World Cup Rankings

 

Let's get through the easy stuff, since there were only two games this round - the Final Rankings!!!

1.  Spain (1)

2.  Argentina (2)

3.  England (3)

4.  France (4)

Easy stuff!!!

Also, the best game was easily England over France - no question.  

So that is it.  The end of the blog, right?  Nope.  I have two more segments for you to end this World Cup.

First up, the All-World Cup team.  Since everyone does an ALL-XI, I am going to do a complete team.  Each roster in the field contains 26 players, so here is my All-World Cup Team, with starters (ALL-XI) in bold.  The roster is composed of 2 at each position (a starter and a backup).  That is 22 players.  A third goalie and striker - making the roster 24.  And then just the two other players I felt belonged on the list and deserved recognition.  Here is your team!

G – Unai Simon (Spain); Vozinha (Cabo Verde); Orlando Gill (Paraguay) - The Spanish team gave up one goal the entire campaign, and although that is a complete defensive accomplishment, the goalie positions everyone and controls the defensive calls.  Vozinha and Gill made stars of themselves.

RB – Pedro Porro (Spain); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) Porro stabilized the wing on the back line and Hakimi does it all.

CB – Aymeric Laporte (Spain); Lisandro Martinez (Argentina); Dayot Upemacano (France); Pau Cubarsi (Spain)  No real surprises here as Spain - again - only gave up one goal the entire tournament.  Cubarsi was named the Best Young Player (at AGE 19!!!).  Martinez's injury really impacted Argentina in the final.  Nobody was as emotional on the pitch as Upemacano.

LB – Marc Cucarella (Spain); Djed Spence (England) Cucarella has showed that he is a premier left back in the world right now.  Spence really came to life this tournament.  His interplay on the left - especially with Anthony Gordon - was immaculate to watch.

M – Rodri (Spain); Jude Bellingham (England); Alexis McCallister (Argentina); Enzo Fernandez (Argentina); Martin Odegaard (Norway); Pedri (Spain); Aurelien Tchouameni (Belgium) - Rodri won the Golden Ball as the Player of the Tournament.  Nobody played better than Bellingham overall.  McCallister was just a bit better than Fernandez in passing and turning over the offense while defending, whereas Fernandez scored more, but his red card in the final was the decider in the starting position.  Haaland gets all of the acclaim because of his propensity to score, but Odegaard drives that offense.  Pedri was phenomenal and Tchouameni was just too dynamic to leave out.  This was definitely the hardest decisions to make.

Wingers – Lionel Messi (Argentina); Julian Quinones (Mexico); Vinicius, Jr (Brazil); Lamine Yamal (Spain); Luis Diaz (Colombia)  Starting Quinones meant that only three midfielders could start, which send Enzo Fernandez to the bench, but game-after-game he came up huge for team Mexico, even winning over fans who had previously hated him because he wasn't born in Mexico (Colombia), and perhaps because of his dark skin.  All of Mexico loves him after this performance.  Yamal just didn't play enough minutes to earn a starting spot, but he was amazing.  Luis Diaz is so dynamic.  I really wanted to put Yan Dioumande into this team, and he could have replaced Luis Diaz, but I really think Diaz deserves it.

Striker – Kylian Mbappe (France); Erling Haaland (Norway); Harry Kane (England)  Duh, Duh, and Duh!

And, for my last take on this Year's World Cup - the Top 10 most memorable occurrences in the Tournament!

10.  Fans Discovering American "culture" - Seriously, the social media posts of soccer tourists as they make their first trip to the United States and find out about Bucc-ee's, Waffle House, Wal-Mart, Raisin' Canes, Chick-fil-A, Publix Subs, etc.  Is amazing.  My favorite quote was from one European who entered the "pharmacy" CVS.  He said that they sell "things that can heal you, as well as the frozen mac-n-cheese that caused the problem!"

9.  Ranch Dressing - The most obvious segue, as Ranch Dressing in-and-of-itself was - and always should be - a star.  The shops inside Logan Airport (and passed the TSA Security entrance), started selling ranch dressing so that the travelers could avoid the 3 1/2 ounce liquid rule.

8.  Norwegian Row - Not just the fans in the stadium, but the fans on the field, the fans at the golf tournament, the fans on the escalator, the fans on the streets ... everywhere a "Dum-Dum Row!"

7.  Spain's Defense - I have typed it once, and I have typed it a thousand time.  Spain only conceded 1 goal this entire tournament.  That means they kept 7 clean sheets in 8 games.  OUTSTANDING!!!

6.  Stars Shining - Another common thread in my blog posts.  The stars came to compete.  Kylian Mbappe scored 10 goals and won his second-consecutive Golden Boot - the only player in history to win twice.  And, he has the record for most World Cup goals, passing Miroslav Klose, Marta, and Lionel Messi!  And Messi scored 8 with 4 assists, including a hat trick.  Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham had 7.  Harry Kane had 6.  Rodri wins Golden Ball.  The stars truly shone in this World Cup.

5.  England-Mexico Thriller - The best game I have ever seen.  If this was further along in the knockout stages - like a semifinal or a final - this would be talked about as the greatest game ever.

4.  Thierry Henry dealing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas - Henry is one of the best players ever, and he is incredible on UCL today with Kate Giles nee Abdo, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards - which is probably the best sports analysis show on right now.  But, for the World Cup, Henry was paired with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas as analysts, with the uber-professional Rebecca Lowe.  The fact that Henry could put up with Ibrahimovic's attitude and arrogance - despite Henry being a much better player - and the fact that he could put up with Lalas's utter incompetence, without blowing up or hurting anybody is a top 10 moment from this tournament.

3.  Folarin Balogun Red Card Saga - It wasn't the red card, which itself wasn't a horrible tackle and should have been a yellow; It wasn't the red card in that we have seen yellow cards turned into reds (and vice versa before); but it was President Trump getting involved and having the red card overturned that turned this whole tournament into a sideshow.  Along with refusing to grant visas to several people directly involved with the tournament (team managers, staff, Lumumba Vea, and even the Referee of the Year from Africa), not allowing the Iranian team to stay in the US, despite all three games being in the US and forcing them to fly in and out of their game sites on the day of games (coincidentally, Iran was the first team out of the tournament), to Trump trying to hog the spotlight by jumping into the official picture of Spain's championship trophy award, to the red card saga - this tournament will be remembered for being overly political.

2.  Scotland Fans - If I have to tell you why, you weren't paying attention.  "No Scotland, No Party!"

1.  Cabo Verde - The darlings of these games.  Everybody loves Cabo Verde, and they played outstandingly.  They drew Spain 0-0, and scored the goal of the tournament down 2-1 in extra time to Argentina.  They showed they belonged on the World Cup stage!

World Cup Rankings 2026

 

Welcome back to my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the completion after the Quarterfinals.  I am only evaluating the teams based on their Semifinal round matchups - ONLY.  How did the team look during its win?  The Quarterfinals, Round of 16 games, round of 32 games, Group stage and pre-World Cup rankings DO NOT MATTER!.

But given that there are only two games, the content of this post would ordinarily be brief.  So to counter that, I wanted to discuss the breakout stars of this tournament.  These are the players that have really made a name for themselves even though they may be young, or play for a smaller club team, or are overshadowed at club or country by a star - and in some cases multiple of these.  Nevertheless, they managed to standout in these games and made me pay attention.

15.   Helio Varela (Cabo Verde) - The 24-year-old winger scored in the 2-2 draw with Uruguay, helping Cabo Verde reach the knockout round!  Varela currently plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League, but I could see him make a move to a team near the relegation points in one of the other European Leagues.

14.  Julio Enciso (Paraguay)  The 22-year-old from Paraguay has been their quarterback, scoring the opening goal against Germany in the Round of 32 - which helped knock the European power out of the tournament.  He currently plays for Strasbourg in Ligue 1, whose team is likely to look to him to become more involved and make more plays for them this season.

