Now before I’m accused of being negative, I have also posted 10 stories from this World Cup that made me smile…
There have been a few sad moments as well….
10- Wales Run Out Of Legs
Messi, Ronaldo, Modric, Suarez, Cavani, etc. …. there have been many examples of this World Cup being the last dance for some famous names.
While for some experience has proved vital, for others it’s a tournament too far.
Gareth Bale seemed to go to Inter Miami purely to stay fit for Qatar. A lot of players say scoring for their country is a career highlight, but when Bale converted a penalty against the USA you sense he was being genuine?
That would be Wale’s only goal, the only nation who failed to score in open play.
Conditioning was a problem for the Welsh throughout the group stages with the likes of Bale and Ramsey running out of legs.
Those two had come to the rescue so often in the past that they had earnt the right to at least show it was one tournament too many.
It was sad in the England tie; some pundits were suggesting that those two should be dropped with some fans agreeing. A sentence that seemed unthinkable.
It shows how ruthless and fickle people can be.
Also, a bit selfish given how many times those two have saved Wales in the past?
An end of an era, which is sad when you think the journey this group of players have gone on.
9- A Tournament Too Far For Belgium
You could argue Belgium’s Golden Generation equally deserved the right to prove it was a tournament too far?
Martinez (one of the good guys in the sport) hasn’t coped with the transition well, scared to make an obvious change when the obvious was there.
It reminded me of how England used to pick players based on reputation, not on form or even fitness.
Lukaku clearly wasn’t in any condition to be in the squad, hence why he was only brought on when his manager was desperate.
You could argue Eden Hazard hasn’t been fit for the last couple of years?
Many (including myself) were not surprised Belgium would under-achieve but no one envisaged they would be as bad as they were.
It was like there was zero ethos or plan, Alderwield going direct or relying on a moment of individual magic.
End of an era?
8- ‘How am I Player Of The Match?’
When a player is saying that you know something doesn’t add up.
Of all the teams to record a victory at this tournament, none were more fortunate then Belgium.
Their goal was against the run of play with Canada brilliant up to the final third.
KDB uncharacteristically couldn’t manage the most basic of passes.
How anyone watched that game and thought he deserved to be named it’s best player is a mystery. Or is it?
Maybe organisers felt they couldn’t give the award to a player on the losing side?
Once you follow that criteria who else would sponsors want to get the accolade rather than KDB?
The Man City midfielder isn’t innocent though. He’s been very vocal and critical of the squad at a time when they needed a leader.
One of the best passers of the ball in the Premiership simply went missing when the pressure was on.
It was like the moment he realised his nation were not very good, he distanced himself and was eager to get back to the Etihad.
His positive image has helped him escape any negative PR.
7- No Host Story
There are many reasons why Qatar were an odd choice to host the World Cup.
From a sporting point of view, they are simply not a footballing nation.
In 2010 when they originally bid for the right to be hosts, they had 200 registered football players.
In 2022, that’s now up to approx. 6,500, with Tim Cahill Chief Sports’ Officer, helping find players all around the world who might meet the criteria to represent the country.
The government initiated a scheme to train talent in the country who would then be eligible based on being a resident.
Understandably, those in power didn’t want their nation to be embarrassed with the world watching.
They were not humiliated but not competitive either, losing all three of their fixtures to become only the second ever hosts to not get out of their group.
They needed a result to capture the locals’ imaginations.
Without that we didn’t get the romance of a Korea – 2002, Germany -06 Russia -18, etc.
In fact, it only took 45 minutes for some to have enough.
2-0 down to Ecuador in the kick off to the competition, empty seats in the second half were evident, meaning spectators went to get a drink at HT and never came back (almost like Qatar are not a football loving nation?).
Of course, Gianni Infantino didn’t mention the empty seats or lack of atmosphere when the hosts were playing.
6- VAR
Don’t get me wrong I love Japan’s spirit, the beating of two European superpowers one of the stories of the tournament.
It’s an emerging footballing nation with expectations high.
There’s no getting away from the fact though they qualified at the expense of Germany, due to VAR saying part of the ball had stayed in play when setting up a Japan winner against Spain (no Mr Wenger, it wasn’t because of politics)
We all like an underdog story but if Technology is not being consistently used it harms the integrity of the sport.
FIFA stressed 4 years ago VAR would only step in if an official made an obvious error. After the ref disallowed the goal, replays suggested it wasn’t obvious that the whole ball hadn’t gone out. In fact, I’m still to see that evidence.
Why those in the stadium and certainly broadcasters couldn’t see what VAR had seen remains a mystery
5-Ronaldo
Okay when I say I feel sorry for Ronaldo, I’m more then aware he’s brought a lot of this on himself, and that he’s most likely verbally agreed a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
When he checks his bank balance, I’m sure he will get over this difficult period?
I’m also aware that his interview with Piers Morgan was perfectly timed once he was away from Manchester and on international Duty.
He assumed he would become a free agent during Qatar, not having to face any backlash in England, while in his comfort zone of being in his Portuguese bubble.
Once out of the group stages though, Ronaldo was deemed not good enough to start in the knockout stages.
Something that seemed unthinkable in any other tournament and a historic moment.
From that point onwards though it seemed the 37-year-old couldn’t win.
Every time Portugal scored against Switzerland the camera zoomed in on their captain to see his reaction.
Each goal he smiled, applauded and joined in with the celebrations. Some said it was false.
At full time he thanked the fans, but was hammered for walking off on his own.
Does he have an ego? An attitude?
Of course.
Yet his legacy will say that it was that ego and attitude that made him the player he was.
