The novelty will wear off - on the expanded WC format

tag(s): #yell-at-cloud #random-thoughts We were chatting today at work about the expanded World Cup format and how many of the weaker teams that qualified for the first time (or first time in decades) put up a decent fight. This was, of course, after the Portugal-Congo game. And during that conversation I had a thought: games like Cape Verde-Spain and Portugal-Congo are interesting mostly because of the novelty. Who doesn't like a David vs Goliath storyline? I tend to favor underdog teams, if I don't know anything else about a match up. There's also a bit of appreciation for the, on paper lesser team, executing their strategy so perfectly that they overcome the (again, on paper) superior firepower of the bigger opponent. But let's say in 2034 there's still 48 teams.[1] By then, these kind of matches will not be seen as novel, and the only thing left to judge them for will be, you know, the actual football played. Are we still going to enjoy a parade of 5-4-1 defenses in half the group…