Nothing embodies Thanksgiving similar watching the World Cup but that's wherever we are astatine with this autumn edition. With Turkey Day tomorrow, we expect a feast of shot with tourney faves Brazil successful enactment against Serbia, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal taking connected Ghana, and Uruguay squaring up against South Korea successful a matchup for acheronian equine teams.
But Wednesday's results proved to beryllium a worthy appetizer to Thursday's cornucopia. Japan amazed Germany, portion Canada were unlucky against Belgium. And possibly inspired by the afloat slate of upcoming NFL action, Spain scored a proverbial touchdown implicit Costa Rica successful a 7-0 thrashing.
Be definite to cheque successful with ESPN passim the tourney arsenic we bring you the latest from Qatar. Here's what you whitethorn person missed from Wednesday's World Cup happenings.
- World Cup news, features, previews, and more
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Neymar nears Pele's people but Brazil connected precocious alert
We saw Argentina suffer to Saudi Arabia successful a monumental upset connected Tuesday, and earlier Wednesday four-time World Cup winners Germany went down against Japan. Will Brazil, the wide favourite to assistance the trophy successful Qatar, endure a akin destiny against Serbia connected Thursday?
Anything tin hap but Brazil manager Tite has enactment his broadside connected announcement to not instrumentality thing for granted astatine this stage, telling reporters that "every squad is arrogant and wants to bash its champion successful a World Cup." That particularly rings existent for his squad, looking to triumph an unprecedented sixth rubric and their archetypal 1 successful 20 years.
"I can't instrumentality the work of the past 20 years, lone four," helium said. "We person a large country, passionate astir football, and this besides serves arsenic a instrumentality for education. We not lone person pressure, but we instrumentality vantage of it, due to the fact that dreaming is portion of life."
When Brazil instrumentality the field, they'll arguably person the deepest and astir balanced squad of immoderate astatine the tournament, with playmakers astatine each positions. Alisson is 1 of the champion goalkeepers successful the business, and determination are fewer centre-backs with the velocity and prime of Marquinhos, partnered either with the people and acquisition of Thiago Silva oregon the velocity of Eder Militao.
Their attacking options is astir unfair. Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison, Raphinha and Vinicius Junior let Brazil to people successful plentifulness of antithetic ways.
And arsenic for Neymar? The lofty expectations for him successful a Brazilian jersey person ever look unfair but that volition alteration if helium does 2 things: triumph the World Cup, and people astatine slightest 3 goals to interruption Pele's grounds for astir by a Brazilian men's nationalist squad player. No pressure.
Portugal invited an existent lucifer amid Ronaldo circus
"I don't recognize your persistence connected this taxable due to the fact that determination is nothing." That was what Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva told a swarm of reporters connected Wednesday astir the roiling play surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's nine situation.
To recap, Ronaldo bashed Man United successful a precise nationalist way, which has led to immoderate awkward moments with his teammates, and yet him and the nine decided to spell their abstracted ways. All this up portion Portugal prepares for Thursday's crippled against Ghana.
But to antagonistic Silva's beleaguered response, determination is something to this subject. It is Ronaldo aft all, eyeing a last changeable to triumph the 1 large trophy not his cabinet, and now a escaped cause for clubs successful January.
Sources person told ESPN that Ronaldo -- who did not talk with reporters -- is acceptable to commencement against Ghana connected Thursday, but that manager Fernando Santos is already reasoning astir dropping him for their 2nd crippled against Uruguay. Santos inactive believes Ronaldo is Portugal's champion subordinate "in the box," but fixed that he's expecting much of the Uruguay crippled to beryllium played betwixt the 2 punishment areas, truthful he's considering different options.
So whether Ronaldo's relation is much tactical oregon an effort to instrumentality the media glare of the team, we shall see. Regardless, determination is apt alleviation successful Portugal's campy conscionable to get the shot rolling.
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Gab Marcotti feels Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Manchester United with contiguous effect volition let some the subordinate and the nine to determination on.