Ronaldo could have had been more humble and less self-involved in his career, but he wouldn’t have then won what he’s won.
After the Quarter Final, he was in tears as a camera followed him to his dressing room.
In contrast to Messi’s last dance.
For all his flaws, maybe deserved more respect?
4 – Kane Pen
England Vs France is a fixture that will stay with me for a long time, one hard to shake from my brain, always popping up in my head.
I love my club but don’t normally get like that with England.
My biggest compliment to them is I feel like that because they played so well.
They exited going toe to toe with the World Champions. In my life I haven’t seen my country exit like that too many times.
Kane scores his second spot kick, and we are 2-2 against an injury hit France, going into extra time with all the momentum.
Morocco waited in the final 4.
It felt like an opportunity missed.
It’s easy with hindsight for some to say having scored already, Kane shouldn’t have stepped up again.
I bet those same people would have questioned the striker if he had handed over the responsibility to someone else and that person missed?
It’s why we love sport, the line between success and failure so small.
3- One Love Armband
It was Holland who came up with the idea of wearing the One Love Armband.
They and 6 other European nations wrote to FIFA in September explaining their intentions with zero reply.
Having had months, FIFA cowardly waited until the evening before 3 of those 7 nations were about to kick off their campaigns, before ‘blackmailing’ teams with sporting sanctions.
One of which would have been captains getting booked
Let me stress, zero player should have been in this position, pressured to make a political point.
For a decade the world knew migrant workers were dying due to unlawful labour, women didn’t have equality and same sex couples is illegal in Qatar.
It was up to governments and associations to show they had zero tolerance towards human right laws being broken.
Once those 7 skippers were adamant they wear the armband, they shouldn’t be backing down over a yellow card.
It trivialises how serious they were about the protest.
Let’s say every player of those 7 teams got booked, what a statement that would have made?
How bad would FIFA have looked?
Just to point out, of those 7 European clubs, England, Holland and Switzerland all got out of their group (as did Australia who made a YouTube video protesting for equality) proving Mr Wenger wrong that teams focusing on politics failed.
Instead, FIFA made all captains wear anti-discrimination armbands.
Just say that out loud and ask does it make sense?
FIFA are insisting players wear armbands promoting anti-discrimination yet threaten sanctions to anyone who wears an armband promoting equality in a country who discriminates ….. yet then say the game is for everyone?
2- Pundits
Listen I don’t judge any pundit who wanted to take a pay day and cover the World Cup.
I wasn’t one who pressured Gary Neville to every day stand in Qatar and preach about LGBTQ (for his safety that’s not a good idea).
Apart from the opening of BBC and ITV coverage, broadcasters got on with the football like asked.
Apart from those who wanted to defend Qatar.
Piers Morgan and Simon Jordan have preached for a month that the West’s histories are not innocent and that it’s arrogant to go to other places in the world and say their culture is wrong.
This allowed Morgan and Jordan to interview Qatar organisers, government and those in power.
Richard Keys and Andy Gray gave their first UK interview in over a decade telling you what a great place this part of the world was to live in.
Guess who they work for?
It’s become the company line, allowing people to hide and not question themselves.
Saying it’s wrong for workers to die due to unlawful labour?
We can’t say that because our own countries are not perfect.
Wanting to discuss women’s rights?
That’s ignorant to question a religion.
Point out that same sex couples are scared to travel to a tournament that is for ‘everyone’?
That’s not respecting a culture.
Just think about that for a moment
In 2022 you can’t say that women and same sex couples should have rights.
You can’t point out that workers shouldn’t die building stadiums.
Worse, if you do speak, some have found a way to make you be in the wrong?
Trust me, saying everyone should be treated equal and that people shouldn’t die due to unlawful labour …. that’s okay
1- Infantino Speech
Since 2010 FIFA were adamant, they understood concerns about women rights in Qatar.
For over a decade they reassured same sex couples it would be safe to travel.
They said they were supporting the country to improve labour laws.
Like a coward, Mr Infantino waited for the eve of the tournament to do a U turn, essentially calling the West ignorant and asking them to look at their own history.
He waited for all the players to have travelled, tickets to be sold, sponsors to have joined in, before showing his true colours.
That’s despite knowing the majority of his peers who were part of the bidding process in 2010 had either been kicked out of FIFA, suspended or arrested due to corruption.
His worst line was that he could relate to being a Migrant because he himself knew what it was like to move abroad.
I can only imagine how the families of the migrant workers who died due to unlawful labour must have felt hearing him say that.
Here was essentially a grown man saying it’s okay for a nation to break human right laws because other countries have done/do bad things.
That’s like a child saying it’s okay to be naughty because their friend is.
The point Mr Infantino (chooses) to ignore is, it’s not like millions of strangers have suddenly travelled to Qatar and now want to rewrite their religion or culture.
I say choose because his words are motivated by the whole reason, we are having the World Cup in Qatar ……the reason anyone defends it …. money!
FIFA’s job every 4 years is to find a host who can meet their criteria.
One of those criteria is ‘the game is for everyone’, and their own rules stress no association should discriminate.
Ask Qatar to host the women’s World Cup and see what their answer is?
Piers Morgan asked in 4 years’ time will we preaching America about their Guns laws?
Simple answer?
Guns laws don’t impact people going to a football match, it doesn’t impact who sits where, it doesn’t mean deaths due to unlawful labour.
When discussing England’s bid to host a World Cup one day, David Dein says in his book: ‘If we want to host an international event, we have to be seen to be welcoming that world.’
Simple.
Dan
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