13.  Esmir Bajraktarvic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - The 21-year old winger plays for PSV Eindhoven, and made his World Cup debut for Bosnia and Herzegovina, after having his football citizenship changed from the United States, where he was born.  

12.  Gilberto Mora (Mexico) - The 17-year old currently plies his trade in Liga MX for Tijuana, and is a future STAR!  He was the youngest player in this tournament, making his debut off the bench against south Africa.  He started in the knockout round against Ecuador, becoming the second-youngest player to start in a knockout round - behind only Pele'.

11.  Deniv Undav (Germany) -  How can a 29-year old that plays in the Bundesliga after having played previously played in the English Premier League?  Easy, win "Man of the Match" after scoring two-goals late against Cote d'Ivoire when Germany was down 1-0.  He also had a goal and 2 assists coming off the bench against Curacao.

10.  Arda Guler (Turkiye) - Ordinarily somebody that plays for a club like Real Madrid cannot "breakthrough" in a tournament like this, but the 21-year-old is still young enough that he hasn't really made international acclaim, despite featuring regularly in Real Madrid's lineup.  But, despite Turkiye being eliminated from the knockout rounds, Guler scored Turkiye's opening goal against the United States and earning "Man of the Match!"  I expect bigger and brighter things for the youngster moving forward.

9.  Ibrahim Maza (Algeria) - Another youngster (20) who plays in a major league, Maza is an attacking midfielder for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, but has played for the club, but in a limited capacity so far.  He is expected to become a fixture in the starting lineup for years to come - of Bayer Leverkusen or another large club - after impressing in teh World Cup.

8.  Elijah Just (New Zealand) – The 26-year-old winger plays professionally in New Zealand, so he has little to no international acclaim.  But, he announced himself in the World Cup by scoring three goals — two in a 2-2 draw with Iran and another against Belgium — making this his breakthrough on the world stage.

7.  Nathan Saliba (Canada) – Only 22, Saliba plays in the Belgian league for perennial power Anderlecht, and was critical Canada’s historic run to the last 16, especially with the Canadian's being shorthanded with Alphonso Davies' playing time minimized due to injury and Ismael Knoe breaking his leg against Qatar.  He scored a goal and had 2 assists in the 6-0 win over Qatar.

6.  Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco) – Only 18, Bouaddi has been with the senior squad in Ligue 1 in France for Lille.  After playing early in his international career for France, he switching to Morocco just a couple of months ago, and had some absolutely stunning performances.  Against Brazil, he won 9 duels and completed 91% of his passes while playing the entire game.

5.  Antonio Nusa (Norway) - Norway is all about star striker Erling Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard, but the Scandinavian country advanced to the quarterfinals largely because of the emergence of Nusa.  Nusa's attacking presence helps set up plays for Haaland, and he provides an additional target for Odegaard's pin-point passing.  He certainly looks like a mainstay for Norway, and at 21 years of age, an almost certain future captain.

4.  Nico O'Reilly (England) - It is hard for somebody who already starts at Manchester City "break through," as it would seem star acclaim would have already occurred.  But O'Reilly's performance as left back and his advance on the left flank (and his teamwork with Anthony Gordon) has really stunned this tournament.  O'Reilly has cemented his place in the England lineup for a good decade, and Manchester City would do well to keep him locked up for the same.

3.  Yan Diomande (Cote d’Ivoire) - Diomande, only 19, has impressed a lot of soccer impresarios in his one year at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, having already agreed to a transfer to Paris St. Germain pending club agreement to terms of the transfer.  But to really watch Diomande as he speeds up the left flank with total control of the ball at his feet is a wonder.  A different style of player than compatriot Didier Drogba, but Diomande looks destined to a similar place in Ivorian soccer history.

2.  Johan Manzambi (Switzerland) – The last young player on the list.  The 20-year-old has played the last two seasons for Freiburg, in the Bundesliga, was known in soccer circles prior to the World Cup, and was all set to transfer to Newcastle United in the English Premier League.  That was until his monster performances in the World Cup had the rest of the World take notice.  Aston Villa, fresh off a fourth-place campaign this season has swooped in to take the midfielder away from Newcastle, and who wouldn't after he scored three times in the group stage and helped lead Switzerland into the quarterfinals.  He substituted into the game against Bosnia-Herzegovina to score a brace, and then followed that game up with a goal and an assist - and the Man of the Match Award - against Canada.  Alas, he injured his knee while training for the Round of 32 game and missed the remainder of the tournament.

For the biggest breakout star of World Cup 2026, there is only one word ...

1.  Vozinha!!! (Cabo Verde) - If you have to ask why then you have neither watched nor followed this year's World Cup, as the 40-year-old goalkeeper has just absolutely stole the show.  Here is EVERY SAVE HE MADE IN THIS CUP!!! - from the mundane to the spectacular.

With only two games, there are only a few things upon which to comment, so here are the best/interesting things that happened in the Semi-Finals, the ranking of the games from the Semi-Finals, and the ranking of the remaining teams heading into the finals and third-place games.

Interesting Things from the Semi-Finals

6.  Spain has only conceded one 1 goal this entire World Cup.

5.  Lamine Yamal's head-up play to draw the penalty which Mikel Oyarzabal struck home for the opener.

4.  This MESSI CROSS to Lautaro Martinez for the game-winner against England.

3.  I could not find a video, since the highlights only show a snippet - but please, please, go back and watch Spain's entire buildup to Pedro Porro's goal to go up 2-0.  It is sublime teamwork, dribbling and passing.

2.  This ENZO FERNANDEZ STRIKE!!!

1.  I don't know if I could actually describe this, so I am just going to say UNAI SIMON DOUBLE SAVE?!.

Semi-Finals Game Rankings

2.  Spain 2-0 over France

1.  Argentina 2-1 over England

Team Rankings

Spain (3)

Argentina (2)

England (4)

France (1)

World Cup Rankings 2026

Welcome back to my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the completion after the Quarterfinals.  I am only evaluating the teams based on their Quarterfinal round matchup - ONLY.  How did the team look during its win?  Round of 16 games, round of 32 games, Group stage and pre-World Cup rankings DO NOT MATTER!.

But before we get to the rankings, I wanted to share my Top 8 list of things to happen during the Round of 16 (or that occurred in the interim between the second game and the upcoming third games.) 

8.  Thibault Courtois injury - The Belgian goalkeeper, whom any consider the best in the world right now, left the game against Spain in the 71st minute due to a thigh injury.  Mikel Merino of Spain, then proceeded to jump on a rebound to slot home the winner in the 88th minute - a rebound you could never convince me that Courtois would have given up.  But alas, we will never know.  And this after losing star Youri Teilemans to injury in the pregame warmup.

7.  VARgentina - I don't necessarily buy into this, but there is so much belief in the world that FIFA is trying to hand this Cup to Argentina that this nickname is trending - or whatever is more than trending - online.

6.  Kylian Mbappe/Ousmane Dembele - The current Golden Boot leader and the reigning Ballon d'Or recipient are the most dangerous combination in this World Cup, and they both scored in France's 2-0 win over Morocco.

5.  With England's 2-1 victory over Norway, and England's first victory over Vikings since the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, we lose the Norwegian fans, but not before one last huge VIKING ROW in which Mexican future star Gilberto Mora joined!

4.  Spanish Super Sub Mikel Merino (that is a whole lot of literation!) enters the game against Brazil in the 86th minute and scored the game winner in the 88th winner.  This is the second-consecutive game in which Merino entered late and scored the game winner, having scored the lone goal in Spain's 1-0 win over Iberian rival Portugal.

This reminds me ....

