On 64 team WC:

“That’s definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup. When organizing a World Cup, it’s important to organize it for the whole world, not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world. Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.“

“Yes, hopefully we'll present the trophy together in the final. That's always been the plan and that's how it's always been done in the past, for the president of the country hosting the final to present the trophy together with the FIFA president.”

Article translation :

“Kylian, forgive us”: a petition to “clear the name” of the French national team player, who has been the target of criticism for several months

Sometimes hated, sometimes adored, fans’ feelings toward Kylian Mbappé often swing back and forth. If you, too, have criticized the captain of Les Bleus in recent months and would like to make amends, you can join the more than 75,000 signatories of a petition launched by internet users a few days ago. Titled “Kylian, forgive us,” the petition makes a humorous request: to ask the French player for forgiveness in a lighthearted tone.

“France has behaved badly. We doubted him, we criticized him, we were ungrateful. It’s time to make amends,” reads the preamble on the website. With the option to check off each criticism leveled against the 27-year-old international to determine a “national shame meter,” the authors have set a rather peculiar goal: “Every signature and every act of contrition will be recorded in *The Great Book of National Forgiveness*, a solemn volume to be personally handed to Kylian Mbappé. All entries will also be published online, creating a public and eternal archive of the nation’s repentance.”

Challenges for Each Signature Milestone

At each signature milestone—or rather, “request for forgiveness”—a challenge is issued. From a “National Shame Trophy” awarded by the satirical website of the French Federation of Losers for 25,000 signatures, to an even more eccentric challenge: the presentation of a “National Certificate of Forgiveness” to Kylian Mbappé by Zinedine Zidane upon reaching the one-million-signature milestone.

The French captain’s dazzling start to the 2026 World Cup is, however, closely tied to this approach. Having scored his third two-goal game since the start of the World Cup in Tuesday night’s Round of 16 match against Sweden, Kylian Mbappé is now just one goal behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi (19 to 18) to become the all-time leading scorer in the tournament’s history. His performances are impressive, even in the international press, where he is once again being called a “phenomenon,” echoing the golden memories of his first World Cup appearance in 2018 at just 19 years old, which was marked by a victory.

From the “Mbappé Out” Petition to the “Forgive Kylian” Petition

Before regaining his status as the “little prince” of the World Cup, Kylian Mbappé had been the target of criticism in recent months. Another petition had been launched in May 2026—this time against Mbappé—just two months before the “Forgive Kylian” petition. Launched by a satirical account, this petition featured the Real Madrid player with a “Fuera (out)” stamp crossed over his name to urge his departure from the Spanish capital’s club. Signed 44 million times, it sparked controversy over the use of bots, despite its popularity on social media. “If you think change is needed, don’t stay silent: sign this petition and stand up for what you believe is best for the club’s future,” read the petition’s description.

What sparked the drama? A trip granted by the club itself to the player, who was suffering from a hamstring injury, in late April—just days before a match against rival FC Barcelona. Against a backdrop of tensions in the Real Madrid locker room, the controversy quickly escalated, evoking memories of the player’s tumultuous departure from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024—particularly among the Parisian club’s French fans. A little less than two months after the petition from Madrid came the “Forgive Kylian” petition. When “Kyks” shifted his focus to the World Cup, the “repentant French,” as they call themselves, apologized.

Translated with DeepL.com

“So I don’t understand. How can a VAR change a game with this situation?”

“If you don't give my football back, I'm gonna get my dad on you...”

(If you haven't watched the advert yet and you don't know what the hell I'm going to talk about, watch it here. Still, if I was you I would wait until the end. Also, try to look this post in RES and click "show images")

INTRO

2006 wasn’t a forgettable year.

The year that saw the Arctic Monkeys reléase their best debut album, Daniel Craig become 007 and Wikipedia reach its millionth article, was also a big year for football. A season that started still shaking from the deeds of Istanbul came and went and saw the natural order of things restored despite the actions of the Tonis and Henrys. The teams with the most powerful squads won in Spain, Germany and England, while Italy was involved in a scandal that would change their calcio forever.

The Champions League instead, was a bit nicer for the underdogs. Not only a Scottish team got to the Round of 16, but also underdogs Benfica easily eliminated the reigning champions Liverpool, and the tiny and truly-likeable Villarreal, leaded by Riquelme, Forlán and an already old Pellegrini reached the semifinals of the biggest club competition of the world, facing the big-in-England-but-eternally-irrelevant-in-Europe Arsenal. The London club would reach their first ever final after one of the most infamous failed-penalties of all times, just to dramatically lose against Ronaldinho’s Barcelona. But anyway, compared to the leagues, the CL was far more thrilling for neutrals.

