The United States witnessed an unforgettable football spectacle. The Ivory Coast proved once again they’re far more than just an unpredictable team, while Ecuador finally found their rhythm against Germany.

Across the country, Dutch supporters took over, and France prepared to honor Didier Deschamps in their clash with Norway.

In Group E, one of the tournament’s toughest, the Ivory Coast secured second place behind Ecuador and Germany. “We knew we could do it—we also knew it wouldn’t be easy. But we did it,” declared Emerse Faé, the Elephants’ coach, after their victory. “Finishing second makes us proud, but our sights are set even higher.”

Meanwhile, Ecuador had struggled through two tough matches, including a surprising draw against Curaçao. “This is much better,” admitted Gonzalo Plata, the standout performer. “It’s a valuable lesson for us, and we’ll enter the next round hungry for success. This team believes in itself.”

After their impressive win, Emerse Faé addressed Bastian Schweinsteiger’s controversial comments. The 2014 World Cup winner had described African football as “sometimes unorthodox, a bit wild, not quite as tactical” before the Ivory Coast’s clash with Germany (2-1).

Faé didn’t hold back: “I was disappointed when I heard those words. When someone with his football knowledge makes such remarks, it’s hard to call them anything but racist.” He added, “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I disagree. There’s nothing I can do but accept it and move forward. We’ll show on the pitch that African football is about skill and tactics.” He speculated that the comments might have been made for attention: “Some consultants thrive on controversy. Now that he’s out of the spotlight, he’s trying to stay relevant.”

The Netherlands delivered a commanding performance in a tough group. After beating Tunisia, they topped their group and can now look ahead with confidence.

The Oranje fever swept through Kansas City, and even the city’s mayor couldn’t resist. Quinton Lucas, the mayor, joined the celebrations by taking control of the turntables for Dutch supporters.

Though he didn’t mix tracks, he moved energetically across the stage, energizing the crowd. A memorable moment for a politician more accustomed to speeches than Flemish techno beats.

At just 23, Elliot Anderson is the hottest property in football. Manchester City have reportedly agreed to a deal with Nottingham Forest for the England midfielder, with reports suggesting a fee of €150 million.

This would shatter the Premier League transfer record, previously held by Liverpool’s €63 million purchase of Alexander Isak. Anderson, a starter in England’s first two World Cup matches, is expected to finalize his move to Manchester soon.

Four matches, four victories. Since the tournament began, South American teams have outclassed their European rivals.

Paraguay stunned Turkey (1-0) in the second round, while Argentina eased past Austria (2-0). On the third matchday, Brazil crushed Scotland (3-0), and Ecuador pulled off a heroic 2-1 win over Germany to secure qualification.

Two European teams still have a chance to restore pride: Spain and Portugal. Spain faces Uruguay tonight, while Portugal takes on Colombia in the early hours of Sunday.

Ahead of France’s third Group I match against Norway, midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni expressed the team’s support for Didier Deschamps, who returned to France to attend his mother’s funeral.

“First, on behalf of the entire team, we want to extend our deepest condolences to the coach and his family,” Tchouaméni said. “We understand this isn’t a normal situation. He’s given us a mission, and our goal is to make him proud.”

Before that, Belgium must beat New Zealand to stay in contention. Currently bottom of their group with a single point, the Belgians need a win to progress. “This is already a do-or-die match for us,” stressed Darren Bazeley, New Zealand’s coach. “We have to take points, and we’ll do everything to get them.”

He added, “We thought Belgium would already be through with six points by now. They might not have performed as expected, but they’re aware they risk going home if they don’t win. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond.” Belgium has been warned.