The World Cup 2022 is all anyone has been talking about this winter.
Even before the games started there was controversy about the competition being hosted in Qatar, as it is a country with such strict politics. Criticism focused on the multiple human rights violations in Qatar, especially their treatment of migrant workers, and women, and their position on LGBT rights. However, World Cup 2022 has gone ahead and Qatar's own soccer/football team was one of the first to leave the competition.
Now that the World Cup is over, I think we should explore the best football players from the competition.
Argentina - Lionel Messi
In particular last season, there has been some talk about the 35-year-old Lionel Messi's "magic football skills" waning. Well, if he's done anything at the World Cup 2022, it is to prove everybody wrong!
Some sports journals even claim that during the world cup 2022
"Lionel Messi is arguably having the best FIFA World Cup performance of his entire career"
- MARCA
Lionel Messi has chalked up another impressive milestone in his incredible career after he played his 1000th game against Australia on Saturday, December 3rd 2022, in which he scored a goal in the 35th minute of play.
793 - Messi's total competitive goal tally *so far, across 1,002 professional games for club and country. He also holds the world record for the most goals (71) in a single season.
Messi has 13 World Cup goals so far in his career, across five tournaments, and is the only player in history to score a World Cup goal in his teens, his 20s and his 30s.
42 - The number of titles Messi has won
Argentina's he World Cup 2022 win makes Messi the joint-most decorated footballer in history with his former teammate, Brazilian right-back Dani Alves.
"I always thought I wanted to play professionally, and I always knew that to do that I'd have to make a lot of sacrifices. I made sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. I changed my friends, my people. Everything. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream."
- Lionel Messi
Brazil - Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
The 30-year-old Neymar, who also plays with the club Paris Saint-Germain, was under pressure coming to the World Cup 2022 as many people were talking about him overtaking Pele as Brazil's all-time top scorer during the tournament.
Quoted by France24 as being "the world's most expensive player" Neymar has proved why he's worth every cent.
"I just like winning every tournament that I play. All of them are important for me. Each has its own history, its own characteristic, but they are all important."
- Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Despite suffering an injury against Serbia, Neymar returned to help Brazil defeat South Korea. He's resilient as all hell and determined to finish what he starts, proving he's worth the cost.
"I know that it is a huge responsibility to be the captain, the No. 10, but I like it. I like the responsibility, the pressure, and I like playing football."
- Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Belgium - Thibaut Courtois
A year ago, Courtois felt underrated and underappreciated, overshadowed by high-profile Premier League counterparts like Alisson and Ederson.
Not anymore. An all-time great, man-of-the-match goalkeeping performance in Real Madrid's Champions League final win over Liverpool in May, making a record nine saves.
Despite leaving the world cup earlier than Belgium would have liked, and with a few conceited goals, Thibaut Courtois remains one of the world's best goalkeepers.
Germany - Manuel Neuer
Neuer has had mixed success over the years as a goalkeeper for both Bayern Munich and the German national team. However, this World Cup the German No.1, deserves a special mention.
Neuer’s natural pace, physicality and ball control, which can rival a lot of top-class outfield players, make him a unique type of goalkeeper. This allows him to come out of his area and participate in the build-up play as well as snuff out dangerous situations playing as a sweeper keeper, allowing his teams to play a really high line to put the opposition under pressure.
"I love playing football every day. I love working hard, I love training, I love the games; I love the challenge. As long as that still applies, I don't see any reason to call time on something that makes me so happy."
- Manuel Neuer
In his mid-thirties, Neuer may still tumble a lot more records before finally calling it a day.
Brazil - Vinicius Junior
This young winger has exploded as an international star with Real Madrid over the last 18 months with consistently game-breaking performances, with his extraordinary acceleration instilling panic in opposing defences.
His production has been a crucial part of a Champions League and La Liga double, forming a lethal duo with Karim Benzema.
Vinicius Jr. scored his first-ever goal at a World Cup in the Round of 16 clashes against South Korea. The young player's goal helped in Brazil's 4-1 defeat of South Korea.
After scoring in the game Vinicius Jr is quoted saying
“I want to send a huge hug to Pele. This victory is for him. . I hope that everything goes well, that he can get out of the situation and we can be champions for him."
As one of Real Madrid’s brightest and most exciting stars, it seems as if the only way for Vinicius is up currently. At just 22, he has an increasingly important role for Real Madrid.
What it all means?
The purpose of events such as the World Cup ultimately is entertainment. The World Cup, most importantly, is the centre for the beautiful game. Mesmerizing goals are scored, fantastic saves are made, and no match is ever forgotten by those who watched.
Some of the most famous moments in all of the soccer world have come from the World Cup such as Pele’s rise on the world stage as a teenager, Maradona’s hand of god, Zidane’s headbutt, Ronaldo’s wink, Suarez’s bite, and more.
Or if you're Irish Italia 90! (EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T BORN I STILL KNOW ABOUT ITS IMPORTANCE)
Italia 90 was Ireland’s first-ever World Cup, so it was a truly colossal occasion, not only for the Irish soccer team but also for the Irish nation. It was one of the first times since the foundation of the Irish state that Ireland was being represented on the world stage.
Ireland’s first game was a big one against the old enemy England. Gary Lineker put the English ahead, but Kevin Sheedy scored an equaliser to save the day and a point for the team.
Although Ireland got knocked out 1-0 in the quarter-finals by host country Italy, it was the year of dreams for the Irish. We still talk about it today.
The Irish team came home to Dublin on 1 July 1990 to a crowd of an estimated 500,000 fans. There were 50,000 in the airport alone who wished to celebrate the success of the Irish team at Italia 90.
The party atmosphere continued long into the night throughout Ireland.
So what's it all about?
Pride, talent and hope.
Football makes people feel pride for their home squad, each country gets to display their very best talent to the world and for those few weeks, the entire country is filled with hope unlike any other. A hope of victory.
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