Key events25m agoPreambleScotland’s first World Cup match since 1998 is fast approaching and, judging by the photos coming out of Boston, the fans are determined to enjoy themselves one way or another. Paul MacInnes has been taking the temperature in the city’s bars, pubs and tap rooms – nice work if you can get it – while Ewan Murray brings the sober, serious analysis. Meanwhile Bryan Armen Graham has the inside track on Haiti, who have been waiting even longer than Scotland – 52 years, to be precise – to make their comeback at the tournament.In what feels like an enjoyably bizarre subplot from a World Cup film directed by the Coen Brothers, some enterprising individuals have stolen England’s boots. As reported by Jacob Steinberg, the Football Association will have to liaise with local police in Kansas City as it attempts to retrieve the misappropriated items. If that fails, presumably Harry Kane and co will have to take on Croatia barefoot.
double quotation markA man in a tracksuit appeared holding aloft a golden ball, like some ancient deity hoisting god’s gonad on his shoulders. At which point an enormous golden Fifa sign appeared, all four letters at least 50ft high, winched down out of the ether like a vision of divine grace – if not the most ludicrous sporting spectacle of all time, then surely the most ludicrous yet.