Does anybody besides me that is not Italian remember Salvatore Schillaci?  Schillaci was perhaps THE Super Sub in World Cup history - plying his trade in 1990 World Cup in his home country of Italy.  In the Azzuri's first game against Austria, Schillaci subs in and scores the only goal of the game late.  In the next game against Czechoslovakia, he scores again!  Proving too much of a force to keep on the bench, Schillaci was given the starting nod up to next to the vaunted Roberto Baggio, but did not score.  Schillaci started again in the Round of 16 against Uruguay, but this time as an attacking midfielder, scoring the first goal midway through the second period as Italy won 2-0.  In the quarterfinals, Schillaci was back up top with Baggio, and once again scored - this time the only goal in a 1-0 victory.  In the semi-finals, Schillaci was again starting up top, this time IN PLACE OF BAGGIO, and scored Italy's lone goal in a 1-1 game in which the hosts lost to Argentina in a shootout.  Schillaci cemented his Golden Boot by scoring his 6th goal of the tournament in a 2-1 third-place victory over England, while also assisting on the second goal.  

Schillaci did not receive the call much for Italy after that, finishing his international career with 18 caps (16 in 1990-1991), and never again appeared in a World Cup.  He retired from his club career in 1997 having scored 154 goals in 417 games.  He passed away in 2024 at the age of 59.  

Back to the countdown (and in the saddest of segues) ...

3.  Jayden Adams - Shortly after the 25-year-old South African midfielder returned home following Bofana Bofana's ouster from the knockout rounds, he was found dead on the morning of July 11.  Cause of death remains unknown - or at least unreleased.  Adams appeared in three of South Africa's four games in this World Cup.

2.  This game-winning goal by JULIAN ALVAREZ!!!

1.  What is an appropriate response by your team's fans when you score both goals in a 2-1 extra time victory?  HEY JUDE by the Beatles!!!  And Bellingham's reaction is priceless too!

Which were the best games of the quarterfinals?  Here are my rankings ...

4.  France 2-0 over Morocco - Morocco contributed next-to-nothing for excitement, making this game one-sided and kind of boring.

3.  Argentina 3-1 (ET) over Switzerland - Switzerland was game, but Argentina's 60% possession is really why this is third.

2.  England 2-1 over Norway - The first quarter (Ha! Ha! - Take that FIFA) was pretty plodding, slow, and uneventful.  It really picked up from there.

1.  Spain 2-1 over Belgium - Just a truly great game, even if not at the level of some of the games in the previous rounds.  

The top 4 teams in the FIFA rankings all made the Semi-Finals.  But how do they rank on my list?  (Previous ranking in parentheses)

1.  France (6) - Best game they have played all tournament.

2.  Argentina (4) - They win even without Messi scoring a goal!

3.  Spain (5) - They finally gave up a goal in this tournament!

4.  England (3) - Mostly because they were truly tested by Norway!

World Cup Rankings 2026

 

Welcome back to my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the completion after the Round of 16.  I am only evaluating the teams based on their Round of 16 matchup - ONLY.  How did the team look during its win?  Round of 32 games, Group stage and pre-World Cup rankings DO NOT MATTER!.

But before we get to the rankings, I wanted to share my Top 15 list of things to happen during the Round of 16 (or that occurred in the interim between the second game and the upcoming third games.) 

15.  Azzedine Ounahi scoring a brace as Morocco easily advanced over Canada.

14.  England's Jarell Quansah earned a Red Card for a horrible tackle.  At least they can replace him at right back with Reece James.

13.  Michael Olise - one of France's stars - received a yellow for blatantly shoving a Paraguayan player in the face while the ball was dead.  This should have been red and would have changed the entirety of the World Cup if a red was given.

12.  The world has embraced CABO VERDE, as evidenced by this Uruguayan fan!  This tournament has been great for brining people together!

11.  Belgium just absolutely annihilated the US Men's team.  The USMNT shall now be called, "The Congo!"

10.  In extra time, a VERY questionable foul called against Paraguayan Junior Alonso on Desire Doue, allowing France to convert a game-winning penalty kick.  More on this later.

9.  Jude Bellingham of England scoring a brace with both goals coming within 2 minutes of each other!!!

8.  Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill selling his game-worn jerseys to raise money for medical treatment for his prematurely-born son.  (This happened in 2022/2023, but I just found out about it).

7.   Erling Haaland scoring in the 79th and 90'+1 sending Norway to victory 2-1 over Brazil.

6.  Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel's diving save on Cucho Hernandez in the fourth round of penalty kicks which sent Switzerland through 4-3 on penalties.

5.  Kylian Mbappe, after scoring the penalty kick discussed in number 10, made fun of Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill by pointing in the direction Gill dove - which was opposite of his kick - and then imitated Gill's dive after scoring.  He later then refused to shake Gill's hand after the final whistle blew despite the fact they were both next to each other.  Gill then threw the ball at Mbappe.  For the game, it should be noted, Gill was named "Man of the Match!"  In a similar move, Brazil's Neymar, Jr. taunted Norway's goalie Orjan Nyland after scoring on a penalty in the 90'+11, to solidify Brazil's 2-1 loss.

4.   Mikel Merino of Spain subbed into his team's 0-0 game against Portugal in the 85th minute and promptly scored the game-winner at the 90'+2 mark.  Spain, by they way, has not given up a goal in the tournament.

3.  Argentina, down 2-0 to Egypt, and being absolutely destroyed on top of that, stormed back to wind 3-2 with a goal by Cristian Romero off an assist by Leonel Messi in the 79th minute, a Messi goal in the 83rd minute, and an Enzo Fernandez headed game-winner off a beautiful pass from Lautaro Martinez.  Three goals in 13 minutes while down 2-0!!!!  Just astounding. 

2.  FIFA overturn's Folarin Balogun's red card from the previous round after meddling by President Donald Trump.  This is virtually unprecedented - having happened only once before in 1962 for Garrincha for Brazil.  The fact that Trump bragged about getting it done just infuriated the entire rest of the world and should have led to the disqualification of the US team.  Instead in distracted them, angered Belgium (and others) and led to a 4-1 loss that was worse than the score.

1.  And since number 1 always has to be on-field play, the ENZO FERNANDEZ GAME WINNER!!!

Before I post the rankings of the remaining teams in the tournament, here were the best games of the Round of 16.

9.  Belgium 4-1 over US - Just a brutal game to watch, especially as a US fan

8.  Argentina 3-2 over Egypt (First 60 minutes) - Egyptian domination

7.  Morocco 3-0 over Canada - Morocco controlled the game; very one-sided

6.  Switzerland 0-0 (4-3 in PKs) over Colombia - What a tournament if this is ranked 6th!

5.  Norway 2-1 over Brazil - Even with the game 0-0 for so long, you knew it was going to erupt

4.  Spain 1-0 over Portugal - Heated rivalry came down to the end

3.  France 1-0 over Paraguay - Contrast in styles in which France's talent finally won out in the end

2.  Argentina 3-2 over Egypt (last 30 minutes) - Just WOW!!!

1.  England 3-2 over Mexico - Simply one of the best soccer matches I have ever seen!

And now the rankings of the remaining 8 teams based solely on their Round of 16 performances (with last edition's rankings in parentheses).

1.  Belgium (16)

2.  Morocco (6)

3.  England (14)

4.  Argentina (7)

5.  Spain (2)

6.  France (1)

7.  Norway (10)

8.  Switzerland (12)

World Cup Rankings 2026

 

Welcome back to my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the completion after the Round of 32.  I am only evaluating the teams based on their Round of 32 matchup - ONLY.  How did the team look in its win.  Group stage and pre-World Cup rankings DO NOT MATTER!.

But before we get to the rankings, I wanted to share my Top 20 list of things to happen during the Round of 32 (and some things that occurred in the interim between the second game and the upcoming third games.) 

20.  Romelu Lukaku for Belgium - is he aging?  Yes.  Did he play 65 minutes total in Serie A this year?  Yes.  Does he make a difference when he comes in for Belgium in the second half?  HELL YES!  Another goal to bring the Senegal lead to 2-1 in the 85th minute - and begin Belgium's comeback.

19.  Kylian Mbappe with a brace - almost ho-hum - in France's annihilation of Sweden.

18.    Cristiano Ronaldo's 68th-minute penalty kick goal to become the oldest player to score in the Knockout Round of the World Cup, breaking former teammate Pepe's age by almost 2 years.  (Cameroon's Roger Milla is still the oldest overall).

