Argentina has regained control of the soccer world by beating France to win the 2022 World Cup. Overall, it was a memorable tournament, complete with significant shocks, rising talent, controversies, and a dramatic climax. It was a World Cup like no other, with a final like no other, a footballing drama for the ages, and the first event for an area that is frequently only spoken of negatively. What have we discovered? What has FIFA discovered? What has football taught us?
Takeaways from WC-2022
The Greatness of Lionel Messi
Or, at the very least, one of the three best, alongside fellow Argentine Diego Maradona and Brazilian Pele. A finer plot – or a better ending – could not have been written by a scriptwriter. The sporting difficulties the Argentine prodigy has had to face, the defeat in the 2014 World Cup final, the idea that Argentina never truly accepted him as they did Maradona.
Then comes redemption. The evolution of Messi into the team’s leader over the last three years, the trip of tens of thousands of Argentinians from all over the world to Doha, and the sense of impending doom as the tournament continued. Nonetheless, Argentina fell in the final minutes of normal time on Sunday. They looked to be on the verge of stealing triumph from the jaws of loss, only to emerge victorious. In the World Cup’s greatest-ever final, one of the sport’s greatest-ever players realized his destiny.
Morocco’s Emergence
This World Cup will be remembered as a tournament of surprises. Morocco’s Atlas Lions made history this year by becoming the first African country to reach the tournament’s final four, defeating European giants Belgium, Spain, and Portugal in the process.
Their journey, which concluded with a 2-0 loss to France, defied all expectations. Morocco won their first World Cup match since 1998, and its third overall, with a 2-0 victory over Belgium, knocking out the world’s second-ranked squad.
Asian teams and their fantastic performances
Asian teams created a series of upsets in this World Cup, with Saudi Arabia defeating Argentina in a game that got the World Cup started. Japan overcame Spain and Germany, to avoid the so-called “Group of Death”, despite an unexpected loss to Costa Rica. South Korea defeated Portugal. These victories give reason to believe that at least one of the three teams in the knockout stages will advance.
They advanced to the final 16 after winning their group, defeating 2010 champions Spain and four-time global champions Germany, both of whom failed to advance.
South Korea’s dramatic injury-time goal against Portugal propelled them into the last 16 alongside fellow Asian Football Confederation (AFC) members Japan and Australia, marking the first time three Asian countries advanced from the group stage.
Despite failing to advance to the knockout rounds, Saudi Arabia stunned the globe by defeating Argentina’s Lionel Messi at the opening of the tournament.
Japan won spectacularly against previous champions Germany and Spain, while Iran was also surprised by their triumph over Wales.
Some Controversies from the World Cup
The Migrant Labor Issue
The largest issue surrounding the World Cup began even before the event’s infrastructure was built. Several allegations surfaced regarding Qatar’s mistreatment of migrant workers on the infrastructure project. Many human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned Qatar for its Islamic radicalism and migrant situation.
The complaints included the migrant laborers’ low wages and living circumstances. Many migrant laborers were also killed, which fueled criticism of the World Cup Corruption Allegations.
The 2022 World Cup organizers have strenuously refuted claims made by the US Department of Justice that bribes were paid to obtain votes when the tournament’s hosting rights were awarded 12 years ago.
Suspicion and rumors have long surrounded FIFA’s executive committee’s 2010 decision to award Russia the 2018 World Cup and Qatar the 2022 event, and prosecutors laid out detailed, official claims relating to both tournaments in an indictment in 2020.
The claims have been denied by Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which is in charge of delivering the necessary infrastructure as well as the host country’s planning and management.
Qatar 2022 CEO Nasser Al Khater told reporters a year before the event that the Middle Eastern country has been “unfairly targeted and scrutinized” for several years.
LGBTQ Concerns
In the run-up to the event, Qatar, where homosexual intercourse is outlawed, received significant worldwide scrutiny and criticism over rights problems, especially whether LGBTQ tourists would feel secure and welcome. The Gulf country has stated that everyone is welcome, including LGBTQ supporters, and that it would assure everyone’s safety, regardless of background, but that visitors must respect the country’s traditions.
Captains from numerous European countries abandoned plans to wear a “OneLove” armband in solidarity with the LGBTQ community after FIFA, soccer’s governing body, threatened them with on-field punishment. According to Qatari media reports, several spectators dressed in rainbow clothing were denied access to the stadiums.
Some human rights campaigners have used the World Cup to call attention to the plight of Qatar’s LGBTQ citizens and communities. According to Human Rights Watch, there have been allegations of police violence, imprisonment based purely on gender expression, and government-funded forced conversion treatment for transgender persons.