Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe group stage continued to take shape as the World Cup rolled on throughout Sunday in North America.Goals were not in any short supply (well, three out of four games isn't bad) in a compelling day of action across the United States and Mexico.Here's all the big talking points from the four games from day four of the 2026 World Cup, including a sleeping giant awakening, a dark horse in the making, and plenty more...We might have all been sleeping on GermanyThe bookies had Germany as seventh-favourites to win the World Cup before the tournament began.BBC Sport asked 17 of their pundits to predict the winner. Germany didn't get so much as an honourable mention from a single one of them. You may like World Cup day three highlights - Vinicius Jr's statement to Brazil doubters, Scotland celebrations and new stars emerging How to watch World Cup 2026: FREE live streams, groups, next matches World Cup day two highlights - USA turn on the style while Canada make history An English journalist friend of ours who is out in the United States was chatting to a local over breakfast on Sunday morning, and laughed off the suggestion that Germany were going to win 8-0.Results like that don't really happen at World Cups, surely, even when it's an established giant taking on a minnow making their first ever appearance at the tournament. We agreed. One-nil to the American, because he was pretty damn close, as it turned out.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.That's...weird, isn't it? It's Germany!Yes, they have gone out in the group stage in the past two World Cups. But this is a very different Germany side - and, lest we forget, they were only team who Spain were unable to beat in 90 minutes at Euro 2024.It's hard to know how much to read into their 7-1 win. Far, far sterner tests still lie ahead than taking on new boys Curacao, a country with a population slightly smaller than Telford. What to read next World Cup day one highlights - Five goals, three red cards, tears of joy and the dreaded long throw How to watch Germany vs Curacao for FREE Germany vs Curacao prediction, as the four-time World Cup winners take on a tournament debutant But for perhaps the first time in World Cup history...we might all have underestimated Germany.Japan: Confirmed quite goodEngland got a preview of what Japan are capable of on their day back in March's incisive 1-0 loss at Wembley. Brazil did, too, in a 3-2 defeat at Japanese hands five months before then.So we can't really be too surprised that the Sumurai Blue gave absolutely as good as they got in an entertaining 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Dallas.Even without skipper Wataru Endo and Brighton dynamo Kaoru Mitoma - both of whom have missed out on a squad place through injury - Japan showed they have plenty of talent and spirit in the squad to make an impact this World Cup.Hajime Moriyasu's side twice fought back from behind to take a point in what, on paper, should be their most difficult game of the group phase.Japan might just be the ultimate dark horse of this tournament - and one we're really looking forward to watching throughout the summer.As for the Netherlands...they still have a bit of convincing to do if we are to believe they aren't set for yet another in a never-ending line of World Cup disappointments.Amad Diallo defies fate to give Ivory Coast massive last-minute victoryEcuador were second only to Argentina in the CONMEBOL section of qualifying, despite being hit with a three-point deduction for a historic player eligibility infraction.The secret of their success? An unbelievably tight defence. Ecuador scored just 14 goals in their 18 games on their way to booking their place in the competition proper - but conceded just five.Ivory Coast, to be totally fair, scored 25 goals in ten games in qualifying, and were in similarly free-scoring form at this year's Africa Cup of Nations: even their elimination in the quarter-finals came in a 3-2 defeat to Egypt. But more pertinently: Les Elephants' defensive record was absolutely spotless in qualifying.Until the 90th minute, it seemed like fate was conspiring to deliver the 0-0 draw those stats suggested would be on the cards.There was no other explanation for how a very enjoyable hot mess of a game had remained goalless for so long: Ecuador hit the woodwork three times, and the Ivory Coast joined the party by hitting the bar themselves and wasting numerous chances after the break.But their moment finally came: Wilfried Singo was given far too much space to stream up the right and to the corner of the box before squaring for Amad Diallo to slot home.That is a huge win for the Ivory Coast. Their game against Germany is now something of a free hit; if they beat Curacao in their final game, they will be through to the knockouts for the first time in their history. Ecuador, meanwhile, have it all to do now.Sweden's brilliant turnaround under Graham Potter goes onIt would be fair to say that Sweden were in the doldrums when Graham Potter took over from Jon Dahl Tomasson last October.So bad was it, in fact, that Sweden didn't actually win any of their qualifying games against Slovenia, Switzerland, or Kosovo (twice) - and Potter was unable to change that story in the two remaining games he had in charge of the group section.But the vagaries of Nations League implications meant Sweden were nonetheless handed a play-off game that Potter had four months to prepare for - and back-to-back victories over Ukraine and Poland was enough to put them on the plane to North America.They could scarcely have started the tournament any better. Potter's side were firmly on top from the very beginning in a 4-1 victory over a Tunisia side who kept ten out of ten clean sheets in their own qualifying campaign.The irresistible-looking front two of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres having a hand in four out of five of the goals...if you believe VAR that Isak did indeed get a little touch on the ball to render Mattias Svanberg onside for the final goal, anyway.After his struggles at Chelsea and West Ham, Potter needed a job to restore a bit of credibility to his name. International football is very much suiting him so far.TOPICSGraham PotterEcuadorIvory CoastSwedenTunisiaJapanNetherlandsGermanyCuraaoWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Steven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
