From drums to ducks: What ma De this the maddest World Cup

This was the tournament that had it all, so long as you were wanting living statues, Viking rowers and Mexican wildfowl

21 Jul 2026 - THE DAILY TELEGRAPH / Sport

By Thom Gibbs SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

Balogun’s presidential pardon

We had surprisingly heard little from the United States president until Folarin Balogun, the US striker, was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trump admitted to lobbying Gianni Infantino to have Balogun’s suspension effectively overturned, meaning he was available for the round-of-16 match against Belgium. The US lost and Belgium’s players celebrated with Trump’s signature YMCA dance as their social media account invited Fifa to “overturn this”.

Danny Murphy’s dead-cat bounce

A quiet moment during Norway v Ivory Coast gave Danny Murphy, the BBC co-commentator, time to reflect on a memory prompted by Norway’s Oscar Bobb. “I used to have a cat called Bob,” Murphy said.

“The game’s not that bad,” commentator Steve Bower countered.

“Yeah,” Murphy replied. “He jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van and we lost him. Sad, really.”

The Bob chronicles continued with chapter two in Spain’s victory over Australia, when Murphy revealed his pet had been returned six or seven weeks later but by then had gone feral and could not be reintegrated, which sounds very Gazza before France ’98.

Little Lamine steals the show

Lamine Yamal is routinely impressive in Spain’s attack and his run to the final gave the world a chance to engage again with the remarkable picture of him being bathed in his youth by Lionel Messi.

But he has been upstaged by his three-year-old brother, Keyne, who was pictured on the big screen blowing kisses at Lamine after a win over Austria, and then starred in Spain’s celebrations after they beat Argentina, even getting to hug the World Cup trophy.

Henderson’s gymnastics go awry

Many England fans got a bit carried away after the round-of-16 victory over Mexico, but those watching from home at least had the excuse that the match was taking place in the middle of the night and beverages had been consumed.

No such excuse for Jordan Henderson, who was only under the influence of rehydration powders at the Azteca when vaulting the advertising hoardings after singing Wonderwall with England’s fans. He misjudged the manoeuvre and broke his left arm.

Bagpipes in Boston

A welcome return to the world stage for Scotland, who as usual disappointed on the pitch but won hearts and minds everywhere they went. Boston was especially taken with the antics of the Tartan Army, who paraded down streets with bagpipes, drums, line dancing. Yes, some traffic cones might have been placed in spots not intended for them, but it was a small price to pay, given the boost to the city’s hospitality industry.

Clarke’s miffed interviews

Not everyone connected with Scotland was full of such bonhomie, Steve Clarke did not enjoy the requirement for on-pitch postmatch interviews. After a 3-0 defeat by Brazil he managed only 22 seconds before walking off, waving a dismissive hand when asked if he thought Scotland had done enough to reach the knockout rounds. Previously, after losing to Morocco, he harrumphed: “I don’t know why they do these interviews.”

Bielsa strikes when asked to strike a pose

Another manager not partial to a post-match Q&A was Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa, who prepared for one interview with some cathartic shouting and refused to play nice for the cameras in a pre-tournament photoshoot by staring resolutely at the floor. It made for quite the contrast with the whizzy graphics broadcasters stuck behind player and manager portraits in their pre-game packages.

Qatar’s fans for hire

The crowd shots from Qatar games suggested hosting the World Cup had created a genuine new generation of football fans. How else to explain such ardent support for such a terrible team? Well, perhaps there was another explanation. About 1,000 Qatar supporters in North America had travel, ticket and accommodation costs all taken care of. Nice work if you can get it, although it did involve watching more of Qatar than anyone would choose.

Voodoo priest curses Kane

Forget metatarsals and distracting wags, the real danger for the modern England player comes from the spiritual realm. Before the group-stage game against Ghana, Harry Kane was subject to a curse from Nana Kwaku Bonsam, a witch doctor, “the most powerful spiritualist in the whole world”, according to... Nana Kwaku Bonsam.

“I am not wishing him serious injury. It will be just enough to stop him against my country,” Bonsam said. It seemed to work. Kane and England were ineffective in a 0-0 draw. Kane was benevolently released from his curse after the game, with Bonsam saying: “Harry, I will come and visit you. Don’t be offended.

We are friends.” Not sure the England captain will be taking up that offer.

