Unusual World Cup

The Gift Which Kept Giving

The Scene of the 2026 Unusual World Cup Launch

Washington DC, December 5^th, 2025

[LONDON] Well before the World Cup kicked off; I stated three things which I rinsed and repeated throughout the 39-days of the 2026 World Cup Finals. 

On me socials, TSN690 Airwaves plus even out on the street to anyone half decent who might want to listen.  

Firstly, I branded CANUSMEX2026 [The United Bid in its origins], The Unusual World Cup. Simply based on World Cup history. 

Not ever before had 3 nations co-hosted, let alone traveled in and out of such time zones, nor interchanging from Altitude to Sea Level and vice versa. The hazards and perils of playing football at Altitude are well established if you do not have Altitude in your DNA. 

What’s not widely known is that it is far demanding when traveling back to Sea Level. Optimal performance is diminished. Hello Morocco vs Canada. Absolutely Canada had the best opportunities through the first 45, Morocco barely able to string passes together. Let alone carve out opportunity. 

Achraf Hakimi and his merry Morocco men had mitigation. They had played their Round of 32 match versus the Netherlands in the suffocating heat and altitude in Monterrey. A match that went the full distance, decided on penalties.

Secondly I stated prior to the World Cup, FRANCE would not reach the Final. History here too. Well least I thought as much until a wiser owl, and thank you, pointed out to me on X Germany had previously reached 3 straight finals. Indeed. Adore being found out me, makes you better. That was Spain1982, Mexico1986 and Italia1990.

My third was that Argentina would fly back home down one World Cup Trophy. There has only ever being two occurrences throughout the entirety of the World Cup Finals that a nation needn’t have bothered packing the Jules Rimet Trophy in their carry-on. 

Last time was so far back THE BEATLES only existed in John. Paul, George and Ringo’s minds. 

It was at CHILE1962 Pelé became a double World Cup winner at age 21. Phenom personified. What say you Kylian… 

A shirt Pelé wore in the Sweden1958 Final, Brasil’s first ever Jules Rimet get, just sold at Auction in Sotheby’s NYC for a rather cool $5.5m USD. Plus the usual buyers fees, and applicable taxes. No change out of $10m CDN then. 

Maradona’s Hand of God Shirt, still be the Gold Standard. Fetching £7.1m, at auction back in May 2022. D10S [mistakenly] exchanged this Turin Shroud of a football shirt with England midfielder, Steve Hodge at the final whistle. 

Hodge was one of the England players whose blood Maradona twisted inside out during his goal of the century. Which eventually turned out to be the game winner during that infamous and famous MEXICO1986 QF.

We could argue the Unusual World Cup kicked off at the World Cup Draw back on December 5^th, 2025 at the aptly named John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. When of course Gianni Infantino pulled the proverbial rabbit out of his back pocket awarding Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize. We’re now beyond the realms of the Hand of God goal 40-years ago.

Now my theory here is Gianni was sorting of buying Trump’s tournament silence, so as to speak. It worked until the most infamous Red Card that sunk without trace after Donny got on the phone with Johnny. How did that work out?

Folarin Balogun recently stated a hornet’s nest enveloped the US Camp, as Belgium smashed the hosts in the Round of 16. Al part of the unsual World Cup d’accord.

Cape Verde blanking the now World Champ’s Spain, the only blot on Luis de la Fuente’s perfect streaks at EURO24 and CANUSAMEX26. Two tournaments two trophies. Which represents the longest unbeaten streak ever of any international manager. Some going from those pesky islanders

Paraguay sending the 4-time world cup champs home early was as heartwarming as it was shocking. The last time Germany won a knock out match of a World Cup was when walking off the pitch at l’Estádio do Maracanã at Brazil2014; World Cup winners. Italy are in a similar predicament, since winning their 4^th World Cup back at Germany2006 Twenty years of hurt and counting for the Azzurri.

You really could write a large tome of the Unusual Occurrences at this World Cup. The Unusual Afters After the Final Whistle of Sunday’s Final we’ll touch on at a later date.

Sit right back down, ahead of the 2030 World Cup. One which will be played not in 3 countries, but 3 continents. Nothing unusual to see here then. 

@NoelPButler

info@orangesathalftime.net