WORLD Cup history is full of memorable David versus Goliath wins, dramatic comebacks and defending champions suffering embarrassing defeats, as tournament dreams are made and broken.
The 2018 World Cup in Russia memorably featured Croatia’s push to the final and holders Germany ruthlessly knocked out in the group stages.
Now Qatar 2022 offers a host of potential shocks in the Middle East, just in the first week, with the hosts featuring in their first ever World Cup, and defending African champions Senegal even tipped to be the continent’s first ever World Cup semi-finalist..
SHOCK STAGE
Now as you read this, we’re left with jaws dropping as unfancied Saudi Arabia pulls off an undescribable, unbelievable 2-1 win over Argentina. This definitely sets the stage for more biggest upsets ever and you can look ahead to more potential shock results at Qatar 2022:
But the “big boys” shouldn’t get the unnecessary shivers with the group results as Spain showed in 2010 when they lost 1-0 to Switzerland before going on to ultimate glory in South Africa.
Yet the early morale-boosters in the opening round of fixtures will be crucial for smaller nations to gain a psychological advantage at the 2022 World Cup, especially with complacency from the favourites often a key feature in their opening matches.
Looking on hindsight, isn’t this the rip-roaring beauty of World Cup Finals matches?
In my view, it’s early days yet, but the potential upsets can be expected fromQatar (world rank 48), Costa Rica (34), Ghana (50) and Saudi Arabia (51).
* Suresh Nair is an award-winning sports journalist who is also a qualified international coach and international referee instructor
THIS weekend onwards and for the next four weeks, you will be glued to their television sets for the first-ever desert World Cup – something unimaginable to be happening in Qatar.
The envy of the Europeans, in particular, was plain to see as Qatar has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, anywhere from the deaths of migrant workers to corruption and the organisers anti-LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex, and asexual (or allies) stand.
But as one of the biggest sporting events in the world is about to start at midnight Monday, with host Qatar taking on Ecuador, the focus will hopefully shift to the best of football.
For the record, the first World Cup in the Middle East or West Asia has 32 teams in eight groups and the event that will go on for 29 days will have 64 matches. It’s anyone’s guess who will be rank favourites to win as at least eight teams appear equally matched.
Just look at the eight groups:
Group A: Qatar, Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador
Group B: England, USA, Wales, Iran
Group C: Argentina, Poland, Mexico, Saudi Arabia
Group D: France, Denmark, Tunisia, Australia
Group E: Germany, Spain, Japan, Costa Rica
Group F: Belgium, Croatia, Canada, Morocco
Group G: Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana, Korea Republic
RIGHT FORM COUNTS FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP
What matters is whoever rises to the right form on match-day in the world’s greatest blockbuster franchise, with a projected cumulative audience of five billion, will be the talking point.
Say what you want, the 2022 World Cup is guaranteed to be a singular experience, for reasons both commendable and skulduggerous.
In my view, this will almost certainly be the tournament where the curtain falls on the international careers of two of the most dominant players of all time: Cristiano Ronaldo, that 37-year-old Portuguese bottle of Drakkar Noir in human form, and his arch-rival, 35-year-old Lionel Messi, the diminutive Argentine with the imagination of a poet-warrior.
What really excites me are the stories of the minnows causing upsets over the big names to go deep into the tournament. From Costa Rica’s landmark run in 2014 – a penalty shootout away from the semifinals – to hosts South Korea going all the way to the final four in 2002.
As Asia prepares to host its second World Cup, the expectation is that there will be a few surprises. To make things more interesting, the Asian contingent is stronger than in recent editions, both in terms of number and quality. Qatar 2022 will see six Asian teams, of which three (Iran, Japan, South Korea) are in the top 30 in the world.
I feel Iran, Japan, South Korea and Australia (an Asian Football Confederation member) are good enough to be competitive in their groups. Hosts Qatar (rank 50) are in a difficult group with the Netherlands and Sadio Mané’s Senegal, but can hope for a result in the tournament opener against Ecuador. For Saudi Arabia (rank 51), things look bad. The team is in Group C with Argentina, Mexico and the Robert Lewandowski-led Poland.
WATCH SAUDI ARABIA
Even one draw in the group can be considered an achievement. But, all three of their non-Asian opponents would be taking the Saudis seriously.
“Saudi Arabia has a solid defence and good tactical awareness,” Lewandowski said in a recent FIFA interview. “They are agile and capable of good build-up play.”
During the qualifiers, the Saudis topped a group that had Japan and Australia. In recent friendlies, it held Ecuador and the US to 0-0 draws, and while it is not likely to progress, the team can have an impact on who makes it out of the group.
So my best advice to you: Stay glued to your television sets, keep your fingers crossed for the first-ever “desert” World Cup, which may well bring upsets-galore.
