If only football was just like this

By Yiannis Damellos

July 18, 2026

Tonight was one of those nights that reminds you why football is hands-down the best sport in the universe. Strip away the trophies and the intense pressure, and let the athletes play purely for the love of the game, for themselves, and for the billions watching worldwide. What remains is a breathtaking display of pure sporting excellence. Honestly, if aliens were watching tonight’s third-place playoff, they’d be cheering right along with us and declaring football the king of the cosmos.

Just look at what went down on that pitch—the sheer talent was mind-blowing. By the time the final whistle blew, we had witnessed the highest-scoring game since 1982. Kylian Mbappé became the highest World Cup scorer of all time, Bukayo Saka bagged a World Cup hat-trick, Jude Bellingham became the first Englishman to score seven World Cup goals, and Michael Olise tied Pelé’s iconic World Cup assist record. Not a bad night's work.

But football isn't just about throwing talented players on a pitch and letting them run wild. Even Jürgen Klopp knows that. Remember when he defended Tuchel after losing to Argentina? Klopp’s big "what if" came to life tonight. A bruised French team took full advantage of a British side that completely forgot how to defend. The Brits kept pushing forward, ran out of gas, and got absolutely punished on the counter. 

Honestly, France would’ve completed an epic comeback if they hadn’t been so relaxed and overconfident, wasting a ton of chances in the second half. In the end, the fresh legs of Jude Bellingham delivered the knockout blow. Game over.

Ultimately, Gegenpressing is beautiful, but trying to win the ball back the second you lose it—instead of dropping back into a defensive shape—is a massive gamble. Sometimes it pays back, others it costs you. You have to stay locked in on both sides of the ball. That’s why romantics like me have loved watching Liverpool press, steal, and counter for the last decade, even while Pep was taking home all the trophies.

Tomorrow will be a whole different story. Messi will definitely try to steal the show, but Spain isn't going to give him an inch of breathing room. He’s going to need way more than just individual magic to beat them. To break down Spain’s football machine, it’s going to take a massive, legendary team effort.