After over a week of competition, the FIFA Men’s World Cup continues to generate discussion. Football expert Tuukka Kotimäki has identified five key talking points emerging from the tournament. Notably, Cape Verde, a nation with a population smaller than the city of Helsinki, has achieved success, silencing critics who opposed the expansion of the World Cup format. This performance challenges arguments that increasing the number of participating teams would dilute the quality of play. The unexpected advancement of smaller nations is becoming a significant narrative of the tournament. Kotimäki’s analysis suggests this success story is one of the most compelling developments so far.