Welcome back to The Armchair Pundits Podcast — Episode 5 of our World Cup 2026 Special, covering every Matchday 12–13 game across Groups J, K and L.
This round delivered historic milestones, late drama, VAR controversy, and one of the most chaotic England performances in recent memory.

Here’s what we break down:

🔵 Group J
🇫🇷 France 3–0 Iraq — Mbappé brace on his 100th cap, Dembele’s first ever major‑tournament goal, and a 2‑hour storm delay.
🇳🇴 Norway 3–2 Senegal — Haaland brace, Pedersen opener, Sarr double; Norway qualify.
🇯🇴 Jordan 1–2 Algeria — Al‑Rashdan stunner, Benbouali header, Gouiri winner; echoes of the 1982 “Disgrace of Gijón”.

⚪ Group K
🇵🇹 Portugal 5–0 Uzbekistan — Ronaldo scores at his SIXTH World Cup, Mendes free‑kick, Fernandes masterclass, Leão’s first WC goal.
🇨🇴 Colombia 1–0 DR Congo — Muñoz deflected winner, Mpasi’s heroic 8‑save performance, Colombia qualify.

🟣 Group L
🏴 England 0–0 Ghana — Kane crossbar + miss, Konsa penalty controversy, Guehi clearance off the line, Asare’s clean sheet.
🇭🇷 Croatia 1–0 Panama — Budimir winner, Livaković triple save, Modrić’s 200th cap.

We also dive into:

🔥 Mbappé vs Haaland — who’s leading the Golden Boot race?
🔥 Can Ronaldo continue to be the main striker for Portugal?
🔥 Is England going to struggle or Ghana underestimated?

If you’re enjoying the World Cup coverage, make sure you LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and COMMENT your biggest talking point from Matchday 12–13.

📺 Subscribe to the channel:
https://youtube.com/@ACPPod?si=vYlB8V9pjV3Zq3Rs

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-armchair-pundits-acp-pod/id6785436296

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9efc69ff-cdf2-447a-86a2-d9389e0f843e/the-armchair-pundits-acp-pod

https://open.spotify.com/show/033GIatBxVoXQ73zaQGLnN?si=2939a6d11d9b44d5

#️⃣ Hashtags:
#WorldCup2026 #ACPPod #ArmchairPundits #France #Iraq #Norway #Senegal #Jordan #Algeria #Portugal #Uzbekistan #Colombia #DRCongo #England #Ghana #Croatia #Panama #Ronaldo #Mbappe #Haaland #FootballPodcast #WorldCupAnalysis