1. Witch doctor loses magic

Ghana’s Nana Kwaku Bonsam captured the world’s attention with his witch doctor persona – complete with mysterious white powder – as he worked his “black magic” from the stands during the World Cup. 

The dark arts seemed to work as the Ghanaians progressed to the knockout stages after beating Panama 1-0 and holding England to a 0-0 draw, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham firing blanks.

But their last-32 opponents Colombia were prepared as over 100 Colombians hiked up to a sacred sanctuary in Bogota to perform counter-rituals with a shaman. At the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Colombia fans hilariously carried Bonsam, meaning “devil” in a Ghanaian dialect, on their shoulders and chanted “the witch is burnt”. 

Colombia won 1-0 and with Ghana scoring just twice in four games, maybe Bonsam could have conjured a spell for goals instead. – David Lee

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