The 2026 World Cup - Day 24

I went to the Colombia game last night. It was hilarious to see James telling his team mate who was taken off with an apparent hernia to get up and carry on playing. Not like James has ever been known to sit down and bail out for no reason during just about every game he’s ever played.

Morocco’s number 8 Ounahi was outstanding at the Quatar WC, he was available and I hoped we could have tried for him, he went to Marseille and hasn’t really kicked on, on loan to Turkey and now at Girona in Spain’s second division, still only 26,
Let’s see how he performs tonight.

🇨🇦 boys are more than holding their own here, maybe todays Cabo Verde but win or lose I'm proud of them 🇨🇦

Neil, are you Canadian? How did you become an Evertonian?
Genuine questions.

Just about to say what the ball game is was, but finally Morocco produced something decent

Good shout there at #2😅

Born into a family of rs in West Derby Jeff, their entitlement bothered me even as a kid in the 70s, then there was Latchford. Moved to Canada in 1979

You didn't like Gordon Lee Neil?

MK you disappeared completely a couple of days ago when England scored having been so vocal. Was it teatime?

There’s no shame in not kicking on at Marseille, Jeff, and with Everton, continuing to be linked with more wide players, then I just wonder if the club have already decided to let Iliman N’Diaye, leave?

Just started watching and realise that the horrible Geordie bastard, Michael Oliver, is refereeing the game. I feel like turning it off but something tells me there is still time for some controversy.

Ridiculous booking of Larin by Oliver there, 50/50 ball and hardly touched the keeper.
Oliver has booked 8 so far in a not particularly bad tempered match, he takes his knobhead refereeing from the EPL to the World Cup Finals, what a dickhead he is.
Tony, I want Ndiaye to stay , his game went down a notch or two after Afcon but he’s class

Has the Moroccan keeper found what he’s looking for yet?
Soz
I’ll get me coat
Good shout there #2… again

Great goal. Oh no, Jesse March is getting knocked out.

That's Canada goosed

No loss to the tournament. Canada have been dull as ditch water

John Oliver's less amusing brother is a right dickhead, can't stand him. But he's not why we lost, Morocco are far superior. A big step forward for Canada this year though. Unlike Germany, Netherlands, and Scotland among others.

Happy Independence Day all y'all, off to a huge party to celebrate the 40th anniversary of my first Dead show, Bob Dylan with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (alone & together) plus 2 sets of the Grateful Dead at Rich Stadium 4th of July 1986. Lysergic acid and too much drinking beckon...good times.

Yes Jeff, I definitely want him to stay. I try and stay away from all the rumours doing the rounds on the internet, but have just seen us getting linked with a winger from Japan, plus I’ve also got a feeling that we haven’t seen the last of Jack Grealish.

I’m staying away from those websites and just hope that whoever that we sign, then proper due-diligence has been done. There are loads and loads of very good footballers, all over the world now, but the EPL. is a totally different league because it’s so physically demanding.

Physically demanding = you’re not going to be able to compete to the best of your ability every single game, and this is why I have become so repetitively boring, because it is not something that I’ve ever associated with our current manager.

Neil, enjoy mate.

Tony, very good point, sometimes great footballers become victims of their own success, Ndiaye has been brilliant for 2 seasons for us but the physical demands of the EPL are massive, that’s why Moyes should have managed him and a few others towards the end of last season, He had options and players to bring in on occasions, but chose to basically flog his favourite 11 to the end, Ndiaye has now played at an energy sapping World Cup and will not be fresh in August, but Moyes will play him regardless of form or fitness.

Great memories Neil, it has got me thinking about how boring I have become in my old age mate!

I came across a great programme last Sunday, all about the anti-apartheid movement back in the eighties, featuring the 70th birthday celebrations for Nelson Mandela, at Wembley. I’d forgotten all about it but what a day that was.

No acid, just alcohol for me, but I had never in my life seen as much cannabis consumed, by the little group of lads I had gone with. Free Nelson Mandela - what a tune that was,

Did you ever sit in the weed stand at Ajax Tony?

Never John, but I have stood at the back of the main stand, inside Goodison, enough times though mate!

Me too Tony.
I can see the usual lads now, no names but a regular crew up there.
All good Blues mate.

I still smile when I see the footage of a few of them running on the pitch at Anfield, John, after Sharp, scored that fantastic goal💙

Canada where always going to be up against it with a team like Morocco the African champions.

There limitations were exposed against Switzerland and again today.