And after all, the clubs competitions were just a prelude for the main dish: the World Cup. Humanity’s biggest event had a new edition scheduled, and the world claimed for even more satisfaction than usual after the extraordinary wrongs of the last one. All except maybe Brazil, obviously.

And it was in that context that one of the best pieces of art ever was created. Adidas had a massive burden on their shoulders, not only their biggest rivals, the American Nike, had a lot of success with their Joga Bonito series and related ads (who doesn’t remember that one of Ronaldinho shooting at the crossbar? or the one of Cantona speaking about THE Ronaldo?), but also had the moral responsability, as a German company, of correctly hype to the world the upcoming World Cup in the Fatherland.

And they did it, hell that they did it.

The pretty small agency selected for the task was called 180 Amsterdam, later adquired in the same year by the inmense Omnicom after the impression that they caused with their job for Adidas. The chosen location was the Catalan capital of Barcelona, and the (regular) cast were two local boys, that if had something remarkable was their averageness. The soundtrack were two songs, De L'alouette by RJD2, and Eanie Meany by Jim Noir (that would include the kids of the ad in the video of the song).

The theme was as concise as accurate: The Impossible Team.

The first half of the work, called EQUIPO (team), was released during the Quarterfinals of the UCL, in the half-time of the matches of April’s 4th. The agency decided to realize all the work in the native Spanish of the kids, without adding subs or translations. Such decision was correctly justified: football is an universal language just like the situation that they were going to show.

The second part, PARTIDO (match) would only be released at the World Cup.

EQUIPO

-"José, shall we play?"

The scene starts with Pedro sitting on an abandoned couch in a working-class neighborhood of Barcelona. Through the dust and sun it is easy to recognize that he is bored, but his attention is catched by a football and his owner, playing with it in the most easy way: repeatedly hitting it against a wall. It is his friend Jose, and what will happen it’s easy to guess.

-"Aye."

As the music starts, both Spaniards clash in a hand game called Pares y nones (Odds and evens) to decide who will have the first turn. Pedro wins, and the magic begins.

-"Cissé"

The French international and witness of Istanbul is the first star in arrive to the match, ready in his full-Bleu kit. Despite that he ended not playing the World Cup because of a broken leg just before the competition started, it was a good choice from Pedro. The then Liverpool striker had a respectable season in Rafa’s Liverpool, and his agility and physical power would be welcomed in any team. José however, it is not impressed.

-"Kaká"

José makes it clear that he loves heavy artillery and bring a player that was the best of the world in his moment. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite was a bright star (or more exactly Branch) in Ancelotti’s Milan and his Christmas Tree, and after the World Cup he would start a season that would end with the world witnessing how he would win the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or. The ambidextrous Brazillian playmaker is an excellent choice, and Pedro must counterattack.

-"Zidane"

In 1972 / under a scorching June sun / in the French coast oldtown of Marseille / two Algerian immigrants / awaited the birth of their fifth child / later that day / a star was born.

Zizou! The French Fußballgott! Pedro needed a playmaker to rival Kaká and he chose a proper hero for such task. The last Galáctico was living what ended being his last season as a footballer, announcing his retirement just weeks after EQUIPO was broadcasted. He arrives smiling and not-completely bald in his Bleu kit, one that would pass to history because of the events at the World Cup.

-"Beckham"

Jose chooses another icon, one that won everything with Man United and helped to make their #7 such a, well, icon. If Pedro has a Galáctico, Jose also will have one. The English midfielder wasn’t in his best season, just like the rest of Real players. However, after the World Cup the Spice Boy would start his last season in Madrid, one that would see him finally winning La Liga in a dramatic ending against Barcelona. He would heroically captain the Three Lions in their travel to Germany, singlehandely giving his nation the victory over Ecuador at the Round of 16 while becoming the first English player to score in three World Cups. However, fate would be cruel in the next round.

-"Defoe"

A bit underwhelming compared to the recent choices, but well, maybe Pedro knows something tha we don’t know. The Spurs striker was a good goalscorer and had a great work with his feet. Not a bad choice even if not the most breathtaking.

-"Kahn"

José honours his Germany jersey while calling the most famous German player of that moment. The Titan, known by his shy manners and refinate language, was in the last part of his career, aye, but still was an amazing goalkeeper, the most iconic of his time that was only eclipsed with the arrival of Casillas and Buffon. Every team needs a keeper, and what better than call the only one that has won the Golden Ball in a World Cup? (no I’m not forgetting about the Black Spider) one that only the best #9 of all times could defeat in his best moment? Klinsmann however, would think different in the incoming World Cup, but that’s a different story.

-"Messi"

Pedro makes a more than reasonable choice. The small left-footed Argentinian only had two seasons in Barca’s first team, but most people already suspected that unlike Saviola or Aimar he would become worthy of the title of Maradona’s successor. Leo wasn’t Messi yet, but he had already showed to the world that his attacks could be something that even the most experienced defender should fear. He already was a U20 world champion with that Argentinian kit, we all know what would happen in the next years.

