Having pinched the idea from Snapchat, Instagram has been pushing its temporary Stories feature as a way of sharing parts of your day that aren’t suitable for a fully filtered permanent post. Now it seems like Stories are going to get even more prominent.
As spotted by The Verge, the app is now testing a fixed Stories pane at the top of the feed, which stays in place as you scroll. If your friends have posted something in the last 24 hours, then you’re certainly going to know about it – tapping through to view the photos and videos is the only way to get relief.
At the moment the Stories bubbles appear at the top of the feed and then between certain posts lower down as you scroll, if you don’t watch them straight away. The change would make the feature a fixed part of the interface.
Or maybe not
The new permanent Stories bar certainly isn’t available to everyone yet and may not ever roll out. Instagram told The Verge that it tests tweaks to the app all the time, and these tests don’t always make it out to all of Instagram’s millions of users.
Still, it’s evidence of just how important the new Stories format has become in the world of social media sharing. Having first found success on Snapchat, it’s since been adopted by Instagram and Facebook as a less pressured way of letting friends know what you’re up to – a temporary option that doesn’t need quite so much curation.
No doubt something else will be along to replace the Stories format eventually, as surely as Facebook replaced MySpace. In the meantime, get ready to see more of the Stories posted by your friends and family, at least in Instagram.
This round of 16 game sees World Cup dark horses Croatia takes on Denmark at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
The game will kick-off at 9pm in Russia. So that’s 7pm BST, 11am PT, 2pm ET, 4am AEST – or 8pm in Croatia and Denmark.
This Russia 2018 round of 16 game sees the tournament’s emerging dark horse Croatia take on Denmark. It may not be the most grandstanding FIFA World Cup fixture of the last 16, but the well-organised Danes will be looking to upset the much-fancied Croatia team.
Denmark cruised past Peru but drew with Australia and France, meaning that they crept rather than flew through the group stages. Croatia, on the other hand saw great performances from the likes of Luca Modric and Ivan Rakitic which meant Nigeria and Argentina were easily bested before the making it three wins from three against plucky Iceland.
The midfield will be where the action happens in this match with Real Madrid’s Luca Modric and Barcelona’s Rakitic taking on the likes of Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Eriksen.
You can live stream the Croatia vs Denmark World Cup 2018 match for free using our tips below, and every other match with our handy World Cup viewing guide. Or read on to see you options for this game where you are.
Use a VPN to watch the World Cup 2018 from anywhere for FREE
You don’t have to miss a single minute of World Cup soccer – even if the country where you are isn’t broadcasting certain games. Because every second of action is being shown somewhere (the UK, for example, is televising every game for free – see below), you can simply use a VPN to login to a region that is broadcasting the game. And it’s really easy to do:
1. Download and install a VPN We’ve tested all of the major VPN services and we rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best. It’s compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services and ranks amongst the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation. So for a one-stop shop, you can’t go wrong with Express – but there are more fantastic VPN options out there as well:
The best 3 VPNs for streaming sports online 1. ExpressVPN: the best all-round VPN for streaming, comes with 30-day trial and/or 15 months for the price of 12 2. VyprVPN: a 40% discount and blazing speeds make VyprVPN a great choice for 4K – and during the World Cup, it’s giving you the chance to win a PS4 + FIFA 18 when you sign up 3. IPVanish supports up to 10 devices, so great on the go and has 25% off for the World Cup
2. Connect to the appropriate server location Simply open the VPN app, hit ‘choose location’ and select the appropriate location – it’s super easy to do. If in any doubt, just head straight to the UK.
3. Go to the broadcaster’s live stream orTVPlayer.com If you know exactly what station you’re hoping to catch the game on, then you don’t need us any longer – head straight there. If you’re not sure, just stick with TVPlayer.com in the UK. It will be showing all the games for free. You don’t even have to sign up.
Want to record the game and catch it in your spare time. TVPlayer Plus carries a £5.99 monthly fee but let’s you ‘record’ up to 10 hours of TV to watch at your leisure. And you can take advantage of its 14-day free trial, too.
How to stream Croatia vs Denmark live in the UK
From 7pm BST you’ll be able to watch the action of the match between Croatia vs Denmark live in the UK. This is thanks to coverage by ITV which will show the game broadcast on TV but also via its ITV Hub app for those watching online.
If you’re abroad, you’ll see that the ITV coverage is blocked. To watch outside the British Isles, you’ll need a VPN and then the live stream from TVPlayer.com.
How to watch Croatia vs Denmark: Australia live stream
Free-to-air SBS has announced that it will now be showing all of the games at the Russia 2018 World Cup. The official Australian broadcaster which will air the Croatia vs Denmark game at 4am AEST – set your alarms for an early Monday morning start if you’re down under.
And don’t worry if you’re out of the country and want to catch that SBS (or UK broadcast) as using a VPN will let you watch as if you were back at home.
