Paraguay Took It To The Alley, But France Got The Last Laugh

 

It was prison rules for Paraguay. What they didn't took into account was Mbappe becoming Rorschach.

Respect to all the other teams left in the World Cup, but we're all just waiting for a rematch of the 2022 final at this point. France and Argentina seem destined to meet again. The Golden Boot could very well be decided in the final game.

And nobody said it would be easy. France and Argentina have been challenged. 

France is battle tested even more now after beating Paraguay in the alley. The beauty of the World Cup is that a true champion has to face different styles, opponents, and tactics to climb the ladder. 

People hate Paraguay for the way they played yesterday but that dirty style has always been part of football. Paraguay provided a reminder to the world that sometimes it's anything goes. Football shouldn't always be beautiful.

Uh oh. Canada's in trouble!

Totalitarianism always comes to a country dressed in law. Canada is going down a dark road.

Video Title: Uh oh. Canada's in trouble! Source: corbettreport. Date Published: July 3, 2026. Description:

To the surprise of no one who has been paying attention, Canada has passed a slew of dystopian legislation and handed down tyrannical Supreme Court rulings that further enslave the Canadian people. But even if you have been paying attention, you might not know the true extent of these new developments. Today James talks to independent Canadian journalist Dan Dicks about these latest moves and what they mean for Canadians and for people around the world.

And Then There Were 16: Another Round of Foolish Predictions

1. Morocco vs. Canada.

I won't go into too much detail with these predictions this time. 

I'm very happy Canada made it this far. But with injuries to key players and the quality of football that Morocco is playing right now I'm just hoping this game is competitive. Give me a Cabo Verde performance. That's all I'm asking for. Take these guys to the brink.

With that said, I don't see it happening. 

Morocco 3-1.

2. Paraguay vs. France.

Can they do it again? Can Paraguay shock the world twice in one week?

No. This is France. This is Mbappe. Paraguay can probably keep it close in the first half. They've only allowed one goal in their last three games. But that just means they're due to get dunked on again by a superior team. 

France 4-1.

3. Brazil vs. Norway

Norway has beaten two African teams and Iraq at this tournament so far. Well done. They've done what they're supposed to do. Haaland has left his mark on the World Cup. But the rowing ends on Sunday. Brazil will send these boys home. The world deserves to see a Brazil-Argentina Semi Final. 

Brazil 3-2.

4. Mexico vs. England.

When we all made our predictions before the tournament this one always made the fight card. Hopefully it won't disappoint.

There's something about Mexico at this World Cup. They've yet to concede. They look unstoppable. But then again who have they really beaten? South Africa, Korea, Czechia, and Ecuador? Those teams had zero attack. Mexico hasn't been tested. They haven't been punched in the mouth. England is the first real team they will face. And they will fail. Another host nation is going out.

England 2-1.

5. Portugal vs. Spain.

I don't see World Cup winners here. I don't see champions. Portugal looked lost in that second half against Croatia. And while Spain had an easy time with Austria they still haven't impressed at this tournament. I'm expecting a competitive game. It'll probably take 120 minutes to decide it. The last time they met at a World Cup it ended 3-3. I'll predict the same scoreline. 

3-3. Portugal advances via penalties.

6. U.S. vs. Belgium.

If it weren't for a historic fumble by Senegal the Belgians would already be on vacation. That's where they belong. On a beach somewhere. This is not a good team. They've beaten nobody. The U.S. team is playing with more confidence. And I think at least one host nation has to survive this round.

U.S. 3-1.

7. Argentina vs. Egypt.

Argentina 2-0.

8. Switzerland vs. Colombia.

What a clash of styles. This is what the World Cup is about. If it were played in Europe I'd lean towards Switzerland. But it's not. Colombia's ride isn't going to end here. They have enough firepower up front to keep Switzerland busy in their own end. And they're tough to crack, allowing only one goal all tournament.

Colombia 2-1.

Portugal And Croatia Deliver A Classic, The Swiss And Spanish Make Easy Work of Their Opposition

 

Portugal and Spain will meet on Monday in Texas.

Some games deliver, some don't. 

The Portugal-Croatia game delivered. Modric and Croatia can walk off with their heads held high. They played a great game, at least in the second half, and oftentimes the better team doesn't advance. That's what happened here. The better team lost. Portugal got lucky. But that doesn't matter. 

We've got a game now between Spain and Portugal that has the potential to be the best game of the World Cup when it is all said and done.

The round of 16 is living up to the billing. All hosts through? Check. Heavyweight match ups? Check. Golden boot favourites still playing? Check. 

This is the point when the World Cup really becomes magical and the intensity of the games reach another level. 

Two More Matches Set In Round of 16, African Nations Fumble Historic Wins

 

England vs. Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday July 5.

This World Cup is about the superstars shining, with the quality of the football taking a backseat. We saw that again on Wednesday with Kane's two goal performance to lift England into the next round. 

It's also been one of the most dramatic World Cups, with multiple late winners and lead changes towards the end of regulation. The two extra breaks that have been introduced at this tournament are like cheat codes for managers. 

There still hasn't been any great games to really speak of. We've witnessed amazing individual performances, mostly by the attackers. They've entertained in spurts. But none of these games are classics. They're all forgettable. I don't think we'll see a truly great game until the final. 

Due to the 48 team format being what it is, the quality of competition is highly uneven, so we're just watching big teams that are afraid to lose and small teams that are afraid to win. That makes for nervy, tight, and boring football. 

For tomorrow, hopefully Portugal and Croatia deliver a game to remember. But I anticipate a low scoring affair with both sides passing it around the field and playing for penalties. I think the Switzerland-Algeria game will be more entertaining and have more goals in it.