After a Wednesday still cheat of emotions with the Japanese sensation against Germany and the crushing Spanish victory over Costa Rica (7-0), this Thursday offers new promising appointments in this World Cup. Groups G and H have started, which means that Ronaldo’s Portugal and Neymar’s Brazil will finally be able to express themselves.
The program
- 11 a.m.: Switzerland – Cameroon (beIN Sports)
- 2 p.m.: Uruguay – South Korea (beIN Sports)
- 5 p.m.: Portugal v Ghana (beIN Sports)
- 8 p.m.: Brazil – Serbia (TF1, beIN Sports)
The poster: Switzerland – Cameroon
Faced with the Swiss who planned to “win all the matches”, as indicated by Jonas Omlin, the substitute goalkeeper, in a group G which also includes Serbia and… Brazil, the meeting against Cameroon was promising announcement. The fallers of the Blues during the last Euro (3-3 ap, 5 tab to 4) want to strike a blow.
Facing them, the training of coach Rigobert Song, who intends to “accompany” his players, “to know how to manage this kind of competition, and to ensure that the mistakes of the past are no longer repeated”. Cameroon, heroes of the 1990 edition, with a first quarter-final for an African selection, have since won only one World Cup match in five editions, in 2002: 1-0 against Saudi Arabia , with a goal… from Eto’o. The current president of Fécafoot has also put on cleats and participated in the training of the Indomitable Lions on the eve of their entry into the competition. A sign ?
Player to watch: Cristiano Ronaldo
Freshly released from his contract with Manchester United, the Portuguese will obviously be scrutinized very closely for his first steps in his… 5th World Cup! Against Ghana, he will have the opportunity to bring his game hunger.
For his coach Fernando Santos, his divorce from the English club should not impact his team: “The subject was not discussed during training or when we are together. If they talk about it when they are alone in the rooms, I don’t know. The important thing is that the players are absolutely focused on their goals. They are realistic about the challenge that awaits them, starting from the first game against Ghana”.
The phrase: “We are here to play football and not to educate anyone”
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka said the Nati should not imitate the gesture of the Germans, who covered their mouths before their match against Japan (1-2) to protest against the ban on wearing the inclusive armband ” One Love “. “I don’t think we have to do anything as a Swiss team,” he said on the eve of Thursday’s game against Cameroon. We have to respect the rules and focus on football, that’s all I plan to do. This was decided by Germany, it is a gesture of their own”. Switzerland is one of the seven countries that initially intended to wear this colorful “One Love” armband, which has become a symbol of the fight against homophobia while Qatar criminalizes homosexual relations. Instead, the mid-30 will wear the armband provided by Fifa with an anti-racism message.
The number: 77
With 75 goals scored in selection, Neymar can, from his meeting against Serbia, join the 77 record achievements of Pelé, as Olivier Giroud did with the 51 goals of Thierry Henry. However, there will remain a difference with the figure taken into account by the Brazilian Federation (CBF) which counts 95 goals for Pelé, taking into account matches which are not considered official by FIFA. Neymar can count on the support of his PSG partner Marquinhos while Thiago Silva will be the captain of the Seleçao.
