Cristiano Ronaldo (the version that strolls around the pitch these days) reminds me of my time playing football. I’d contribute next to nothing for the whole game, the odd flick here or there, notoriously didn’t get my kit dirty, then score a penalty and give the impression I’d saved the game for my team. That’s where the comparison ends, as invariably my Sunday morning manager would have hauled me off well before squad rotation became a thing. My retirement came as an unused

The World Cup is well under way now. Some talking points were to be expected; VAR of course, hydration breaks and the occasional upset or plucky effort. In the Uk we are so used to vilifying VAR, we rarely actually feel any sympathy for the people in the bunker of doom. So it was with some surprise that last night, in the France vs Senegal game, the Iranian referee (who I’m normally impressed with when I’ve seen him in the A League in Australia) bucked the trend of ‘he’s gone

The football World Cup is upon us. The men’s World Cup in fact. There seems to be a need to emphasise the ‘men’s element’ in the same way as emphasising the women’s T20 cricket World Cup. I’m not sure it’s entirely necessary as if you are a fan of either you’d surely know which gender is playing? And if it’s a casual watcher who has just happened to tune in then surely the aim is to encourage viewers regardless? Anyway I tuned in to the Mexican portion of the opening ceremony