Right, enough of the levity. Things are getting serious now.
The World Cup has been a blast so far. But the final round of group-stage matches is now underway, and that means we're starting to lose teams. Sobs.
Czechia (Group A) and Qatar (Group B) have joined Haiti (Group C), Türkiye (Group D), Tunisia (Group F), Jordan (Group J) and Panama (Group L) as teams who are definitely eliminated, while defeats for Scotland and South Korea left their qualification hopes out of their own hands.
Today, we're focusing on Brazil, who have once again done what Brazil tend to do and topped their World Cup group.
We also look at South Africa's historic qualification for the knockout rounds and answer a timely Ask Opta question on the tournament's growing trend for goals from outside the box.
🪭 STAT - Brazil's Group-Stage Habit
Brazil have done it again. For the 12th World Cup tournament in a row, the Seleção have won their first-round group.
Not since 1978, when Austria pipped them to top spot in the first-round group stage, have the Brazilians failed to finish in first place.
Brazil finished top this time despite drawing their opening game of the tournament 1-1 against Morocco. Wins over Haiti and Scotland followed, however, taking Carlo Ancelotti’s side through to the last 32 as Group C winners.
It is the fifth successive World Cup in which Brazil have topped their group without winning all three of their group-stage matches.
But maybe winning every group-stage game isn’t the flex some may think it is?