- Japan have been the tournament's stealth story — unbeaten, hard to break down and effective on the break — and earned second place, meaning a blockbuster Round of 32 tie with Brazil (Vinícius/Neymar).
- Sweden scraped through as one of the best third-placed teams, but their progress masks a big issue: Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres were largely anonymous, and the team's chances now hinge on those two finding form.
- The Netherlands won the group emphatically (5-1 v Sweden), setting up an intriguing bracket with Morocco and a slate of marquee matchups to come.
The news, distilled into what matters.
Get the full experience in the app — topics, comments, and audio summaries.