From witnessing the best World Cup ever-with the best final ever, to bringing to an end the fiercest football rivalry in modern times, between Messi/Ronaldo, and the fairy song for African representative Morocco, lets us serve you the 10 football unforgettable of 2022, as compiled by Taiwo Alimi.
QATAR 2022: THE BEST W/CUP EVER
In spite of the negative publicity that trailed the Qatar World Cup, especially, from the Western press, the biggest football tournament has been dubbed the ‘best ever’ by many, including the world football ruling body, FIFA. It is remarkable that no country left Qatar, without a goal to its name and the very big upset was against the eventual winner, Argentina.
For the first time, all the continents were represented in the Round of 16, with African pride, Morocco, going all the way to the semi-finals-the first time ever any African and Arab team would do that.
Qatar 2022 served up the best World Cup final for decades and Lionel Messi, in finally lifting the World Cup, confirmed himself as the finest player of the 21st century.
FIFA and the host nation had the showpiece they wanted, Messi and Kylian Mbappé coming to the party to echo the game’s greats. Mbappé’s hat-trick saw him overtake Pelé, Vavá and Geoff Hurst as the highest scorer in World Cup final ties, while Messi lived up to the ghost of Diego Maradona.
It followed a tournament that fully entertained and in Morocco delivered a first African and Arab team to the semis.
If that wasn’t enough to change anyone’s opinion of Qatar hosting a World Cup.
LIONEL MESSI
The defining image of this World Cup was just about its last one. There was a kiss for the trophy. Lionel Messi finally became acquainted with the World Cup. On a night high on drama and higher on emotion, it had the perfect ending for the greatest of them all.
The one prize that had eluded him was won with the help of two nerveless penalties, perhaps the only perceived flaw in his game. Even his other goal came with his weaker right foot. It was a game in which every question was answered. Football? Completed it.
He joins Pele and Diego Maradona as World Cup-winning greats after a final that showcased the magnificence of not just Messi but another in Kylian Mbappe. But in truth this was all about an achievement that separated him from the rest. He has the missing piece now.
The Messi story needed its narrative arc and it is the World Cup that has provided it. People prefer their geniuses flawed, it makes them more compelling. From the days of antiquity, the idea has persisted that there must be a price to pay for one’s gifts, a toll taken.
With Messi, that struggle had long been hard to see. Uprooting to Europe aged 13 inevitably brought challenges but he made the transition seem seamless on the pitch and off it. Even his childhood sweetheart came with him. His life has been characterised by success.
That can leave people a little cold. Gabriel Batistuta said it comforted him that he had lost his Argentina scoring record to an extra-terrestrial. Carlos Mac Allister, who played with Maradona and whose son Alexis is now a World Cup winner alongside Messi, summed it up.
“Without a doubt, Messi is the greatest in all of history,” he said recently. “I am rational. I believe in what I see. Messi’s numbers are compelling.” And yet, still there was the caveat that Maradona had given the people emotions that Messi had not been able to provide.
Messi was a Champions League winner as a teenager and scored in two more Barcelona triumphs before the age of 24. He had an Olympic gold medal at 21. Seven Ballons d’Or. 800 goals. One big problem. The Copa America just was not enough.
The World Cup was his final labour, the tournament that would not bend to his will. This fifth and final opportunity had come at a time when his powers had appeared to be waning. He was no longer viewed the best player at his own club let alone on the planet.
That he hauled Argentina to glory after the setback against Saudi Arabia, ensured that we finally saw the struggle. Leads were lost, once to the Netherlands and twice to France. But he endured. He overcame. It did not come quickly or easily. That makes it more special.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream was over before it started.
Relegated to the role of substitute by his country after arguing with his coach, Ronaldo’s turbulent tournament never looked likely to have a happy ending – but his tears after Portugal’s quarter-final exit turned out to be an apt summary of his current situation.
A shock defeat by Morocco means the 37-year-old is still without a World Cup winner’s medal – the only major honour to elude him – and he is currently a global icon without a club to call home after his angry departure from Manchester United last month.
People were already wondering where he will play his club football next and, while the Portuguese public still adore him, questions over his future with his country will surely follow.
Ronaldo left United just before the World Cup started, but his time in Qatar actually began well enough.
The way he won a controversial penalty in Portugal’s first group game against Ghana was described as “total genius” by FIFA and he converted it to become the first man to score at five World Cups.
Things went downhill fairly swiftly after that, however, and he did not manage a goal in his next two starts before falling out with boss Fernando Santos for his outburst after being substituted against South Korea.
Dropped against Switzerland in the last-16 – the first time since 2008 he had not begun a major tournament game – his young replacement Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick and Ronaldo was suddenly the superstar who was only a sub.
That was the way he was used against Morocco too, although he was given most of the second half to make an impact, coming on in the 51st minute with his side 1-0 down.
