A World Cup To Be Remembered
While the 2022 World Cup may be one that goes down as one of the most controversial in recent memory, it will also go down as one of the best. The tournament in Qatar had everything, including stunning performances from the world’s best players, huge upsets, and entertaining matches. But, what are some of the biggest stories from the 2022 World Cup, including the biggest surprises and best-performing stars?
Biggest Upset
The award for the biggest upset at the 2022 World Cup is a difficult one, as there has been no shortage of nations playing above themselves. Japan worked wonders to finish top of their group, and victories against Germany and Spain will live long in the memory. Morocco also showed that an African World Cup success may not be that far away, as they beat Belgium, Spain, and Portugal before falling to France in the semi-final stage.
However, the biggest upset at the World Cup has to be the monumental upset produced by Saudi Arabia against pre-tournament front-runners Argentina. Argentina had been a front-runner in the odds with the best Arab sports betting site before the competition, and they looked to get off to the perfect start.
However, Saudi Arabia produced a monumental upset by scoring twice in the second half to seal a famous 2-1 success. The win will undeniably go down as one of the World Cups' biggest-ever shocks, and the win carries extra significance as Argentina was the World Cup winner.
Biggest Disappointment
There were a number of huge nations that flattered to deceive Qatar, and questions will certainly be asked surrounding the long-term future of the coaches. Brazil was widely expected to win the World Cup under Tite, but they eventually fell short after being defeated by Croatia in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, England would have expected to go deeper in the competition after reaching the EURO final last summer.
However, it’s hard to split Germany and Belgium from being the biggest disappointment at the World Cup. Germany failed to make it past the group stage for the second consecutive tournament in Qatar, as they were beaten by both Spain and Japan.
Meanwhile, Belgium’s Golden Generation has come to an abrupt end after they fell to defeat against Morocco and could only finish third in their group. Roberto Martinez has already paid the ultimate price as he was sacked following their elimination.
Surprise Package
When it comes to the surprise package at the 2022 World Cup, two nations immediately spring to mind. Japan was excellent in the group stage, as they recorded victories over Spain and Germany. They looked very good to go further in the competition, but they ultimately came unstuck against Croatia in the round of 16, as they lost a penalty shootout.
However, the story of the World Cup is that of the success of the African nation Morocco. They have already broken new ground, as they became the first African nation to ever reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. In truth, they needed to go through one of the trickiest passages to reach that stage, as they topped a group also including Croatia and Belgium, before beating Spain and Portugal in the first two knockout rounds. However, ultimately their journey came to an end against France, as the reigning world champions claimed a 2-0 success at the semi-final stage.
Best Player
Two of the biggest stars on the planet clashed in the World Cup final this year, as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe went head-to-head. Mbappe won the tournament’s Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in the tournament, and Messi picked up the Golden Ball trophy tournament's overall best player. A special mention needs to go to Antoine Griezmann, who has revolutionized his game to become a box-to-box midfielder at this World Cup and has been key to France’s run throughout the tournament.
The World Cup is always the best opportunity to put yourself in the shop window, and one player that could be set for a big January move is Azzedine Ounahi. The Moroccan midfielder has been one of the stars in Qatar, and his engine in the midfield for his national side has been the driving force to their fine campaign.
Final Thoughts- 2022 World Cup
The 2022 World Cup has been one of the most memorable versions of the competition in recent memory, with spectators witnessing some of the world's top performances. The icing on the cake was seeing a victorious Messi lead Argentina to a penalty shootout victory against France in the most thrilling World Cup final in history.