17.  Erling Haaland's 84th-minute game-winning goal as Norway advances to the Round of 16 over Cote d'Ivoire.

16.  And because we can never have too much Viking-Row from the Norwegian fans, here is one in support of Viktor Hovland as he won the Travelers Championship.

15.  Moroccan Center Back Issa Diop with a game-winning header in the 90'+2 as Morocco advances.

14.  Canadia Captain Stephen Eustaquio with a game-winning 90'+3 goal over South Africa.

13.  Harry Kane with 2 goals late - after Egland fell behind 2-0 - to salvage the win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

12.  And speaking of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the US Administration cannot keep its hands out of this tournament - revoking the Visa for Lumumbu Vea in advance of the game against England.

11.  Lionel Messi scored a goal in his 8th consecutive World Cup game - the only player to do that.  Only not higher because this game was insane - with even better plays.

10.  Not everybody was happy with the Paraguayan shootout victory over Germany.  Check out this German Shepherd's Reaction.

9.  Gabriel Martinelli scored a 90'+6 game-winning goal for Brazil as they defeat Japan!!!

8.  Yes, Martinelli scored the game-winner, but Casemiro's game-tying header after picking up a very early yellow card and allowing the Japanese goal to Kaishu Sano was critical!!!

7.  Belgium defeats Senegal on an absolutely atrocious penalty call!!!

6.  The best fan moment of this round was this clip from the Argentinians, helping locate the owner of A WALLET!!!

5.  The referee awarding a red card to Folarin Balogun on a play in which a foul wasn't initially called.  (In all honesty, I thought this was a yellow card, but close.  Nevertheless, it stands to be very important as Balogun has to miss the Round of 16 match against Belgium.

4.  Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill saves 2 penalty kicks in a shootout win over Germany - who had MANUEL NUEUR in goal.  Seriously huge.  To quote Thierry Henry, "There is no favorite in a shootout!"

3.  Yes Argentina won, but the story was Cabo Verde.  Since I have already mentioned Keeper Vozinha before, I will give this shout out to left back Sidny Cabral - with an absolute banger to tie the match 2-2 in extra time, when Cabo Verde had every reason to fold after falling down 2-1 in the first extra time period. 

2.  Probably the most important play of the entire tournament so far, Igor Matanovic barely touching the ball with his hair which caused Mario Pasalic to be offsides as Pasalic played the ball to Gvardiol for what looked like a game-timing goal for Croatia against Portugal.  The only way to tell that Matanovic played the ball is because of the sensor in the ball that reacts to touches by the players.

1.  Even though the Matanovic play was important, my favorite play was Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands scoring the first goal in the 72nd-minute to give the Netherlands the lead just after learning that his partner had lost their baby that she was carrying.  The emotion in Gakpo as he looked skyward - and from his teammates as they absolutely surrounded him with cheers - and obviously affection - after the goal.  This is what it means to be part of a team!!!

And before I rank the remaining 16 teams, here were the best games from my standpoint of the round of 32.  This is based upon not only the quality of the win/winner, but also the excitement of the game and the quality of play of the losing team.

17.  Portugal 0-0 Croatia (First Half)

16.  Switzerland over Algeria

15.  France over Sweden

14.  Colombia over Ghana (Should probably be higher but it followed Argentina over Cabo Verde)

13.  Spain over Austria

12.  United States over Bosnia-Herzegovina

11.  Egypt over Australia

10.  Belgium over Senegal

9.  Mexico over Ecuador

8.  Canada over South Africa

7.  Brazil over Japan

6.  Norway over Cote d’Ivoire

5.  England over DR Congo

4.  Paraguay over Germany

3.  Morrocco The Netherlands

2.  Argentina over Cabo Verde

1.  Portugal over Croatia (Second Half)

Now onto the rankings.  Once again, just based upon the Round of 32 matchup.  Previous ranking in parentheses.

1.  France (1)

2.  Spain (7)

3.  Brazil (2-1)

4.  Colombia (1-0) (6)

5.  Mexico (2-0) (3)

6.  Morocco (15)

7.  Argentina (2)

8.  Portugal (17)

9.  United States (13)

10.  Norway (11)

11.  Egypt (19)

12.  Switzerland (17)

13.  Canada (22)

14.  England (8)

15.  Paraguay (30)

16.  Belgium (16)

WORLD CUP RANKINGS 2026

 

Here is my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the completion of all 3 games of the Group stage.  In completing these rankings I take nothing from the historical traditions of the countries and their respective teams, nor FIFA's pre-tournament rankings.  I only rank based upon what I have seen on-the-field - for all of each team's games so far.  And since outcomes are paramount, all teams that are 3-0 will be ranked ahead of all teams that are 2-1-0, which will be ranked ahead of teams with worst records, etc. For example, Senegal which won 1 game but lost 2 games will be ranked below teams with a 1-1-1 record, even though Senegal looks better than most of the 1-1-1 teams.  Record matters.  So, as the games progress, this will be an incredibly fluid ranking system.  Entering the knockout rounds, here are the best performing teams in the World Cup.

But before we get to the rankings, I wanted to share my Top 15 list of things to happen during the second set of group games (and some things that occurred in the interim between the second game and the upcoming third games.) 

And before I get to my Top 15, I wanted to share a bit of trivia that I recently learned:  Robert Prosinecki is the only player in World Cup history to score goals for two different countries.  He scored for Yugoslavia in 1990, and scored representing Croatia in 1998.  I found it interesting.

15.  I have to star this off with Australia's fans, who after their game were chanting in the concourse, "We're Getting Deported!"  Over and over again.  We definitely know what the Australian fans think of us.

14.  Haiti lost 4-2 to Morocco, but scored its first World Cup goal in 52 years!!!  

13.  I scored a brace for Cote d’Ivoire against Curacao.  Oh wait, that was Nicholas Pepe.  Still a good showing nevertheless.

12.  Turkiye's Haan Ayhan scored a goal in the 90+9 minute to defeat the United States, and to end the Turkiye World Cup on a high note.

11.  South Africa’s defense was amazing against South Korea.  Despite the Koreans having 68% of the possession, South Africans team defense was awesome, limited South Korea to only 8 shots (3 on goal) and winning 450% of the headers.

10.  The Tartan Army once again makes an appearance (OK multiple appearances).  This time AT VERSAILLES! IYKNY.

9.  And not to be outdone, the Croation fans encountered this wedding party in Philadelphia.  The entire country of Croatia is now in THE WEDDING PARTY!

8.  Neymar made an appearance for Brazil in the second half of their 3-0 victory over Scotland.  With a bit of game-time/speed under his belt and with the way Vinicius, Jr. is playing, this could be dangerous for anyone on Brazil's part of the bracket!

7.  The Algeria/Austria 3-3 draw (more on that later), means both teams advance, knocking Iran into the first team out position.  This is important to note because the government of the United States of America definitely affected this Iranian team by not allowing them to stay and train in the United States - despite all of their games being played in the US AND they would only allow Iran to travel to the city in which they played the day of a game, and they had to immediately leave afterward.  This logistical hurdle meant that Iran could not train and rest as the rest of the teams in the tournament and no other team faced these VISA issues.

6.  I am not sure which was more impressive, that Estadio Azteca was absolutely rocking for Mexico-Czechia, or that Miami Stadium f/k/a Hard Rock Stadium was rocking for Colombia-Portugal.  Either way, this is how ALL games should be.

5.  In the last installment, I wondered if the Tartan army would discover, E1EVEN, Space, or Bed.  THEY DID (at least Club Space!)

4.  Back to the Austria-Algeria game.  If either team won this game, they would advance to the Knockout stage, with the losing team failing to advance due to goal differential.  Iran, sitting in the last qualifying position, has a GD of 0.  If Austria lost, their differential would have been -1 (or worse), and Algeria's would have been -3 (or worse).  After 90 minutes of a hard-fought game, the score stood 2-2.  Then, in the 90'+4, Algerian star Riyad Mahrez found the back of the net to send Iran into position 32 over Austria.  Austria immediately struck back through Sasa Kalajdzic in the 90'+7 on its next position to send Austria into the Knockouts and to send Iran home (through Mexico).

