A few days ago, most football fans had never heard of
Vozinha, Yan Diomande or some of the Cape Verde players.
Now they are some of the biggest stories of the tournament.
The goals have been fun,
but the stories behind the matches have been even better.
The group stage is starting to take shape.
Mexico, the USA and Germany have already booked their place in the Round of 32. Since then, France and Argentina have joined them.
Norway also took a big step towards qualification after beating Senegal 3-2 in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament so far.
Germany have looked very strong. Two matches, two wins and nine goals scored.
Japan have become one of the stories of the tournament. After drawing with the Netherlands, they followed it with a 4-0 win against Tunisia.
Cape Verde are still making people smile. First they drew with Spain. Then they drew with Uruguay. Not many people expected that before the tournament started.
On the other side, Qatar have had a difficult week. The 6-0 defeat against Canada was one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far and they now need a lot of things to go their way.
Monday also gave us one of the strangest nights of the tournament.
France were leading Iraq 1-0 when bad weather stopped the match in Philadelphia. Players, coaches and more than 68,000 fans had to wait for over two hours before the game could continue.
When football finally returned, France wasted no time. Kylian Mbappé scored twice on his 100th appearance for his country and France booked their place in the Round of 32 with a 3-0 win.
Belgium are another team that has not looked great. They are still alive, but they have not played like a team many people expected to see in the later rounds.
The interesting thing about this World Cup is that very few teams are completely finished. With eight third-placed teams also qualifying, many countries still have a chance.
Cape Verde continue to win hearts around the world.
Nobody expected them to take points from Spain and Uruguay, but they did. They have shown that hard work and belief can still surprise bigger football nations.
Japan have also been excellent. At this point, they do not look like outsiders anymore.
Germany have quietly gone about their business and look like one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
Norway deserve a mention too.
They have quietly collected six points from six and are looking stronger with every match. The 3-2 win over Senegal showed they can score goals, but also keep calm when a match becomes chaotic.
One of the saddest moments of the World Cup came when Canada’s Ismaël Koné suffered a serious leg injury.
Football fans never like seeing injuries like that, especially at a World Cup.
There was also a lot of talk about Morocco’s win over Scotland. A heavy tackle during the match left many people wondering if Morocco should have received a red card.
Not every talking point has been about football.
The injury to Ismaël Koné shocked a lot of people. It was one of those moments where fans from both teams stopped caring about the result and just hoped the player would be ok.
Morocco’s win over Scotland also brought plenty of debate. Many people felt one challenge deserved a red card.
There was also some criticism of Uruguay’s sportsmanship during the match against Cape Verde.
The World Cup always gives us great moments, but it also gives us moments that fans argue about for days afterwards.
One of the most emotional stories of the tournament belongs to Yan Diomande.
His sister Roxane was the person who believed in his football dream more than anyone else.
She sadly passed away at a young age, but Diomande says he still thinks about her every time he steps onto the pitch.
When people watch football, they see goals and celebrations. What they do not always see are the personal stories players carry with them.
Vozinha has become one of the faces of this World Cup.
The 40-year-old goalkeeper was outstanding against Spain and Uruguay.
For many fans, Cape Verde have become their second team.
If they can reach the Round of 32, it would be one of the best stories of the tournament.
Germany
They keep winning and scoring goals.
Japan
No longer a surprise.
Cape Verde
One of the best stories of the tournament.
Norway
Six points from six and getting better with every game.
Belgium
Still alive, but not convincing.
Qatar
A very disappointing week.
Croatia
Now under pressure.
Saudi Arabia
Still looking for their first win.
Japan are getting more respect after the draw against the Netherlands and the win over Tunisia.
Cape Verde are another team people are talking about. Before the tournament, many fans expected them to struggle. Instead, they have taken points from Spain and Uruguay.
Germany have also moved up the list of favourites after scoring nine goals in their first two matches.
A week ago, most of the talk in this group was about France.
Now people are also talking about Norway.
Two wins from two matches have changed the picture and bookmakers are starting to respect them a lot more than they did before the tournament.
Belgium are difficult to read right now.
The squad still looks strong on paper, but the performances have not matched the reputation.
Qatar are another example. After the draw with Switzerland, many people thought they could fight for qualification. The 6-0 loss to Canada changed that very quickly.
A good example is Netherlands vs Japan.
Before the tournament, many people would have looked at that match and expected the Netherlands to win comfortably.
Instead, Japan earned a draw and then followed it with a 4-0 win against Tunisia.
That is one reason many bettors avoid relying only on reputation during a long tournament.
If the group stage ended today, these are the teams we expect to be there.
There is still plenty of football left, but these are the teams that look strongest right now.
Germany have been one of the best. Two wins and nine goals is hard to ignore.
Yes. They are still unbeaten and have given themselves a real chance.
Yes. They can still qualify, but they need a strong final match.
Absolutely. The draw against the Netherlands and the win over Tunisia showed they can compete with strong teams.
Yes. Teams needing points often create very different matches compared to teams that are already comfortable in their group.
Qatar are near the top of that list. Many people expected more after their opening draw, but the loss to Canada left them with a mountain to climb.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 has already given fans great goals, big surprises and some emotional stories.
The group stage is far from finished and there are still plenty of twists to come.
Follow the World Cup with Brokerstorm and enjoy access to multiple sportsbooks and betting exchanges from a single account as the road to the Round of 32 continues.
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