How to watch Denmark vs Croatia: US live stream
Fox Sport is the official US broadcaster of the World Cup 2018 so that’s where you can catch the game live. The Croatia vs Denmark kick-off time will be 11am PT, 2pm ET. The Fox Go app is another way to watch, ideal for those on the go.
For all cord cutters that don’t have cable, Fox Sports is also available to watch on streaming services such as Sling and Fubo.
Another option – ideal if you don’t have cable – is to watch the game via a VPN, which will let you watch as if you were in another country.
How to watch Croatia vs Denmark: Canada live stream
For this tournament CTV is the official Canada broadcaster and will broadcast the Croatia vs Denmark game live at 2pm Ontario time or over the internet via the CTV Go app.
Another option – ideal if you don’t have cable – is to watch the game via a VPN, which will let you watch as if you were in another country.
How to watch Denmark vs Croatia: New Zealand live stream
Sky Sports has won the rights to show the World Cup 2018 in New Zealand so you can catch the Croatia vs Denmark game at 6am Wellington time. Or watch it via you mobile using the Sky Go app.
Another option – ideal if you don’t have cable – is to watch the game via a VPN service, which will let you watch as if you were in another country.
Exclusive World Cup competition with VyprVPN
Win a PlayStation 4 + FIFA 18 with VyprVPN If you’ve decided that a VPN is the best way to catch your chosen World Cup live stream but can’t quite choose between the hundreds of providers out there, then our exclusive competition may sway you. VyprVPN has clearly got a case of football fever and is giving away a PS4 Slim (1TB) with a copy of FIFA 18 to one lucky winner.
You won’t find this competition anywhere else on the web – it’s strictly exclusive to TechRadar readers – and if you don’t take the top prize, five runners up will receive a free year of Vypr VPN instead. All you need to do is head to the competition page, complete the entry form and you’ll be in the prize draw (full terms and conditions can be found on the competition page). It’s an open goal!
Where else can I watch the World Cup using a VPN
A VPN will enable you to watch every 2018 World Cup fixture from literally anywhere – even if it isn’t being broadcast in that country. So that obviously includes all the competing countries and anywhere else on Earth you might be: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uruguay and many more!
How to stream all the online action straight to you TV
The ability to live stream all the football to your phone or tablet is undeniably useful – you don’t have to miss a single goal, even if you’re out of the house. But if you want to stream the World Cup from the internet to your TV, then picking up a streaming box might be useful. Check out our guide to the best streaming media players, where the likes of Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire are all included.
While it may have been left lagging behind other sports in adopting video referees and goal-line tech – although we have seen a lot of this at the 2018 Russia World Cup – when it comes to futuristic footwear the beautiful game leads the way.
From ultra-lightweight uppers for increased speed, to aerodynamic studs for greater grip, today’s football boots boast the sort of engineering you’d expect to find in the aviation industry.
But how did humble footy cleats become such technological marvels? Below we chart the advancement of the football boot – from their origin as up-cycled workwear to the hi-tech kicks being sported by the likes of Ronaldo and Messi in Russia this summer.
While more noted for his multiple wives rather than his fancy footwork, the first ever recorded reference to football boots are nevertheless from an inventory of Henry VIII’s clothes when he died in 1547. Designed by royal shoemaker Cornelius Johnson and costing four shillings, the thick leather boots were said to have been ankle high and extremely heavy.
As the game evolved over the next 300 years from the brutal, almost aimless hoofing of a heavy pig skin around a field without goals or markings of Tudor times, to a more organised sport with rules and tournaments, so did the footwear demands of those playing the game.
Old football boots from the 19th Century (credit: National Football Museum)
With the game growing in popularity across Britain during the mid-19th Century, factory workers began modifying their long-laced, steel toe-capped work boots to improve their grip on muddy playing surfaces, often hammering tacks and nails into them. While these proto-studs improved the players balance and footing, they inevitably caused serious injuries for any player on the receiving end of a horror lunge from an opponent.
The practice of makeshift grips was eventually outlawed by the newly established Football Association in 1863, with the FA decreeing that: “No one wearing projecting nails, iron plates or gutta percha on the soles of his boots is allowed to play.”
The brand tour
By the beginning of the 20th century, the demand for regulated footwear saw a number of sportswear brands we recognise today like Gola and Hummel begin to emerge as makers of studded football boots. One such company to enter the market at this time was the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.
Early Dassler boot (credit: Adidas)
Best known for track and field wear (the German company’s athletic spikes were worn by Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games no less), by the end of WWII the factory had become one of leading brands for football boots.
A disagreement between the two brothers following WWII saw them dissolve the company, with the pair setting up rival sportswear brands that would go on to dominate the football boot market. While the Dassler’s were having their fall out, the growing trend among high-profile players was away from the heavy, protection-focused ankle boot, towards lightweight, low cut boots as preferred by South American stars, which improved control as well as speed.