3.  Longstanding Mexican starting goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who has agreed to play on this World Cup as a backup and basically mentor to the entire team as THE elder statesmen, substituted in for his replacement Raul Rangel, in the 78th minute to end his career (barring something ridiculous happening to Rangel like an injury or suspension), in Estadia Azteca, the same place where he started his career.  Rest assured that the fans treated him with the respect, admiration and adulation that he deserved with a THUNDEROUS ovation.  You can see here that his teammates understood the moment in this picture.

2.  Sadly, Scotland failed to advance to the Knockout rounds.  Since they are eliminated from the World Cup, here is a compilation of some of the best moments from THE TARTAN ARMY!!!

1.  And. since we always end the list with on-field action at number 1, Messi scored again, to be the leader for the Golden Boot with 6 goals in the group stage.  He entered the game against Jordan in the 60', and scored in the 80's to increase his lead to 2 goals.  Not to be outdone, Vinicius, Jr. scored 2 for Brazil against Scotland, and reigning Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele of France scored a hat trick as France beat Norway 4-1.

Now on to the rankings (with last installment's rankings in parentheses)!!!  An interesting note, South Korea is the highest ranked team to miss the Knockout Round (32), whereas Cabo Verde is the lowest ranked team to have qualified (36).

1.  France 3-0-0 (1)

2.  Argentina 3-0-0 (3)

3.  Mexico 3-0-0 (7)

4.  Brazil 2-1-0 (10)

5.  Netherlands 2-1-0 (8)

6.  Colombia 2-1-0 (5)

7.  Spain 2-1-0 (9)

8.  England 2-1-0 (11)

9.  Germany 2-0-1 (2)

10.  Cote d’Ivoire 2-0-1 (19)

11.  Norway 2-0-1 (4)

12.  Croatia 2-0-1 (27)

13.  United States 2-0-1 (2)

14.  Switzerland 2-1-0 (17)

15.  Morocco 2-1-0 (15)

16.  Belgium 1-2-0 (29)

17.  Portugal 1-2-0 (12)

18.  Japan 1-2-0 (13)

19.  Egypt 1-2-0 (18)

20.  Sweden 1-0-1 (20)

21.  Ghana 1-1-1 (16)

22.  Canada 1-1-1 (14)

23.  Bosnia Herzegovina 1-1-1 (35)

24.  Ecuador 1-1-1 (32)

25.  Algeria 1-1-1 (21)

26.  Austria 1-0-1 (25)

27.  Democratic Republic of the Congo 1-1-1 (46)

28.  South Africa 1-1-1 (33)

29.  Australia 1-1-1 (23)

30.  Paraguay 1-1-1 (26)

31.  Senegal 1-0-2 (40)

32.  South Korea 1-0-2 (24)

33.  Scotland 1-0-2 (22)

34.  Turkiye 1-0-2 (42)

35.  Iran 0-3-0 (30)

36.  Cabo Verde 0-3-0 (31)

37.  Uruguay 0-2-1 (28)

38.  Saudi Arabia 0-2-1 (39)

39.  Czechia 0-1-2 (34)

40.  New Zealand 0-1-2 (37)

41.  Qatar 0-1-2 (36)

42.  Curacao 0-1-2 (38)

43.  Panama 0-0-3 (43)

44.  Uzbekistan 0-0-3 (47)

45.  Haiti 0-0-3 (44)

46.  Jordan 0-0-3 (46)

47.  Iraq 0-0-3 (41)

48.  Tunisia 0-0-3 (44)

WORLD CUP RANKINGS 2026

 

Here is my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the second round of Group matches.  In completing these rankings I take nothing from the historical traditions of the countries and their respective teams, nor FIFA's pre-tournament rankings.  I only rank based upon what I have seen on-the-field - for both of each team's games so far.  And since outcomes are paramount, all teams that are 2-0 will be ranked ahead of all teams that are 1-1-0, which will be ranked ahead of teams that are 1-0-1.  For example, Senegal which has lost both of its games will be ranked below teams with a draw or a win, even though Senegal has looked REALLY FREAKIN' GOOD.  (As an aside, we should all hope Senegal qualifies as one of the top 3rd place teams.)  Record matters.  So, as the games progress, this will be an incredibly fluid ranking system.  After round 2, here are the best performing teams in the World Cup.

But before we get to the rankings, I wanted to share my Top 15 list of things to happen during the second set of group games (and some things that occurred in the interim between the second game and the upcoming third games.) 

15.  On a down note, Ismael Kone of Canada broke his leg in his match against Qatar.  This is listed not because we cheer broken legs, but because of its importance in this tournament as he is/was a key cog to Canada's chance for advancement.

14.  Egypt won its first ever World Cup game in defeating New Zealand 3-1!  

13.  And speaking of firsts, Spain's Lamine Yamal - all 19-years old of him - scored his first of what we all assume will be many World Cup goals in his career!

12.  And speaking of goals, Cristiano Ronaldo has entered the chat with his first two goals of this World Cup, becoming the first man ever to score in 6 different World Cups.

11.    And speaking of goals, we should all have to goal to meet the Tartan Army on a ship passing-by while we jog so we can SHOTGUN A BEER WITH THEM!!!  Bienvenidos a Miami, indeed!!!

10.    Germany's Deniz Undav entered his team's match in the 60th meeting, trailing Cote d'Ivoire 1-0.  ALl he did was score the equalizer in the 68th minute, AND THE WINNING GOAL in the 90+5 minute!!!

9.  And speaking of goals, Jonathan David scored a hat trick for Canada, as the best player in Canada's history is stepping up for one of the host countries!

8.  Curacao's goalkeeper, Eloy Room, tied a World Cup record by stopping 16 shots (some sites only credit him with 15), helping his country - the smallest ever to qualify for the World Cup - to a draw and its first point against Ecuador.  Whether its 15 or 16 saves, it is still the most in 90 minutes as Tim Howard's 16 important saves for the USA came in game played into extra time!

7.  The Viking Row makes another appearance as the team joined their supporters in a row led by team captain Martin Odegaard on drums.  But that doesn't take this spot as the most spectacular row that occurred was the Viking Row to the beat of SENGALESE SABER DRUMS!!!  Keep in mind that Norway played and defeated Senegal (and this is sport bringing the world together).  My only regret is that I couldn't find a longer clip to share.

6.  And Yes, we cannot have a World Cup top 15 ranking without multiple appearances from the Tartan Army ... this time on SOUTH BEACH!!!  This time the Scots are joined by the Brazilians for a helluva party.  If I was a couple of decaeds younger I would have tried to have hit E11EVEN, Space, and B.E.D.

5.  Cabo Verde secured its first point ever in the World Cup by tying Uruguay 2-2!!!

4.  The Stars again shone bright, as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and ever Cristiano Ronaldo all had braces, to join Jonathan David's hat trick.

3.  And yes, this World Cup is full of history.  Not soccer history, literal history.  Michel Nkuku Mboladinga, a superfan from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was named an official delegate of the DRC's team, meaning he is free to attend all games of the DRC and perform his tribute known as Lumumba Vea ("Lumumba Lives") (in the center of the picture in red jacket).  He missed the DRC's opening game because issues related to Covid restrictions and entering the country, but he was able to attend last night's game against Colombia.  For the entire game, Mboladinga stands as if a statute dressed exactly like Patrice Lumumba.  Lumumba is a legendary figure in the DRC, as he led the revolution against Belgian rule (which was particularly terrible - even as compared to other terrible colonial histories - Leopold is definitely in hell!) and became its first Prime Minister in 1960 and was seen as a leader in the One Africa movement.  Sadly, he was assassinated before his first year in office elapsed.  You can read more about Mboladinga and Lumumba HERE!

