The 72nd and final game of the World Cup 2026 group stage was the perfect example of why there is quite simply nothing like the World Cup, why no game is ever over, and why the fate of entire nations can be decided by literal centimeters.
Algeria and Austria took the field in Kansas City knowing that a draw would be good enough to eliminate Iran and send both teams to the knockout rounds, but no one knew they would take the craziest route imaginable to end the game in a draw.
When Riyad Mahrez scored
his second goal of the night in added time to complete Algeria’s comeback and make it 3-2 with 45 seconds remaining, Austria were all of a sudden staring at a shocking and humiliating exit at the group stage. Iran’s dream was alive, and the group stage was already ending in spectacular fashion.
But Austria launched one final attack, and Michael Gregoritsch kept the ball in play by mere centimeters to assist Saša Kalajdžić, who headed home the equalizer in the 96th minute to send the crowd into a frenzy and save Austria’s World Cup.
The same centimeters that worked in Austria’s favor worked against Iran the night before when their own late goal was ruled out for offside, denying them a heroic victory and ultimately sealing their elimination thanks to one of the craziest group stage finishes in World Cup history.
There will never be anything like this tournament.
Look out, Jude Bellingham is back
Jude Bellingham had a very difficult season for Real Madrid filled with injuries and subpar performances, and came into the World Cup with real questions regarding his place in the England team and his relationship with manager Thomas Tuchel.
After three group stage matches, there is only one question left: who the hell is gonna stop him? Bellingham is undoubtedly England’s best player after the first two weeks of the World Cup, and his goal and assist on Saturday’s group finale against Panama in New York/New Jersey showed why he remains one of the best players on the planet.
This version of Bellingham is truly scary, and is good enough to carry an England side that is still trying to find itself around Jude and Harry Kane. Their path in the knockouts is comfortable enough to keep advancing without looking brilliant while the team evolves, and Bellingham looks ready to keep deciding games by himself.
James Rodríguez is still special
Colombia thoroughly outplayed Portugal to win Group K in Miami and deserved a victory based on the quality of their performance against a Portuguese team that had all of their best players on the pitch and also wanted to win, and Colombia showed they will be an incredibly tough opponent in the knockout rounds while also casting doubts over Portugal’s status as contenders after yet another disappointing showing from one of the deepest and most talented squads in the tournament.
But the story of the game was James Rodríguez: twelve years after his iconic run in Brazil in 2014 that earned him a move to Real Madrid and made him one of the biggest stars in the world, James played a magical game, controlling midfield and creating huge chances with his incredible vision and perfect passing.
James cannot quite move or score spectacular goals like he did a decade ago, but even at the end of his career he was still capable of dominating a World Cup match against a Portugal midfield trio of Vitinha, João Neves and Bruno Fernandes all by himself. Class truly is permanent, and James activated nostalgia mode in the best way.
The other game in the group also gave us a great story: DR Congo secured a spot in the knockout rounds for the first time in their history thanks to a sensational comeback win in Atlanta against Uzbekistan, their first-ever victory at the World Cup stage.
DR Congo have a squad filled with talented and experienced players who will not be an easy opponent for England in the Round of 32, but reaching the knockouts is in itself a gigantic achievement for a nation that had to wait five decades to return to the World Cup. This group will be remembered forever.
Luka Modric refuses to say goodbye
Croatia were never really in trouble in their Group L finale against Ghana in Philadelphia and secured second place thanks to a Nikola Vlasic header late in the second half to win the game, a goal assisted by a Luka Modric corner-kick as the 40-year-old is still not ready to retire.
Modric became the oldest player to record an assist at the World Cup, and while he was not quite as brilliant and showed his age at times during the group phase, no one doubts his ability to lead Croatia to another huge upset at the biggest stage as they get ready to face Portugal in the Round of 32.
They will not be favorites to advance, but if we’ve learned anything from Croatia in the last two World Cups, is that they refuse to lose. Just like their captain. One of the greatest midfielders of all-time is widely expected to call it a career at the end of the World Cup, but Luka Modric is absolutely not ready for it to end anytime soon.
Lionel Messi has a clear path
Argentina took it easy and played the reserves in their Group J finale against Jordan in Dallas, but they still cruised to a dominant 3-1 win and Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a gorgeous free-kick, his 19th career World Cup goal and his sixth in three games in this tournament.
The results across the last round of group play painted a pretty clear picture for the Albiceleste: this is as good a path as they could have hoped for in their title defense. Their Round of 32 opponents are the best story in the tournament, Cape Verde, but Argentina are undoubtedly favorites to advance.
If the reigning champs do their job in the first couple of knockout rounds, their first real test wouldn’t come until a possible meeting with Colombia in the quarter-final, and the only other nations to have won a World Cup on the same side of the bracket are possible semi-final opponents in Brazil and England.
A semi-final against either would certainly be very tough, and one of France, Spain, Germany and Portugal would in theory be waiting for them in the title game. Argentina’s run to back-to-back titles would not be a cakewalk, but the terrifying pre-tournament scenario of having to face Spain and Portugal in the knockouts before even getting to the semis is no longer a possibility.
The path is certainly clearer for Lionel Messi and Argentina to achieve immortality, and the crazy thing is they don’t feel any pressure to win a World Cup anymore. So why not go get another?