They started brightly and needed that all important first goal but although they have quick men down the flanks they have very little in the middle and never won any headers from crosses into the box.

Eventually Canada's poor passing in the final third allowed Morocco to compose and take control although referee Oliver was far too lenient with some strong arm tactics by them and the first goal scorer should have been red carded long before he scored.

Don't know why Larin wasn't a starter. However it's been a good World cup by many underdog teams showing that overall the national teams across the globe have become much more competitive.

To be honest there was always going to be a lot of dross in the last 32 &16, for me,Algeria, Canada, Australia,Austria, Switzerland,Belgium,Paraguay etc etc etc most likely England too, it’s been watchable definitely but the whole tournament is about 6 teams really, not 48, but it’s been great watching Curacao, Cape Verdi and a couple of others, but this is what the WC is going to be about in future, a massive overbloat of nothingness with a couple of “stories “ until the last 8.

Just watching France and Digne and thought about the possible line up of our current and former players who have played in this tournament.

Not a bad side

Manager Ancelloti
Assistants :Koeman and Martinez

GK Pickford
LB Digne
CB Mina
CB Stones
RB Patterson
CM Onana
CM Gueye
LW Gordon
AM James
RW Ndiaye
CF Lukakuu
Subs
Stanek
Robinson
Vlasic

It's this ref's first game in this WC and he's in danger of losing control

To y 😁
Those were the days mate

Paraguay playing the game here, breaking it down, rolling over, wasting time, knowing it’s not getting added on, if any team does their homework in this tournament its waste time, cos it’s not getting added on,
because of those daft hydration breaks, American TV are not allowing 7 minutes added on at HT or 9 minutes added on at FT, Paraguay are playing the dark arts and know the time is not being added.

American TV are not allowing 7 minutes added on at HT or 9 minutes added on at FT,

What do you mean here Jeff mate?

I think Neal Maupay is playing for Paraguay, disguised with a beaver rug. Prove me wrong.

American TV are dictating how much injury time and added time are allowed, they want advert breaks as much as possible, the true amount of added time is not happening, quite obviously.

Stephen 32, I thought exactly the same, he had his uses, I remember a win against Arsenal when Tarowski scored the winner, Maupay was brilliant when he came on.

Look out Stephen he has announced that he wants to come back to the PL after failing at Sevilla.

Apparently, I "can play out wide or as a number 10, but my favoured position is striker. I like to play down the middle and use my pace to get in behind defences" and "I'm used to looking after the ball and holding off defenders".

That's a deffo pen surely

Don’t call me Shirley

Almorin is a horrible twat

I like miggy he runs all day

Paraguay will have to play football now.

Happy 4th everyone; happy 250 everyone

Paraguay are great at stopping the opposition but unlike Cape Verde last night, offer nothing going forward.

Really anti-football, and whilst its great seeing an upset, the tournament would be poorer if France didnt get through. Morocco/France would be a real contest.

Nah Paraguay have overstepped the mark now, come on France = football

I’ve really enjoyed how the refs are grown ups at this WC 🤣 but one was clearly off, and he is English,

Officiating in this game has been abysmal

His first game of the tourney Liam. He's green.

Oh it’s this refs first game.. ever
Hes shite
Some of these Paraguay players need a good elbow in the teeth

Liam @45, completely agree. The difference shows how much most refs have been. Seen but not heard 🤣

Unbelievably, Paraguay have not had a yellow. Can see it kicking off after the final whistle

I don't think that Paraguay just lost a game but it definitely showed the weakness of refereeing in this competition, they should have not just lost the game but thrown out of the competition for the next World Cup.
This was a disgrace for the game but not really unexpected as this is not the first game they have played in this manner.

Hi Neal #7
Where in Canada are you, i moved here in 1976 and presently living in New Brunswick, lived in Norris Green before leaving in 1976.

Bill/Neal,

I’m in Toronto. Where are you in NB, Bill?

I am in Sussex NB Stephen its half way between St John and Moncton on highway 1.

Canada where always going to be up against it with a team like Morocco the African champions.

There limitations were exposed against Switzerland and again today.

They started brightly and needed that all important first goal but although they have quick men down the flanks they have very little in the middle and never won any headers from crosses into the box.

Eventually Canada's poor passing in the final third allowed Morocco to compose and take control although referee Oliver was far too lenient with some strong arm tactics by them and the first goal scorer should have been red carded long before he scored.

Don't know why Larin wasn't a starter. However it's been a good World cup by many underdog teams showing that overall the national teams across the globe have become much more competitive.

