OF THE 26 matches at the 2018 World Cup so far, just seven have been won by more than a single goal.
There have already been 13 goals scored in the final 10 minutes, and seven of those have meaningfully influenced the outcome (i.e. winners or equalisers).
Based on the first round and a bit of games, there seems to be a consensus that an outstanding side has yet to emerge.
Teams cited pre-tournament as contenders have either dropped points (Brazil, Germany, Spain) or performed below expectations (France).
In general, the supposed weaker teams look better organised than ever, thereby explaining the multitude of tight matches.
It is also perhaps true that there is no standout team of the calibre of Spain circa 2008-2012 or even Germany four years ago.
Of course, that does not necessarily mean the powerhouses should be written off — 2010 winners Spain memorably lost their opening match 1-0 to Switzerland before triumphing, while in 2014, Germany could only draw their second match 2-2 with Ghana before going on to lift the trophy.
It’s hard to think of any instance of a previous winner who hasn’t at least stumbled along the way.
Yet perhaps what is surprising is the lack of a shock winner at the World Cup in recent memory — the Spanish in 2010 were the last first-time winners, and they were clearly the best team in the world at the time, having won the Euros two years previously and boasting an abundance of players with Europe’s top clubs.
Before that, France lifted the trophy for the first time in 1998 — they were hosting the competition and had a hugely talented team with arguably the best player in the world at the time (Zinedine Zidane).
You would arguably have to go all the way back to 1954 to find the last surprise winner, when an unseeded West Germany outfit beat a highly fancied Hungarian side 3-2 in the final.
In this year’s tournament, there are just four teams who are so far guaranteed a place in the knockout stages — Russia, Uruguay, France and Croatia, while only Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Peru and Costa Rica have been eliminated.
Of the big teams, the progress of Germany, Argentina and even Brazil is looking far from certain. And if Iran play as well as they did against Spain the other night, they could cause Portugal serious problems in their final group game.
The Euros have shown that is entirely possible for an ordinary enough side to go all the way — underdogs Greece memorably prevailed in 2004, while few people were tipping Portugal to triumph two years ago.
Of the aforementioned four teams to have qualified for the knockout stages, only France have been talked of as genuine contenders.
Yet is it really so far fetched to think a perceived second-tier international side could be the team celebrating on 15 July?
Could Croatia maintain the excellence they showed against Argentina the other night and go all the way? Might Harry Kane inspire England to a first win since ’66? Will Luis Suarez guide the Uruguayans to an unlikely triumph?
Brazil and Spain remain the bookies favourites and it’s hard to argue that player-for-player, they are superior to everyone else in the tournament.
Yet player-for-player, Germany are better than Mexico, but it did not prevent an upset from occurring.
Once a team gets to the last-16, they are four games away from glory. Luck and other factors aside from talent can have a huge influence on tournament football in particular.
And given how close the games in Russia have been so far, a surprise seems more likely than ever.
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Since they did away with the mindless violence the game has lost its appeal
It’s not really a great spectacle as a sport. Sticking it in TG4 is hardly likely to broaden its appeal. Time to call a halt in my eyes especially when the Aussies could not be bothered to send over a proper team however gallant their intentions were .
“Sticking it in TG4 is hardly likely to broaden its appeal.” Has anyone encouraged you to broaden your horizons?
Some (most) of us don’t speak Irish Louise. Should be commentary in English.
Have more faith in your ability to learn. It’s not all that difficult to listen to and understand the language.
Well considering you don’t have a grasp on the English language, I’m not surprised you cannot speak Gaeilge!! I can see why your glass is half empty, I think you mean “commentary should be through/ in English”… Ah the predictability of….;-)
Deborah,
1. “Well” should be followed by a comma.
2. “…grasp ‘of’ the English language”, not ‘on’.
Smarty pants
Load of crap it looked like Australia hadn’t a clue for the first quarter
Bring back the killings, that’s what made this pointless game for me!!! Zero atmosphere at the game too!!
Will ye relax. Its an opportunity our amateur players get to represent their Country. Reward for all the work and commitment they have given all year.
Well done Ireland and the 3 laois lads! Finish them off the next day.
Honestly it was a poor game. Expect a rough game next week.
Sh!te game.nothing at stake just looked like like a training match.
Pointless game
Patently false. 92 points were scored
If you don’t like this sport then don’t pay any heed to it. Simple.
