The last time four World Cup matches ended in draws on the same day was back in 1958, when a 17-year-old Pelé emerged as a rising star, and Frenchman Juste Fontaine set a tournament record by scoring 13 goals. Although Iran did not participate in that event, the current World Cup season began with a challenging draw against New Zealand, resulting in a 2-2 tie. Following the match, Iran’s coach announced that the team would be returning to their training base in Mexico, just hours after the game.
Looking ahead, Kylian Mbappé emerges as a modern counterpart to Fontaine. The Real Madrid forward, who scored a hat-trick in the last World Cup final, is set to begin his season against both France and Senegal today.
World Cup Overview
Despite the geopolitical context surrounding Iran’s game against New Zealand, the match itself was a thrilling display filled with ups and downs. Team Melli displayed resilience by equalizing twice, earning them enthusiastic support from fans in Los Angeles. However, coach Amir Galenoei expressed disappointment at settling for a tie against the 65th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings. New Zealand’s Elijah Just, who currently plays for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership, made history by scoring twice—becoming the first player from his nation to net multiple goals in a World Cup match.
While Iran’s opener captured significant attention, the match between Cape Verde and Spain produced a surprise result. Cape Verde, a nation comprising just over 500,000 residents and experiencing their first World Cup, showcased commendable performance with their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vosinha making critical saves. He managed to hold off the current European champions, a team featuring stars like Pedri, Rodri, and Ferran Torres. The match remained goalless despite a late substitution of teenage talent Lamine Yamal in the 70th minute.
In other matches, a struggling Belgium side managed a 1-1 draw against Egypt, while Saudi Arabia also ended with the same score against Uruguay.
Upcoming Matches
Revisiting history, when Senegal shocked reigning champions France with a 1-0 victory in 2002, the teams will clash again this afternoon. France enters the tournament fielding what many consider the strongest lineup, featuring a formidable trio in Michael Oliseh, Ousmane Dembélé, and Kylian Mbappé. The French national team, currently ranked second in the world behind Argentina, also faces off against Algeria later tonight, with hopes to improve on their runner-up finish from four years ago.
Norway, making their return to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, aims for a successful outing against Iraq, while Argentina starts their title defense against Algeria, led by none other than Lionel Messi.
Additionally, at midnight, Austria, under the management of former Manchester United interim coach Ralf Rangnick, faces Jordan in their inaugural World Cup appearance.
Historic Achievements
In a light-hearted nod to the ancient Greeks, the term “Hard Effort” has been playfully rebranded as “Cape Verde Effort.” Vosinha, the goalkeeper for Cape Verde, had a remarkable day in Atlanta with seven crucial saves, leading to a surge of over 6 million followers on Instagram. Men in Blazers founder Roger Bennett had a conversation with Vosinha, who has become a global sensation following this historic performance, discussing what it means for Cape Verde on the world stage.
Anticipation builds as both recent World Cup champions embark on their quest for glory. This afternoon at 3 p.m. ET, 2018 champion France will face Senegal in a rematch after 24 years, while titleholders Argentina will take on Algeria at 9 p.m. ET in Kansas City, Missouri.
Broadcast Schedule
Fans can catch all World Cup matches on Telemundo and Peacock in Eastern Time: 3 p.m. – France vs. Senegal; 6 p.m. – Norway vs. Iraq; 9 p.m. – Argentina vs. Algeria; and 12 a.m. – Austria vs. Jordan.