2.  My new favorite player is winger Yan Diomande, the 19-year old wunderkind from Cote d’Ivoire, who just happened to pen this in THE ATHLETE'S TRIBUNE!  It is a letter to his younger sister who always believed in him and his soccer abilities.  DO NOT OPEN WITHOUT TISSUES HANDY!

1.  And although I particularly love points 2 and 3, number 1 has to occur on the pitch, and you don't perform any better than Lionel Messi scoring two goals to first break the Men's World Cup record he shared with Germany's Miroslav Klose, and then to break the all-time World Cup record he then shared with Brazil's Marta.  Congrats Messi - and keep scoring because you know Kylian Mbappe is right behind you.

And now on to the team rankings (with last post's rankings in parentheses)!

1.  France 2-0 (5)
2.  Germany 2-0 (1)
3.  Argentina 2-0 (2)
4.  Norway 2-0 (6)
5.  Colombia 2-0 (6)
6.  United States 2-0 (7)
7.  Mexico 2-0 (10)
8.  Netherlands 1-1-0 (18)
9.  Spain 1-1-0 (16)
10.  Brazil 1-1-0 (19)
11.  England 1-1-0 (4)
12.  Portugal 1-1-0 (27)
13.  Japan 1-1-0 (26)
14.  Canada 1-1-0 (25)
15.  Morocco 1-1-0 (20)
16.  Ghana 1-1-0 (11)
17.  Switzerland 1-1-0 (22)
18.  Egypt 1-1-0 (23)
19.  Cote d’Ivoire 1-0-1 (13)
20.  Sweden 1-0-1 (3)
21.  Algeria 1-0-1 (47)
22.  Scotland 1-0-1 (15)
23.  Australia 1-0-1 (12)
24.  South Korea 1-0-1 (14)
25.  Austria 1-0-1 (9)
26.  Paraguay 1-0-1 (40)
27.  Croatia 1-0-1 (36)
28.  Uruguay 0-2-0 (17)
29.  Belgium 0-2-0 (21)
30.  Iran 0-2-0 (24)
31.  Cabo Verde 0-2-0 (38
32.  Ecuador 0-1-1 (35)
33.  South Africa 0-1-1 (41)
34.  Czechia 0-1-1 (38)
35.  Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-1-1 (29)
36.  Qatar 0-1-1 (31)
37.  New Zealand 0-1-1 (28)
38.  Curacao 0-1-1 (48)
39.  Saudi Arabia 0-1-1 (30)
40.  Senegal 0-0-2 (34)
41.  Iraq 0-0-2 (42)
42.  Turkiye 0-0-2 (39)
43.  Panama 0-0-2 (43)
44.  Haiti 0-0-2 (37)
45.  Tunisia 0-0-2 (44)
46.  Democratic Republic of the Congo 0-0-2 (32)
47.  Uzbekistan (45) 0-0-2
48.  Jordan 0-0-2 (46)

WORLD CUP 2026 RANKINGS

 

Here is my listing of the best teams in World Cup 2026 after the first round of Group matches.  In completing these rankings I take nothing from the historical traditions of the countries and their respective teams, nor FIFA's pre-tournament rankings.  I only rank based upon what I have seen on-the-field.  And since outcomes are paramount, all teams that are 1-0 will be ranked ahead of all teams that drew, and subsequently those teams will be ranked ahead of all of the teams that lost their first games.  Record matters.  So, as the games progress, this will be an incredibly fluid ranking system.  After round 1, here are the best performing teams in the World Cup.

But before we get to the rankings, I wanted to share my Top 15 list of things to happen during the first set of group games. 

15.  Japan's team and fans cleaning their own locker rooms and stadiums after the games.  This would have been A LOT higher if we haven't seen it before at EVERY Olympics, World Cup, World Baseball Classic, and literally EVERYTHING!  Still deserves a spot in this list. 

14.    Europeans and others Christopher Columbusing America on social media - Costco, Buccee's, Waffle House, Whattaburger, Chipotle, WalMart, Chick-fil-A, KFC and Raisin' Cane's, etc.  Freddie from Germany is the most well-known but you can just look up anybody!

13.  Tyler and Jenny Bindon.  Tyler, a defender for New Zealand and Nottingham Forest, may not have the world clout of teammate Chris Wood, but he - along with his mother Jenny - became the first Mother-Son Duo to appear in the World Cup, after Jenny manned the pipes as the goalkeeper for New Zealand in 2007 and 2011.

12.  Gio Reyna's goal for the United States.  If the goal was more important - say to tie the game or take the lead - this would be A LOT higher.  But as it is, it is very important given Reyna's history with the USMNT and what happened last World Cup.  Sports Illustrated encapsulates that history HERE.  

11.  The Scotland traveling fan base - The Tartan Army - DRANK BOSTON BARS OUT OF BEER!!!  Well, not Bud Light, but all of Sam Adams Boston Lager and many other better beers!!!  Scotland plays agains tomorrow at Foxborough Stadium.  Hope there was a re-stock!!!

10.  And speaking of the Tartan Army, one member joined this Boston street performer for a Cross-Cultural Duet that Just Slaps!

9.  Other fan bases have also taken over the cities where their teams are playing, but some of them have targets other than their team's opponents.  I wonder who is the target of Australia's chants?  "He's fat.  He's old.  He likes them 12-years old"!  "Aussie blokes are on a bender.  Donald Trump is a sex offender!"  And not to be outdone by their younger brother, Great Britain's fans have chimed in with, "He's fat, with piles.  He's in the Epstein files.  Trump the cuuuunt, Trump the cuuuunt!"

8.  "Where in the World Cup is Jameis Winston" is a fantastic segment during this World Cup.  He has been spotted with Croatian fans calling himself Jameisovic Winstonivic; cleaning the stadium with Japanese fans (See #15), bringing a Goat dressed as Lionel Messi to the Argentina game, and marching the Oranje Walk with the Dutch fans!  Jameis Winston is a National Treasure!

7.  After about 10 to 15 minutes of complete build-up, where it seemed like Ghana was destined to score a goal, with seemingly its only opponent being the clock, Caleb Yirenkyi, who had been playing most of the game on a yellow card earned in the 16th minute, scored in the 90 +6th minute of the game to cause Toronto Stadium to just explode as the Black Stars defeated Panama 1-0.  The tension, anticipation of what seemed like a pre-destined goal, and then the exuberance when it happened was simply palpable. 

6.  The Tartan Army is back here again, this time taking over Fenway Park with their own chants and songs, like Super John McGinn, Yes Sir I Can Boogie and 5000 Miles, as well as Baseball Classics like Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and Fenway staple Sweet Caroline.  And I just found out Scotland's last group stage game is against Brazil in the Artist Formerly Known as Hard Rock Stadium, Formerly Known as Sun Life Stadium, Formerly Known as Land Shark Stadium, Formerly Known as Dolphin Stadium, Formerly Known as Dolphins Stadium, Formerly Known as Pro Player Stadium and Formerly Known as Joe Robbie Stadium.  LONG LIVE THE TARTAN ARMY!!!

5.  Stars Shine.  Lionel Messi with a hat trick.  Braces from Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, a goal and an assist from Luis Diaz.  Even defender Virgil van Dijk scored a goal.  The stars showed out in the first set of games.  Except for Cristiano Ronaldo, who failed to score as Portugal drew with the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1-1.

4.  And speaking of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Portugal game, a watch party was held in Praca do Comercio, the main plaza in Lisbon, Portugal (a place which is amazing by the way).  Watch what happens when YOANE WISSA ties the game up 1-1 just before halftime after Jaoa Neves shot the Portuguese into an early lead at the 6th minute.

3.  No fan base can outdo Norway's, especially when they perform the VIKING ROW!!!

2.  Except maybe the Tartan Army, that collects donations for every location to which they travel for Scotland's games.  They have donated over $10,000 to Hasbro's Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, $10,000 for grassroots soccer programs for underprivileged children in the Providence area, $6500 to the Rhode Island Highlanders Pipe Band to teach children to play the bagpipes, and $1,300 to Horizons for Homeless Children - a Boston based charity.  This is actually number 1, except I had to have number 1 actually be about on the field play.

