 Nigeria!
The ‘Dream Team’ then put the icing on their cake by scoring two injury-time goals past an exhausted Fennecs defence. Jamal Musiala’s clinical strike preceded this cool finish that clinched Balogun’s hat-trick, taking Nigeria through with a 5-2 victory. Algeria’s amazing World Cup adventure – in which they had scored 13 goals and conceded 17 in just five matches – was finally over.
ARGENTINA vs DENMARK
(2 July – Inglewood)
Holders Argentina faced their toughest test yet against a Denmark team who still held a 100% record in the tournament. Andreas Skov Olsen rattled the Argentine woodwork twice in the opening stages, but Emiliano Martínez’s assured keeping kept the Danes at bay.
La Albiceleste only managed one shot on target in a goalless opening period, and even that was a long-range punt from midfield general Alexis Mac Allister. He tried his luck from distance again early in the second half, with Mads Hermansen saving that one too.
By the 52nd minute, Argentina were finally showing why they were the defending champions. Wing-back Valentín Barco was cynically pushed by Skov Olsen but continued his dribble down the left flank before working the ball into the box. Matías Zaracho then laid it off to Napoli’s rising star Dylan Aquino, whose majestic curling effort proved too much for Hermansen.
Denmark almost hit back within four minutes, but centre-forward Kasper Dolberg had as much fortune with the woodwork as Skov Olsen had earlier. When Lautaro Martínez snuck behind their defence to double Argentina’s lead a few moments later, it seemed that the Danes’ bacon was cooked.
Argentina’s latest second-half surge ended with a third goal – Julián Álvarez’s first-time strike continuing a fantastic tournament for the Newcastle frontman. Boom went the Danish dynamite, as Lionel Scaloni’s champs won 3-0 to soar into the last eight.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND vs THAILAND
(3 July – Atlanta)
Thailand’s dream run started to turn into a nightmare after just two minutes. Nicholas Mickelson tried to head away a lobbed ball from Ireland playmaker Jude Bellingham, but it was easily intercepted by Jack Grealish, who then set up the opening goal for left-back Ryan Manning.
Worse was to come for Thailand in the 11th minute. Swedish-born left-back Eric Kahl was a very hungry caterpillar who wanted a piece of Bellingham’s shirt. Instead, he conceded a penalty… and you know Harry Kane doesn’t miss penalties. 2-0 to Ireland.
Mind you, the War Elephants did get a goal back from their first counter-attack – smashed in by super Suphanata Mueanta off the crossbar. Almost immediately, though, Ireland made it 3-1 when centre-back Andrew Omobamidele scored his first international goal (naturally) from Manning’s free-kick. There had been four shots in the first half, and they had ALL produced goals!
Ireland couldn’t keep their 100% strike rate going after the break, but they did pull further ahead through another Manning free-kick in the 63rd minute. Nathan Collins’ initial header was saved by Patiwat Khammai, but Thailand couldn’t get the danger away before Evan Ferguson nodded it home for 4-1.
Masatada Ishii’s side had done amazingly to extend their World Cup into July, but the Last 16 was sadly a bridge too far for Thailand. Another headed goal from Conor Gallagher put the seal on a resounding 5-1 win for the Republic of Ireland, who reached the Quarter Finals for the very first time.
EGYPT vs COLOMBIA
(3 July – East Rutherford)
A historic Quarter Final awaited Egypt if they could overcome Colombia… and after 20 minutes, Mohamed Salah put them on track to do just that. A sublime teasing cross from Ibrahim Adel was stabbed in by the Liverpool legend, and there was nothing Los Cafeteros could do about it.
Egypt defender Mohamed Abdelmonem almost gave up an equaliser straight away with a sloppy pass, but Luis Suárez’s shot was well saved by keeper Mahmoud Gad. Suárez was more clinical with his next chance – nodding home from Junior Hernández’s left-wing cross to get Colombia level within four minutes.
Colombia cranked up the pressure either side of the half-time break. That pressure would take its toll on Egypt when left-back Karim El Debes felled opposing winger Diego Valoyes in the box. Up stepped Mateus Uribe for his third penalty of the tournament, with the same outcome as the previous two. 2-1 to Colombia!