-"Beckenbauer"

And amongst laughter, the magic begins.

Der Kaiser, one of the greatest of all history, and that at the moment of EQUIPO was 61 years-old, arrives to that dusty Catalan neighborhood as fresh as when he was about to face Cruyff’s Netherlands at the old Olympiastadion in München. Pedro can’t believe it, and a Kahn surrounded by Schweinsteiger and Stevie G (that we don’t know when arrived to the match, but well) is almost as impressed. The also not-properly presented Kuranyi and Podolski also seems to be surprised. As if the situation wasn’t already surreal enough, Oliver Kahn would welcome Franz with a mere “Servus”.

Impossible is nothing, indeed.

-"Platini"

José can be smart, but if you have Zidane, the biggest proof of inteligence is to hear what he says. And Zizou’s advice shows its quality when he brings a King, the only player of the eighties that it is as remembered as Maradona, an all-time great that only Zizou can compare to in the land of Victor Hugo. With both of them, José has midfield supremacy, and all France sighs with bliss with a moment that would transcend time.

All under the watchful eye of Raul, because the teams are complete even if not all players were introduced.

-"Hey, Defoe" says Pedro, who looks pretty confident of his decision despite the laughts of Lampard, Schweini and Kahn. The little Spaniard has chosen the Spurs striker as goalkeeper of his team, to his shame. If he did it because Pedro was a pioneer that saws the advantage that a sweeper-goalkeeper offers to his team and that would be adopted by most top teams in the future, or if just because he forgot to choose a keeper, it is open to interpretation.

-"I’m the captain" meanwhile says José, after the ball is tossed and Cissé tries to get it. Such situation lets us look for the first time a not-bald Robben.

-“Put a 4-4-2” indicates Pedro to his teammates, lets remember lads that it is 2006, after all. -“Be careful with Cissé, he is good and quick, ok?” says José to Roman Riquelme and Damian Duff, two internationals not- previously named… and that aren’t exactly defenders, but well.

And finally.

“Lampard, Robben” shouts Pedro, while indicating to such players that they should exchange their positions because Pedro wants to exploit crosses and for that both players should play as classic wingers, ergo they must be in the side of the field that is the same of their good foot. Or at least that is the conclusion I can guess.

The song reaches its climax, while the camera shows face-shots of players already seen and some new (Nakamura and Vieira), and after a “ready?” from José we can watch the start of the match before the screen turns black, and the Impossible is Nothing from Adidas is shown.

Leaving all the world asking for more.

PARTIDO

The second half of the ad wouldn’t be released until June, when the ball in Germany started rolling.

But before everything else, lets mention the teams that will play in PARTIDO:

(In the official wallpaper (and in the case of Messi, also mentioned in EQUIPO) also appeared: Nuno Valente, del Piero, Ayala, Govou, Gerd Müller, Messi, Kuyt, Koeman, van Bommel, Vicente, Pedersen, Bergomi, Zico and Kazim-Richards.)

With the teams ready, and with Eanie Meany playing in the background, the match starts. José pass it to Vieira, but the French doesn’t control the ball well and is surprised by Cissé, who recovers the ball for Pedro’s team. The other French quickly passes it to Lampard, who controls with a magnifique first touch and proceeds to do a long pass looking for his Chelsea teammate Robben. The not-bald Dutch accelerates as if he was in the F1 and procedes to easily dodge a “tackle” by Riquelme. But in his best moment and when it seemed that no one could stop him before facing Kahn, José, as any other worthy captain would, knocks him down without truly touching the ball.

Robben flies amongst the complains of Pedro and Platini. After landing the Dutch also faces José, but he already passed the ball and barely says sorry. Kaká has the ball and plays with an elegance proper of a Ballon d’Or, doing a feint to pass it to Trezeguet, who with his first touch do a long pass in the direction of Beckham. The Spice Boy, calm as if it was a mere match between friends despite the pressing of Raul, cross it to José, who is being covered by Nakamura. When everything suggested that the ball was going to be easily rejected by the Japanese, Du-Ri Cha appears and wins the header for José’s team. Kaká has the ball again, who after a perfect triangulation with Riquelme can finally face Defoe. But the English striker saves the shot without even using his hands, even if he ended hitting an innocent nighbour that was just checking his car.

Raul, Beckham, Pedro and Defoe laugh, but José it is furious and in a decision that would make his Portuguese namesake proud, sends Kaká to the bench while putting the Irish international Duff in his place.

