NPR

World Cup 2018: What's Happened So Far

If this weekend's big matches had one lesson, it was that even great teams don't win every game. The Davids were stronger than expected, and the Goliaths were weighed down by sky-high expectations.
Hannes Halldorsson of Iceland saves a penalty kick by Lionel Messi of Argentina on Saturday in Moscow.

The first week of the World Cup is arguably the best: three matches a day, none at the same time. It is Soccer Christmas for futbol fans, and it's hard to get much work done at the office.

Each team takes the pitch with fresh legs, ready to show whether its prospects have been over- or underrated. And if this weekend's biggest matches had one lesson, it was that even great teams don't win every game. The Davids showed themselves stronger than expected, and the Goliaths were sometimes weighed down by sky-high expectations.

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