1.  And the number 1 spot goes to Vozinha Dias, the goalkeeper for Cabo Verde, who at age 40 and after a journeyman professional career, made 7 saves - many of them of the spectacular variety - to preserve a 0-0 draw with one of the World Cup favorites Spain.  His Instagram page went from 40,000 followers to over 12.1 million!!!!  Well-earned Vozinha.  Well-earned.

And now to the team rankings!

1.  Germany 1-0

2.  Argentina 1-0

3.  Sweden 1-0

4.  England 1-0

5.  France 1-0

6.  Norway 1-0

7.  United States 1-0

8.  Colombia 1-0

9.  Austria 1-0

10.  Mexico 1-0

11.  Ghana 1-0

12.  Australia 1-0

13.  Cote d'Ivoire 1-0

14.  South Korea 1-0

15.  Scotland 1-0

16.  Spain 0-0-1

17.  Uruguay 0-0-1

18.  Netherlands 0-0-1

19.  Brazil 0-0-1

20.  Morocco 0-0-1

21.  Belgium 0-0-1

22.  Switzerland 0-0-1

23.  Egypt 0-0-1

24.  Iran 0-0-1

25.  Canada 0-0-1

26.  Japan 0-0-1

27.  Portugal 0-0-1

28.  New Zealand 0-0-1

29.  Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-0-1

30.  Saudi Arabia 0-0-1

31.  Qatar 0-0-1

32.  Democratic Republic of the Congo 0-0-1

33.  Cabo Verde 0-0-1

34.  Senegal 0-1

35.  Ecuador 0-1

36.  Croatia 0-1

37.  Haiti 0-1

38.  Czechia 0-1

39.  Turkiye 0-1

40.  Paraguay 0-1

41.  South Africa 0-1

42.  Iraq 0-1

43.  Panama 0-1

44.  Tunisia 0-1

45.  Uzbekistan 0-1

46.  Jordan 0-0

47.  Algeria 0-1

48.  Curacao 0-1

The Final Four Chronicles: FAQ

 

So one week out from the National Championship game (and the Final Four Chronicles), and as always, your boys are being inundated with questions about the trip.  Here are some "important" questions from our readership that we think we should answer.

Q:  Who all went on the trip?  We suspect it is the four guys (Kev-O, Pepster, Sinickal, Tony), but in the Facebook prompts for the Chronicles, you always tag three of the ladies.  Are they present also?

A:  This question seems to come up every year.  Our respective wives (Susan, Racecar, Allison) are always invited, and welcome, but they seldom want to join us.  I suppose it depends upon the location, timing/schedules and teams.  In a pre-Kev-O trip, Allison and Racecar did join us in Indianapolis, and Racecar is still a little miffed at herself that she did not go last year to San Antonio, being University of Florida alumna, but none of the wives attended this year.

Q:    Why do you always tag us?  Stop doing that!  (From Racecar)

A:    Our bad.

Q:    How much planning goes into the trip beforehand?

A:    Well, we enter the NCAA ticket lottery as soon as it opens, which is generally the week after the tournament concludes (so now).  Then we book plane tickets and an AirBnB generally at the end of the year.  For individually planning of each day, we generally just wing it, except for one really good meal during the trip.  This year it was St. Elmo, which Pepster booked on the Wednesday after touching down back home from San Antonio in 2025.

Q:   Is St Elmo really that good?

A:    Quick Answer is YES!!!  Longer answer is ... it is pretty amazing, but it depends upon what you are looking for in a steakhouse.  They only have one appetizer on the menu because the shrimp cocktail is so legendary.  But, if you are looking for a lot of choices, this isn't the place.  The ambiance is steakhouse ambiance, but very busy, so if you want quiet, this isn't the place for you.  But, it IS amazing.

Q:    What one thing stood out to you about this trip?

A:    On the court it was the extremely poor basketball.  Off the court, it was Ithiyia, our waitress at The Fountain Room for brunch on Saturday, and no, this isn't a veiled post about looks.  She was absolutely amazing.  On top of everything we needed without being constantly at our table, jumping in with quick quips after she hears parts of our conversation as she delivered food, drinks, and more drinks, putting up with us staying longer than we wanted to because it started pouring rain outside, just really a great server.  The type we all wish we had at every meal.  And the food/drinks were great too.

 Q:    What was the most surprising thing that happened during this trip?

A:    On the court it was Michigan absolutely boatracing Arizona, the team most thought was the second-best team all year (behind Michigan).  Off the court was Kev-O being converted into supporting Southwestern Central (Stick 'em Scorpions!).  It was instinctive, and he almost didn't even know it was happening, as it was happening!  Soon he might become part of the administration!

Q:    What was the least surprising thing that happened during the trip?

A:    That we ended up running into and hanging with people we already knew outside of our Final Four trips.  Sinickal's friend Anne - who is "in the business" (they always are) - joined us for the Arrival Day.  [Ed. Note - In the business means in the engineering field with Sinickal and Tony].  Pepster's second-cousin-in-law Trey and his friend Tyler (we did not know Tyler beforehand) joined us for part of The Interregnum and dinner at St. Elmo!  Something akin to this ALWAYS happens.  And, we have peeps in Detroit, so we assume it will happen next year as well!

Q:    So the trip could not have been all roses.  Anything disappointing?

A:    Oh God yes.  During the weekend, we had been discussing the best starting five for each of the Final Four teams.  For example, Michigan's is Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Glen Rice, and then really any other guard - let's say Rumeal Robinson because of the title, but Trey Burke could work, or Lendeborg could join him.  [Ed. Note - we did not discuss Lendeborg in this group; just added him for this blog entry.]  UConn's team is Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton, Emeka Okafor, Andre Drummond if you want to go big, or Clifford Robinson if you want a more standard team - with Kemba Walker at point, or Kemba and Shabazz Napier if you want to go small.  Illinois' team is Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Kendall Gill, Marcus Liberty and honestly, I don't remember the 5th - maybe Nick Anderson.  And, Arizona's team is Gilbert Arenas, Sean Elliott, Mike Bibby, Richard Jefferson, and Lauri Markkanen or DeAndre Ayton if we have to have a big, but really another guard here like Damon Stoudamire or Andre Iguodala work as well.

Q:    What is your point?

A:    Well, we decided to do this for our respective favorite teams.  Since Kev-O and Pepster are both fans of the University of Kentucky, and Kev-O is an alumnus, we tried to do Kentucky.  Point guard was a debate between John Wall and Rajon Rondo - which Kev-O eliminated by starting both of them in his backcourt.  Pepster went with Rondo and Rex Champman.  Some disagreement at the 3, with Kev-O going with Ron Mercer and Pepster selecting Jamal Mashburn.  No argument at the center position as it IS Anthony Davis.  Then came the power forward slot.  For Kev-O it is Oscar Tshiebwe, who matches well with Davis since Davis can roam inside and outside on offense and defense, and Tshiebwe can literally just grab every rebound.  Pepster couldn't think of his selection immediately and a discussion with him and Kev-O turned up KAT in a big lineup, or Jack Givens, or even Dan Issel.  And to answer the original question as we put this topic to Trey and Tyler, Tyler - a Louisville fan - suggested DeMarcus Cousins.  Who Kev-O and Pepster completely forgot about.  On the good side, Kentucky has so many stars that it is difficult to always remember them all.  On the bad side, a Louisville fan had to remind us of Boogie Cousins.  Just so disappointed in ourselves.

Q:    Reading the Chronicles, it looks like you all have a lot of fun.  What was the single most fun thing that occurred.

A:    Not sure we can accurately answer that question, but it is assuredly is NOT one of Pepster's jokes. 

Q:    What do you mean by pheromones?

A:    A really long, convoluted story which has a lot of inside reference/information/ramifications for friends outside of the trip.  So in order to keep that (somewhat) confidential, let's just say it isn't a bad thing in the context of the Chronicles.

Q:    Does Southwestern Central really have a merch store?  You guys are kidding, right?

