Fifa World Cup 2018 Novy Kapadia

FIFA World Cup 2018, Novy Kapadia column: 'Intelligent' Luka Modric makes Croatia title contenders in Russia

The player of the tournament so far has been Croatia’s nippy and intelligent midfielder Luka Modric. His precise and nimble scheming is perhaps Croatia’s greatest weapon, a key part of what makes them genuine contenders.

FIFA World Cup 2018, Novy Kapadia column: Famed German mentality absent in Joachim Loew's team

the biggest surprise was the absence of the famed German mentality in the loss to Mexico. German coach Joachim Loew seems to have made the same mistake that Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque made in the 2014 World Cup, relying on an ageing team.

FIFA World Cup 2018, Novy Kapadia column: European, South American teams set to dominate; Asian countries will struggle

The European and South American domination of the World Cup will continue in 2018 also. Teams from the other continents are still far behind.