His appearance alone meant he managed to reach another landmark – his 196th international cap equalled the men’s record held by Kuwait forward Bader Al-Mutawa – but he could not mark it with the kind of special moment he has produced so often down the years.
Ronaldo already held the record for most men’s international goals, with 118, but he never looked likely to add to that tally against brilliantly organised opposition. Ronaldo managed only 10 touches in total and it took until the 91st minute for him to manage a shot, which did not have the power or direction to beat Morocco keeper Bono.
While Ronaldo was always willing and waiting for the right ball into the box, it never came.
When Rafael Leao’s 97th-minute cross flew over his head before being headed agonisingly wide by Pepe, Ronaldo sank to his knees in the six-yard box and, with his head in his hands, seemed to know his time was up.
When the final whistle came moments later, he shook hands with a couple of opponents, then walked straight off the pitch with only the company of a cameraman and – very briefly – a fan who had evaded security in search of an ill-timed, and unsuccessful, selfie request.
Ronaldo got as far as the tunnel before his emotions got the better of him, but his tears as he left this tournament will be how his World Cup will be best remembered, as well as his row with his coaches.
MESSI AND RONALDO DEBATE
One of the most ferocious debates in the soccer world has been who is the greatest—Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?
Both players have played more than 1,000 games over their careers and have scored a phenomenal amount of goals in the process as well as set up hundreds more for teammates.
Argentine star Messi has become the first player ever to score in every round of the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, and two goals in the final against France left him on seven goals for the tournament and only beaten to the coveted Golden Boot award, by France’s Kylian Mbappé, who scored a hat-trick in the final.
Meanwhile, Portugal striker Ronaldo may have had an early return home after his team was knocked out in the round of 16. However, he has led the Portuguese to a triumph in the European Championships in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019.
Messi inspired Argentina to win Copa America in 2021, defeating Brazil 1-0, so many were torn as to who is the greatest of all time or GOAT—Messi or Ronaldo?
With another illuminating display in the World Cup final, many believe that this debate is finally over and that Messi has done enough to be hailed as the best ever.
The 35-year-old had previously said that the final would be his last ever World Cup game and there has been a determination by Argentina that he went out at the top by lifting the trophy.
Despite Ronaldo scoring 819 goals to Messi’s 791, Messi has been declared the winner of the most hotly contested debate in soccer.
One Messi fan declared on Twitter: “Now people won’t have to compare Messi and Ronaldo, the goat debate have settled. There can only be one goat and that is Messi.”
Another added: “Lionel Messi > Cristiano Ronaldo. The debate has been settled tonight. #FIFAWorldCup”
A third shared a photo of Messi and tweeted: “Since this world cup has settled the saga btw Messi and Ronaldo on whom is the best btw both of them, I hereby present to you and the world the best player on this planet. Messi!!!”
Another soccer fan believed that there should be no more discussion, tweeting: “The debate about messi and Ronaldo ends today! If I hear anybody on this TL talk about that comparison again, we will have issues. It’s now settled!!!”
Settled or not, the debate will no doubt continue as despite being a winner being declared, there will be many who will still argue that the other should be given the title of GOAT.
NIGERIA’S WORLD CUP MESS
It was when the World Cup kicked off that many Nigerians actually woke to the reality that the Super Eagles were not in Qatar 2022.
One asked, “When is Nigeria playing?” not oblivious that Nigeria was kicked out in the final day of World Cup qualifying matches by Ghana.
He just could not swallow the bitter pill of that failure. Since making its debut in the USA in 1994, Nigeria has played in six of the last eight FIFA World Cups, missing only the 2006 and 2022 editions and making it to the round of 16 on three occasions.
And for not being at the Qatar World Cup, Nigeria automatically loses a $ 12.5 million bonus from FIFA which includes a preparation fee of $ 2.5 million and a guaranteed $ 10 million for qualifying for the group stage.
The country also loses money from its sponsorship deals with Nike ($ 4.25 million), AITEO, Coca-Cola, and others.
Nigerians do not, however, care about the money, but in seeing its country, which is considered to have an avalanche of talent in Africa.
It is not all glooming for Nigeria, though, about a dozen players of Nigerian descent, were in Qatar in the colours of other countries.
Among them are Bukayo Saka (England), Karim Adeyemi and Jamal Musiala (Germany), Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor, Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), Ike Ugbo and Sam Adekugbe (Canada).
VICTOR OSIMHEN’S VIVA YEAR
Though Nigeria’s prolific striker Victor Osimehen could not feature at his first World Cup in Qatar, he did enough to warrant a place in the historic year 2022. Amid injury, recurring transfer issues, training bust-up, and internal family wrangling, Osimhen rose higher, to emerge as one of the most talked about players in Europe, for their ability on the pitch.
Recently, he was named the most prolific goalscorer in the Italian Serie A in 2022 if goals from the penalty spot are not taken into account.
