{"id":4853,"date":"2026-07-13T09:03:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T09:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=4853"},"modified":"2026-07-13T09:03:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T09:03:46","slug":"after-more-than-a-month-the-wheat-has-separated-from-the-chaff-leaving-a-star-studded-world-cup-final-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=4853","title":{"rendered":"After more than a month, the wheat has separated from the chaff leaving a star-studded World Cup final four"},"content":{"rendered":"
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So after 32 days, 100 matches contested in 16 cities across three countries, eight extra-time sessions, four shootouts, controversial red cards, and endless VAR checks, the World Cup semifinalists are the four top-ranked teams on the planet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Mathieu van der Poel powers to victory on ninth stage of Tour de France<\/a><\/p>\n

One might think that\u2019s not unusual but in the tournament\u2019s 96-year history it hasn\u2019t happened until now.<\/span><\/p>\n

What we have is a pair of enthralling encounters with France and Spain clashing Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, and Argentina and England going toe-to-toe on Wednesday in Atlanta.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The big question is whether Argentina can become the first champion since Brazil in 1962 to retain its crown. All of the contenders have hoisted the trophy, which hasn\u2019t occurred since 1990.<\/span><\/p>\n

England won for the only time in 1966, when it played host. France triumphed in 1998 and 2018, Spain in 2010. The Argentines stood alone in 1978 and 1986 and four years ago when they beat the French in a shootout.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not easy to come back from being world champions,\u201d said Lionel Messi, who has kept his teammates in the chase nearly single-handedly. \u201cWinning everything we won and then competing and remaining at that level, among the top four, playing in another semifinal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Related: <\/span><\/span>Host of ratings and viewership data show this World Cup to be a winner across the United States<\/div>\n

The Albiceleste, as is their style, have had to suffer mightily along the way. They went to extra time against Cape Verde in the round of 32. They had to come from two goals down to beat Egypt in stoppage time in the round of 16. And they didn\u2019t put away shorthanded Switzerland until the 112th minute of the quarters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not normal,\u201d says Messi, whose eight goals match France\u2019s Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 in the race for the Golden Boot. \u201cThat\u2019s why we have to enjoy it so much. We don\u2019t know if it will happen again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Now comes the challenge that anyone with an extended soccer memory has been waiting to see for two dozen years.<\/span><\/p>\n

The bad blood between Argentina and England goes back six decades to their quarterfinal battle at Wembley when Geoff Hurst scored the only goal, which the Argentines insisted was offside.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the 1986 quarters Diego Maradona beat the Three Lions, 2-1, with the infamous \u2018Hand of God\u2019 goal, which he punched in himself, and his sideline dash through half the English team four minutes later.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the 1998 second round after (Michael) \u2018Owen\u2019s Run\u2019 had put his mates ahead, David Beckham was sent off for a spiteful kick after being fouled and the English lost in a shootout after playing 73 minutes shorthanded. \u201c10 Heroic Lions and One Stupid Boy,\u201d the Daily Mirror scolded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beckham redeemed himself in 2002, scoring the match\u2019s only goal on a penalty and pushing Argentina toward the exit in group play.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Red Sox\u2019 strategy in Day 2 of MLB Draft has team being well armed in the future<\/a><\/p>\n

The Three Lions haven\u2019t fared well in the semis since shutting out Portugal in 1966. They lost to the West Germans in a shootout in 1990 and to Croatia in extra time in 2018 after giving up the lead.<\/span><\/p>\n

Argentina, meanwhile, has been perfect in the semis, most recently stifling the Croats, 3-0, four years ago. \u201cWe\u2019re going to play it like we play every game,\u201d vows forward Jos\u00e9 L\u00f3pez. \u201cUntil the last whistle, leaving our lives on the field.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The English, who\u2019ve played themselves into exhaustion in the knockout rounds, likely will force the Argentines to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The Three Lions came from behind to beat Congo on two late goals by Harry Kane. They played shorthanded for 47 minutes (including stoppage time) to beat Mexico, 3-2, at Estadio Azteca on rapid-fire two goals by Jude Bellingham and a Kane penalty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then Bellingham brought his mates from behind with two more against Norway as England won, 2-1 in extra time.<\/span><\/p>\n

France and Spain haven\u2019t met in the Cup since the 2006 round of 16 when Les Bleus, who were so old that observers called them Les Vieux (Old Men), prevailed 3-1 and went on to play in the final.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Spaniards have had the better of the rivalry over the last two decades. They beat the French, 2-1, in the European semis two years ago with two goals in four minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Related: <\/span><\/span>Can anyone stop France? After another dominant World Cup win, it doesn\u2019t seem likely.<\/div>\n

Last year in the UEFA Nations League semis, La Roja went up 4-0 then had to hang on frantically as Les Bleus scored three times in 14 minutes before falling short, 5-4.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf France should fear anyone it\u2019s us,\u201d said Lamine Yamal, Spain\u2019s wonderteen. \u201cWe have knocked them out. We have beat them two times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But Spain\u2019s precise tiki-taka machine has stalled as the tournament has progressed. Neither Yamal nor Mikel Oyarzabal has scored in the last two matches. The savior has been Mikel Merino, who came off the bench to beat Portugal, 1-0, a minute into stoppage time and score the winner against Belgium in the 88th.<\/span><\/p>\n

The French, meanwhile, have been going full throttle. They haven\u2019t conceded a goal in their knockout-round decisions over Sweden, Paraguay, and Morocco while Mbapp\u00e9 has put in four.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is this edition of Les Bleus better than the 2018 titlists? \u201cThe strongest teams are the ones who win trophies,\u201d Mbapp\u00e9 said. \u201cRight now I don\u2019t see any gold trophy next to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more How new rules and technology have led to contentious calls at World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This marks the first time in the history of the 96-year event that the top-four ranked teams are in the World Cup semifinals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4852,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"\nAfter more than a month, the wheat has separated from the chaff leaving a star-studded World Cup final four - Boston Relocation Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=4853\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"After more than a month, the wheat has separated from the chaff leaving a star-studded World Cup final four - 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