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Josh Ball

It has always felt as if those determined to argue about Lionel Messi’s status as the greatest player of his generation consistently refuse to employ the eyeball test.
No matter the accolades, the trophies, the otherworldly displays, there is always someone who thinks Cristiano Ronaldo should be considered for the title.
Thankfully, the Portuguese great did us all a favour and ended the discussion by looking every day of his 41 years in a poor 1-1 draw with Democratic Republic of Congo.
England, meanwhile, provided strong evidence in a win over Croatia that their fans will dare to dream of World Cup glory once more, only to leave disappointed as they have done countless times before.
It’s been a busy start to Thursday in Hong Kong, so here’s some of what happened while you were sleeping.

Up and running
England supporters had plenty to smile about after a 4-2 win over Croatia in Dallas.
Harry Kane scored twice, Jude Bellingham added a third and Marcus Rashford polished things off against limited opponents.
Kane’s goals took him to 10 in World Cups, drawing him level with Gary Lineker, and on this evidence there are more to come, although he got desperately lucky with his first – a penalty after Luka Modric had carelessly fouled Noni Madueke in the ninth minute.
The captain’s stutter step only succeeded in advertising where he was going to place the ball and gave goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic ample time to make the save. Fortunately for Kane, defender Josko Gvardiol encroached and he got to retake it.
His second came from a thumping header after Croatia allowed him to run in unchecked to meet a Declan Rice corner.
England might have scored five or six after the break, but Livakovic made a series of fine saves to deny Nico O’Reilly, Anthony Gordon and Kane. As it was they settled for Bellingham’s fine individual effort minutes after the restart, with Rashford finishing off a sweeping move as the game drew to a close.
Defensive frailties
It was not all positive for England, and it’s definitely not coming home if they are going to defend like they did in the first half.
There was a reason Thomas Tuchel walked off at the break with a grim expression on his face, maybe it was the self-realisation that leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire at home was a bad idea.
Not that the pair would necessarily have escaped the malaise England showed at the back, and in midfield, but the fact a simple ball over the top allowed Croatia to go in level at 2-2 should set alarm bells ringing.
Kane’s penalty started a period of possession for England, but the goal was cancelled out by a brilliant Martin Baturina effort, where both Bellingham and John Stones were at fault for allowing space, and despite the skipper putting his side in front again, they went in level because Ivan Peresic was given time to head the ball back to Petar Musa.
“I thought it was a game of two halves,” Kane said. “First half, we were OK. Really disappointed to concede in the way we did, I thought we dropped off. Credit to the manager [Tuchel], he gave us a speech at half-time and said if we lose, we lose in our way and I think we saw that in the way we came out in the second half. We went full gas and they couldn’t live with it. Credit to everyone for the first game of the tournament.”

Time to say goodbye
There was plenty of arguing before the tournament about whether Ronaldo would be a help or a hindrance for Portugal, and if we learned anything overnight, it’s that that particular discussion is over.
Once a terroriser of defences, the 41-year-old’s powers are no more; and if Portugal have any ambitions for success over the next few weeks, which, with this crop of players, would mean the quarter-finals, then it might be time to leave their fading star on the bench.
A day after his great rival scored a hat-trick, equalling the World Cup goals record, Ronaldo’s main contribution, other than standing offside as the game went on around him, was to get in the way of his team putting the ball in the net.
Not that Portugal pose much of an attacking threat anyway. Joao Neves’ sixth-minute header was their only attempt on target in the entire 90 minutes, despite periods of dominance.
They paid for it in first-half stoppage time, when Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa was left unmarked to meet Arthur Masuaku’s cross from six yards. It was the first goal DRC have ever scored at a World Cup.
In their only previous appearance in the tournament, 52 years ago in West Germany, they were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil, and conceded 14 goals without reply.


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Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer the player he once was, and Portugal are paying the prince. Photo: Getty Images

England’s Harry Kane (right) celebrates scoring his side’s second. Photo: AP

Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa is beaten by a header from Congo’s Yoane Wissa. Photo: AP

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Fabio Cannavaro was appointed head coach of Uzbekistan last October. Photo: Xinhua 

Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni gives instructions to his players as they take a hydration break during the match against Algeria at the World Cup. Photo: AFP

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman says teams can use hydration breaks to their advantage. Photo: Reuters

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Football

Harry Kane equals Gary Lineker’s goals tally for England, DR Congo score first ever World Cup goal as Portugal labour to draw


Harry Kane equals Gary Lineker’s goals tally for England, DR Congo score first ever World Cup goal as Portugal labour to draw.


Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

World Cup while you were sleeping: England win and Ronaldo ends Messi debate

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Harry Kane equals Gary Lineker’s goals tally for England, DR Congo score first ever World Cup goal as Portugal labour to draw

Up and running

Harry Kane equals Gary Lineker’s goals tally for England, DR Congo score first ever World Cup goal as Portugal labour to draw