FT SeriesWorld Cup 2018The stories, profiles and data you need throughout the tournament© Nigel Buchanan2,000 miles, 23 goals, 1 wrenching defeat: a fan’s World Cup odysseyInside the stadiums, Russia 2018 felt like a triumph. But what will it mean for Putin?The World Cup final in chartsPogba and Kanté v Modric and Rakitic: the midfield duel that will decide a tantalising showdownFrench system shapes success of Les Bleus’ African talentSons of immigrants in national team are products of France — in ways good and badCroatia leave England’s World Cup dreams in tattersSouthgate’s team return to bad old long-ball ways on a disappointing nightFrance favourites for World Cup after victory over BelgiumSamuel Umtiti header sets up final clash against Croatia or EnglandHow we watched the World Cup at workEnlightened employers have encouraged staff to take in every matchMore from this SeriesThe expat’s quandary during the World CupWhich football team should an American in London support?Trippier’s journey from fringe player to England World Cup starTottenham wing-back delivers the crosses that drive the team’s progressSouthgate’s England marry Leave and Remain to winning effectWorld Cup semi-finalists combine best of British and continental traditionsWorld Cup semi-finals: what you need to know in chartsWhy France are likely to create chances and Raheem Sterling is key to England’s successBelgium unites briefly behind globalised Red DevilsOne of the world’s least nationalist nations finds someone worth cheering onEngland through to World Cup semi-final Suddenly the young team find themselves unstoppable in the airWhy the World Cup is bigger than Putin‘I can write about the genius of French forward Kylian Mbappé, knowing the FT is also covering Russian elite corruption’England’s biggest World Cup weapon is luckThis set of players is not significantly better than the maligned teams of the pastGareth Southgate, a coach to banish England’s football demonsThe manager has shaped a young squad and broken old dogmas to make historyA halcyon summer of sport helps us define our EnglishnessThe football team’s diversity makes us realise there is an England that we can shareBelgium’s golden generation looks for way past impregnable BrazilThe Red Devils’ best team since 1986 must outwit the South Americans’ best since 2002World Cup: how teams should attack the knockoutsPassing prowess or counter-attacking flair: which style has been the most productive?Dele Alli: not to be underestimatedHenry Mance on England’s latest enigmaLuis Suárez: redemption in Russia?Get ready for the next act in the Uruguayan’s World Cup dramaCould spotting the difference win the World Cup?Penalty unpredictability deemed crucial to tournament success The stats that say Mbappé could top everyone — except Brazil’s RonaldoThe French teenage star’s early goalscoring exploits outshine most of the game’s greats England send Colombia packing on penaltiesGareth Southgate’s team through to World Cup quarter-final with nail-biting winRussian World Cup team defies scepticism to captivate nationLambasted side hopes self belief and belated support will see them throughWork Tribes: ‘Let’s get together for a team pic! #TeamFun’Listen in on the characters who populate modern officesRussians play welcoming hosts to English fansControl measures kick in to damp hooliganism and release novel spirit of respectA prescription to ease England’s psychological burdenSouthgate must ensure his players are positive, patient and ready for penaltiesWorld Cup: the story so far in five chartsWhere did reigning champions Germany go wrong — and who are best placed to take their crown?Adaptable Red Devils give Belgium best shot at winning World CupA gifted and cosmopolitan generation is having fun as they reach their peakBelgium beat England, but who’s the real winner?Victory shortens Red Devils’ odds of facing impressive Brazil in the quarter-finalsBrazil’s new national sport: ‘Knocking Neymar’But the forward might yet prove a uniquely Brazilian saviour as his team meets SerbiaThe story behind ‘Seven Nation Army’, an anthem of the World Cup football terracesThe White Stripes’ guitar riff went from the charts to the supporters of Jeremy Corbyn — and beyondGriezmann and Kante can unlock France’s thrilling potentialBut under Deschamps, Les Bleus have so far played sterile footballWhat kind of football fan hates Mesut Ozil?Neil O’Sullivan on the strange case of Germany’s playmakerLionel Messi v the restWill Argentina finally stop asking their superstar to win the World Cup single-handed?The guilty pleasures of the early World Cup weeks‘It’s a rare luxury – a constant supply of games