Alireza Beiranvand, famously known as “The Wall of Persia,” holds the world record for the longest throw in a competitive match at 61.0026 meters and for the longest drop-kick at 78.014 meters. This is impressive for a player who once faced homelessness.
Reflecting on his journey, Beiranvand had to escape his home to pursue a career in football, a decision that displeased his father, who even cut up his gloves. Now, as a standout player in a World Cup match, it’s clear how far he has come.
Meanwhile, Egypt has taken charge of their match, rallying from behind to secure a victory against New Zealand.
Group G Dynamics
The competition in Group G remains intense. Belgium, often considered favorites, appear to be in a tricky position. Their experienced players are not performing as they once did, while the younger generation has yet to prove their mettle. They are expected to beat New Zealand in their final match, although their attacking line seems to lack cohesion.
There are questions about whether Belgium can score enough goals in high-stakes matches. While stopping Lamine Yamal is crucial for thwarting Spain’s attack, it’s easier said than done. If Dani Olmo remains in the lineup, he poses a significant goal threat despite not being a typical possession player like Fabian Ruiz.
France boasts a variety of attacking options, potentially the most formidable seen in many tournaments. However, Spain continues to be a tough team to overcome, with their mastery of possession making it imperative for opponents to capitalize on limited opportunities. While their defense isn’t impenetrable, it is still formidable, especially with a midfield featuring Rodri, Pedri, and Dani Olmo, even if it lacks the legendary combination of Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, and Andrés Iniesta.
The presence of Lamine Yamal changes the dynamic for Spain dramatically. His ability to provide width, pace, and creativity injects confidence into his teammates, making them a more potent threat on the field.
“But hatred of the US as a single entity is also a confusing idea, albeit one that fits a certain monotheistic world view, where there can only be devils and angels. It involves demonising as a single failed entity a hugely diverse and varied nation with elements of every kind of people and every kind of culture, the great human experiment, with all its freedoms and flaws; and doing so based on the actions and pronouncements of a few governing Maga Republicans.
If America has become this single thing in so many people’s minds, it is perhaps because this is the way we experience things now. Everything is flattened, foreshortened, turned into sound and noise. Never underestimate the effect of the hive mind, that constant third space we carry around with us. This World Cup is the first global event to take place so deep inside that online space, experienced in peeled-eyeball detail through a screen as a set of images and shouted ideas. This is how our flow of information works now, and indeed how Donald Trump took power, flooding the zone, shouting the simplest message above the noise. The US may feel like an expression of violence simply in its daily existence, an endless amplification of human talent, greed, desire, cruelty, where nobody is ever really in charge, they’re just out there riding it like a runaway bronco. But the US is also not Trump. Seventy-seven million people voted for him, 272 million did not. A nation of 350 million people with more than 100 significant immigrant cultural groups cannot be one thing. The US is the world in a very large and varied grain of sand, endlessly rich in all its beauty, energy, flaws and vices. To hate this is a baffling idea. If you don’t like America, what do you like? This is what humans are.”
Looking ahead, let’s review the action from yesterday, depending on your location. Cape Verde has a legitimate chance of advancing, as does Iran; victories over Saudi Arabia and New Zealand would guarantee their progression, while a draw might suffice for both teams.
Spain is gaining momentum, while Uruguay has diminished from their former stature. With more matches on the horizon, including Argentina versus Austria, France against Iraq, Norway playing Senegal, and Jordan facing Algeria, excitement is building.
Welcome to Day 12 of the World Cup 2026!
