The New Republic

Well, maybe he is. The contrast between Argentina and France or England is total and not simply because Argentina are winning and a winning team tends to be a happier team. Nevertheless, keeping the players contented—and unified—helps too. And here Maradona has, I think, done well. All but one of his outfield players has now played a part in the tournament and the man who hasn't, Ariel Garcé, is, well, Ariel Garcé: READ MORE >>

On Twitter this afternoon we had some fun remembering French
embarrassments in Africa: the Battle of the Nile, Fashoda, Mers El Kebir, Suez, Bocassa, Rwanda and now, of course, South Africa 2010.

 Flippant, obviously, but France's meltdown this tournament has been 
richly entertaining (the shame of it is that Les Bleus cannot meet 
England. Now *that* would be a perversely amusing moment of anti-entertainment). READ MORE >>

It’s usually the case that any time a headline asks a question the answer is No. This post is no exception to that rule. The Americans were not robbed today and nor were they the victims of any anti-American bias. Sorry, Jesse, but that’s the sort of fanciful, solipsistic whingeing one normally associates with Notre Dame fans.  READ MORE >>

Far be it from me to intrude upon private grief. I'll leave Zach and the other England boys to put their anguish into words. Let it merely be said that if England vs USA was comical, then England vs Algeria was simply pitiful. England fans, I think, were half-expecting something terrible like this. Rarely has the disconnect between the supporters and the tabloids been quite so explicit, as this entertaining Sun front-page from the day after the World Cup draw was announced makes clear: READ MORE >>

OK, a note on the Soccer Wars. The truth is this: soccer has won.  No-one expects soccer to supplant the NFL in American affections but any comparison of soccer in America in 1990 and 2010 reveals how much progress the game, and most especially the World Cup, has made. Indeed, I was struck last weekend by how much "bigger" the tournament was in Washington, DC than it was even in 2006. READ MORE >>

The tournament came alive today. Three games and each of them excellent. Chile are fast becoming everyone's second-favourite team and not just because Marcelo Bielsa is superbly bonkers. They play with verve and ambition and good luck to them. READ MORE >>

Sometimes it's tough to know who's dumber: Glenn Beck or Terry Eagleton. My money, for what it's worth, is on the latter. Via Norm Geras comes news of perhaps the dumbest thing written about the World Cup this year. Step forward Professor Eagleton in - where else? - The Guardian: READ MORE >>

"Why," asks a friend, "is this World Cup so rubbish?" At least, he says, "Italia 90 had a good sound track going for it." And it's true: Pavarotti is better than the Vuvuzelas. READ MORE >>

Is there any leading side in the tournament so dependent upon an individual player as England? Après Rooney, le déluge as this jovial, if tendentious, comparison demonstrates: René Higuita: 68 appearances for Colombia and 8 goals. José Luis Chilavert: 74 appearances for Paraguay and 8 goals. Emile Heskey: 58 appearances for England and 7 goals. READ MORE >>

In 2006, David Cameron said: “This coyness, this reserve, is, I always think, an intrinsic part of being British. We are understated. We don't do flags on the front lawn.” That was then, however, and now that he's Prime Minister and there's a World Cup on, Mr. Cameron has decreed that the Cross of St. George will fly above Downing Street. As a friend commented, it seems “We don’t do flags on the front lawn—unless the football’s on.” READ MORE >>