WORLD CUP STUFF

FINAL Spain 1 Argentina 0 It was the easiest thing in the world to predict what would happen before, during and after the World Cup final. Argentina would foul, dive, kick, punch, intimidate and generally try to cheat their way to victory, because cheating is in their DNA. All of them, including Messi. Only one of them got sent off when, were it not for the timid complicity of the officials, it could have been two or three. The other wholly predictable thing was that Trump would get booed, that he would try to make the occasion about himself by standing on the victory stage with the (clearly embarrassed) Spanish team, and that the toad Infantino, resplendent in tight fitting suit and glow-white sneakers, would have to steer the dangerous old fool away to safety. The result of all this? What should have been a great occasion was soured by wholly predictable influences. All we can say is thank God it's over and that Spain, and therefore football, won.

3rd/4th PLAYOFF France 4 England 6 First, the bad stuff. We don't like Thomas the Tookle. We don't like his manner. We don't like the way he entered the arena with his arm round Didier Deschamps, or the way he engaged Mbappe in a one sided conversation as they came out of the tunnel. It reminded us of Pep Guardiola fawning over opposition players at the end of a match, playing the Big Shot. Embarrassing. We don't like the way he addressed his players like a frenetic stick insect during the hydration break when no one appeared to be listening to him. We did not like the idea of bringing on Ollie Popkins to counter the predictable French resurgence in the second half. We think Thomas the Tookle is an irrational man who has contributed little to this campaign. Now the good stuff. The match was tremendously exciting. The goals were stunning. Enormous respect to Rice, Saka and Bellingham for being world class. The rest of them we can argue about later. Yes, we know it was low-stakes football, but compare the atmosphere of joy and respect at the end of this match to the toxic aftermath of the Argentina battle. Win or lose , you can be sure that Argentina will poison the final in whatever way they can. Well done England. Second best in Europe, third best in the world. Or whatever.