you don’t care about’Reigning champions Germany laid low by a foot in the pastDisastrous result proves no one can defy football’s eternal need for renewalOnline gambling: the hidden epidemicSmartphone betting apps are used by millions — and for some it’s a dangerous addictionEngland and Belgium’s World Cup dilemmaAs previous champions battled to stay in, Group G rivals face a different challengeHarry Kane leads Panama demolition job to put England into last 16Captain’s World Cup hat-trick in 6-1 thrashing confirms arrival of an in-form teamWhy most Russians couldn’t care less about Putin or football‘The idea of the president as a puppeteer manipulating his people gives him too much credit’The best World Cup defences: which teams have got it right?We examine the tactics that may help nations progress further than expectedGareth Southgate’s bunch of good lads take on the worldEngland sees itself reflected in a young and diverse group of football playersArgentina trapped in dilemma over how to unleash playmaker MessiSouth Americans struggle to find formation that allows their matchwinner to thriveArgentina’s ‘worst team in history’ looks for the real MessiBarcelona veteran, now full of stress and flashes of anger, should rediscover the kidUruguay’s fighting striker Suarez finds perfect partner in CavaniGoalscorers born weeks apart in same city can propel La Celeste into second roundWorld Cup 2018: can one billionaire save Russian football?As fans fret about the hosts’ performances, Sergei Galitsky believes he can transform the sportFrance, Germany, Brazil, Spain — who has the best World Cup squad?We’ve crunched the data to find out who comes out on top in terms of quality and experienceShinji Okazaki: Japan’s unsung heroThe Leicester City striker’s unselfish, unflashy style has endeared him to his country’s fansHarry Kane punishes Tunisia in England World Cup openerTwo goals for captain cannot hide flawed performanceCO2 shortage sparks fears over World Cup beer suppliesSupplies of gas run dry in Europe as plants close for maintenanceEngland training system faces first big test at World CupYouth teams used as pipeline for tournament in effort to offset inexperiencePoland’s integration into EU project spurs football successEx-communist nation benefit from proximity to game’s western Europe strongholdHow ‘Benetton’ Belgium became football’s radicalsThe team stands for an idea: that nationhood can be something subtler than the blood-and-soil kindThey weren’t expecting to be at the World Cup but…Fans in Egypt, Iceland, Panama, Peru and Senegal tell FT correspondents how it feelsEngland adopt new tactics in push for World Cup gloryManager Gareth Southgate is copying methods that have helped other European teams winOur World Cup hopes and fears. Plus: Akram KhanAs the World Cup "kicks off" in Russia, we chat to two FT football fanatics, theatre…World Cup 2018: Morocco — a team of EuropeansSimon Kuper on the footballers choosing between two homelandsFootball special: Russia prepares for the World CupGideon Rachman, Murad Ahmed and Simon Kuper in Paris join Jonathan Derbyshire to dis…Spain stand in way of Ronaldo’s single-minded pursuit of gloryIberian World Cup clash pits the Portuguese captain against his Real Madrid clubmatesIs Russia-Saudi Arabia the worst World Cup game ever?We’ve got the data to answer the question in our new tournament briefingWorld Cup carnival exposes limits of western sanctions on RussiaPresident Vladimir Putin handed opportunity to show attempts to isolate country have failedWorld Cup: why millennials will transform football’s greatest eventThe way the game is experienced away from the pitch is the latest powerful example of digital disruptionHow to get the most from the World CupDo switch off Twitter, don’t make predictions: lessons from a tournament veteranWorld Cup: applying economic theory to predict the winnerFrance will beat Spain in the final, with Brazil in third place . . . maybeRussian football struggles to score on and off pitchWorld Cup comes at nadir for national side that reflects problems in domestic gameJourneymen footballers shoot for World Cup immortalityOpening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia gives ordinary players chance to shineEmmanuel Macron uses ‘les Bleus’ as a political footballBut trying to take advantage of sporting success can be a risky gameThe five style tribes of footballToday’s footballing heroes are rich, fit and fashion-mad. But who’s got the best style game?How football’s World Cup fell into the hands of autocracyAs fans flock to sport’s greatest spectacle, efforts to clean up the beautiful game have run into the sand
