OFFSIDE: Sir Alex Ferguson’s favorite lieutenant robs England of a roar
Have you ever wondered why you feel anxious when facing the unknown? The answer lies in evolutionary biology, which dictated that those who maintained a healthy skepticism survived, while those who indulged in prodding shed their mortal coil. Familiarity does not breed contempt; it actually gives us a warm feeling. Football fans sadly lost that warm feeling after England played an attacking brand of football to beat Croatia 4-2, but that familiar feeling of reveling in England’s mediocrity returned in the second leg as England puffed up against the supposed minnow nation in a group stage match.The Three Lions T-Shirt is a remarkable magical item that can turn a world-beater into an average player overnight. Consider Wayne Rooney, one of the Premier League’s best players, whose performances for England at every tournament since Euro 2004 have left much to be desired. The Man Utd legend has just one World Cup goal to his credit. That means he stepped on more balls than he netted at the World Cup. England’s performance against Ghana was, in that sense, a remarkable throwback to a bygone era that Don Draper would call a pang of nostalgia and England fans would call utter bullshit.But while England fans will wonder if they are cursed with the albatross of the second leg draw, one man who would be laughing is the godfather of all football managers: Sir Alex Ferguson. A proud Scot, Ferguson twice turned down England jobs, famously saying: “There was no way I could think of taking the England job. Can you imagine me doing that? Scot? I’ve always joked that I’d take the job and dethrone them: I’d make them the 150th ranked country in the world with Scotland 149.”And the fact that it was his former assistant Carlos Queiroz’s Ghana who obliterated England would have made him laugh even more, as would the fact that England had 78.8% possession and still failed to find the back of the net, the highest possession figure for a goalless World Cup draw since 1966.For old time’s sake, Queiroz even pulled out some classic Ferguson lines after the match, asking if VAR works at the World Cup, if the VAR referee went on holiday in the second half and if he went out for coffee.Before supplying the likes of Fergie in international football, Queiroz was the man who helped build Ferguson’s third great Manchester United team. Ferguson was a big fan, calling him an assistant who challenged him intellectually and “the closest you could get to a Manchester United manager without actually holding the title”. Under Queiroz, United moved from their fast-paced 4-4-2 style with two wingers and two central midfielders to a more flexible 4-3-3 that gave them more balance in midfield, more fluid forwards and a counter-attacking structure that could also defend. It was the form that helped turn United into a more serious European force. One game that stood out was Manchester United’s Champions League semi-final victory over Barcelona in 2008, which was decided by a classic Paul Scholes goal and a defensive masterclass over two legs in which Barcelona dominated possession and still lost. One wonders if United’s two encounters with Barcelona in the finals in 2009 and 2011 might have been slightly different had Queiroz been around.He was also involved in the signing of players from Portugal and Brazil, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson, and helped transform Ronaldo from a touch and tease teenager to an athletic specimen who became the complete footballer whose rivalry with Lionel Messi dominated nearly two decades of football.Like his compatriot and former pupil José Mourinho, Carlos Queiroz’s first goal is not to lose, leading to what is known as “sufferball”, where both teams suffer but only one does so willingly. Against England, Queiroz had a clear structure: a disciplined central block, a tight back line, Thomas Partey shielding the defense and England were forced into a lot of possession without becoming a serious goal threat. Ghana were not keen to get the ball high from England’s centre-backs. Instead, they protected the middle, suffocated England’s attack-minded midfielders and prevented Harry Kane from dropping into the pocket and combining. As DAZN’s analysis noted, England had “width without penetration”.By half-time, England had 78% of the ball but only one clear look at goal. They had 19 attempts by the end of the match but could only produce three shots on goal. This was no accident. Ghana allowed England to circulate possession in harmless areas, then closed down the spaces that mattered: the route to Jude Bellingham, the pocket Kane wanted to occupy, and the half-field where England’s big players wanted to drive inside. Once the ball went wide, Ghana’s full-backs held their shape, the centre-backs protected the box and Partey screened the danger zone in front of them.It was Queiroz-ball in its purest form. You can keep the ball, you can pass it, you can have all the numbers, but you won’t score. It was the kind of performance that would warm the heart of a Scot, especially one who hates the English.
The return of the GOAT?
From the Portuguese managers, it is time to turn to the players of Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo, whose first-leg failure to score grabbed the headlines in the first leg, scored twice in the 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan and announced to the camera that he was back. The real question, despite his dual goals, is: Should he still be around? Sure, Ronaldo scored 10 goals for Portugal in the World Cup to surpass Eusebio as Portugal’s most prolific player, but Eusebio only played in one World Cup. The fact remains that these were Ronaldo’s first major tournament goals from open play in five years. Ronaldo remained silent when asked about Messi in the mixed zone, perhaps because, as the Athletic noted, Messi’s five goals have come against teams in the top 30. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, are ranked 50th in the world.In the day’s other matches, Croatia did what they usually do at World Cup tournaments to keep their qualification hopes alive as Modric turned back the clock on his 200th international appearance, becoming the fourth man to achieve the feat. Colombia also beat DR Congo 1-0, meaning they could still dream of topping the group ahead of Portugal. Colombia’s even more impressive performance came despite DR Congo mascot Lumumba Vea standing tall with his hand raised in the stands.
World Cup 2026
Day 14 Look ahead
Group B RESERVATION: 1:30 AMWe are now at the business end of the group, which means all the group matches will now be played at the same time, so no one can game the system. Group B matches will be a choice between Switzerland and Canada to dominate the group. Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar is essentially a shootout and a draw won’t help, and any team that wins will be in a good position to qualify for third place.Group CRESERVATION: 3:30 AMIn Group C, Brazil will face Scotland. Brazil have four points, Scotland have three, meaning a draw will help them both qualify. If Brazil win, Scotland could still qualify, but that will depend on the next few games. Morocco face Haiti and, like Brazil, they are on four points and need a draw to confirm qualification. Haiti on the other hand can stay mathematically alive if they manage to beat Morocco.Group ARESERVATION: 6:30 Co-organizes Mexico against the Czech Republic. The former are already done after two wins, while the Czechs have one point and need to beat Mexico to stay alive. Meanwhile, South Korea takes over South Africa. The Asian giants have three points and can qualify with a win or a draw.
Premier League representative
The Premier League likes to call itself the biggest show in the world. Real soccer fans insist it’s the World Cup. But how many Premier League players are in this tournament? According to league figures, 182 Premier League-affiliated players (169 current and 13 registered for the 2026–27 season) are participating in the World Cup. Now, while the Premier League moderators are shocked to find out, there are other leagues in the English football structure that have World Cup totals of around 200 players. German clubs have 109 players. French clubs have 86. Spain have 86. Italian clubs, although Italy did not qualify, also have 49 players. Meanwhile, 44 players are plying their trade in MLS.