The (rarely used) Venezia winger is making his World Cup debut for Iraq – his parents’ country of origin, though they are of Kurdish ethnicity – despite having been born and raised in Norway. In Italy, he has played just 21 minutes across two matches; at the World Cup, he is looking to make his mark in football

The Cape Verde fairy tale is greatly exaggerated: if the match against the Spanish national team ended 0–0 – and by no means narrowly so – it is mainly down to the Spaniards’ superstar attitude, with too much drinking and too much vainglory

Just like during the 1994 World Cup, Americans are snapping up beer can holders. Unlike 32 years ago, however, baby bibs have disappeared from the market and there are loads of dog T-shirts on sale

No sooner had the Asian national team played their first match than we were inundated with articles, reels and videos identical to those from four years ago – about the Japanese cleaning the stadium, the players leaving the changing rooms tidy, and the fans in Tokyo celebrating in the streets, but only when the traffic lights are green. Dear Infantino, the World Cup is being distorted