A weird Word Cup

◆ at the South Americans disposal - Messi, Sergio Aguero, Pablo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain. It’s been a weird World Cup so far and even Neymar needed a goal in time added on against a gritty Costa Rica yesterday, in a 2-0 win for the Brazilians, to open his account for the tournament.

Those who love goals have received a fair share of their gifts as there have been goals in each of the 26 matches in Russia, the first time this has happened at the World Cup since 1954. Interestingly, while some of the traditional superstars are yet to sparkle, a player who has been struggling to even command a first-team place at Nyasha Mushekwi’s Chinese Super League club, Dalian Yifang, of late, is doing well at the tournament.

Veteran defender Jose Fonte is one of the marquee signings who arrived at the Chinese club at the beginning of the year in a multi-million dollar transfer that shook the game, given that Yannick Carrasco and Nicolas Gaitan also left Atletico Madrid in that same pilgrimage.

Gaitan was overlooked for the Argentina side, while Carrasco has been featuring for the Belgians at this World Cup in Russia.

The three big-name signings meant that Mushekwi was pushed out of the team which he had helped with a glut of goals last year, to power into the Chinese Super League.

There were even some considerations for the Zimbabwean to be dumped by the club, but the fans, who have been charmed by his goals, protested and Mushekwi was retained, although he had to contend with a place in the shadows as only three foreigners can make the match day squad.

With Fonte, Carrasco and Gaitan arriving on big money deals, the Zimbabwean was pushed into the shade, but the team failed to click and the coach was fired and replaced by veteran German gaffer Bernd Schuster, who saw some value in Mushekwi and brought him back into the team. Fonte, who arrived in China from English Premiership side West Ham, was the fall guy and he has been struggling to nail a regular place in the Dalian Yifang side since then, but he remains a key member of the Portuguese side that is playing at the World Cup.

Recently, he made headlines around the world when he was caught on camera standing alone on the field while all of his teammates, including the goalkeeper, rushed off the field to mob Ronaldo, who had scored a late equaliser against Spain.

The argument was that Portugal needed one player to remain on the field for Spain not to restart the match while most of the Portuguese players were still celebrating off the field. Fonte, though, has been heaping a lot of praise on Ronaldo.

“Cristiano is Cristiano,” Fonte told reporters.

“He’s the best player in the world. It’s not surprising that he’s doing what he’s doing. He prepares for that.

“Being Portuguese and having him in the team is just incredible. We know that we have him in the team and he’s a major asset for us.

“We just have to do our job at the back and he will do his up front.”

Portugal have a tricky game against Iran in their final group game and Fonte believes they have to improve from their show against Morocco, which they won 1-0 courtesy of a Ronaldo strike.

“Obviously not completely happy with the performance and the way we played,” he said.

“But having said that, we’re not playing against any weak teams.

“Everyone in the World Cup has quality.

“There is no easy game in the World Cup.” Not in this weird World Cup and, just in case you doubt that, ask Messi and his Argentina team.