First, let’s share how the tournament unfolded. Each team played one game against the other in a single-round-robin format, with eight groups of four teams each. As a result of these games, the top two teams from each group advanced to the top 16. Here are some statistics from the group stage and the teams that advanced:
The World Cup group stage concluded on Friday with 120 goals scored in 48 games played in Qatar. The group stage took place between November 20 – December 2. The Netherlands, Senegal, England, Argentina, Poland, France, Japan, Spain, Morocco, Croatia, Brazil, Switzerland, Portugal, and South Korea advanced. Host country Qatar, Ecuador, Iran, Wales, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Denmark, Germany, Costa Rica, Belgium, Canada, Cameroon, Serbia, Uruguay, and Ghana did not advance from the group stage. With 120 goals scored in 48 group stage games, the average number of goals scored per game was 2.5. However, Qatar hosted the tournament with the fewest goals since the 2010 World Cup, hosted by South Africa. There were 101 goals in the 2010 group stage. In that World Cup, England and Spain each scored nine goals. Belgium, Denmark, Qatar, Tunisia, and Wales scored the fewest goals each with one goal. Unfortunately, Costa Rica conceded the most goals at Qatar 2022, conceding 11.
Historic records from Messi and Ronaldo
No team in Qatar has ever won all three group stage games. No team has won all three group stage games since the 1994 World Cup. This pattern continued in Qatar. Referees in Qatar issued 166 yellow cards and 2 red cards. Saudi Arabia had the most yellow cards with 14, while England received none. Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar were sent off in the group stage. Hennessey received his first red card in the tournament, five days after the tournament began on 25 November, in a game against Iran. Three managers lost their jobs. Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez, Ghana’s Otto Addo, and Mexico’s Gerardo Martino lost their jobs after their teams failed to advance in Qatar. Ronaldo, 37, became the first player to score in five World Cup tournaments. The experienced forward previously scored in the 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 tournaments. Messi, 35, is the only player to provide an assist in five World Cups. The Argentine superstar provided at least one assist in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. Germany goalkeeper Neuer, 36, has made the most appearances as a goalkeeper in World Cup history with 19 games. And France’s Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup game. The 38-year-old refereed the highly challenging game between Costa Rica and Germany in Group E.
Games played from the Round of 16 to the Final
The following games were played between the teams that advanced to the Round of 16, leading up to Argentina’s victory in the final:
ROUND OF 16 GAMES:
Saturday, 3 December
Netherlands 3 – USA 1 (Khalifa International Stadium)
Argentina 2 – Australia 1 (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium)
Sunday, 4 December
France 3 – Poland 1 (Al Thumama Stadium)
England 3 – Senegal 0 (Al Bayt Stadium)
Monday, 5 December
Croatia 1 – Japan 1 (3-1 with Extra Time + Penalties) (Al Janoub Stadium)
Brazil 4 – South Korea 1 (974 Stadium)
Tuesday, 6 December
Morocco 0 – Spain 0 (3-0 with Extra Time + Penalties) (Education City Stadium)
Portugal 6 – Switzerland 1 (Lusail Iconic Stadium) (Education City Stadium)
QUARTER-FINALS:
Friday, 9 December
Croatia 1 – Brazil 1 (4-2 on extra time + penalties) (Education City Stadium)
Argentina 2 – Netherlands 2 (4-3 on extra time + penalties) (Lusail Iconic Stadium)
Saturday, 10 December
Morocco 1 – Portugal 0 (Al Thumama Stadium)
France 2 – England 1 (Al Bayt Stadium)
SEMI-FINALS:
Tuesday, December 13
Argentina 3 – Croatia 0 (Lusail Iconic Stadium)
Wednesday, 14 December
France 2 – Morocco 0 (Al Bayt Stadium)
THIRD-PLACE GAME:
SATURDAY, 17 December
Croatia 2 – Morocco 1 (Khalifa International Stadium)
FINAL:
Sunday, 18 December
Argentina 3 – France 3 (4-2 on extra time + penalties) (Lusail Iconic Stadium)
A flurry of surprises at the cup
In the World Cup, which was full of surprises, Saudi Arabia’s opening win over Argentina in the Group Stage, Japan’s wins over Germany and Spain but loss to Costa Rica, Iran’s victory over Wales, Morocco’s victory over Belgium, Tunisia’s victory over France, South Korea’s victory over Portugal, and finally Cameroon’s victory over Brazil all demonstrated how surprising the tournament is and that all teams can beat each other.
