World Cup Day 8 awards: What have you done, Willy Caballero?

On World Cup Day 8, France won, Christian Eriksen scored for Denmark and Croatia embarrassed Argentina. Let’s hand out some awards.

On the eighth day of the World Cup, France booked their place in the round of 16 with another underwhelming performance, Christian Eriksen starred for Denmark and Argentina lost to Croatia following a stunning goalkeeping error from Willy Caballero. Let’s hand out some awards.

The Robbie Keane Award for Great Goal, Shame About The Celebration: Christian Eriksen

Denmark, for the second time in a week, picked up points in a game in which they were largely second best. They owed their draw, as they owe most of their success, to the brilliance of Christian Eriksen, who scored a wonderful half volley early in the first half. The finish marked the 18th time in his last 15 matches with the national team he has been directly involved in a goal. Not bad at all. His celebration, in contrast, an aborted knee-slide that would have destroyed the quadriceps of a lesser man, left much to be desired. Still, if he keeps up his current pace, he’ll soon have an opportunity to make amends.

The England Circa 2006 Award for Why Are You So Bad? France

France booked their spot in the last 16 on Thursday with another uninspiring win, this time against Peru. Playing well in the group stage is rarely an indicator of success later in the tournament, and playing badly in the group stage rarely a cause for serious alarm, particularly when you’re winning. Even so, watching such a talented team grind their way through matches is getting tiresome. There was about a 10-minute stretch at the end of the first half when France, for perhaps the first time at a major tournament under Didier Deschamps, really clicked, attacking with the sort of verve and invention we expect from such a talented group of players. It was, predictably, thrilling. And so as the second half wore on, as Peru took over the game, we were left, once again, to ask: Why can’t they play like that more often?

The Morocco Award for Valiant Failure: Peru

Peru’s first World Cup in 36 years will end in a group-stage exit, but that hardly tells the full story of their first two matches, in which they dominated Denmark and France for long stretches only to score zero goals and pick up zero points. It’s an unjust end for team who have brought so much to this World Cup, both on the pitch and off it. Ricardo Gareca’s side have played attractive, attacking soccer, while their fans have been some of the best at the tournament, traveling in huge numbers not just to the city’s their team have played in, but across Russia. Their final match is against Australia on Tuesday, June 26. They deserve a win.

Next: The best player on every team at the World Cup

The Sir Alex Ferguson Award for Unhelpful Fans: Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona is fully and entirely insane. It’s one of his charms. It’s not, however, always particularly helpful to the Argentinian national team (especially that time he was their manager). Don Diego wasn’t shy about expressing his opinions following his nation’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Iceland in their opening match, telling Jorge Sampaoli he shouldn’t bother coming home if he couldn’t guide the Albiceleste through the group. As if that wasn’t enough, he flew out to Nizhny Novgorod for Argentina’s match against Croatia, and spent the minutes before kickoff waving and kissing a Lionel Messi jersey, before settling into some more run-of-the-mill craziness as the game got underway. One can only imagine how he’ll spend his evening now; presumably making the arrangements for Sampaoli’s banishment from the country.

The David de Gea Award for Goalkeeping Howlers: Willy Caballero

When they write the book about Lionel Messi’s Argentina career, there will be an entire chapter devoted to Willy Caballero, and instead of words it will include only the sound of Lionel Messi screaming.