“The World Cup starts now,” Lamine Yamal declared after Spain advanced to the round of 16 with a straightforward stroll against Austria.
That’s all very well and good for the ever-improving teenager, but think about what this tournament would have missed without everything that went before this point. There would be no Eloy Room dancing with Dutch royalty, no snakes or mascot-fueled drug busts. The world would never have been treated to the Scottish takeover of Boston.
