⚽️ Kick-off time: 3pm local/5pm BST/12pm EDT/2am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | And mail DanielThere have never been more brilliant footballers in the world than there are now – one reason it’s so hard to pick a winner of this competition. Knockout ties often come down to which individual delivers – or fails to deliver – at the crucial moment and, with so many countries boasting numerous individuals able to turn a game and humans being inherently unreliable, we can’t know which of them will be grooved – or heartbreakingly, hilariously inept – when the time comes.But it remains the case that Spain, though not obvious champions, are the hardest team to beat. Things have changed since they won three consecutive competitions 2008-12 – you can’t dominate possession to the same absurd extent once you no longer have Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta – club’s football’s greatest midfield – plus Xabi Alonso, plus another midfielder or two in lieu of strikers. Continue reading...
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/15/spain-v-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-live