John (23) Most of the stewards up there in that stand were Blue fanatics as well!

I knew a couple of them Dave.
Good lads,good Blues mate.
It was the jibbers speck.

Tom, I think Illy and Gana will disagree with you describing them as African Champions.

And they would be wrong Phil - 57 - unless, of course, you want to endorse cheating assholes.

I hate this modern world John. You go the match, use an electronic device to enter the stadium, if you want to purchase anything from the shop, you have to use another electronic device and then when you’re celebrating a goal, you then have to wait to see if it is going to be given, after the VAR ref, has checked over everything on another electronic device.

There’s no character. People get angry and annoyed at stuff that used to just be called banter. Arsenal fans singing feed the scousers, was met with dismay, but when we were all skint and had to live on our wits, we just used to give it straight back to them.

Each to their own, my own view is that people have gone way to soft and sensitive. If it’s personal take it on the chin or go and do something about it, but if it’s banter……. Hang on a minute Tony, there’s no such thing as banter anymore lad… Banter is insensitive and upsetting.

Paul@58, we have had this discussion before and it’s a bit like the chicken and the egg debate for me mate. Who came first the cheating officials or the team that broke the rules and the laws around sportsmanship and fair play?

100% Tony.
Give it,take it mate.
I was at Forest many years ago in one of the stands to the side,with a few characters.
Forest fans started with the sign on,sign on song.
A few of the Forest fans around us joined in.
One of the lads took a few £20 notes out of his pocket and started ripping them into small pieces.
You had to see the kippers on the Forest fans.
Moodies of course.

We were up very early in those days John, everyone used to say they hated us but, wherever I used to go in those days, nearly everyone I used to meet had a begrudging amount of respect for those cheeky Scouse bastards!

I remember talking to an Irishman, in a pub in Harrow, after we had lost the Hillsborough final. He was talking about everyone being on the pitch at the end and I asked him “did it look bad?”

No son, it was absolutely brilliant he told me. Wherever you go in this country, you see football supporters trying to punch fuck, out of each other, but not you scousers. It was incredible watching both sets of fans on the pitch next to each other, don’t ever lose something that looked so special.

Like most things from our tough but beautiful past - we fucking lost it

Again Tony,spot on.
I used to get my away tickets off a lad you will know well,no longer with us sadly.JM.

The home fans,when you got chatting,alway preferred Everton fans to liverpool fans mate.

That final was indicative of the spirit of scousers.
I still shiver when I think of both sets of fans singing Merseyside

I’m not picking those initials up John, but whenever I see those initials, I always think of Jim Morrison, singing….Riders on the storm - into this house we’re born! Very apt.

Just thinking of names and memories - - do you all remember "Evertonski" from Gwladys Street - - shirt open to the waist no matter what the weather - - great ginger red hairy chest -- shouting non-stop "come on Evertonski" - - wonderful and Bluetiful :

"While riding on a train goin’ west
I fell asleep for to take my rest
I dreamed a dream that made me sad
Concerning myself and the first few friends I had

With half-damp eyes I stared to the room
Where my friends and I spent many an afternoon
Where we together weathered many a storm
Laughin’ and singin’ till the early hours of the morn

By the old wooden stove where our hats was hung
Our words were told, our songs were sung
Where we longed for nothin’ and were quite satisfied
Talkin’ and a-jokin’ about the world outside

With haunted hearts through the heat and cold
We never thought we could ever get old
We thought we could sit forever in fun
But our chances really was a million to one

As easy it was to tell black from white
It was all that easy to tell wrong from right
And our choices were few and the thought never hit
That the one road we traveled would ever shatter and split

How many a year has passed and gone
And many a gamble has been lost and won
And many a road taken by many a friend
And each one I’ve never seen again

I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
That we could sit simply in that room again
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat
I’d give it all gladly if our lives could be like that"

The song “ Young and Foolish” always takes me back to very happy times and brilliant genuine friends who have passed on—- Roses die but thorns live on!

He travelled on the EFC1 minibus Tony.
Irish lad turned scouse.
One of his that I laugh at every time u think of it. When Cadamarteri was coming through he told me to watch out for him. Danny had the big afro as a kid.
"You cant miss him lad, he's got a head like an October cabbage 😁

I remember him George, a character.
Think he was from Scotty?

Good to see you posting mate.
All the best

I see England are still favourite with the UK bookies.
It's 4/5 England from 4/7 and Mexico 11/10 from 2/1 approx. they are odds for who wins outright not 90 mins.