The writer is an award-winning sports journalist who is also a qualified international coach and international referee instructor.
GETTING the early boot should not discourage host Qatar.
Even before their third preliminary match, they’re out, in a rare first in the tournament’s 92-year history.
But the premature exit should not be called a “failure and disappointment” from the World Cup, says Qatar manager Felix Sanchez.
The Middle Eastern side battled valiantly before Senegal condemned them to a second straight defeat – and subsequently became the first country knocked out of the competition after the Netherlands drew 1-1 against Ecuador.
Qatar made history by becoming the first country from this desert-region to host the World Cup. And now have the unwanted record of becoming just the second home team to exit the competition at the group stage, after South Africa in 2010.
‘SMALL COUNTRY’
Spaniard coach Sanchez said: “Qatar is a small country, not a very large population. The local league is not a very competitive one. It’s our first time at the World Cup. If we can take part again, that would be great. It’s always useful to get more international experience.”
He reiterated that “our “goal was to be competitive…we have been working for so many months to be able to give a good performance”. Clinically, he added: “But sometimes the match does not play out as you expect. It also depends on the opponents’ performance. I must admit that we didn’t play at our top level.”
Poor Qatar: Ever since the host-choice was made in 2010, it also sparked instant criticism – over the logistics of holding a sporting event in a country where summer-time temperatures regularly top 100 degrees; over allegations of bribery and corruption among FIFA officials who voted for Qatar; and over concerns about human rights abuses that have persisted in the years since.
HOLD HEAD HIGH
Rather amazingly, off the field, Qatar is the smallest nation to ever host the World Cup, a complex international sporting event that draws huge numbers of visitors and requires the infrastructure to accommodate them.
They controversially edged out USA, mind you, and you can imagine the significance to this extraordinary selection.
Nasser Al Khater, chief executive of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, has insisted his nation can hold its head in hosting the games.
“Qatar 2022 is finally here and we’ve so far celebrated with a mesmerising opening ceremony, passion in the stands and exciting football on the pitch,” he said.
“Our nation is gripped by football fever and the party will last all the way to the final on December 18.”
* Suresh Nair is an award-winning sports journalist who is also a qualified international coach and international referee instructor.
This famous song “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” became something of an anthem when it was performed by Madonna in the 1996 musical film Evita.
Now 26 years later, it sounds so shockingly appropriate.
Whatever adjectives you use, you’d be absolutely lost for screaming words as underdogs Saudi Arabia scored one of the biggest World Cup upsets ever by beating Lionel Messi’s Argentina 2-1.
Poor Messi. His quest to win the one major title to elude him got off to a shocking start and brought back memories of Cameroon’s 1-0 win over an Argentina team, led by Diego Maradona, in the opening game of the 1990 World Cup.
BIG-HEARTED SAUDIS
When Argentina scored with a 10th-minute Messi penalty, it simply looked a foregone conclusion…a possible rout in store, like Iran getting shell-shocked 6-2 by England.
But the big-hearted Saudis fought back and goals by Saleh Alshehri and Salem Aldawsari in a five-minute span in the second half gave this unimaginable win.
Believe me, this Argentina loss rivals other World Cup upsets like Senegal’s 1-0 win over titleholder France in the 2002 tournament opener and the United States beating England by the same score in 1950.
It’s hard to ever think that Argentina’s 36-match unbeaten run ended at the Lusail Stadium in Messi’s fifth — and likely last— World Cup.
SPORTING MESSI
But Messi, the Paris Saint-Germain star striker, was sporting at the final whistle. Heshook hands with a Saudi coaching staff member and stood with his hands on his hips near the centre circle, an all-too-familiar scene for one of the best players ever, who is yet to win the biggest prize in soccer.
For the record, Argentina‘s results at the FIFA World Cup ranks as one of the most successful national football teams in the world, having won two World Cups in 1978 and 1986. Argentina has been runners up three times: in 1930, 1990 and 2014. In 19 World Cup tournaments, Argentina had 47 victories in 82 matches. The team was present in all but four of the World Cups, being behind only Brazil and Germany in number of appearances (with the 2022 edition included, to be played).
Now sorry tears may well in your eyes for Messi and Argentina. You ask: How will they now pull back and make it out of this group?
* Suresh Nair is an award-winning sports journalist who is also a qualified international coach and international referee instructor
The World Cup in Qatar has already delivered plenty of major shocks but as it moves into the knockout phase the top contenders including Brazil and France have plenty to prove.
This is the first World Cup since the South Africa tournament in 2010 in which teams from Asia, Africa and North America have all been represented in the last 16.
Brazil remain the favourites to claim a sixth World Cup and end Europe’s recent dominance on the global stage.
Tite’s side surely need Neymar back from the ankle injury he suffered in the opening win over Serbia but they have a dazzling array of attacking talent beyond the world’s most expensive footballer.
