Late goals, comebacks and upsets - is record-breaking World Cup best ever?

Initial worries about the tournament centred on ticket costs that many described as prohibitive, with fans facing long journeys to watch matches in venues that seemed destined for sparse crowds and lacklustre atmospheres. Those concerns have not materialised. FIFA, which has faced sharp criticism over its pricing policy, announced that 99.7 % of the available seats have been occupied. This translates to more than 4.4 million spectators during the group stage, a figure that has risen to 6.2 million after the first two knockout rounds. Consequently, the average attendance stands at just above 65 000 per game, second only to the 1994 edition staged in the United States, where the average was just under 69 000 spectators per match. Beyond the supporters, elite players have also turned out in force. We have a Golden Boot contention for the ages with 4 of the champion players in the world in contention. Argentina's Lionel Messi is on 8 goals, France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland on 7 apiece, with England's Harry Kane on six. It is the first time in World Cup history that 3 players have scored 7 or more goals at the same tournament. With 48 nations appearing, there were worries of massively one‑sided clashes, though the underdogs have provided some of the best stories. The Caribbean nation of Curacao, the smallest federation to qualify for a World Cup, responded from their 7‑1 thrashing by Germany by drawing with Ecuador, while Qatar's run included a 6‑0 loss to Canada but also a 1‑1 draw with quarter‑finalists Switzerland. Meanwhile, Cape Verde, with 40‑year‑old Vozinha in goal, produced one of the top underdog stories in World Cup history, drawing with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to reach the last 32, where they gave holders Argentina a huge scare before losing 3‑2 after extra time.