England vs. USA: Projections, oddmakers' picks, updates
While Black Friday activities successful the U.S. are centered connected lasting extracurricular an appliance store astatine 2 a.m. to bargain a caller tv oregon washing machine, this twelvemonth you tin adhd England vs. USA to your to-do activities.
With the US squad drafting against Wales 2 days backmost what are their likelihood of advancing retired of their group? Is their lucifer against England connected Friday a must-win? If they don't, what tin they indispensable they bash against Iran successful the past radical match? We interruption down all the scenarios and betting prospects here.
As for however the squad is feeling aft that pugnacious 1-1 effect against Wales, US midfielder Brenden Aaronson's statement of the vibe successful the locker country apt reflected the broader feeling from the instrumentality base.
"Disappointed," helium said. "Everybody was beauteous disappointed."
All successful all, expect immoderate apt changes successful the lineup against England. Aaronson could beryllium starting against for Weston McKennie successful the midfield, and determination beryllium much switches successful up beforehand and successful the defense. Read up connected the latest from what we are proceeding from the US camp.
And arsenic for England, they are feeling a suspiration of alleviation arsenic prima striker Harry Kane should beryllium spell to contempt an ankle wounded scare, sources person told ESPN. The 29-year-old underwent a scan which is believed to person been much precautionary than successful effect to a deterioration successful his information aft helium was substituted with 14 minutes remaining of Monday's 6-2 triumph implicit Iran.
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Sam Borden reports from Qatar arsenic UMNT stars Yunus Musah and Cameron Carter-Vickers are anxious to amusement England what they're missing.
The champion bits from today
After fractured skull, Raul Jimenez's roadworthy backmost to Mexico squad has been remarkable
Two years person passed since his superior caput injury, and portion Raul beryllium cardinal if Mexico marque a World Cup run, his instrumentality successful itself is simply a joy.
Spain thrash Costa Rica, commencement World Cup run successful benignant arsenic Gavi makes history
Spain delivered a masterclass against Costa Rica successful their World Cup opener, proving Luis Enrique's broadside tin marque a heavy tally for the trophy.
Courtois denies superior Canada broadside and secures undeserved Belgium win
Belgium played poorly against Canada, with Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne invisible. But it didn't substance acknowledgment to their goalkeeper.
Your champion bets (odds via Caesars Sportsbook)
If you're looking to stake connected the World Cup, ESPN contributors Paul Carr, Dan Thomas and Dalen Cuff are present to springiness you cardinal tips on odds, options and futures.
Here's what we person for the Thursday matches.
Group G
Switzerland (-135) vs. Cameroon (+420), Draw (+240)
Dalen Cuff: Switzerland is coming disconnected an awesome tally to the quarterfinals successful past summer's Euros which included taking retired France successful the Round of 16. Essentially that aforesaid squad is backmost present who topped their radical successful qualifying up of Italy. I inactive person questions astir their quality to score, but cognize their defence and attack astatine the backmost is truthful solid, lone allowing 2 goals successful 8 qualifying matches. I similar the Swiss to support a cleanable expanse +100.
Paul Carr: I similar some teams to get a extremity successful this 1 (+120), with each squad stronger successful the midfield and onslaught than astatine the back. It's ever imaginable 1 squad oregon the different gets blimpish and locks things down defensively, but that's not Cameroon's style. Cameroon-born striker Breel Embolo could bash the scoring honors for Switzerland, portion Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Toko Ekambi volition find a mode to get Cameroon connected the board.
Daniel Thomas: I deliberation this is going to beryllium a debased scoring affair. I'd instrumentality the nether 1.5 goals (+200).
Brazil (-225) vs. Serbia (+625), Draw (+330)
Cuff: I similar Serbia's team, truthful this isn't a play astir their futility much truthful Brazil's dominance. When radical deliberation of Brazil, they deliberation flair, offense, O Jogo Bonito... they person that successful spades but defensively they are truthful solid. Only allowing 5 goals successful each of South American qualifying and possessing arguably the champion keeper successful the satellite successful Alisson. I similar Brazil to triumph 2-0 (+145).
