1. World Cup holders just don't start well

It is now the case that in four of the the last five World Cups, the team that lifted the trophy in the previous tournament failed to win their opening game.

It's an astonishing statistic, but what’s the cause? Complacency? Inevitable and unavoidable squad turnover? If a week is a long time in football, four years is a lifetime - perhaps the tactics that once made a team successful simply don't work as well that far down the line.


In Germany's case, we saw two factors at play - one, their previously unshakeable confidence had dipped following a succession of stuttering results in the run-up to Russia. And two, they were simply caught cold by a Mexico side that played them as equals from the get-go and saw their bold, confident attacking tactics rewarded.

Germany v Mexico player ratings

2. Muller the hunter is becoming the hunted

Thomas Muller is six goals off of the all-time World Cup goalscoring record of 16 held by his former teammate Miroslav Klose - but the chances of him one day breaking it are looking increasingly distant.

It's six games and 15 months since Muller last scored for Die Mannschaft. That's some come-down for a guy once universally feared as one of the most unforgiving predators around.

He looked lost against Mexico, marooned out on the right swing - but it's the same position the 28 year-old played in his previous two World Cups, scoring five goals in each.


This week, one journalist put to him the prospect of being dropped. "I didn't get into any finishing positions against Mexico," he admitted. He has to rediscover that predatory instinct fast - for the sake of his team, and his own.

3. Cho Hyun-woo could break new ground

It's fairly clear that this won't be South Korea's year - so in the likely absence of results on the pitch, the AFC nation will have to find smaller victories elsewhere.

Here's one, potentially - only two Asian players have ever made the World Cup's All-Star Team, typically named after each tournament by FIFA or their sponsors. Incidentally, both were part of the 2002 line-up. But there's never been an Asian goalkeeper. Cho Hyun-woo is an candidate to be the first.

Sweden v South Korea player ratings


The 26-year-old was flawless against Sweden, producing saves of genuine class and outstanding reflexes to deny Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen.

It doesn't make sense for a keeper with a strong defence in front of him to be named Keeper of the Tournament - a busier keeper surely warrants greater consideration. On the basis of both their opening game against a Swedish side not exactly the renowned for attacking vigour, and the potency of the teams they have yet to face, South Korea are gonna be relying on this guy a lot.

4. Yes - Hirving Lozano is the real deal

Finishing. Dribbling. Incision, precision and flair. It was all there in the 66-minute showcase from Hirving Lozano, Mexican football's new poster boy.

Cho Hyun-woo could win Keeper of the Tournament. Impress as much against Sweden and South Korea as he did against Germany, and Lozano must win the Young Player award.


We're not talking about a kid who's completely wet behind the ears - indeed, the soon-to-be 23 year-old already has two kids of his own. He's older than Dele Alli, Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Lemar. He was El Tri's top scorer in qualifying and the golden boot winner in his first season in the Netherlands. But it's at this tournament that he is truly announcing himself to the world.

He's already prepared for the frenzy that will follow - in April, he signed with notorious European super-agent and megadeal-broker Mino Raiola. Everton were favourites to sign him. Now, Barcelona and Juventus have joined the hunt. Clubs across Europe want Mexico's poster boy to be theirs, too.

And 5... Marcus Berg really loves his flowers

Sweden's No.9 has paid for a man to fly almost 1000km to Gothenburg, given him the keys to his 950-sq foot apartment and even pre-paid the bill for him to eat out at some of the city's top restaurants - all in the hope that his flowers will be looked after while he is away.

Of course, it's more than that - this is a bit of a goodwill competition that 31-year-old Berg had posted on Facebook before he went away, won by 28-year-old Jesper Bergkvist, from Umea on Sweden's east coast.


The conditions, left scribbled on the whiteboard on his kitchen fridge? Three things - take care of the flowers, explore the city and cheer on Sweden.

Jesper and 10 of his mates ticked them off in one day. His verdict on the opening game? "Not bad but not good! Winning was important but it could have been a much bigger victory with such clear chances, and Marcus should have scored," he told Swedish tabloid Expressen. There's no pleasing some.