QUEEN'S GOAL GAFFE
Queen Mathilde of the Belgians made an embarrassing gaffe when congratulating the team for their second round qualification on Sunday. Mathile congratulated Romelu Lukaku, who is of Congolese origin, for scoring the winner against Russia.
Lukaku, who had shouted abuse at coach Marc Wilmots when he was substituted in the second half, corrected the queen by pointing out Divock Origi. The player of Kenyan extraction was the true scorer and had replaced Lukaku.
Unconcerned by such a politically incorrect mistake, Queen Mathilde kept her composure and told Lukaku: "In any case, you played very well. It's wonderful, thank-you." Lukaku was brought off because he had a second poor game in a row.

HAIR HOMOGENEITY IN SWITZERLAND
Switzerland's cosmopolitan squad are trying to strengthen their unity by sporting a common haircut. Blerim Dzemaili and Granit Xhaka turned up to a press conference on Sunday sporting the same look, with shaved back and sides and skull-cap style patch on the top.
Xhaka explained that: "I started to get my hair cut like [Johan] Djourou. He [Dzemaili] saw my haircut and started copying me, but it doesn't look very good on him."

PAPAL SUPPORT FOR ARGENTINA
Argentina's last gasp 1-0 win over Iran on Saturday was as much due to Pope Francis, an Argentine, as it was Lionel Messi's brilliant goal, according to a priest in Argentina.
"I have no doubt that the pope watched the game and cheered like we did," said Father Lorenzo from Vedia.
"Jesus teaches us about faith and passion. Living with passion is a good thing, and things that generate positive passion like football are good."
Father Lorenzo watched the game with some of his flock on a television set up in his church above a crucifix.

JUST ONE LAST KISS
Belgian players have been following a strict vow of chastity during the World Cup as coach Marc Wilmots banned players' wives and girlfriends from the team hotel in Brazil.
However, affection-starved players were given a brief respite following their game against Russia at the Maracana on Sunday as they escaped up into the stands to give their partners a kiss and a cuddle. Winger Kevin De Bruyne and midfielder Alex Witsel were seen passionately kissing their partners.

SPANISH PASS MASTERS
Spain maybe out of the World Cup but they are still the tournament's pass masters -- true to their trademark tiki-taka game. After their first two matches, the deposed defending champions had carried out 1,385 passes with an 83% success rate, according to FIFA's statisticians.
Germany were second on 1,301 passes with an 82% success rate. Italy had 1,291 passes but the best success rate at 87 per cent.

USA-PORTUGAL TIE SETS RECORD
Sunday's dramatic World Cup match between the United States and Portugal may have ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw for Team USA, but it was a record-setter on US television.
Cable sports network ESPN said Monday the late-afternoon game pulled an average 18.2 million viewers to become "the most-viewed soccer match in the United States ever" -- and the biggest event on ESPN that wasn't professional or college American football.