There was a decent crowd there tonight and clearly sponsors and players embrace the concept so that’s why it’s still going. Nobody is being forced to watch it, if it doesn’t take your fancy that’s fine but there’s no need for everyone to bang on about how they think it’s pointless, just change the channel if it bothers you that much.
If you think the players “embrace the concept” you clearly did not watch the match. The Aussies didn’t even know the rules, and I can’t blame them. I was there and it was clear the lads were only over for a 2 week holiday and I’d do the same myself. Just glad it was only 15eur.
It’s a great game. Fast, exciting and has a well defined tackle, the bane of Football in my opinion. I think if it was marketed well, and played every year, it would be very popular.
The problem is it’s marketed badly.
Having the game on TG4 makes it difficult for non-Irish speakers to follow the rules.
You only hear about it a couple of weeks before it starts.
Having the first game in a regional venue is good in theory but seeing an empty terrance looks bad.
And the break it takes every 3 years is pointless and confusing.
The fact it’s on a Saturday night, is an international sport and is a physical game means it’s very marketable, especially to younger people. Some blood thumping adverts run during the all Ireland finals would generate huge interest and wouldn’t take a huge amount of effort.
I think with a bit more marketing and an attempt to improve the atmosphere, a la Leinster Rugby or American football, would really add to the occasion.
It’s almost as if the organisers, the GAA and AFL, aren’t sure if they want it to succeed or not.
TL;TR It’s a great game that would benefit from better marketing and showmanship.
Whatever about the merits of the game, I think it’s on its last legs, as there is literally zero interest in it in Australia. Even here in AFL-obsessed Melbourne, you wouldn’t know this game was on.
The main quality paper here – The Age – has a 20 page sport supplement every Sat and Sun. During the AFL season about 75% of that space is devoted to AFL. Yesterday (in the AFL off season), there were 2.5 pages devoted to AFL, of which about 1/8 of a page related to the international rules game. Today, there are 2 pages on AFL, with no mention of the international rules other than a single line informing readers that a match report is available online. It really says something when the international rules series is not even the main AFL-related story, at a time of year when there is no actual AFL taking place.
The writing is on the wall when you have a sport that is only relevant to two countries and one of those countries has completely lost interest.
Surely this is more to do with the timing of the game than lack of interest? It would have been impossible to get a match report onto the paper, due to the lateness of the kickoff.
It’s not that I expected a match report in the Sunday Age (obviously – the game took place on Sunday here!). But usually if an event is of interest the papers would have previews and other general coverage.
Anyway, it’s now Monday and the intl rules has been given about the same amount of space as Australian basketball and baseball (neither of which are very popular here). The game wasn’t even mentioned on any of the tv news shows I saw yesterday either.
Better than xfactor but that would not be difficult!!
That match wasn’t even mentioned in the media over here,as for cry factor its on EVERY single ad break,is every 10 minutes.
Bastardised rules. No thanks.
A mongrel game for a …
Every code of football has bastardised rules
Its a pity that genuine amatuer wholehearted GAA players were forced to pick between club and country for a series that the professional AFL pay lip service to
Rubbish sport, Mickey Harte was right
What is the point? It was on in the pub and that’s all I could think about it.
It’s an excuse to go to the pub
Well said. Any excuse is a good one.
We’ll done lad,s
Up Cavan
Welcome to World Trophy Football or wtf for short ,
Feck I missed the semi finals again…
‘Hilarious’
I’d probably watch it if they played the oval ball, atleast give the Aussies a chance since there not allowed to apply mindless thuggery anymore.
I heard there was 275,000 at the match and they were all speaking Irish, even the aboriginals, who probably discovered Australia, having set off from west cork in 6000bc with a cargo of stone hurleys and Gaelic poetry. Long before the British I might add. It’s a matter of great pride to the 42,000,000 members of the GAA. As joe brolly once said “god I’m great ammant I, hi”
Gold
It’s horrendously bad.
Why is this game always played with a round ball? Not very fair on the Aussies is it?
Worst game of football I’ve ever been too!!!
Absolutely dead match…….,
Ah shut up god we are a nation of f##king begrudgers well done lads from all of us in Oz anythime we beat the “worlds most sporting nation” is a good day for me..
Suppose this is the gaa world cup final?