Did you follow the World Cup? If you are one of the few people who didn’t, here are a few of the key highlights!
Richarlison’s Goal
Many have deemed Richarlison’s goal against Serbia as the best goal of the World Cup. Richarlison is a forward for Brazil’s national team. The goal, a scissor kick, passed as a defender flinched out of the way. Richarlison has claimed that it is the best goal of his career.
Japan’s Debated Goal
There is no doubt that this year, Japan was determined. One of the most controversial moments of the World Cup was Japan’s goal against Spain. The game was tied 1-1. As Japan approached the goal the ball seemingly passed over the goal line and would be called out of bounds. However, Kaoru Mitoma, a mid-fielder for Japan, stuck his foot over the line to save the ball. Spain’s goalie was unprepared for this move as another Japanese player received the ball and scored. Referees deliberated over whether the ball had fully crossed the line. Ultimately, the goal was rewarded to Japan on very narrow margins. After viewing footage from all angles it was determined that a small portion of the ball remained on the line (so it was in bounds). The goal moved Japan to the top of their group and ultimately knocked Germany out of the World Cup despite their 4-2 win over Costa Rica.
Saudi Arabia Shocks the World
Argentina had perhaps the most valuable asset of any World Cup team, Lionel Messi. As Messi is considered one of the best soccer players of all time, many spectators had high expectations for the entire team. However early in the group stage, Saudi Arabia beat the team 2-1. Players and fans were shocked at the outcome of this game. Before the game, Saudi Arabia was predicted to have an 8.7% chance of winning. This is even more surprising after the Argentina national football team eventually won the final.
Soccer vs Football
England and the United States obviously have a long and complicated history, so when the two come together to compete, tensions are high. England’s biggest sport is “football” while “soccer” is regarded as the 4th most popular sport in America. So England should crush the United States, right? However, England has never directly defeated the United States in a World Cup match. In 1950 The United States won 1-0. In 2010 it was a 1-1 draw. And finally in 2022 a 0-0 draw. So while it is neither a loss nor a win for either country, many are saying that England should be embarrassed. However, England ultimately made it farther than the United States in the World Cup.
Mexico Eliminated
Group C of the World Cup consisted of Poland, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. Argentina and Poland ended up topping the group, but Mexico was not far behind. The final matches of the group saw Argentina beat Poland 2-0 and Mexico beat Saudi Arabia 2-1. So why did Poland advance if they lost and why was Mexico sent home after a win? Mexico was actually only 1 goal away from claiming the second spot in the group. Both Mexico and Poland had 4 points by the end of the group stage. The only reason that Poland moved forward was that they had a goal differential of 0 while Mexico had a goal differential of -1 (goal differential: the difference in the number of goals scored and the number of goals allowed). At one point the competition between Poland and Mexico was so close that the decision was going to come down to which team had amassed fewer yellow cards in the tournament. A late Saudi Arabia goal against Mexico sealed their fate and sent the team packing. This is the first time in 44 years that Mexico has not made it past the group stage.
Christian Pulisic’s Goal
Christian Pulisic has been given many names by fans: “the Lebron James of soccer” and “Captain America.” As one of the star players of the young United States Men’s National Team Pulisic has earned these monikers. Pulisic is one of the main reasons the United States made it to the Round of 16. The United States needed to beat Iran to move past the group stage, and even a tie would not be enough to send the team through. The final score was 1-0, with Pulisic having the only goal of the game. After shooting, he collided with Iran’s goalie and was out for the rest of the game. He was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion but was able to play in the United States next match against the Netherlands. Pulisic put his body on the line to score the goal that sent the United States past the group stages.
History for Morocco
Morocco beat Spain to advance to the quarterfinals. The game was ultimately decided by a penalty shootout. Ironically, the Moroccan player that scored the winning goal, Achraf Hakimi, was born and raised in Spain. This is the first time in history that Morocco has reached a quarterfinal. Morocco is also the first Arab nation to reach the quarterfinals. Even further, Morocco beat Portugal to be the first African nation in the World Cup Semifinals.
The Favorites Fall
Brazil, the nation that has won the most world cups, was eliminated in the quarter-finals. Many had predicted that Brazil was going to claim its 6th World Cup in 2022. However, similarly to Spain, the nation fell in a penalty shootout. This was a shock for many as Brazil seemed confident after its recent win over South Korea (4-1). The players’ spirits were high as they danced together to celebrate each goal. However, the celebrations quickly came to an end as Brazil’s run in the World Cup was over.
Argentina es campeón del mundo
The final between France and Argentina is arguably one of the best World Cup finals of all time; some are even saying the best soccer game of all time. Argentina was dominating the game 2-0 (goals scored by Messi and Di María). However, very late in the second half, Kylian M’bappe scored on a penalty. Argentina lost confidence and he was able to score another goal only a minute later. The game went into overtime with Messi scoring once again for Argentina. Glory seemed close. However, Kylian M’bappe scored on a penalty once again to complete an impressive hat trick. It was 3-3. The World Cup final would go to a shootout. Argentina was eventually victorious. This was Argentina’s first time lifting the World Cup trophy since 1986 and Lionel Messi’s first time ever. Many would say it is the “perfect ending” to the 2022 Men’s World Cup.
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