As you can see above, Morocco’s 1-0 wins over Spain on penalties and then Portugal in the knockout games after the first 16 proved that the surprises would continue throughout the tournament. Morocco played at full strength in every game. A team with limited technical capacity, Morocco poured its heart into every game, defeating some of Europe’s strongest teams before ultimately being eliminated by France. Similarly, Croatia eliminated Japan, the tournament’s surprise team, and then Brazil on penalty kicks. Argentina lived up to expectations in the semifinals, defeating Croatia, a surprise team, and France, similarly, defeated Morocco, another surprise team, to secure a place in the final. The final itself was an epic battle.
A magnificent clash in the final
Argentina comfortably took a 2-0 lead. At halftime, no one expected Argentina to pull off such a comfortable victory. France manager Deschamp substituted Ousmane Dembele and Oliver Giroud in the first half, bringing on Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram. While the game had slightly shifted in France’s favor, their dominance began with Eduardo Camavinga substituting Theo Hernandez and Kingsley Coman substituting Griezmann 20 minutes before normal time. Argentina, on the other hand, saw a complete shift in the balance of play, with players substituting for those who came on. France scored twice in the final 10 minutes to equalize the game and send the game into extra time. Messi once again took the lead in extra time, with a magnificent three-way pass securing a 3-2 lead. However, France didn’t give up and pressed on. France finally got the better of their pressure with two minutes remaining. Mbappé’s shot struck Gonzalo Montiel’s arm, and the referee was awarded a penalty. Mbappe made his third appearance for France, leveling the score at 3-3 and sending the game to penalties. Messi scored two goals and provided one assist in that game and also converted his last penalty. Mbappe also scored three goals and converted his last penalty. What more could they possibly want?
Here’s Messi’s latest goal, which made history: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmUnlbDtP19/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D
Finally, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made another appearance in the penalty shootout after the Netherlands game, saving penalties against Kingsley Coman and Aurélien Tchouameni, helping Argentina become World Champions. As a result, he was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper and won the Golden Glove Award. Despite his subsequent unfortunate move, it’s safe to say he proved his worth as a goalkeeper to the world.
You can watch game highlights from the entire tournament by clicking the link https://t.ly/ZOBg
And the “Best of the Cup”
The World Cup final also featured the best awards. Argentinian Enzo Fernandez won the “Best Young Player of the World Cup.” The 21-year-old midfielder plays for Benfica in Portugal. The “Golden Glove,” as mentioned above, went to Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper for champions Argentina. The 30-year-old plays for English side Aston Villa. The “Golden Boot,” awarded to the World Cup’s top scorer, went to Kylian Mbappe. The French superstar scored eight goals in Qatar, including the final, where he capped his career with a hat-trick. He also provided two assists in the tournament. The “Golden Ball,” awarded to the best player of the World Cup, went to Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of all time, who completed the only missing piece in his collection by winning the World Cup at the age of 35. Messi delivered a performance befitting his reputation, scoring a total of 7 goals and providing 3 assists in this cup.
The Secrets of Argentina’s Success
If we ask how Argentina won the World Cup, a dream of all Argentines, after 36 years, I believe there are several key reasons:
- Teamwork: A young team was built around Messi. This team played together and established teamwork.
- Young and high-octane team: This team, with its high-octane Barcelona-style running style, fought for every ball. They applied constant pressure, both on and off the ball. This fighting spirit allowed them to dominate the games they played.
- The overwhelming majority wanted Argentina: Argentines wanted this cup with all their hearts. However, the vast majority of countries outside Argentina wanted Argentina and Messi to win the championship. I believe the positive energy of billions of people had an impact.
