The Three Dads World Cup Wonderland

Having already googled the exact dates of the Qatar 2022 world cup, verified that for us stateside people it possesses the exact same annoying time difference as Russia, it's safe to say I am in stage one of world cup withdrawal. Yes, it is done with. And what a great way to finish, I heard the final described as the complete summary of the 64 game feast: Goals, own goals, goals from set pieces, VAR playing a prominent role and France - probably the most consistent team in the tournament - seeing things out to be crowned champions. Croatia can feel hard done by. Having finally turned up in their fantastic red and white checked kit, bizarrely not seen since their opening game vs Nigeria, they played some good stuff again, demonstrating the semi-final result was no fluke. The free kick for the first goal was a dive, and while I agree with Birchy on the penalty - borderline harsh is right - I can see how those of a Croatian persuasion think otherwise. What I would say is - while

I'm huddled in my man cave again. Just me, two bottles of Old Speckled  Hen (one for each half), and the World Cup final. It is already a belter, with Croatia looking good in their gorgeous kit. As I type, VAR is making a dramatic return with Perisic's handball being reviewed by the ref.  And whilst it is borderline harsh, I think the ref has got the penalty call right. Perisic is rarely unaware of what he is doing, a wily and brilliant pro - so I'm pretty certain he batted that one away. Minutes before he scored a cracking equalising goal, a reminder of the positivity, directness and sheer will that set him and his midfield colleagues apart from England the other night. With three goals already, the final is looking like a fitting symbol of the tournament as a whole. The whole thing has just been excellent; the best I can remember in entertainment terms. Normally speaking, if some big teams get knocked out, the tournament suffers as a result. Not so this time - with big