Three things we’ve learned from the World Cup… so far

By Ben Church, CNN

(CNN) — Note: This story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here.

The last Friday of a World Cup is always a bit strange. It sort of feels like a down day, cut adrift from all the action, color and drama of the tournament.

But fear not, this is just the calm before the storm.

Both Argentina and Spain are busy behind the scenes putting the finishing touches to their tactics, as fans around the world finalize their plans for how they’ll be watching Sunday’s final (Spanish editor’s note: Unfortunately for me, it will be in front of a computer and not at the pub).

And while it’s a bit rubbish having to wait another two days for the match, it does give us a chance to reflect on the last few weeks across North America.

The Main Thing: What we’ve learned about a World Cup like no other

Before a ball was even kicked this summer, we already knew this would be a record-breaking World Cup.

For the first time, 48 teams took part across an extended group stage which gave the chance to four nations to make their World Cup debuts.

And the first lesson I think we all learned was to never underestimate anyone.

From the first week, it was clear the so-called smaller nations were not satisfied with just making up the numbers, and there were several upsets throughout the group stages and even knockout rounds. No team demonstrated that more than Cape Verde.

The tiny island nation brought fire, passion and real quality to the competition, making it all the way to the knockout stages before falling to Argentina in extra-time.

Incredibly, neither finalist was able to beat the Blue Sharks in 90 minutes of soccer – the nation also held Spain to a 0-0 draw in its opening group-stage fixture, much to the dismay of the above Spanish editor.

But while the minnows punched above their weight, we learned that one superstar was still a cut above the rest.

Maybe I can only speak for myself here, but I did not think Lionel Messi could still be this influential on a soccer pitch. Since moving to the US’ Major League Soccer, I assumed he was basically on the beach, not retired per se, but very much stepped back from the top flight. How wrong I was.

Although he’s changed his game, Messi is still a match winner at the highest level. His Albiceleste simply wouldn’t be in the final if it wasn’t for him. The fact he’s currently topping the goalscoring leaderboard at the age of 39 is just ridiculous, but his playmaking is what’s most impressive.

Even if he can’t run like he used to, he’s now able to use his quality in passing to rip teams open and create chance after chance for his teammates.

As it stands, only two players in the last 60 years have had the most shots and created the most chances at a World Cup. Those players are Diego Maradona in 1986 and Lionel Messi so far this summer.

The magician is already a legend, but another World Cup title would put him on another level entirely.

I think the final thing I’ve learned is that the Beautiful Game really does have a future in the US.

For years, I’ve heard about efforts to raise the sport’s popularity in the country and how investment in MLS was going to alter the direction of the sport. David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimović came and went – both adding more eyeballs but not really inspiring a grassroots movement.

And while it’s too early to predict the tournament’s legacy, things do feel different. Now that the entirety of America has been able to see the game with its own eyes, hear the atmosphere and meet fans from around the world, it feels like the penny has dropped.

And there are stats to prove it as well. The USA’s final game against Belgium was the most-watched soccer match in the nation’s television history as the country fell in love with the squad.

Though there are challenges to growing the game at the grassroots level, it will be fascinating to see how many of these new fans return for the next World Cup in four years’ time – fingers crossed it will be most of you.

WATCH: The story behind Messi’s baby photoshoot with Lamine Yamal in 2007

But let’s get back to the game in hand: Sunday’s World Cup final.

The game will feature two superstars, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi, who have often been compared.

After all, both made their breakthroughs at Barcelona, both play on the right and both possess outrageous natural talent.

And while Yamal has a long way to go before he can match what Messi has achieved in the sport, the pair will clash for the first time on the pitch on Sunday.

But this isn’t the first time the two superstars have met. Incredibly, that came back in 2007. Don’t believe me? Well, watch the video below.

Click the picture above or here to watch.

Quote of the Day

These are the words of Argentina President Javier Milei who was busy explaining his superstitions to a local radio show after watching his nation make the World Cup final.

Milei was referring to a jacket he was wearing while watching the quarterfinal clash against Switzerland, a match which almost knocked the defending champion out of the tournament.

But his superstitions don’t stop at his clothing.

Milei has vowed to not travel to New Jersey to attend the match, where he had been expected to watch with US President Donald Trump – who is now confirmed to be at MetLife Stadium.

Instead, Milei has opted to watch from his residence in Argentina as he has done throughout the tournament, not wanting to alter his routine and risk a change in fortunes.

All this is just a window into how seriously Argentina takes soccer, especially the World Cup.

Will the smoke and poor air quality hang around for the World Cup final?

Some good news from our friends at CNN Weather:

Dense smoke and poor air quality remain in place over much of the Northeast on Friday, and with air quality alerts warning against outside activity, the question looming just as thick as the smoke is: Will it hang around for the World Cup final on Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford, NJ?

While generally no one cheers for a rainy weekend, it looks like it might save the day. A storm system will bring rain to the Northeast on Saturday afternoon and evening, which will help to wash out the smoke from the skies and temporarily shift the winds so they are not blowing from the fire zone in southern Ontario and northern Minnesota.

The storm system that will push through the Northeast on Saturday is currently moving over the fire zones near the Minnesota-Canada border this morning. It should tamp down the fires and the smoke they produce, helping the overall air quality in the days to come.

The storms in New York City Saturday afternoon and evening could produce some heavy downpours and a risk for brief flash flooding in urban areas, but should clear the area by Sunday morning. This should set the stage for pleasant conditions on Sunday afternoon for the match between Argentina and Spain, with temperatures in the low 80’s.

Skies should be clear, though potentially still hazy from lingering smoke less close to the ground, but the air quality should be much better than the past couple of days.

The Final Whistle: New championship rings awarded to World Cup winners

Just when you think the US couldn’t possibly have more influence on the World Cup, FIFA has another ace up its sleeve.

In addition to the trophy and gold medals, the winners of this year’s World Cup will also receive a championship ring for their achievement.

In a nod to sporting tradition in the United States, each player will be given a bespoke ring which will be custom-fitted and awarded to the players at a later date. One does wonder whether this could be at the White House in a meeting with Donald Trump – just a theory.

The captain and head coach will receive temporary rings after the final itself, but these will later be replaced.

The ring will feature the World Cup trophy and a design to reflect the winning nation.

A total of 2,026 rings will be made, with 30 being reserved for the winning team. The others will be available to fans to buy, although it’s not clear what the price will be.

Any excuse to make some more cash – ahem – I mean, “own a unique piece of FIFA World Cup 2026 history.”

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