FIFA World Cup 2022
Five reasons why Qatar World Cup has been the best FIFA World Cup ever
Despite all the controversey, this World Cup will go down in history as one of the best.
FIFA World Cup 2022 has been marred by controversy ever since the hosting rights were awarded to Qatar in 2010. Reports of bribery, human rights violations, sports washing, mistreatment of women and the LGBTQ community and many other controversies surrounded the footballing extravaganza.
All of these however took a back seat as soon as the first kick of the ball was made in Qatar. The quality of football, but more so the incredible story around it, captivated the footballing world, pushing all the controversy to the side.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 has been so entertaining that it is now being considered one of the best ever in history. Let’s look at why the 2022 World Cup could be the greatest World Cup that the world has ever seen.
Record number of upsets
Germany after losing to Japan (Image source: Twitter)
While World Cups in the past usually saw just one or two upsets in the whole tournament, the one in Qatar has seen so much that it is hard to keep track of.
Argentina vs Saudi Arabia, Germany vs Japan, Japan vs Spain, Australia vs Denmark, South Korea vs Portugal, Tunisia vs France, Cameroon vs Brazil, Morocco vs Portugal and Morocco vs Spain, all have gone in favour of the smaller team. These shocking results managed to steal all the limelight from all the controversy surrounding the Qatar World Cup and would be remembered for as long as the sport is alive.
Messi’s/ Ronaldo’s last World Cup
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo (Image source; Twitter)
This World Cup has been etched in history and will be mentioned anytime Cristiano Ronaldo’s and Lionel Messi’s name comes up. Two of the greatest players of all time, playing their last World Cup certainly makes this World Cup one of the greatest ever.
The legacy of this World Cup could be taken to even greater heights if Messi, who has taken Argentina’s team into the final, wins the tournament.
Morocco’s history-making campaign
Morocco (Image source; Twitter)
Pooled into Group F with number 2 ranked Belgium and last World Cup’s finalists Croatia, Morocco’s hopes were very bleak from the start. The Walid Regragui-led African team however shocked all and wrote a story never told before in a football World Cup. Thwarting the challenge of Belgium, Croatia, Spain and Portugal, Morocco became the first African team to get into the semi-final of the 92-year-old tournament.
Early ouster for Big Teams
German Brazil (Image source: Twitter)
Another aspect that makes the FIFA World Cup 2022 the greatest ever world cup is the early exit of the favourites. Footballing giants Germany were shown the door by Japan in the group stage itself, while 2010 World Cup winners Spain saw a disappointing end to their campaign in the Round of 16 against Morocco.
Tite’s Brazil who landed in Qatar filled to the brim with exceptional talent were on course to end their 20-year wait for a World Cup title. The Thiago Silva-led side however had their hearts broken by Croatia who defeated the South American team in a penalty shoot-out in the quarterfinal.
Growing financial might of Asia
Qatar World Cup 2022 (Image source; Twitter)
Football has always been a western sport. The game, despite enjoying great popularity in Asian countries, has all of its winners from Europe or South America in its 92-year history. It is quite natural that the West has been pulling strings for this great game. It was however for the first time that an Asian country stamped its mark on the greatest sport.
Qatar not only spent a combined amount of the last ten world cups expenditure but also did it in their own way. The conservative nation did not budge to Western countries’ requests for rainbow flags and alcohol availability. It was for the first time that an Asian country hosted such a big event without walking the line of Western ideology. When the dust settles on the great footballing extravaganza, Qatar’s financial might would rise the highest among the huge number of achievements that the FIFA World Cup 2022 managed to earn.
