Rise of a Football God

(2026 FIFA World Cup fixtures:)

(Group Stage – Matchday 3:)

(GROUP A:)

(Ghana vs Poland)

(Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico)

(Date: June 21st, 2026)

(Time: 18:00)

…

(GROUP A:)

(Japan vs Mexico)

(Venue: BMO Field, Canada)

(Date: June 21st, 2026)

(Time: 18:00)

…

(GROUP B:)

(France vs South Korea)

(Venue: BC Place, Canada)

(Date: June 22nd, 2026)

(Time: 16:00)

…

(GROUP B:)

(Morocco vs Peru)

(Venue: NRG Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 22nd, 2026)

(Time: 16:00)

…

(GROUP C:)

(Brazil vs Australia)

(Venue: SoFi Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 23rd, 2026)

(Time: 17:00)

…

(GROUP C:)

(Egypt vs Serbia)

(Venue: Lincoln Financial, USA)

(Date: June 23rd, 2026)

(Time: 17:00)

…

(GROUP D:)

(Argentina vs Norway)

(Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 24th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

…

(GROUP D:)

(Chile vs Qatar)

(Venue: BMO Field, Canada)

(Date: June 24th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

…

(GROUP E:)

(Nigeria vs Canada)

(Venue: Estadio BBVA, Mexico)

(Date: June 24th, 2026)

(Time: 19:00)

…

(GROUP E:)

(Croatia vs Saudi Arabia)

(Venue: Estadio Guadalajara, Mexico)

(Date: June 24th, 2026)

(Time: 19:00)

…

(GROUP F:)

(Spain vs New Zealand)

(Venue: SoFi Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 25th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

…

(GROUP F:)

(Italy vs Iran)

(Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico)

(Date: June 25th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

…

(GROUP G:)

(Germany vs Iraq)

(Venue: Lumen Field, USA)

(Date: June 25th, 2026)

(Time: 19:00)

…

(GROUP G:)

(Colombia vs Honduras)

(Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 25th, 2026)

(Time: 19:00)

…

(GROUP H:)

(England vs USA)

(Venue: MetLife Stadium, Mexico)

(Date: June 26th, 2026)

(Time: 18:00)

…

(GROUP H:)

(Algeria vs Slovenia)

(Venue: BC Palace, Canada)

(Date: June 26th, 2026)

(Time: 18:00)

…

(GROUP I:)

(Netherlands vs Ukraine)

(Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, USA)

(Date: June 27th, 2026)

(Time: 17:00)

…

(GROUP I:)

(Tunisia vs China)

(Venue: Estadio Monterrey, Mexico)

(Date: June 27th, 2026)

(Time: 17:00)

…

(GROUP J:)

(Portugal vs Czech Republic)

(Venue: AT&T Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 27th, 2026)

(Time: 20:00)

…

(GROUP J:)

(Senegal vs Iraq)

(Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 27th, 2026)

(Time: 20:00)

…

(GROUP K:)

(Uruguay vs Switzerland)

(Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico)

(Date: June 28th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

…

(GROUP K:)

(DR Congo vs Costa Rica)

(Venue: Estadio Monterrey, Mexico)

(Date: June 28th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

…

(GROUP L:)

(Belgium vs Ecuador)

(Venue: MetLife Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 29th, 2026)

(Time: 19:00)

…

(GROUP L:)

(Paraguay vs Sweden)

(Venue: BC Place, Canada)

(Date: June 29th, 2026)

(Time: 19:00)

And once again, the stage was set.

It began with a bang.

Ghana and Poland took on each other in the first game of the pivotal matchday 3, the game that would decide their fate in the world cup.

Both nations played an exciting game that ended in a 1-1 draw, goals from Vincent Aboubakar in first half and a Robert Lewandowski equalizer in the second half to make it level.

The goal had just 2 goals, but it was tension-packed throughout.

At the same time that Ghana and Poland played, Japan and Mexico also played a thriller that equally ended in a draw. This time, it was a 2-2 draw.

The first half was a dynamic one as Japan hoarded possession, playing a highly attacking game while Mexico played a defensive and very physical game.

In the 2nd half was when the deadlock broke.

Japan scored first in the 49th minute, going ahead but within 2 minutes, the 55th and 56th minute, Mexico scored twice, stunning their opponents and going ahead.

Japan failed to find the equalizing goal for majority of the second half, the Mexico defense frustrating them till Karou Mitoma turned the stadium on its head with a moment of individual brilliance and footballing magic.

He scored a stunning solo goal in the 81st minute to make it 2-2.

It was another stunning game that ended in a draw.

…

The next day, France and South Korea took the pitch at the same time that Morocco and Peru clashed, playing the game that would decide their World Cup campaign, and would determine if it was successful or not.

Having secured all 6 points in the last 2 group stage games, the French coach finally decided to rotate his team a bit, resting some of his starters.

France played in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Mike Maignan in between the posts, and a defensive quadruple of Digne, Hernandez, William Saliba, and Malo Gusto starting the game, with big names in defense like Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, and Theo Hernandez all dropped to the bench.

In midfield, France started with Adrien Rabiot and Aurelian Tchouameni, while upfront they started with Marcus Thuram in left wing, Ryan Cherki through the middle as the attacking midfielder, Randal Kolo Muani as a makeshift right winger, and Kylian Mbappe as the striker.

As for South Korea, they fielded all their best players in a similar 4-2-3-1 formation as the French.

Lee started in between the posts, with a defensive quadruple of Seol, H.B Lee, Kim, and T.S Lee ahead of him. In midfield was HWANG and Won, while the attack comprised Se-Jin Jeon in right wing, K. Lee as the attacking midfielder, H.M Son in left wing, and H.G Oh as the striker.

FWEEE!

The game started, and it was a thriller.

It was a must-win game for South Korea, that was why they started Heung Min Son from the onset, desperate for a miracle.

France played well below their usual standards, and in the 30th minute, South Korea finally scored, K. Lee, the South Korean attacking midfielder scoring from a rapid counterattack.

Despite how much South Korea tried in the first half, they still couldn't keep France quiet. Kylian Mbappe equalized in the 45th minute of the game.

The first half came to an end 1-1.

In 2nd half, the game followed the same script, both countries suffocating each other in attack as their defense played a great game, till France's coach finally saw enough and made attacking changes, taking off Marcus Thuram, Kolo Muani, and introducing Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola.

Just 2 minutes after the change, in the 67th minute of the game, South Korea scored again, this time Son curling in one from just outside the box to make it 1-2 in his country's favor.

But that goal only ended up igniting France.

In the 70th minute, just 3 minutes after Son's goal, Mbappe assisted Barcola who dribbled past the goalkeeper and scored to make it 2-2.

Mbappe was taken off in the 75th minute, introducing Michael Olise.

Olise assisted Ryan Cherki in the 88th minute, scoring a late goal from outside the box to send South Korean hearts around the world into a pit of despair.

France won 3-2.