World Cup 2018: Drama for days as underdogs upset tournament standings

World Today

FBL-WC-2018-MATCH7-ARG-ISLArgentina’s midfielder Lucas Biglia heads the ball with Iceland’s defender Kari Arnason (back) during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group D football match between Argentina and Iceland at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow on June 16, 2018. (AFP PHOTO / Mladen ANTONOV)

The first week of the World Cup provided stunning results and major upsets. Brazilian star Neymar limped from a training session Tuesday with pain in his right ankle but he is expected to be back in training on Wednesday.

In some of the memorable games so far, Senegal defeated Poland, Argentina tied with Iceland, Spain matched Portugal, and Mexico bested Germany 1-0.

As CGTN’s Dan Williams reports from Moscow, the drama continues to attract a lot of interest.

The World Cup is in full swing with excitement high.

Russia 2018 has so far lived up to most football fans expectations: plenty of goals, drama, and of course a couple of shock results. But the big question remains: Are we any nearer to finding out who will be crowned champions?

“Iceland is going to win it!” one fan proclaimed.

“Of course Brazil because it is the best team,” according to another. “We have five cups, and we’re going to win.”

That strictly unscientific approach to finding a tournament winner may need some work. But it’s clear that the early setbacks suffered by the pre-tournament favorites, such as Germany and Argentina, have sparked further interest in the competition.

For neutral fans, that can only be good news. 

“In the old days, you used to be able to plot the routes of the teams through the competition,” according to football journalist Keir Radnedge. “I think with the opening results we’ve seen – Germany losing, Argentina drawing, Brazil drawing – suddenly the world is opening up and all of the predictability of past world cups is ebbing away. That can only be good for the tournament.”

The best news for football fans so far? The tournament has only just begun.