OK that is it from me. Rob Smyth has got our live coverage up and running for tonight’s World Cup semi-final: Morocco v France for the right to play Argentina for the biggest prize in world football on Sunday afternoon. Go and join him here …
I’m a little bit demob happy, as this is actually my last stint on the World Cup news blog. Tomorrow I’ve got Harry & Meghan duties to resume and then I am holiday until Christmas Eve.
Everything about the hosting arrangements of this tournament has been deeply unpleasant form the way the tournament was awarded, to the people killed in the construction of the venues, to the oppression of LGBTQ+ rights and the way security staff were confiscating clothes and items off fans entering the stadium. Let’s not put that completely to one side.
However, I always think with these kind of sporting occasions, it wasn’t Hakim Ziyech who awarded the event to Qatar, it wasn’t Olivier Giroud who was overseeing the construction, it isn’t down to the players the situation Fifa has put them in. And the football has been extremely enjoyable.
I absolutely loved the Japan comebacks and their heroic welcome back home, I thought England did brilliantly and were great to watch even in defeat, I loved the aggressive atmosphere and the tenseness of the battle between Argentina and the Netherlands, the Morocco story has been amazing, the drama of Brazil in a penalty shootout and the stubbornness of that Croatia side, the shocks of wins for Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tunisia and Cameroon against much-fancied opponents, it has been a really great competition. And I think any of the three teams who can win it from here would be worthy winners. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
