As FIFA World Cup 2022 hosted in the middle eastern country, Qatar recorded an average of 90% attendance in each game making it top the list of world cup with highest fans attendance, it is worthy to note the iconic upsets that made the most expensive soccer sporting event in history that glued fans to it.
Before the start of the world cup, many have criticized both the Football Administrators and the host country for so many reasons, especially on the aspect of their rights over LGBTQ but that doesn’t seem to be an issue as the ongoing 64 matches have been thrilling.
The competition has gotten to a stage of “How Bold are you to win the cup” with only 8 teams left and a quite number of favourites and dark horses have been sent parking and bidding farewell to the stronger teams.
Winners so far
The host country Qatar might have lost all three matches at the group stage and having just one goal across the matches, a record which has never happened in the history of the world cup where the host country will not win at least one of the group stage matches but the revenue generated by the country will certainly clear off the poor performance of the Arab team.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar’s neighbor, gave the world the first and the biggest shock in this world cup. In Fact, the upset has been ranked as the first of the top ten iconic upsets in world cup history. Saudi Arabia, a team worth €25m, beat Argentina, a team worth €663m 2 goals to 1 which was scored from the penalty spot.The odds of Saudi Arabia beating Argentina was 8000 meaning it was practically impossible but it happened. The Saudi government gave a public holiday and even promised each of the players a Rolls Royce, although they crashed out from the group stage but the infamous win overshadowed their defeats.
Japan also pulled off this same feat against Germany and Spain. In the ongoing tournament, Japan has the lowest possession with an average of 37% in their group stage matches. Shockingly, the players who helped Japan to win against the giants of Spain and Germany were players playing for the bottom team in the German league, Bundesliga. On two occasions, Japan came from behind and won the matches with 2 goals to one. Japan became the winners of the group and only crashed out in the Round of 16 with a penalty shootout. It was a good run and a win for Japan.
Morocco pulled their first victory at the world cup from Belgium, the second best team in the world according to FIFA ranking. Belgium were beaten 2 goals to nothing, the same thing was repeated against Canada who were beaten 2 goals to one. It was only Croatia who gave Morocco a tough time, having ended the match with a goalless draw making Morocco top the table as winners with 7 points. Morocco remains the only African country at the tournament having qualified for the Quarter final stage after winning on Penalties 3 goals to none against Spain.
Losers
The biggest losers at the tournament are the household names and iconic stars who play for the biggest clubs of football
Belgium, the second-best team ranked by FIFA, failed to qualify from the group. They only had 3 points due to the inexperienced Canada who played their first world cup game and that was the only goal they scored at the world cup. The team which has been together for more than 6 years failed to deliver a brilliant and scintillating display of their creativity and experience.
Croatia is not different from Belgium, the only advantage they had was the draw against Morocco which placed them a point ahead of Belgium to qualify for the round of 16. The team has also been together for a while. Both Belgium and Croatia were semi finalists at the 2018 world cup. Even at the round of 16, Croatia did not show any spectacular moments to show they can win the cup. They were lucky to win the match on Penalties against Japan.
Spain started with a massive win against Costa Rica, making the North America country repeat the history of Zero shots within the 90 minutes of play. They almost failed to qualify after losing to Japan, all thanks to the desperation of Germany who was willing to beat Costa Rica by large goal difference. They were knocked out by Morocco in the Rounds of 16 with penalties where the Spanish failed to win one goal and they were published by the Real Madrid born Achraf Hakimi with the third penalty goal for Morocco.
Germany, for many of the Arabs, would be glad the Germans never made it out of the group stage. From the first game where the team went out with a protest sign against FIFA for not using the LGBTQ support arm band and they were punished by Japan, they have continued to receive criticism over what they did to their former player, Mesut Ozil, despite winning their last match against Costa Rica, they failed to leave the group stage making it the second time Germany failed to leave the group stage after winning the 2014 world cup.
For the first time in the 92-year history of the FIFA World Cup, which is into its 22nd edition, an African side have reached the semifinals of the competition.
The Atlas Lions did the job on Saturday in Qatar, thanks to the only goal of the match by forward Youssef En-Nesyri in the 42nd minute.
That was enough to send Portugal back to Lisbon, unable to reach the last four for the first time since England 1966.
Morocco won Group F beating Belgium 2-0 and Canada 2-1, but playing goalless with Croatia in Qatar 2022.
Morocco then beat Spain 3-0 in the Round of 16.
The Atlas Lions will face France for the semi final on Tuesday while Argentina will confront Croatia in same semi final quest.
