Colour and vibe in three countries

World Cup 2026

In the first week of the World Cup superstars have lived up to their billing and new legends have been created

Rob Palmer, commentator ESPN

What a week! And to think, some were saying they couldn’t get excited about the World Cup.

Superstars have lived up to their billing; new legends have been created; one or two have disappointed; and we have now seen what every team has to offer.

A star was born, at the age of 40. When Josimar Dias was born in Cape Verde, his parents wanted to name him after the Argentinian World Cup star Jorge Valdano - but the authorities wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he was given the name of a Brazilian international. In the first week of the World Cup, the journeyman goalkeeper entered footballing folklore.

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Vozinha, as he’s known, made a multitude of saves to blank out the tournament favourites Spain. The man who’d plied his trade in Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and, most recently, the Portuguese second division became a sensation overnight.

Spain were forced to play their aces Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams when the plan was to keep them in the pack - but even they couldn’t score against a man living the dream.

It has been a week when the big name players have proven to be big game players. Vinícius Júnior is using the competition as a stage for his Ballon d’or bid with his much-needed equaliser against Morocco; I get the impression that he’s going to revel in the attention.

Pundits were lambasting his Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé after a poor first half against Senegal. Reflecting his season at club level, he answered his critics with goals - scoring twice in the second half to announce his arrival.

It’s a shame that the time zone robbed the European audience of a Lionel Messi masterclass. Most of us had to make do with the highlights reel of his hat-trick against Algeria. It’s worth setting the alarm clocks for his next appearances.

Sadly, for his nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo, most of us were tuned in for his performance against DR Congo. He’s now failed to score in 10 tournament matches at the Euros and World Cup. I still think Portugal will be a force - but they may have to wait until Ronaldo pulls a muscle or receives a suspension before they peak.

Harry Kane and Erling Haaland are on brand. “Sir” Harry’s brace was the difference between England and Croatia. Haaland destroyed Iraq, taking his chances. He knows that Norway’s stay may be brief.

Ultimately, it may come down to the fine margins. Germany showed Curacao no charity on their World Cup debut. Coach Julian Nagelsmann had more costume changes than a rock star diva. He’d packed pre-match and post-match outfits and changed shirts mid-game when his original attire wasn’t working. His team responded by scoring seven.

The colour and the vibe have been amazing as cultures mix in three countries. The best images for me have been the Scotland fans taking over Boston. I love a national anthem - 28 years of waiting was unleashed as the Scots finally got to belt out Flower of Scotland at the Gilette Stadium in Massachusetts. They’d drunk the flights dry and continued the party when they accepted a mass invite to throw their support behind the Red Sox. The baseball club needed inspiration - and the kilted kin provided it.

Forget the famous line: “They think it’s all over”; it has only just begun.