A:    YES WE DO!  And no, we are not.

Q:    You all are just egotistical enough for this ... Are you taking credit for Viktor Orban's loss in Hungary since you watched the Last Week Tonight episode.

A:    Somehow, Yes we are.

Q:    Are all of your Holy Week references/puns (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday) intended?

A:    What do you think?

Q:    Did you all really notice drapes?  Seriously?

A:    Yes we did.  And you would have too, if you saw them!

Q:    Who IS Pam?

A;    Not sure we all really know.  She is basically a representation/manifestation of a conglomerate of people.  And no, she is not the Pam that regularly meets up with us when the Final Four is in Houston.

Q:    What and where is Kev-O's school?

A:    It is New Madrid College in New Madrid, Kentucky.

Q:    Why were you discussing hollers?

A:    Listen, in a span of four plus days, lots of unusual topics will arise in discussion.

Q:    Why did you mention the Illinoisivic shirts on the Illinois fans?

A:    Illinois has at least five Eastern Europeans on their squad, starters David Mirkovic, and Tomislav Ivisic, and rotational players Andrej Stojakovic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Mihailo Petrovic.

Q:    DV cannot be a real person, can she?

A:    Sadly, yes.

Q:    What has "filled-in nicely?"

A:    We will probably catch some flak for that one!

Q:    You guys made up Maguire University just so you wouldn't seem so bizarre for creating Southwestern Central, right?

A:    Nope.  It was a real thing.  And not only pre-dates Southwestern Central, it predates US!!!

Q:    Did you really schedule Maguire for a home-and-home?

A:    No, not yet.  But the conversations have started.  Seriously.

Q:    How do you know Bernie Mac has good taste in women?

A:    That is a story for another day/time, but trust us, he does.

Q:    What IS the ladies' equivalent of Drakkar Noir?

A:    This is a very good question.  Please let us know once you find out!  From our senses it is Clinique "Happy".  Any ladies have a different opinion?

Q:    Are you really going to Detroit?

A:    Absolutely.  Well, we are certainly planning on it.  Of course, sometimes real life gets in the way, and it may for one or more of us next year, but it is on our respective calendars, and the plan is to attend one way or the other!!!

See you all in Detroit! 

The Final Four Chronicles: THE DEPARTURE

 

So the Michigan Wolverines are the champions, and we are EXHAUSTED!  That does not mean that we cannot get a few more shots up on the way out.  

07:45 - All are up.  It is still freakin' cold - 36 degrees Fahrenheit!!!  Isn't this April?

09:53 - AirBnB cleaned, and we are showered, packed and leaving for breakfast.

10:05 - Reacting to Trump's tweet today about destroying a civilization today, Sinickal notes that "We might actually be the terrorists."

10:08 - We enter Lincoln Square Pancake House.  As we sit down at our table we notice that Caribbean Queen by Billy Ocean is playing.  Oh yeah, we picked the right place!

10:15 - After coffee, and while perusing the menu, we notice that they have Boston Creme pancakes - AS A SIDE to their egg entrees (skillets and omelets)!!!  Yes please (at least for Sinickal and Pepster)!

11:00 - I think it is important to note that this place is AMAZING!!!  Traditional diner with mostly traditional breakfasts, but some slight twists.  To quote our waitress Michelle, "Everything here is good.  Even the butter.  We make it in house!"

11:03 - Leave Lincoln Square Pancake House.  It has not warmed up one degree.  In fact, it feels colder!

11:21 - Drop off Pepster at IND.

11:42 - After Pepster clears security and is walking to his gate, he sees a police officer walking through the concourse with a sealed and clearly labeled evidence box.  

11:47 - As Pepster enters his concourse, he sees a police handler with a dog that is going ABSOLUTELY NUTS!!!  Nobody is around and neither is anything.  This can't be good.

12:17 - Pepster is posted up at the bar nearest his gate, several people who are not together but only started talking because the bartender admonished them for looking at their phones begin talking about Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman-winning, soon-to-be 1st overall draft pick from Indiana via California via Miami.  The bartender chimes in that he was just in the airport the other say sitting at her bar.  One of the guys - wearing Indiana gear - says that people look at him like Jesus around these parts.  Pepster reminds them his name is Mendoza, so they probably look at him like Hay-Zues.  Laughter ensues, but only after a two-second delay.

12:20 - On the drive to CVG, Sinickal remarks that "you know you are in the middle of nowhere when you see 4G on your phone." Tony replies that he knows because he is looking out the window. 

12:59 - Sinickal, Kev-O and Tony arrive at the CVG rental car return center, then head to the Delta Sky Club. Unfortunately, we have arrived more than 3 hours before our flight. Agent takes pity on us and lets us through.

13:10 - Sinickal and Kev-O realize that the long weekend requires a soft landing. To the bar for bourbon!

14:02 - While finishing the final work on the tournament squares, Sinickal reminds Tony how close he was to winning the final square (he needed Michigan to miss two free throws at the end of the game). He then is told how much the square was worth and says that "if I had known how much the square was worth last night, I would have shot the guy myself."

14:00 - 14:20 - A guy sitting two stools down at the bar is asked by another two people if he could move down one seat so they can sit together.  He obliges.  She starts talking to him and at first he is cordial answering her questions:  He is a famous criminal lawyer in DC, Maryland; he went to Morehouse; is an Alpha Phi Alpha, Incorporated (his words); he defends white-collar criminals - like drug dealers; and they know someone in common.  She starts to ask him incessantly how he knows this guy Tony, she says they should call him, and then just starts to cross-examine him about everything.  Finally the guy tells her that he used to bust Tony's ass, that is how he knows Tony.  Not taking the hint, she then starts to talk about everything else, including that Michigan won the championship (she is an alumna), and that Morehouse hasn't won anything.  He tells her he has won a lot of trials, then she tells him if she was a lawyer she would beat his ass.  Finally guy next to me looks to the other guy in the couple in a way that says, "Come get your girl."  Other guy, getting the hint just says, "She ain't my girl.  I mean, we traveled to the game together because we both went to Michigan, but she ain't my girl.  I don't control her like that."  And this was only part of the conversation for that 20 minute time period.  Pepster almost wishes he didn't have to leave to go board my flight.

14:41 - Pepster boards his flight behind a kid in his 20s wearing a Duke hoodie.  Fifty or 60-something guy in the aisle seat on the last row of first class asks Duke kid to lean down and tells him, "You guys played hard."  He said this, but sarcastically.  Duke kid keeps walking.  Women, who does not look like she is with UConn man but is sitting next to him says, "He thinks you're being an asshole."  He retorts, "So what if I am?"

14:59 - Pepster wheels up to CLT.

15:05 - Mike and Larissa Hanpeter enter the CVG Delta Sky Club and join us. They know Sinickal and Kev-O from their golf club in Washington DC and are on their way home from Oakland. We are all on the same flight back to DCA

16:24 - Pepster wheels down in CLT.

16:30 - Tony found our Uber driver with too much cologne's girlfriend on his flight.  Ladies, what is the ladies' perfume equivalent of Drakkar Noir?  Seriously, we need to add it to our repertoire of disses.

16:32 - Sinickal and Kev-O board flight. Mary Washington basketball team - the team that just won the Division III national championship, is on the flight.  One dude is still wearing a part of the net he cut down around his neck!  THAT is a flex! They walked past us in first class to their coach seats as we all said congratulations.

16:50 - Sinickal and Kev-O wheels up to DCA.

17:55 - Tony wheels up to LGA.

18:31 - Sinickal and Kev-O land in DCA. 

18:53 - Pepster wheels up to PBI.  After his Indianapolis bar experience he is happy for quiet in Charlotte.

19:30 - Tony lands in LGA!

20:43 - Pepster lands at PBI, maybe his last flight before it changes to DJT.

It has been another great tournament weekend, even if the basketball wasn't.  See everyone in a revamped and renewed, and apparently vibrant Detroit!!!  Might even bring the passports for a sojourn into Windsor!!!