Potti’s World Cup Diary #2: Shakira, Red Cards, and a Broken Curse

The first day of the World Cup is in the books – and it had a bit of everything. A thrilling opening game, a full Aztec stadium, plenty of emotions in the stands, and a referee who clearly didn’t hold back with his cards. While host Mexico laid the groundwork for a successful tournament kickoff, referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio from Brazil also found himself in the spotlight. There have never been three red cards in a World Cup opening match before. Prior to that, the opening ceremony had already set a positive tone. Especially Shakira demonstrated impressively that some people seem to have outsmarted the aging process. The Colombian looked more like she was in her mid-20s than just before her 50th birthday and delivered a performance that may have even made some players jealous.Group A: Mexico vs. South Africa 2:0 With a solid 2:0 win against South Africa, host Mexico has successfully kicked off the 2026 FIFA World Cup and simultaneously ended a historical curse. In this third attempt, the Mexican national team won its first World Cup opening match on home soil. In front of over 80,000 enthusiastic spectators in the sold-out Aztec Stadium, Julián Quiñones put the hosts in the lead as early as the 9th minute. After the break, veteran Raúl Jiménez scored the second goal to seal the win. Mexico controlled the match and barely allowed South Africa to find their rhythm. However, the match was overshadowed by numerous fouls and a total of three red cards. South Africa finished the match with only nine players. For Mexico, this successful start is an important step toward the Round of 16 and a first morale booster for the home World Cup.My prediction was 2:1. At least I got the trend right.Group A: South Korea vs. Czech Republic 2:1 South Korea started the World Cup with a bit of a struggle. Against the Czech Republic, the team led by superstar Heung-min Son initially fell behind 0:1 after captain Ladislav Krejci put the Europeans ahead. But the Asians showed resilience. Substitute In-beom Hwang scored the equalizer shortly after coming on, before fellow substitute Hyeon-gyu Oh netted the winning goal ten minutes before the end for a 2:1 victory. For South Korea, it was a perfect start, while the Czechs, returning to the World Cup after 20 years, found themselves empty-handed despite holding the lead. Unfortunately, my tip for a draw was as quickly off the table as the Czech hopes for at least one point.Tip record after 2 matches: 1 correct, 1 incorrect

My Take on the Upcoming Matches

Group B: Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 21:00 The bookmakers see Canada as the clear favorite. However, I would disagree. A team like Bosnia and Herzegovina, which eliminated Italy in World Cup qualifying, is certainly capable of defeating Canada. To me, this match is at least(!) even. And while I genuinely like Canada as a country and wish the Maple Leafs all the best for the upcoming matches, my sympathies in this duel clearly lie with the team coached by Sergej Barbarez. I know him personally, and I’ve exchanged shares with him at a poker event – and I’ve already “shopped” for him 😊 The team of the former HSV top scorer will win the match 2:1. The current odds of around 4.4 for a Bosnian victory offered by the betting sites seem quite attractive and playable. #VALUEALARMGroup D: USA vs. Paraguay – 03:00 Again, I’m going against the grain. The USA enjoy a significant and, in my opinion, too generous confidence boost from the bookmakers as hosts. I see it differently and am betting on Paraguay. Admittedly, I do not know both teams well enough for a deep analysis. But whoever defeats both Argentina and Brazil in qualifying shouldn’t have sleepless nights against the USA even on American soil.That’s why my tip is: Paraguay wins 1:0, creates a small surprise right at the start, and deals a first significant blow to the sporting ambitions of the US Boys.