The third day of World Cup action kicked off with the same feverish energy as the first two.
On the schedule were matches from Group C and Group D—though everyone's attention naturally gravitated toward Group D, the tournament's "Group of Death."
England, Italy, Uruguay, and Costa Rica.
Four teams, one brutal group.
The first fixture: Uruguay vs. Costa Rica.
On paper, Uruguay—with Cavani, Forlán, Suárez, and a strong supporting cast—should've been miles ahead. Even with Suarez sidelined by injury, the South Americans still held a sizeable advantage.
But the World Cup has never lacked surprises.
And this one hit like a thunderbolt.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreline stunned the world: Uruguay 1–3 Costa Rica.
No pundit, bookmaker, or fan had this result circled.
Costa Rica toppled Uruguay—nicknamed Los Ticos—setting off the second major upset in as many days. And the chaos only grew from there. If people were climbing rooftops after Spain's defeat thought they would be coming down, but tonight they were practically living up there.
Compared to the Netherlands dismantling Spain, although smaller, an upset was still an upset.
Costa Rica rewrote the script.
After Cavani opened with a penalty, Costa Rica hit back with three unanswered goals, flipping the match on its head and sending Uruguay tumbling into despair.
In those 90 minutes, Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell delivered a masterclass—earning a rare score of 2 and being named Man of the Match.
In his post-match interview, Campbell offered a surprising bit of reflection:
"Maybe the reason I played well today was that my club captain inspired me. Yesterday, China beat Chile 2–0, and Kai's performance really moved me. I'm grateful to him—and I hope I can play alongside him again at club level under Arsène."
It was a remarkable statement—part admiration, part public nudge toward Arsène Wenger.
Campbell had joined Arsenal back in 2011 but spent years being loaned out, never properly integrated into the first team. Clearly, he wanted to seize this moment while the spotlight was blazing.
In other words, he might as well have been shouting:
"Look, boss! I beat Uruguay! I beat Suarez! Isn't it time to bring me back?"
Campbell's words immediately caught fire online.
Kai, meanwhile, was a little confused.
He didn't even realize he had a teammate named Campbell.
But before Kai could say anything, Arsène Wenger made the first move.
Soon after Campbell's interview aired, Wenger posted on social media confirming that Arsenal would recall Campbell next season.
That meant Campbell would finally step onto the Emirates pitch as an Arsenal first-team player. And while he'd still be behind Suarez in the pecking order, he didn't seem to care—just returning to Arsenal was already a victory.
After all, Arsenal's stock had risen sharply after last season's performance. Many believed they were poised to challenge for the Champions League again soon.
The Uruguay vs. Costa Rica shocker ended—but the chaos didn't.
Next up: England vs. Italy.
Despite the roaring hype from the British media, the Three Lions fell 1–2 to Italy.
The defeat sent global media into fits of laughter.
And with the English press having talked so loudly before kickoff, the slap they received afterward felt even louder.
They even earned a new nickname: "The Three Kittens."
From afar, they looked like lions. Up close… just a trio of housecats.
Commentators around the world piled on, saying England's squad was more hype than substance.
Kai watched the match too—and he couldn't help shaking his head. England looked disjointed. The midfield pairing of Gerrard and Henderson simply didn't click. Even when they tried to recreate Liverpool's midfield framework, it never quite functioned.
Rooney worked hard, but the fire he once had as a fiery teenage prodigy felt distant.
And then came the backlash.
Some extreme English fans, frustrated and emotional, even held up banners jokingly calling for Kai to join the England national team—using it as a jab at their own midfield struggles.
Of course, this was a fringe reaction.
After a flurry of upsets, the tournament's suspense reached a fever pitch.
Fans without a home team to support absolutely loved it—the messier the World Cup became, the more entertaining it was.
But eventually, the chaos calmed.
France handled Honduras with ease, winning 3–0 without raising their pulse.
Argentina defeated Bosnia 2–1, with Messi dazzling once again as Argentina pulled off a win.
Then came another marquee showdown:
Germany vs. Portugal.
A clash between a World Cup powerhouse and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal—a matchup the whole world had circled.
Yet the match didn't unfold the way many expected.
In just the 12th minute, Thomas Müller converted a penalty… and from that moment, the atmosphere began to feel strangely lopsided.
In the 32nd minute, Kroos delivered a precise corner, and Hummels rose above everyone to head in Germany's second goal.
That moment became the real turning point—the spark that lit the fuse.
Just five minutes later, in the 37th minute, Pepe lost his composure and was shown a straight red card.
For a Portugal side already struggling to keep up, it was the worst possible blow.
With only ten men left on the pitch and Germany in full stride, even Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't drag the match back from the edge.
By the time the 90 minutes were up, Germany had put four past them. Portugal had none.
After the whistle, Ronaldo's expression said everything—fatigue, frustration, and a heavy sense of helplessness. He'd played through injury, his body already failing him, and still couldn't offer the team the spark they desperately needed.
...
On June 18th, after Russia and South Korea battled to a draw, the first round of the World Cup group stage officially concluded.
And what a chaotic round it had been.
Upsets everywhere. Favorites collapsing. Underdogs soaring.
Especially in Groups B and D, no one could even guess who would qualify anymore.
The giants stumbled.
The dark horses ran wild.
And the world watched, stunned.
But there was no time to breathe. The second round kicked off immediately.
The opening match of the second round was once again Brazil's turn under the spotlight.
After winning their first game, Brazil were eager to build momentum.
Mexico, however, had other plans.
They rolled out a five-man defensive wall and parked their bus with absolute conviction, shutting down Brazil's attack time after time.
Across the full 90 minutes, Brazil couldn't break through once.
The match ended 0–0.
The moment the game finished, China's coaching staff convened the full squad in the meeting room.
Head coach Liu Hongbo stood by the tactical board. A neat (4-4-2) was displayed—a classic two-striker setup built around disciplined defense and sharp counterattacks.
"This will be our structure for the next match," Liu Hongbo announced. "It can attack, it can defend… and more importantly, it can transform like this."
With a single motion, he pushed every piece except the two forwards straight back into the penalty box.
For a second, the entire room went silent.
Kai couldn't help but shake his head.
That's… filthy. Perfectly filthy.
The others had the same look on their faces, but no one objected.
This was the World Cup, and their next opponent was the Netherlands.
If there was a way to draw—or better yet, steal a win—then why pretend to be noble?
After the adjustment, China's formation officially turned into the legendary parked-bus setup.
8-0-2.
Two forwards and eight men guarding the goal.
If it worked, no one would complain.
...
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