El Debes redeemed himself in the 65th minute with an incisive ball ahead of Adel, who squared it into the Colombian box from the left wing. Salah’s strike then delected in off defender Jhon Lucumi to put Egypt back on terms!
The Pharaohs were now creating the better scoring opportunities and looking more likely to win the game… and win it they did, after 85 minutes. Salah weaved more magic when his corner found midfield playmaker Marwan Ateya on the edge of Colombia’s box, and Ateya completed an incredible 3-2 comeback victory for Egypt!
ENGLAND vs SPAIN
(4 July – Houston)
And now we come to the most eagerly-anticipated Anglo-Spanish confrontation since 1588… or Euro ’96 at least (Spain did not reach the Euro 2024 Final in this timeline). England came closest to scoring in the first 10 minutes, as Jordan Henderson’s effort was knocked off the line by Éder Militão.
Amazingly, there were no more highlights for another half-hour, until both teams had an opportunity apiece before the break. Henderson’s second attempt was saved by Spain keeper Unai Simón, whose England counterpart Aaron Ramsdale thwarted a long-range drive from Yeremy Pino. And that was it for a goalless first half.
So… let’s pick things up 10 minutes into the second half and see how Spain’s telepathic tiki-taka football is going…
Ahem. Not great. [Maybe players will actually be aware of their own surroundings by Football Manager 29. Here’s hoping.]
Indeed, we wouldn’t see anything resembling a world-class attack for 90 minutes, as two well-organised teams cancelled each other out. A miserable match was heading to extra-time and was surely destined for penalties…
…until Ramsdale turned into every England goalkeeper at a major tournament, spilling Gavi’s daisy-cutter and handing Vinícius Júnior the decisive goal in the 99th minute. Spain eked out a 1-0 win to reach the Quarter Finals, and Gareth Southgate’s England tenure ended with a whimper. But hey, Gareth, you’ll always have Euro 2024.
NORWAY vs GERMANY
(4 July – Kansas City)
In the last of the Last 16 matches, both centre-forwards were frustrated early on. Norway’s star man Erling Haaland planted a header against the woodwork before his German counterpart Maximilian Beier had a couple of efforts saved by Magnus Smelhus Sjøeng.
To make matters worse for Germany, their inside-forward Kevin Schade had to come off with an ankle injury… though that was actually a blessing in disguise. Within eight minutes of coming off the bench, Arsenal winger Malik Tillman had driven Die Mannschaft into the lead from Beier’s assist. At least one American was still enjoying his World Cup…
…until Tillman pulled a calf muscle midway through the second half. The injury substitute now had to be substituted himself, with big Niclas Füllkrug coming on. But Haaland being starved of any space by Germany centre-halves Robin Koch and Nico Schlotterbeck, there seemed to be Norway back into this game for the Scandinavians.
That was until a horrendous error in the 83rd minute – from Joshua Kimmich, no less! The German captain’s headed back-pass to Marc-André ter Stegen was far too soft, gift-wrapping Haaland his sixth goal of the World Cup!
Having been seven minutes away from a safe passage to the Quarter Finals, Germany had to prepare for extra-time. But five minutes after the restart, Kimmich shrugged off his earlier clanger and made himself a national hero again.
Julian Brandt! JAAAAAAAAAA! Goallllll! [It’s actually “tor” in German, Jack.]
Brandt followed up his “tor” with an assist five minutes later, when his corner was headed home by Füllkrug to make it 3-1 Germany. Haaland’s circuit boards then malfunctioned in the closing stages, and Norway’s long-awaited World Cup adventure was definitively over.
And now just eight teams remain – four from Europe, and two each from South America and Africa. With Argentina, Germany and Spain now the only former champions remaining, could we yet get a new name on the World Cup trophy?
After five weeks of non-stop action, the Fairer World Cup is now drawing to a thrilling climax. The tournament will enter its final straight next Monday, when the eight remaining teams fight it out for places at the big dance in Atlanta.
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