Henry Winter’s World Cup Diary, Day 20
Click here to read World Soccer’s guide to the 2026 World Cup
Kansas City
I watched Portugal’s narrow, dramatic, controversial defeat of Croatia in a bar with Colombia fans gathered en masse for tonight’s game with Ghana here. They celebrated Portugal’s win but there were respectful nods and words of appreciation towards Luka Modric. It is easy to see why he is so admired: the technique that contributed to six of Real Madrid’s Champions League titles and his own Ballon d’Or in 2018; the reading of the game, the intelligence of movement and precision of delivery; the leadership, inspiring team-mates with word and deed; and his longevity, at 40, playing in his 51st game of the season.
Modric is respected everywhere, and revered amongst his 3.8m compatriots, for his unyielding commitment. Croatia’s captain ended the match soaked in sweat, having once again given everything for his country. His face looks almost gaunt. He’s pared down to a skinny frame, exuding sacrifice for the team. Every dressing-room needs a Modric to set standards.
This was his fifth World Cup and it is hard to see him involved at 44, so let’s hope FIFA accord him some honour for his contribution to the tournament in five editions. Players like Modric help make the World Cup even more special. He showed how much the competition meant to him. In his 202nd international, Modric was still an influence against Portugal, contributing 66 touches and a couple of decent crosses. If it is farewell, what memories Modric leaves. With that mind and ambition, Modric will surely go into coaching at some point. Maybe the World Cup has not heard the last of Luka Modric.
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Thomas Tuchel spoke of the “obstacles” involved with playing in Mexico City. The main obstacle is the altitude, and what the thin air does to the uninitiated and also to the keeper facing an additionally flighty ball. Another equally disruptive element is the guaranteed racket outside England’s hotel. We always have this debate in World Cups about fans of the host side sabotaging opponents’ preparations to play the hosts. Ecuador complained about the noise made outside their hotel in Mexico City by locals. England have now taken precautions by keeping their hotel location a secret (good luck with that for long). A far simply way would be for FIFA to allow England to share lodgings with Mexico, so any late-night jinks and noise affects both sides. FIFA protocol probably forbids but it would solve a problem.
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Somebody got at Johan Manzambi’s Wikipedia page yesterday and inserted Newcastle United for current team. In the know? Wishful thinking? News to Freiburg? Manzambi’s box-to-box dynamism was celebrated last season in Freiburg’s run to the Europa League final. Now, the 20-year-old is lighting up Switzerland’s run to the round of 16 with three goals and two assists, including creating their first goal against Algeria with a breath-taking 50-yard run. More clubs than Newcastle will be chasing Manzambi.
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One of the joys of this World Cup is how keen the locals are to understand more about this huge “soccer” caravan that has rolled into town. If I’m wearing my tournament accreditation, which becomes like a second skin for a month, Americans often enquire about the “soccer” and how it’s going in their backyard. They are proud of USMNT mainly because they are winning. It will be interesting to see the engagement levels when they go out. But conversations with locals are increasingly nuanced and informed, far more than when I covered the tournament here in ’94. Waiting for a flight at Atlanta airport after Wednesday’s England-DR Congo game, I fell into conversation with an American who proudly declared that his country’s use of the word “soccer” showed how established the sport was here. He nodded at the “World Soccer” title and keenly explained that “soccer” was, of course, an historic abbreviation of the word “association” in “association football”. It’s part of the heritage of the game, the man from Atlanta enthused.
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Click here to read World Soccer’s guide to the 2026 World Cup
