Loved It Or Hated It, Here’s Five Things We Learned From The 2022 FIFA World Cup

1. A fan or a hater, you probably watched it

Football fans are loud. But let’s face it, the World Cup was excited.

Even if you do not usually tune in to club football, you cannot deny the adrenaline and the sense of unity that the national matches initiate among all sorts of people. Whether it’s watching a game with family at home, or with friends at a bar, the vibe the World Cup matches create is certainly an indescribable feeling.

If you ask me, being part of a community of people from everywhere who come together to watch the world’s greatest football stars battle it out on the field, is a feeling you don’t get everyday.

2. Corruption never misses an appearance

The shady side of this World Cup was brought to light via the corrupt practice through which Qatar was awarded the right to host.

It might be unfair to say that the Gulf state has been a terrible host overall. But the initial hijacking of the FIFA executive committee with its president Sepp Blatter in on the bribe is a scandal.

To make it worse, an abysmal human rights record that gave way to stadiums being built on forced labour and confiscated passports, led to the death of over 5,000 migrant workers. Additionally, concerns over local laws against the LGBTQ+ community were another disappointment among many.

You might think that hosting such an international high-profile event would come with a relaxation of local discriminatory laws. Apparently not in Qatar.

3. Success has no borders

This world cup was inarguably full of surprises. But what was even greater than the surprise was the success of smaller teams over of the traditional heavyweights.

Undoubtedly, the story of Morocco stands out. The first ever African team to make it to the semi final stage had many of us cheering for them by the end, and they certainly stole the hearts of many.

On the other hand, some teams did not even advance but still earned respect. Let’s not forget that lesser quoted Tunisia, Iran, Cameroon, Ghana and Costa Rica all won games against traditional World Cup presences France, Wales, Brazil, South Korea and Japan respectively.

And of course, who can forget that eventual champions Argentina lost their first game against Saudi Arabia? This is indeed how it should be – a game where anyone can win.

4. Public opinion can make you or break you

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest footballers of all time, had a bad World Cup.

He was perhaps the biggest media story of this World Cup, a story that has been orchestrated heavily through feuds with his former teammates and statements that were at times taken out of context to create hysteria.

For his last (likely) World Cup, it is safe to say that the media may have made his experience bumpier than he would have liked, the same media that glorified and idolised him in his early days. Public opinion on the Portuguese giant has changed dramatically.

With not making the starting 11 twice, and Portugal being eliminated earlier than they might have expected, CR7 did not get the happy ending he may have dreamed of.

5. Football is for everyone

Football culture has for many decades been a European and South American affair. The fact that in a hundred years of history, the event travelled to the Arab region for the first time is a celebration of diversity.

Although instances of the hosting were unforgivable, having a World Cup in the Middle East meant that the joy of football allowed could be felt by peoples who would not normally afford to travel to the West.

Additionally, different rules meant different ways of looking at things. For instance, concerns that no alcohol was allowed in stadiums seemed to ignore the fact that for women and families, the lack of free-flowing beer made for a much safer environment.

And against the background of territorial unrest in Ukraine, it was nice to see the Palestinian flag, another symbol of unjust war, being waved around crowds. Such prominence of such a flag might not have been possible at other places other than an Arab country.

In this World Cup, we have seen and learnt that we are all different and all we can do is acknowledge these differences and accept them. After all, the world’s favourite game must embrace all differences.

Did you enjoy watching this year’s World Cup?