- Their manager, Lionel Scaloni: Brought in for two games, Lionel Scaloni achieved some of the greatest success in Argentina’s history. Despite all the talented players available after Maradona, Argentina was struggling, and no matter what they tried, nothing seemed to work. After Sampaoli’s departure, the Argentine Soccer Federation announced the appointment of 40-year-old Lionel Sebastian Scaloni as interim manager for two games. Scaloni, who had a modest playing career coaching the country’s youth national teams, was to be the designated player for the games against Guatemala and Colombia. The man who took over without expectations transformed Argentina’s destiny. First, he convinced Messi, then he built a system around him. Instead of handing out blue beads to other stars, he tailored a system suited to Messi’s age. A slow tempo, controlled, and powerful game combined with a combative squad. The gears were in place, and the system was working. 28 years later, they won the Copa America by defeating their arch-rivals, Brazil, in the final in Rio. Six months ago, when they defeated Italy 3-0 and took the Finalissima Trophy to their museum, the Argentines signaled they would win the Copa America. By winning the Copa America, they signaled a World Cup victory. Ultimately, Scaloni did in Argentina what Guardiola did in Barcelona. A team that played a combative passing game around Messi brought Argentina three trophies in four years. Here’s Scaloni’s story: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZMtNfIW0v/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
- Lionel Messi: It’s a great opportunity for Argentines that the world’s greatest player of all time comes from Argentina. Messi deserves a special mention. Messi, desperate to win the World Cup in this tournament, switched from a striker to a playmaker, ensuring the maximum performance from a young, hard-charging, and competitive Argentine team. He broke record after record, and on top of the title, he won the tournament’s best player award at the age of 35. Since I’ll be writing about Messi in my last article of the year, I’ll keep my comments about this soccer legend brief here for now. However, I want to emphasize once again that, in my opinion, Messi is the best player of all time.
Fun links about the cup
Now let’s get to the fun part of this article. Below, I’d like to share some posts about the World Cup that caught my attention on social media and in the news:
A shopkeeper in the İnegöl district of Bursa distributed the famous Turkish Delight to 2,000 people before the World Cup final to celebrate Argentina’s Lionel Messi scoring a goal: https://t.ly/uzVu
The Japanese team surprisingly defeated Germany and Spain, considered among the tournament’s strongest teams, and Japanese fans wowed the volunteers by cleaning the stadiums. Here are four posts about this magnificent culture:
https://www.instagram.com/p/ClUHeIMrWGf/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClTkio0OPyM/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
https://www.instagram.com/p/ClVWw1wogkR/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CleWXqUu39f/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
Iranian players protest the regime by not singing their national anthem
https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOY2x3O3S8/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
The story of the first female referee to officiate a World Cup game: https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/sporarena/en-zor-mac-ona-denk-geldi-dunya-kupasi-yoneten-ilk-kadin-st-phanie-frappartin-hikayesi-42180868
The story of Galatasaray’s Ultra Lions fans training fans imported from different parts of the Middle East, such as Qatar and Lebanon:https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/sporarena/katarin-atesli-taraftarlarinin-sirri-galatasaray-tribunu-ultraslan-dohaya-giderek-ozel-egitim-verdi-42179054
While the American soccer player was consoling the Iranian soccer player:
https://t.ly/Yegh
Aposto’dan Arjantin’in Dünya Kupası’nı kazanma hikayesi:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmUYQX0Kz4m/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
Magnificent celebrations in Argentina:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmU-N9BIsjl/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
The Zaytung news article titled “Nusret was given the task of embarrassing our National Team,” mocking Nusret for continuing to humiliate the Turks:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmWQdkVDGu-/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY
News that Turkish police are protecting Qatar: https://t.ly/KMJC
Far Eastern stand-up comedian Ronny’s commentary on the World Cup:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl6LhZ7MXIk/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
Chorus for World Cup stars:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClbpASGr7bD/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
Argentina cheering:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmESiRBIGnM/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
The translator who only speaks English to the French coach of the Saudi Arabian team:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cll2Nr7peRK/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
The commentator who presented Argentina’s championship penalty:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZwMWxDuHZ/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
Cartoon depiction of the World Cup:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZrH40gS4K/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
And one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament, scored in the Croatia game, where Messi was at his peak, accompanied by one of my favorite tango pieces, “Por Una Cabeza”:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmRTcuNjk9G/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc
World Cup celebrations in Argentina:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmZoCdWuux8/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc%3D
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmacmywJPCl/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc%3D
The public welcome Messi receives as he tries to get to his home in Argentina: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmaJT1IBMmd/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc%3D
Will Messi be in the next cup as well?
My hope is to watch Messi in another World Cup. Many players have played in the World Cup at the age of 39. Why shouldn’t we watch the world’s greatest player once again? Argentina deserves two consecutive championships.
In my next article, I’ll be writing a motivational piece inspired by Messi, about how those with Messi’s potential in their respective fields can achieve their dreams. See you in my last article of the year…
Tag: health
