WORLD CUP 2018 Day 17

The Birth of the next big thing

After a one day-off, the knock out games started yesterday launching the real World cup as
many people prefer to say. Even if in this edition, the group stages were as fascinating as
any other knock out games.

The first game is going to be probably the best one in terms of goals, a game that saw
Argentina getting hammered by France 4-3. The result may tell you that it was close and
that Argentina should have some regrets, but I personally think that the match should
have ended 8-3, if France were as professional as Germany 2014.

Argentina was leading at a certain moment of time, but you could never tell that they were
confident enough to keep the result they needed. They couldn’t cope with the pace that
France has in their flanks. But, what could you expect from a coach changing his formation
every game, and who despite watching the first half where the supposed false striker
Messi was nowhere near the box putting pressure on Umtiti and Varane. In fact, he played
again deep, because he is the only one who can make something happen from nowhere
and we saw it when Aguero came on. Yet, Sampaloi wasn’t capable to apply the common
sense here and bring him on earlier...

I feel relieved that we didn’t lose a team like France that early in the tournament, they are
just amazing. I just wonder how unstoppable they could be if they were coached by
another brave manager keen to go forward and let the talented players express
themselves and doesn’t stumble on every decision he want to make. I am sure that this
France team is built for winning the World Cup, there is no other side as frightening as
them going forward, but it all falls on Deschamps who finally will have to assume his
supremacy when France face Uruguay, the team that everyone fears...

And yeah, Mbappe is the future big thing. Forget about Neymar and Hazard and what so
ever, this lad has all what is needed to be the next Ronaldo, his abilities are
unquestionable. But what differentiates him from the others is his personality and
confidence, he didn’t get scared by the big stage he is playing at. His decision making is
what impressed me more in that game, we all know that on his day very few defenders are
capable to keep him quiet. But to have the guts to put that ball inside of the net that calmly
at 19 years old, if it’s not the signs of a GOAT in the making, I don’t see what else it could
be.
 Luck was never going to be in that side of the Draw

That’s exactly how we all thought the game was going to be, the first team to score will sit
back deep and defend, we all know that the first goal was going to be so important in that
game, it will allow you to practice the game plan you know better and so did Uruguay after
that magnificent combination between Suarez and Cavani. They never looked in danger,
they were frightening going forward, and even after Pepe’s equalizer, they carried on with
their plan. And of course a special mention to the two guys up front who delivered their
best performance in the tournament when it mattered the most.

I said it once, and I will repeat it, seeing La Celeste reaching the final is not going to be a
surprise. In fact, if they do go on to the last stage, it will be just deserved because they are
one of the rarest sides who play defensively, but force you to enjoy their display because
they know what they are doing and they are doing it perfectly.

For the European Champions, nothing has changed in this team. The decisive factor in that
tournament was the penalty miss by Ronaldo, they should have never drawn against Iran,
they should have been in the other side of the draw in which they would have applied their
game-style against teams that will attack them. But, because it’s Soccer and It is what
makes us like it most, it’s time to enjoy some other sides, maybe underrated ones, like
Croatia, Sweden and Switzerland. And see if they are capable to continue their way to the
finals.

A final word has to be to the Two giants, Messi and Ronaldo or Ronaldo and Messi, you can
put it as you like, it doesn’t matter, they are both great, they deserve all the praise, you
can’t put them in the same bracket as the Mbappes, the Hazards and Neymars, who are
first much younger than them and second, have some good players on their side. They will
go home now, each one thinking whether or not it’s time to leave it as it is and make an
end to their international carer, even if I doubt that it will be the case.