No scriptwriter could have envisioned a better final than what took place at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar last Sunday when Lionel Messi and company concluded the finest script by clinching the Fifa World Cup in fashion.
With all the elements of a Hollywood movie, including superstar rivalries, penalties, iconic goals, shoot-outs, and masterclass goalkeeping, the final ended with the superhero Lionel Messi crowned as the world champion.
The nail-biting final left fans across the world on the edge of their seats as they saw Argentina script history after it won the world cup in 1978 and 1986.
Although arguments may arise about whether this was the greatest football, Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France will remain as the greatest World Cup final for generations to come!
However, in a match that witnessed Argentina’s superiority, France deserves credit for the way it executed its comeback engineered by Kylian Mbappe who left a deep-rooted impact in the hearts of football lovers all over the world.
Although for 70 minutes, Mbappe was ineffective, for the rest of the game, he dragged France back into the game with his magnificent skills and scored two goals in a space of 97 seconds. His performance was as impressive as Ronaldo's authoritative display in 2002 in Germany 20 years ago.
No doubt, Mbappe who left Qatar in Golden Boot, is the person who salvaged the game and brought grace to his country despite its defeat!
As the FIFA World Cup 2022 season came to a close, what the World Cup has proved is that the Gulf countries have emerged as a top sporting destination. Qatar showed the world how financial resources combined with effective altruism and administrative efficiency could quieten the critics.
The Qatar administration also exhibited to the world that it is not the system of government or religion that matters, but leadership disposition, right ideas, and national interest. But the small country in the Gulf region did it without compromising or sacrificing any of its values and principles.
Another major and significant outcome, I observed is, despite its many differences, the Qatar World Cup has made the Gulf countries feel united, primarily because of the shared value system, including their deep respect for each other.
Countries like Japan have never failed to impress the world with their unique values that are deeply ingrained in their social character. Ahead of the match between Germany and Japan, its fans won the hearts of people around the world for their goodwill.
A video of Japanese fans cleaning the garbage from the stadium after a match went viral on the internet.
Similarly, the 2022 edition also taught the sporting world that the biggest name does not mean big gains! The team with the biggest stars does not mean that their delivery is the best. Portugal comes to mind, as does Belgium.
On the other hand, Japan and Morocco come to mind, in terms of their ability to make the best of the talent available and regularly punch above their weight.
As it happens with all the world cups when the world's greatest football players of our time say adieu to the game and many new stars emerge, the Qatar final was also no exception.
The 35-year-old Lionel Messi made history before hanging up his boots for the national team as his last dance turned will be termed as iconic for many.
In a surprising move, we found that 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo was benched during the game against Switzerland in this year’s World Cup. His replacement, 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos stunned fans by scoring a hat-trick.
With lessons from the Qatar football field, the world will see new professional horizons when the next World Cup kicks off in North America in 2026, with a record 48 teams vying in 80 games in 16 cities spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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