Carr: Brazil seems definite to people here, with 9 (!) prime forwards connected the roster and an mean of 2.4 goals per crippled successful qualifying. Serbia's defence is coagulated and besides gave up astatine slightest 1 extremity successful 11 of 14 qualifiers and Nations League games implicit the past 2 years. So I deliberation we get goals here, 1 mode oregon the other, and I similar implicit 2.5 goals (-135), adjacent with Aleksandar Mitrovic a matchday determination due to the fact that of injury.
Thomas: Here we spell past the favorites to triumph it all. Brazil person been truthful overmuch amusive to ticker of precocious and hopefully they tin bring that prime into this tournament. Let's anticipation for tons of goals. I'm taking implicit 3.5 (+185).
Group H
Uruguay (-130) vs. South Korea (+400), Draw (+240)
Cuff: Son Heung-Min whitethorn beryllium much invaluable to his South Korean squad than immoderate subordinate successful the tournament. Coming disconnected that facial fracture, helium has trained with a look disguise connected it seems helium volition play. Son's signifier remains a question portion Uruguay has a large premix of veterans that person had occurrence successful this tourney and young humor present invigorating the group. I similar Uruguay to triumph the radical +185 and commencement beardown successful their opener. Uruguay to triumph (-135).
Carr: Dalen fundamentally stole my full spiel here, arsenic I besides had Uruguay to triumph this radical pre-tournament. Uruguay conscionable has truthful overmuch endowment astatine each position, and an perfect blend of younker and experience. South Korea is amended than you astir apt think, and Napoli's Kim Min-Jae volition ever springiness the defence a chance. But that Uruguay midfield brace of Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur should beryllium the quality successful an Uruguay triumph (-135).
Thomas: I emotion Valverde and the likelihood for him to people anytime astatine +450 looks generous to accidental the least.
Portugal (-270) vs. Ghana (+850), Draw (+340)
Cuff: I deliberation Portugal is amended without Cristiano Ronaldo successful the starting XI. Couple that with his exit from Manchester United, has led to an icy and uncomfortable dynamic wrong the squad which was disposable erstwhile Ronaldo showed up to Portugal's camp. Manager Fernando Santos won't beryllium him. Meanwhile, Ghana has immoderate aged heads that cognize what it's similar to get retired of the radical inactive connected this roster. I similar the Black Stars to get a result, my play is the Double Chance (win oregon draw) +200.
Thomas: Ronaldo anytime scorer +120. It has to beryllium him.
News and notes
Spain midfielder Gavi became the third-youngest extremity scorer successful World Cup history and youngest since Brazil fable Pele successful 1958 with his 74th-minute onslaught successful a 7-0 triumph against Costa Rica connected Wednesday. When helium stepped connected the tract to commencement the game, the Barcelona prodigy besides became the youngest subordinate (18 years, 110 days) to look for Spain successful a large planetary tourney (World Cup oregon European Championship).
FIFA opened an probe connected Wednesday into perchance discriminatory chants heard from Mexico supporters during their World Cup-opening 0-0 gully against Poland. On Tuesday, FIFA besides nnounced that Ecuador was besides nether probe for chants by the team's supporters during opener against Qatar. No timetable connected the probe was given.
Germany players placed their hands implicit their mouths during a squad photo up of their crippled against Japan connected Wednesday arsenic the enactment implicit FIFA's menace of sanctions implicit the "OneLove" armband continued.
What other caught our eye
Not lone did Japan get the upset implicit Germany but their fans also continued a fantastic postmatch tradition that has present been practiced astatine respective large tournaments.
— ESPN (@espn) November 23, 2022And to adjacent out, you person astir apt seen Saudi Arabia's game-winning stunner implicit Argentina by present connected each item reel and crossed each angles. But, person you seen it re-enacted with a clump of Legos?
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Salem Al-Dawsari's winning extremity for Saudi Arabia against Argentina astatine the World Cup recreated successful Lego.
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