World spared aliens, but no let-off for Scotland

Not to be outdone by vague and unprovable talk of curses emanating from Ghana, Vó Bahiana, a Brazilian spiritualist, went specific with her prediction. Bahiana forecast an alien invasion during Brazil’s group-stage game against Scotland.

“I have to tell you that I dreamed again about aliens invading the soccer field in Miami,” she said in a tearful social media video. “I clearly saw the players being carried off by the first ship that arrived.

“I was inside that ship. When the ship rose, the mothership arrived, a much larger ship, and took in thousands of people from the soccer field. I saw so much screaming, so much crying, so many tears, suffering. I am very terrified because it is the second time I am dreaming about this. They are saying that on the 24th, something very bad is about to happen at this game, at this soccer field in Miami.”

Something very bad did happen: Scotland attempted to defend against Brazil and lost 3-0. No sign of anyone from outer space, though.

VAR: Best neither seen nor heard One of many exciting broadcasting

innovations this summer was the much-requested glimpse inside the glamorous world of the video assistant referees. In some of the tournament’s early games the VAR teams were permitted to turn to the cameras and pose, appearing friendly and approachable.

This frippery was quickly curtailed in favour of serious monitorwatching after Australian referee Shaun Evans made a hand gesture that some felt was an expression of white supremacy. Evans said it was “an involuntary, subconscious twitch”.

Hayes’ tactics kitchen

One step forward two steps back for gender equality, where the excellent, insightful Emma Hayes was unhelpfully placed in what looked like the kitchen of ITV Sport’s mega-studio overlooking the Hudson River.

She responded to the mickeytaking memes with a jacket bearing the feminist message, “She will change the world”.

Lamouchi’s quick exit

Never surprising for a coach to pay for a disappointing World Cup with their job, but quite unexpected to be sacked after just one game, as happened to Tunisia’s Sabri Lamouchi. Well, if you will lose 5-1 to Sweden and somehow manage to make Viktor Gyokeres look like Erling Haaland...

VB protects the brand

Sir David Beckham defended his wife, Victoria, after she was caught looking distinctly unmoved by Jude Bellingham’s equaliser against Norway. “She was celebrating inside, I promise,” Sir David insisted. “Her reactions were slightly slower than mine.”

Norway row, row, row their boat

Every tournament needs its choreographed celebration that starts off as welcome colour but by the fourth or fifth airing is a bit of a bore. Norway gave us this summer’s: the Viking row complete with a prop. Various players took their turns to bang the drum while the squad and fans participated in some gentle callisthenics. All quite harmless, although we also enjoyed the England fans’ chant after their side’s victory against Norway: “There’ll be no f------ rowing in New York.”

Mexico manager mind games

Javier Aguirre provided the light relief on a night of astonishing tension at the Azteca during England’s round-of-16 victory. After engaging in some cordial mid-game chat with Jude Bellingham, the 67-year-old caught the attention of Anthony Gordon before telling him “f--you” and immediately laughing uproariously. Gordon took it in good heart, saying: “I’d just run the full-back down the line so it was a bit of a compliment from him.”

The magic of Merlin

Forget the celebrity fans dutifully picked out by cameras in the hospitality sections, the best supporting talent at this World Cup was a duck named Merlín. He was a regular in the crowds walking (waddling) to and from Mexico matches in a miniature replica shirt. He had an audience with Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, but it was not enough to get him past the ticket gates; he was denied entry for Mexico’s match against the Czech Republic as Fifa bans all animals from entering stadiums. Which is, in the cold light of day, probably for the best.

Doctor Congo will see you now The world was treated to the sight of Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, the “living statue” DR Congo mega-fan, who spends entire matches imitating the bronze version of former president Patrice Lumumba in Kinshasa. He was at the game against Colombia and although unable to attend the roundof-32 match against England because of visa issues, the younger Enock Kabwende stepped into the role.

The vanishing fan

Top summer holidaying from Michael Hewitt, 65, who went missing for 10 days while en route to the United States. Hewitt lost his phone and decided to stay put in Barcelona, initially the venue for a short layover. His family became worried when he stopped contacting them. “He didn’t think to go to the embassy as he still had his passport and money so didn’t think they’d be interested,” his brother told The Sun. “Instead he just got on with enjoying Barcelona, watching the England matches in the bars.”