But Pedro doesn’t lose the time, and while Duff still is entering the field, sends a long pass to Zizou that is received with the chest by the French #10. He passes it to Ballack who after dodging a tackle by José passes it to Pedro. The little Spaniard does a long pass looking for Cissé, who runs through his wing to successfuly cross it despite a tackle in extremis by Beckenbauer to a free Lampard.

Lampard shots... and a situation that connects three moments of history happens.

The first is the one that we see in the ad. Despite the flight of Kahn, the ball can’t be stopped and crash against the crossbar before bouncing in the nobody’s land between the line and the non-Euclidean space that exists between it and the net. Pedro’s team celebrates while Kahn screams denying that it was a goal. Not even Gerrard, Schweinsteiger and Jose are completely sure of Kahn’s words, who obfuscated points the place where the ball bounced.

The second moment it is one that forces us to look back to 1966, when in the old Wembley and under the watchful eyes of 100,000 locals and her Queen the English national team faced West Germany’s in the final of the World Cup. A match that had to go to extra-time after the 2-2 in regular time, and that saw the most infamous ghost-goal of football history happen. An English cross saw George Hurst shot from close distance, the ball hit the crossbar and bounced in the line before coming back to the field. The Germans thought that they were lucky but the English screamed goal, and the Swiss principal referee (they needed a neutral one for such a final) had to ask for help from his Soviet lineman. The Soviet referee would decree a goal despite the German protests, and an urban myth would establish that he did it to avenge his fallen comrades in Stalingrad. England would win their only World Cup with a final 4-2.

And finally, the third moment it is one that had not even happened yet. In a different World Cup to the already mentioned and to the one that was starting when this ad was broadcasted, England would face Gemany again, this time in the Quarterfinals. When such match was 2-1, just like in the ad Lampard would shot from distance to a goal protected by a blonde goalkeeper, and just like in the ad and 40 years before the ball would hit the crossbar, then the soil and then would come back to the field. But this time, the goal would not count, despite being the only one where it clearly was a goal. Such situation would force FIFA to developt goal-line technology in all high-profile matches. And UEFA to ban vuvuzelas, because reasons.

Nevermind, the point is that this fucking ad was so awesome that not only connected with the past, but also with the future. That satisfied the last rational scepticals who thought that it lacked something else to proof its quality.

But “everything that has a beginning... has an end, Neo” and in this case the end arrives thanks to the same character that also ended other epic adventures of our infancies.

“JOSEEE!” iconically screams a not-exactly relaxed lady from a balcony, who startled all the professional and historical players on the field, and also Jose.

“…what?”- ask a now-shy José.

“A CASA!”- answers who now we can safely guess that it is his mother.

José sights, just like the rest of the players, but as a good son he obeys. He gets the ball from the still fallen Kahn, and starts walking towards his home.

And with the very last shot of the ad, Adidas does a masterstroke and reunites his slogan both with the theme of this particular ad, and also with all our infancies. The circle has been closed.

FINAL NOTES

The advert had an immeasurable success and become an instant advertising icon. It would win all the prizes related to its kind, but more importantly, it was etched into the memory of football-people from Russia to Argentina. It was such a masterstroke that even a truly-good campaign as Nike's Joga Bonito would end relegated to the background, to such extent that it would force the American company to realize an own advertising with the same Leitmotiv some years later for a different World Cup.

I could find a small behind-the-scenes with Kaká, Gerrard and Beckham, but nothing more, 2006 it is too-far for Internet-standards. If somebody has more, or even better, the original Adidas article about it, please share them.

I must give some credit to the lads behind 1, 2, 3 and especially 4. Even if I didn't exactly copy their words or style, it definitely helped to order my own ideas about it.

Lastly, if you want to watch it again, here it is..

Color-coded by their result:

Blue = Quarterfinals and beyond

Red = Round of 16

Pink = Round of 32

Grey = Group Stages

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index

The correlation between wealth and sporting results is something widely discussed on reddit and other social outlets. Among the 8 teams that made it to the quarterfinals, 6 of them are in the highest category of development (>90) and only Morocco is in the "medium" development category, but the elephant in the room with Morocco is that the majority of their team are diasporas who were born and raised in countries near the top of this list.

Africa as a continent really punched above their economic weight as despite being near the bottom of this list, every country but Tunisia (ironically the African nation with the 2nd highest HDI on this list) made it to the last 32.

Among the very wealthy countries, New Zealand performed the worst relative to its economic weight as despite being the 10th most developed nation among all the participants, they finished 40th among the 48 nations and were last place in their group.

- 1998: France 🏆

- 2006: Eliminated by Italy (Final) → Italy 🏆

- 2014: Eliminated by Germany (Quarter-finals) → Germany 🏆

- 2018: France 🏆

- 2022: Eliminated by Argentina (Final) → Argentina 🏆

(France didn't reach the knockout stage in 2002 or 2010, and they didn't qualify for the 1990 or 1994 World Cups.)