INGLEWOOD, Calif. — There surely cannot have been another World Cup as obsessed with individuals as this summer’s tournament.
Every Portugal game is reduced to a debate about Cristiano Ronaldo’s mobility; Argentina’s players have deliberately made Lionel Messi the central focus while Brazil’s success on the pitch feels like a sideshow to season 27 of the Neymar Jr soap opera. Canada’s campaign thus far has been dominated by a player who hadn’t even played for the country in 15 months.
