If you are looking for a sporting event that registered “firsts,” look no further than the FIFA World Cup 2022 held in Qatar.
This edition of the World Cup now belongs to the history books. The quadrennial football extravaganza has been a successful event that met, and even exceeded, the expectations of the international community.
Thirty-two teams qualified to battle for eternal football glory. Argentina confirmed its super status as the best football nation in the world by defeating France in the Grand Final.
In a thrilling match, which ended 3-3 after added time, Argentina won in a penalty shout-out (4-2).
Argentina played in its sixth World Cup final, winning the coveted Cup in 1978 and, in 1986, a magical and unforgettable Diego Maradona spearheaded his team to victory against West Germany. This year’s victory is Argentina’s third win.
The final featured a battle between two undisputed superstars of world football: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, who are teammates at Paris Saint Germain.
Messi made two goals for Argentina, and Mbappé scored a hattrick for France.
Messi also received the Golden Ball, the trophy for best player of the tournament, and Mbappé was awarded the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals.
The losers of their semi-final games, Croatia and Morocco, played a fiercely contested match for a bronze medal, with victory going to the Croatians.
Argentina had earlier triumphed over Croatia in the semi-final—a disappointing 3-0 loss for Croatia. But the captain of the Croatian team, 37-year-old Luka Modrić still displayed his skills as a ball magician and stimulated his team to great achievements.
Modrić—crowned previously as the best player of the 2018 World Cup—certainly proved that there can be longevity in the football game.
In contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) was unable to convert his celebrity status into a winning performance. For Ronaldo, it probably was his last World Cup.
The ‘Firsts’ to Go Down in the History Books
This edition of the FIFA World Cup will undoubtedly be described in history books as the “Messi” tournament. But, more notably, it will also be remembered for its “firsts.”For the first time in the history of the World Cup, the world witnessed the emergence of Arab football on the world stage.
Morocco secured its place in the semi-final but lost against France in an entertaining match 2-0. Although they ended up losing the game, its exploits spawned celebrations and street parties in Morocco.
Another Arab nation, Saudi Arabia defeated the eventual World Champion, Argentina during the group stage; this historic win was also enthusiastically celebrated because no commentator would have dared to predict this outcome.
These achievements shone the spotlight on football in the Arab world, which embraced the “beautiful game” with gusto.
Another first for the tournament, which started in 1930, was that no team won all three encounters in the group phase of the tournament.
Two football powerhouses who were regarded as potential winners, Brazil and Germany, were eliminated early. Brazil lost one of its group games to Cameroon, and Germany lost to Japan in the general round.
Belgium went into the competition as the second-highest-ranked football nation, after it had been ranked number one for a long time. The members of the team had been described as the “Golden Generation,” but the team did not survive the group phase.
The Golden Generation’s coach, Roberto Martinez, decided to quit his position, which he had occupied since 2016, never winning an international tournament.
The unexpected success of Morocco and Saudi Arabia, and the premature exits of Brazil and Germany suggest that there is a leveling in the football world and that no team is unbeatable.
Indeed, any team could lose to another team.
Even Australia, an unfancied team with no superstars, was a revelation since it advanced to the knock-out phase of the competition, and, in a mighty fight-back when it was 2-0 behind, managed to scare the tournament winner, Argentina, eventually losing in a 2-1 thriller.
It is also noteworthy that Australia, during its campaign, played against finalists France (group stage) and Argentina (first knock-out game).
The most interesting “first” is that Stephanie Frappart, a French woman, refereed the match between Germany and Costa Rica on Dec. 1.
She was one of three female referees selected by FIFA to officiate at this tournament. It remains to be seen whether Frappart’s selection is an exercise in tokenism or a monumental change to football.
Overall, this was an excellent tournament played in opulent stadiums. The group stage and knock-out stages of the tournament were well-managed.
The success of this year’s FIFA World Cup ensures that football enthusiasts will look forward to enjoying the excitement of the next cup, to be held in North America (Canada/Mexico/U.S.) in 2026.
In the meantime, runner-up France and champion Argentina will be able to savour their well-earned status as icons of world football, and the history books will record the many “firsts” that occurred during this competition, Messi’s tournament.
