If you haven’t heard already, protein is a hot topic. No doubt the footballers of many nations indulged in their dairy products before getting out onto the very hot pitches and playing for their nations. Last week, dairy giant Lactalis has just purchased an active nutrition company, Protein Works, in the UK. Rather interestingly, it is a direct to consumer model. I also note the cooperation between Glow25 and Ehrmann in Europe reported last week – dairy offers those ingestible beauty and lifestyle products the easy nutrition angle. You may discuss these things on social media platforms.

Back to football. I feel it’s a bit of a shame that Mexico isn’t the one holding the latter games and the final, because let’s face it, they are a footballing mad country. They love the game in a way that you just don’t get in the US or Canada (well, outside the multinational enclaves – I remember spending a hot summer watching one of the World Cup matches at an Irish bar in NYC many years ago). President Sheinbaum would be brilliant to watch handing out the trophy, even if Mexico has gone out.

I did not stay up for the Mexico-England match last night, however. I caught up with it on the radio this morning. I did watch Norway take out Brazil, which was quite an event, earlier in the evening.

I know there has been a lot of craziness with regard to how FIFA is running this event and the runup to it, but I cannot stop watching it. Scotland’s fans taking over Boston, Cabo Verde and the amazing goalkeeper Vozinha, Messi and Mbappe, Haaland and Kane, all coming together and playing very good football. Bellingham getting two goals in under two minutes in the early hours of this morning. Holy hat.

It is compelling viewing. I am not sure what I will do after 19 July but wait until next year when the FIFA Women’s World Cup arrives in Brazil. Let’s go, Lionesses! And this is where my loyalties will be tested, as the USA is the most successful team in Women’s World Cup history. Sadly they do not have a catchy nickname like the Matildas or the Canaries. Or even the Golden Girls, which is Vietnam’s team. They have until next year to work on it.