No World Cup video games at the moment, however there’s loads of Girls’s Tremendous League motion on Paramount+

Rise and shine! No World Cup video games on Sunday, however we bought FA Girls’s Tremendous League motion as we converse on Paramount+. I am Igor Mello — filling in for Mike Goodman — and let’s get issues rolling on the Golazo Beginning XI e-newsletter. 

Video games on CBS Sports activities:

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World Cup historical past for Africa

The upsets preserve coming, and consequently, historical past was made in Qatar on Saturday. Morocco grew to become the primary African nation to succeed in the semifinals of the World Cup with a stunning 1-0 win over Portugal, successfully placing an finish to Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream. It is uncharted territory for the Atlas Lions, who’re accustomed to being groundbreakers for the confederation on the highest degree.

• 1970 World Cup: First from Africa to earn some extent 
• 1986 World Cup: First from Africa to succeed in the knockout stage
• 2022 World Cup: First African crew to succeed in the semifinal spherical
  

And let’s not short-change the ladies, who just lately certified for the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia for the primary time in program historical past. We’re witnessing one thing magical occurring in North Africa, and it’d simply be the start. Solely 5 groups from CAF made it to this World Cup (for reference, solely 4 South American groups made it to Qatar). The 2026 World Cup in North America will seemingly characteristic a minimum of 9 groups.

“Earlier than the sport, I instructed the boys that it was mandatory to put in writing historical past for Africa,” Morocco manager Walid Regragui told TF1 after the match. “I am very, very pleased with them.”

Finish of the highway for Ronaldo?

As for Portugal, it is a bitter capsule to swallow understanding this is perhaps curtains for a sure growing older 37-year-old famous person, who, dumbfoundedly, has by no means scored a objective within the World Cup knockout stage. We have been additionally stripped of a potential Ronaldo-Messi final. 

Ronaldo will likely be 41 when the 2026 World Cup rolls round. He is clearly in nice form and constructed like a specimen, so if anybody can cheat Father Time for an additional World Cup, it is him. The issue is that this Portuguese crew regarded higher with out him for good components of the event and it appears unlikely to think about a state of affairs the place he is nonetheless enjoying for a high-end European membership in three-and-a-half years’ time. He’s at present a free agent and has a mammoth $225 million offer from Saudi club Al Nassr on the table. The chances are stacked towards him, which is why he broke down in tears on his approach out of Al Thumama Stadium tunnel in Doha. If that is the top, with no knockout stage objective, then what a tragic approach to exit.

Griezmann is the participant of the event

France are by to the ultimate 4 after outlasting England in a duel that featured one transformed penalty kick from Harry Kane and one missed try within the second half from the Tottenham Hotspur star striker. Present Golden Boot chief Kylian Mbappe was held in verify and it was goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud that proved to be the difference in the 2-1 win. Giroud is France’s all-time main scorer and is one objective behind the Golden Boot leaderboard. 

Whereas the goalscorers for France get all of the reward, Antoine Griezmann has quietly develop into France’s all-time prime help supplier. This is Jonathan Johnson on why Griezmann is making the case for the top player of the tournament.

• Johnson: “Griezmann’s newest playmaking clinic was a continuation of the constructing type now we have seen from him because the event bought underway with the Frenchman already main the best way for clear possibilities created popping out of the group stage. He may not be racking up the assists, however he’s usually the architect of Les Bleus’ greatest openings with another person taking the direct credit score. In some ways, this was a throwback to 2018 in that Griezmann was extra instantly concerned in each objectives by teeing up Tchouameni in the best way that he has achieved Paul Pogba prior to now. Nevertheless, maybe most recognizable from that Russia success was the understanding between Giroud and Griezmann which enabled the latter to create that one probability he knew the veteran may take.”

Let’s get to some extra hyperlinks:

Greatest bets

No World Cup video games, so let’s check out the futures. All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.

• World Cup, Golden Boot Winner
  💰 THE PICK: Lionel Messi (+250). The gorgeous factor about betting on a Golden Boot candidate that’s within the semifinal is that they’re assured to play two video games even when they lose the semi. Messi is one behind Mbappe and is tied in assists, which is a attainable tiebreaker. I reckon Messi can overtake Mbappe in each classes and the worth right here is simply too onerous to go up. 
• World Cup, Straight Forecast
  💰 THE PICK: France/Argentina (+175). For the uninitiated, this implies I am choosing France to win all of it and Argentina to complete second. I’ve to hit on each in an effort to win this guess. In case you’re eager on Argentina beating France within the ultimate, you get even higher worth at +250. I am simply offered on a Les Bleus repeat provided that Brazil and some different contenders have gone house.