The Geopolitics World Cup is underway, and after four matches, several notable trends have emerged. From empty seats to a potential formation revival, here are ten things we have observed so far.
1. Empty Seats Explained by Concourse Congestion
Fifa attributed the visible empty seats during South Korea versus Czechia in Guadalajara to fans lingering on concourses. Despite an official attendance of 44,985, many seats remained vacant, prompting a statement from a Fifa representative noting that several ticketed fans chose to stand in concourses instead of their assigned seats.
2. USA's Exciting Start
The host nation, USA, impressed with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in Los Angeles. Folarin Balogun, formerly of Arsenal, scored twice, equalling the World Cup goal tally of legends like Marco van Basten and Wayne Rooney by halftime in his debut match.
3. Drinks Break Disrupts Momentum
While necessary for player safety, drinks breaks can kill the momentum of a dominant team. Coaches may adjust tactics to account for these pauses, potentially aiming for fast starts in the fourth quarter.
4. The Chloe Kelly Paradox
Substitutes have scored four of the twelve goals so far, including winners for South Korea and Canada. This trend highlights the importance of squad depth, especially in hot conditions where the best squad, not just the best starting eleven, may prevail.
5. Refcam Shows Promise
The tournament's use of refcam has been well-received, though it comes with caveats. It offers a unique perspective but may distract officials from their primary duties. The technology is an improvement over previous attempts in other leagues.
6. USA's Kit is a Cult Classic
The USA's kit has been hailed as the best in the tournament, destined to become a future cult classic. Its design has garnered widespread praise.
7. Yaya Sithole's Unfortunate Moment
South Africa's Yaya Sithole, a talented player from a nation of 65 million, may be remembered for a costly error. He joins Pierre Issa in the pantheon of players who made untimely mistakes on the World Cup stage.
8. Infantino's Humility
Fifa president Gianni Infantino appears to have discovered humility, a notable development given his previous public persona.
9. Unique TV Aesthetic
While the TV aesthetic of World Cups has become homogenized since 2000, Canada's match featured a blood-red backdrop that added a distinctive flavour, breaking the monotony.
10. 4-4-2 Formation Makes a Comeback
The 4-4-2 formation, often dismissed as outdated, has been used by three of the eight teams so far. However, one of those teams, Paraguay, suffered a heavy defeat, leaving questions about its effectiveness.
Stay tuned for more action as the tournament progresses, with live coverage and analysis from our team of reporters.