Under normal conditions on a neutral pitch I could fancy us but as it is, Mexico have to be favs for me.
Really I don't think it should have been allowed to be played at 7,000 ft.

It really is all phoney this world cup business. According to Martin Samuels in this mornings Times, only 25% of players were born in the country they represent, and there are 100 players playing that were born in France. What’s more, two England players - Rice and Anderson - have previously represented other countries.

Dave 65.

We're all getting older mate
Gutted in the week to hear of two great Blues suffering dementia, both in care homes.
Tommy Griff and Brian Hartley.
Two men I looked up to as a young Blue.

Tony (63) Tony you were a lot younger than JM but he was well known in town, in fact Joe was well known all over the place, he had a big funeral in St. Anthony’s last year with big flags tied to the railings of the church which was packed out and Joe was 92 so a lot of his contemporary’s had long gone.

I got a lift into town after the funeral from one of your taxi driver mates.

Joe was photographed with a young Irish kid the morning the kid signed for Everton at Bellefield and it was in the next weeks programme, the lad had the same surname as Joe but sadly never made the grade in England— Martin Murray.

John (69) I know about Tommy, but not Brian, both great Blues like all Tommies lads and Brian’s brother Alan, I was with Brian and Alan and Alan’s son also named Alan at the semi final at Bolton v United when a bit of a rumpus kicked off in the wine lodge there with a few United fans who started the trouble— it didn’t last long - the United fans were sorry they started it.

That sounds like the Alan and Brian I know Dave 😁
Never a backward step

George, that takes me back. I remember that guy. Massive blue, massive bampot !
Depending on how many brown mixed he"d had it was often Ever..f ing tonski

Yes it lovely to see George posting, John. I spoke to George, accidentally not so long ago and it was great to hear that he his doing very well after everything he has been through.

I remember Joe now, and along with Tommy, The Hartley's, and George Mc, they have all possessed that absolutely incredible, indomitable Evertonian spirit.

My opinion is that if David Moyes, knew the real Everton, the Everton, we have all been lucky enough to know, from a bye-gone age, then he would be like those two fella's, you have just mentioned John, and whilst he was managing Everton, he would never take another backward step ever again, especially in places like Anfield.

Young and foolish, Dave, I've just spoken to Cameron, and he his already on his third pint of the morning, getting ready to go to the game in Mexico City, later tonight. It'll be alright he said, it'll be alright if you've got your fucking wits about you, stay off the ale until later, listen to your father, just once!

Tony (74) Good advice that Toe— “ Stay off the ale “ I’m glad you use it most of the time-lol!

Text Cameron Tony and ask him to get me a programme at the game, it will do as a present for my next birthday!

Cameron will be ok Tony.
Hes got the built in scouse radar. 😁

Takes me back to the days of doing same as a younger man.
My favourite was France 98.
Great tournament.

Hope he has a ball mate.

You can add the Abraham's to that list mate.
Well known Blues in the city.
Gouldy speaks highly of you

George. Good to see you post.

Your'e talking about Ginger Parker. He lived for two things. Everton and ale. He lived in Orry street - Behind Cooksons jeweler's and Coynes funeral parlour.

A Kopites worst nightmare. I've seen many a kopite do a quick race across all six lanes of Scottie (clearing the island in the middle) to avoid him.

"Whose the greatest of them all ? Little curly Alan Ball"

I’ve just texted him now Dave, and he has said he will try🙈 I can picture him now frowning, thinking to himself, what the fuck does he want a programme for? he fucking hates England😭

If my memory is correct from previous tournaments I’ve attended, I don’t think they do individual programmes, but rather one overall tournament programme, so hopefully he has already got one because I can’t see him carrying one round with him tonight.

I went to France 98, with a great firm of lunatics/lads from Scottie, John, and can hand on heart say it was definitely one of the funniest trips I’ve ever been on. Sixteen of us getting into a game with two tickets, passing it back along the line, was hilarious, and although everyone likes to give The French loads, I thought there stewards were brilliant!

My favourite was Germany though, and when those heavily armed German Police started coming after a few little jibbers from Liverpool, I’m sure it helped set up little six year Cameron, for the trials and tribulations of life!

Funny days taking me back to an old song from a group called Barclay James Harvest, and the beautiful lyrics, life is for living - and living is free!! No such luck these days!!!

I’ve seen you mention him before Darren, and had a feeling it might have been him. I still smile at the time you asked him how he got to an away game, hilarious!