Studs go Atom-ic
The next major breakthrough would come with Puma’s ‘Super Atom’ in 1952 – the first manufactured football boot with interchangeable studs which could be changed to suit different conditions.
Puma Super Atom (credit: Puma)
The ground-breaking boot would be worn by half of FC Kaiserslautern’s championship-winning team the following year.
Adidas 1954 Argentina boot (Credit: Adidas)
Adidas would go one step further. Its take on the screw-in studded boot, the Argentina, would be worn by the entire West German football team, with their long nylon studs cited as helping them win their first World Cup in 1954 ,after seeing off Hungary 3-2 during a rain-soaked final in Switzerland.
Color and the age of endorsement
By the 1960s player power was beginning to have an influence on the game and in turn football boot design. The likes of Bobby Moore (Adidas Diamant) and Portuguese legend Eusebio (Puma King) both wore custom made boots as part of endorsement deals during the 1966 World Cup.
Pele would pick up a cool $125,000 cheque to wear Puma Kings during the 1970 World Cup, with the Brazilian infamously asking the referee for a moment so he could tie his laces, guaranteeing that the TV cameras were pointed at his sponsored shoes during his side’s triumphant win over Italy in the final.
Pele advertising Puma Kings
Up until this point, boots had predominantly been a uniform black colour, but a trend for dazzling designs would begin during the 1970 Charity Shield between Everton and Chelsea.
Looking to make an impact in the UK, German firm Hummel sponsored Everton star Alan Ball, arranging for him to wear white boots that would stand out during colour TV broadcasts of the match. Unhappy with the fit and feel of boots, Ball would in fact wear a pair of spray-painted Adidas boots with Hummel’s chevrons sewn on the side.
The classic era
The late seventies saw the introduction of arguably the most popular football boot of all time. Designed for the forthcoming Spain 1982 World Cup, Adidas’ Copa Mundial featured tough kangaroo leather, moulded studs, and a foam-cushioned instep.
The Adidas Copa Mundial (Credit: Adidas)
The boot would become the weapon of choice for the likes of Paolo Rossi, Diego Maradona and Zinedine Zidane and also proved popular with Rugby players. It remains part of Adidas boot line-up today.
Boosts, blades and samba styles
There would be a wait of almost 15 years before the next great leap in boot engineering. Once again it would come from Adidas, but this time via a somewhat unlikely source. A key member of Liverpool’s imperious late Eighties side, Australian midfielder Craig Johnson turned inventor after retiring early from the game to care for his ill sister.
During a coaching session teaching young players how to curl the ball, Johnson hit upon an idea to attach rubber strips from a table tennis bat to the forefoot of his boots, instantly improving the amount of spin and power that could be applied to the ball.
The concept of a shoe with rubber strips on the instep was eventually licensed by Adidas for their Predator boot range in 1994 which would also feature Johnson’s pioneering Traxion soles – a hybrid of traditional studs or and blade grips, which enabled a player to turn in tight spaces and at high speed.
Worn by the likes of David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane, the two ground-breaking concepts would change the design of football boots forever.
The original Adidas Predator (Credit: Adidas)
Although having made football boots since the early 70s, it wouldn’t be until the Nineties that Nike would become a major player in the world of soccer. Supplying the kit for the then world champions Brazil, their star player Ronaldo would wear the brand’s first truly classic boot during the France 98 World Cup.
The Nike Mercurial (Credit: Nike)
The Nike Mercurial would bring innovations such as lightweight ‘synthetic leather’ and a sticky outer layer adapted from racing motorcycles tire materials to enhance the touch and feel of the ball for players.
The modern age
As well as helping improve player speeds, modern boots were also recording just how fast they were running. Heralded as a boot with a brain when it was introduced in 2011, the Adidas adiZero F50 miCoach featured a built-in sensor chip that could measure average speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, and distance covered.
Adidas adiZero F50 miCoach
The new century brought about something of an arms race between the main manufacturers to build the lightest boot humanly possible. Adidas and Nike would both incorporate their newly developed high tech knitted material from their running shoes into their soccer lines, heralding the age of the mid-cut ‘sock boot’, with the likes of the Nike Magista and the Adidas Primeknit FS having the stated aim of a tighter fit to match the actual contours of the player’s foot.
The Nike Magista
A smaller footprint of a different kind was being offered by Nike with its limited edition GS boot in 2012 – an ultra-light football boot featuring components made from beans and recycled plastic. Meanwhile 2016 saw Adidas introduce the ACE 16 + Purecontrol, a super-svelte boot that did away with laces, instead using a discrete locking system for a glove-like fit.
Adidas ACE 16 and Purecontrol
For this year’s World Cup in Russia there remains a trend for mid-cut boots as exemplified by the limited edition Nike Mercurial Superfly 360’s Ronaldo is set to wear – offering a slight nod in the direction of the innovative ankle boots worn during the early days of the game.
TechRadar’sWorld Cup coverageis brought to you in association with Honor.