They are usually rock-solid defensively, even though a side with nine changes to the starting line-up lost their final group game against Cameroon.
Brazil have not yet faced top opposition and will expect to cruise past South Korea on Monday, with Croatia or Japan then awaiting them in the quarter-finals.
A mouthwatering showdown with Argentina in the semi-finals remains a possibility, with Lionel Messi and his teammates recovering from their shock loss to Saudi Arabia to beat Mexico and Poland.
If Messi’s team get past Australia, they could find themselves up against the Netherlands in the last eight, although the Dutch must first overcome a tough United States team.
Argentina came into the World Cup unbeaten in 36 games and with expectations high that they could win the trophy for a third time but coach Lionel Scaloni has played down their chances.
“We are not favourites,” he insisted. “We are a difficult team to beat, a team that will fight, but to think that because we won (against Poland) we are going to be champions would be totally mistaken.”
The other side of the draw is weighted towards Europe, despite elimination for Germany and Belgium.
Holders France are the team to beat and in Kylian Mbappe they have the most exciting player in the competition.
Didier Deschamps’ side eased through their group, even fielding an unrecognisable line-up in their final defeat by Tunisia as regulars were rested.
“We fulfilled our objective,” he said. “Now we will recuperate because a second competition is about to begin.”
History is not on the side of a France team looking to become the first since 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup, and they are on a possible collision course in the last eight with England.
Spain, the joint-top scorers in the group stage with England on nine goals, are also on their side of the draw.
Semi-finalists in 2018 and Euro 2020 runners-up, England are quietly growing in confidence.
“In Russia, we were just thinking, ‘Can we win a knockout game?’ Now there is more confidence and more experience of knockout matches,” said England manager Gareth Southgate.
Global game
It was German great Jurgen Klinsmann, part of FIFA’s technical study group analysing the tournament, who predicted that Qatar would produce shocks.
“If some of the kind of underdogs — maybe if it’s an African nation, if it’s an Asian team — if they are courageous I think you can go far in this tournament,” he said.
The last-16 line-up does at least reflect the global nature of football.
Japan, who have never gone further than the first knockout stage, stunned Germany and Spain and now have 2018 finalists Croatia in their sights.
South Korea have also qualified after a last-gasp winner against Portugal.
Qatar has also already been a good World Cup for Africa, with two teams in the last 16, compared with none four years ago.
Senegal, who have overcome the loss of Sadio Mane, will face England, while a talented Morocco side are living up to their billing and will have the backing of many across the Arab world when they play Spain.
Brazil are still the favourites for most, but there is a sense there are more surprises in store.
The round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup 2022 is turning into a pandemonium for small nations and it is possible to believe that it will take more than some beautiful football for a bigger shock in these finals.
Now that the hope for small nations rests on Morocco and Switzerland, the question is which one can make it into the last 8 and what price they will have to pay in facing the likes of Portugal or Spain in the quarter-finals.
At this moment, Morocco remains unbeaten. Winning in its group and winning a chance to fight it out against Spain. For Spain, this is another historically charged tie given the tragedy of the religious wars between them.
On the other hand, Spain had some difficulties in their group after trashing Costa Rica 7-0, held by Germany 1-1 they lost to Japan 2-1 with a Japanese goal that is still disputed by football fans.
But to be truthful, Spain has the experience – as a former World Cup winner when Shakira and Waka Waka was rocking the airwaves (2010) – and the players that can make the difference, but don’t discount the Morocco side which is a valiant team led by the very talented Hakim Zyech.
If Morocco beats Spain, it will be a major shocker, an even bigger shock than a win by Switzerland versus Portugal with Ronaldo upfront. (Editor’s Note: Morocco has beaten Spain on 3-0 on penalties)
Neverttheless, countries like Saudi Arabia, Cameron, Japan and even Ghana or the USA played such vibrant football that it is a pity that they failed to progress into the last eight.
Perhaps the World Cup is not made for smaller nations with big ambitions and it is now so commercialised that it has to be the tournament of big guns that escape elimination through penalties- South Korea lost to Croatia on penalties in the round of 16 – or because they go for the suicidal tactics running a-mock against their mighty adversary hoping they could strike a win while the experienced teams plays counter attack – England versus Senegal.
Beautiful Football
Focusing on the beautiful football games at the World Cup, we saw how Saudi Arabia defeated the unsuspected Argentina with King Lionel in their ranks. But that was not enough. Instead of pressing more on the brakes and maybe parking the bus against their two other opponents as opposed to attacking them to score and win, the Saudis could have promulgated their stay in the cup and offer fans another bit of stylish football?
It is all about tactics and even King Pele, before he fell further Ill last week, advised the Brazilian team to sacrifice beauty and style for tactics that would help the country lift the trophy on December 18.
