“Fans pause action for Friday prayers during first World Cup in a Muslim country” (Reuters):
As noon approached, muezzins across Qatar called Muslim soccer players, fans and officials to the first Friday prayers of the first World Cup to take place in a Muslim country.
How’s the World Cup going? Reuters says that this is the first time that a Muslim country has hosted. So it would be exciting if a Muslim country won the tournament. Besides England and France, which Muslim countries remain competitors?
Separately, here’s a guy at London’s Tate Modern studying a soccer game play analysis by Coach Cy Twombly:
Morocco beat Spain in a reenactment of the 1100s.
Now that Morocco has vanquished Spain, the next matchup will be with Portugal, followed by the winner of England/France. That’s their path to the final.
Meanwhile, one would expect Argentina (home of Pope Francis) or Brazil to emerge from the other half of the bracket to play in the finals in Qatar.
Looking fwd to Londonistan playing Napolean’s team (which is an underdog, due to all the suffering from climate change. Proof: https://i.redd.it/6c57icsk964a1.png )
Given the intensity of celebrations in Piccadilly Circus last night, I couldn’t imagine what the scenes in Paris, Marseilles, Rabat or Marrakesh would be like: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11509393/Moroccan-fans-celebrate-London-Madrid-Barcelona-Turin.html. The worst tuned motorcycles in London were assembled for a back-fire fusillade, since the authorities are a bit hard-hearted about the traditional celebratory volley of gunfire.
Apparently neither the Spanish nor the Japanese team studied the scientific analysis of penalties that favours a powerful shot into one of the unreachable top corners, instead preferring a feeble low shot that could only succeed if the keeper trips over, turns his back, or commits to diving the wrong way.
Argentina have the Trinity on their side: Messi , Maradona, and the Pope!