At the World Cup’s halfway point, the tournament hasn’t just delivered goals and shocks—it’s spawned a parallel storyline on TV screens and social feeds: feminist defiance, pundit spats, goosebumps for a tears-soaked goalkeeper, and drink-break interruptions t
The halfway mark of the World Cup arrives with a familiar feeling: the tournament is still moving fast, but everyone’s already looking back—at the moments that made people pause their match, rewind a clip, and talk about it in group chats.
Here’s what has been taking over feeds and living rooms so far: the coaches who fight back, the pundits who stumble into chaos, and the players whose real-life emotion cut through the noise.
Emma Hayes taunted the trolls—on purpose. Emma Hayes. one of Britain’s best coaches after winning seven WSL titles with Chelsea and then leading the USA women’s team to Olympic gold. has also been targeted with misogynistic abuse online. When she appeared with her “tactics chalkboard,” some viewers praised it as astute and incisive. Others focused on her appearance—criticising her for presenting from a kitchen, or simply attacking how she looked.
Hayes answered with a line that landed hard before she even spoke: she wore a jacket emblazoned with the feminist slogan “She will change the world.” Then, in a dry, pointed delivery to viewers, she said: “Let’s focus on the game. I know that’s a challenge for some of us at home.”
Gary Lineker switched sides—and kept the jokes coming. Gary Lineker has been enjoying “newfound freedom. ” working for Netflix in the US while calling his former employers “soulless” for broadcasting from “a green box in Salford.” His return to free-to-air TV came quickly: he appeared as a pundit on ITV’s coverage of Germany v Côte d’Ivoire. even stepping into a tongue-in-cheek cameo as the main anchor.
“Thank you for joining us on ITV for this one,” Lineker told viewers. “Another day, another game, another channel.” Host Laura Woods cut him off immediately. “Gary, that’s my job!” she interjected.
“Sorry,” Lineker replied. “Old habits.”
Japanese supporters’ cleanup habit stole hearts—and stuck. Away from the broadcast drama, one World Cup tradition has been quietly winning over strangers. Japanese supporters have stayed behind after matches to clean up stadiums—using bin liners to collect rubbish instead of heading for the exits at the final whistle.
It’s become synonymous with Japan’s tournament appearances, and the story traces the practice back to the Shinto religion, which holds that everyday items are spiritual and worthy of respect. The belief is summed up in the saying: “A bird leaves nothing behind”.
Fans say the spirit of that habit even showed up inside team spaces. Players apparently left their dressing room “spotless” after their 2-2 draw against the Netherlands.
And then came Merlin the duck, Mexico’s viral mascot.
If there’s a World Cup character built for the internet, it’s Merlin. The official Fifa mascot for co-host Mexico, Zayu the jaguar, was joined by a new animal sensation: Merlin, a duck who wears a miniature Mexico shirt and customised socks.
Merlin went viral after waddling along with the jubilant crowd following Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa in the tournament’s opening match. The attention didn’t stay online for long. Merlin met Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum and quacked his way on stage during her morning press conference. stopping for selfies as his fame grew.
Back in the pundit arena, Alexi Lalas went after James Corden—by name. Token US pundit Alexi Lalas has been enraging viewers with “loudly delivered. ill-informed opinions. ” and the frustration has spilled across the studio. Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović appeared to share the discomfort. even refusing to pass the ball to Lalas during an in-studio kickabout.
Still, Lalas managed one standout moment after a trailer for After Hours With James Corden. On-air, he described Corden as a “full-kit wanker.” The British slang term seems to have landed with Henry—his face “was a picture.”
The tournament’s drink breaks are getting booed. For all the viral charm, there’s also backlash—and it’s aimed at something that interrupts matches. Fifa’s introduction of drink breaks midway through each half is supposed to be about player welfare. Instead, they’re getting jeered for breaking up the flow of the game.
Fans have been especially irritated when the stadium is pouring with rain. Many viewers also have a suspicion that the timing isn’t just about hydration—it’s a cynical cash-grab, turning football into a four-quarter format for advertisers.
Every time the camera cuts to Fifa president Gianni Infantino on the big screen, he’s met with booing and whistling. The only sight less popular than the hydration sessions themselves, the piece notes, has been him.
Belgium’s huddle became a soaked mess.
Belgium’s opening match against Egypt brought a small, chaotic reminder that even teams can misread the weather. Belgium picked the wrong place for a team huddle. They forgot to take the pitch sprinklers into account.
The result was that poor head coach Rudi Garcia got thoroughly soaked. For the next 20 minutes, he stayed damp in the dugout, looking as if he was “entering a wet T-shirt contest,” while his players struggled to take his instructions seriously.
Vozinha’s saves didn’t just stop shots—they broke hearts.
One moment didn’t go viral because it was funny. It went viral because it was human.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper for World Cup debutants Cape Verde, became the tournament’s first cult hero. Against Spain—ranked 65 places higher—he pulled off a string of spectacular saves to keep a clean sheet, helping Cape Verde earn a shock 0-0 draw.
At the final whistle, Vozinha was named man of the match and broke down in tears on the turf. He said: “I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they died a few years ago.” Then he added: “I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to make it because of the visa costs.”
His loved ones might not have been there for him, but fans worldwide were. Overnight, his Instagram following rose from 40,000 to more than 15m.
Ally McCoist brought joy to co-commentary—Lee Dixon didn’t.
Not every viral moment is a clip from a match. Some are about what people heard while watching.
On ITV’s co-commentary team, Lee Dixon has been described as sucking the joy out of the room, while Ally McCoist has the opposite effect. McCoist combines humour, enthusiasm and insight in a Lanarkshire brogue that has made his presence feel like part of the match atmosphere.
The affection has been so strong it’s spawned a drinking game inspired by McCoist. The warning is explicit: playing along at home can lead to severe tipsiness.
England’s official photos became instant comedy.
Even Fifa’s official England squad photos have turned into entertainment. As the starting lineups are announced, the images flash up and trigger constant jokes.
Declan Rice is shown as sunburnt. Dean Henderson is framed with a sinister side-eye. On Mock the Week’s World Cup special. Anthony Gordon’s portrait was compared to Diana. Princess of Wales. Clare Balding. a “lesbian nana. ” and “the photo you’d put on the front of an order of service for an auntie’s funeral”.
Reece James also got roasted, with social media comparing his stiff arms by his side to a table football figurine or a shy schoolboy told to come downstairs and show granny his snazzy new England kit.
And in the warm-up match, diners accidentally became the story.
Not all World Cup attention comes from the players. During a warm-up match the night before proceedings officially kicked off—England v Costa Rica—pitch-side diners sparked the tournament’s first vital talking point.
The suspicion that North America “doesn’t quite get football” was given new fuel when spectators were seen sitting at tables and tucking into full alfresco meals while Declan Rice prepared to take a corner, visible in the front row.
It looked polite—until a misdirected clearance landed in their soup.
World Cup Emma Hayes Gary Lineker hydration breaks Gianni Infantino Vozinha Cape Verde Spain Merlin the duck Claudia Sheinbaum Alexi Lalas James Corden Rudi Garcia