Read Also: Messi ‘ll play 2026 World Cup, says Valdano
Osimhen has found the back of the net 18 times in this calendar year, without a single goal from 11 metres, more than any other players in Italy’s top flight. Lazio’s Ciro Immobile is the top marksman in Serie A in 2022 with 20 goals. But six of the Italy international’s goals came from the penalty spot, leaving him with 14 spotless strikes.
Third on the chart is Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez with 17 goals for the year. The forward was part of the Argentina squad that lifted the FIFA World Cup in Qatar a few days ago.
Considered the best in the division, Osimhen has been without equal in front of goal.
Nine of his goals have arrived during the 2022/2023 campaign, making him the top in Serie A this season.
Osimhen’s goals have been against Monza, Verona, Bologna, Roma, Sassuolo, Atalanta, and Udinese.
The 23-year-old striker grabbed the first hat-trick of his career against Sassuolo and in the process also became Nigeria’s all-time highest goalscorer in Serie A history.
Aside from his 18 league goals for Napoli this year, Osimhen also netted five goals in two matches for the Super Eagles.
The former Lille lad scored in Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat of Sierra Leone in June in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. He then followed it up with an astonishing four goals in the Super Eagles’ 10-0 demolition of Sao Tome and Principe, Nigeria’s winning margin in history.
ASISAT OSHOALA SHINES
Barcelona and Nigeria football queen may not have impressed at the 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations, yet she shone brightly in Europe to be recognised as one of the 100 most influential women footballers in the world.
This month, Oshoala added a new honour to her loaded shelf of laurels after she was honoured by the Women’s International Champions Cup for her role in advancing women’s soccer.
The Barcelona forward, who was named to the third annual WICC Best XI on Monday, and Colombia and Deportivo Cali forward Linda Caicedo were the two football ers nominated for the prestigious awards alongside others.
England national team coach Sarina Wiegman, journalists Jeff Kassouf and Anna Kessel, U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone and Ally Chief Marketing Officer Andrea Brimmer were other members on the award list.
Two activists, Asma Mirzae and Fran Hilton were also honoured, as were Angel City co-founder Kara Nortman and Kansas City Current co-founder Angie Long.
Recognizing the contribution of Oshoala and the other awardees, the head of the WICC, Susie Fiore said, “The winners work tirelessly to champion the women’s game, often in spite of great obstacles.
“Without the contributions of the 2022 honorees, the women’s game would not have the explosive growth that we’re seeing today.”
Oshoala is Nigeria’s most decorated woman footballer in history. In August, she became the first African woman nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
She is also the first African woman to play in the English league when she featured for Liverpool and Arsenal, winning the 2015 Women’s FA Cup with the Gunners. A record five-time winner of the African Women’s Footballer of the Year award, Oshoala was the first African to score a goal in a UEFA Women’s Champions League final.
Last year, the 28-year-old became the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League.
MOROCCO AS HISTORY-MAKERS
The Moroccan National Team might have left the 2022 FIFA World Cup with no medals or tangible prizes, but their mark on the world is forever etched.
Though the defeat against Croatia landed them a fourth-place finish, the Atlas Lions departed Qatar as history-makers and record-breakers.
Morocco became the first Arab and third African team to reach the quarterfinal and the first Arab and African to reach the semifinals–an unforgettable run. In short, it was Morocco’s World Cup– everyone else was just living in it.
With supreme verve and fervor–against all odds and expectations–the Moroccan team left fans jubilant. Both on and off the field, there were some iconic moments for the team. From an undefeatable penalty shootout to warm celebrations with their mothers, here is a rundown of Morocco’s unforgettable moments during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Morocco defeated Belgium, ranked by FIFA as world number 2 prior to the tournament, in a sensational 2-0 victory that qualified them for the knockout stage for the second time in their history. QATAR 2022: THE BEST W/CUP EVER
In spite of the negative publicity that trailed the Qatar World Cup, especially, from the Western press, the biggest football tournament has been dubbed the ‘best ever’ by many, including the world football ruling body, FIFA. It is remarkable that no country left Qatar, without a goal to its name and the very big upset was against the eventual winner, Argentina.
For the first time, all the continents were represented in the Round of 16, with African pride, Morocco, going all the way to the semi-finals-the first time ever any African and Arab team would do that.
Qatar 2022 served up the best World Cup final for decades and Lionel Messi, in finally lifting the World Cup, confirmed himself as the finest player of the 21st century.
FIFA and the host nation had the showpiece they wanted, Messi and Kylian Mbappé coming to the party to echo the game’s greats. Mbappé’s hat-trick saw him overtake Pelé, Vavá and Geoff Hurst as the highest scorer in World Cup final ties, while Messi lived up to the ghost of Diego Maradona.
It followed a tournament that fully entertained and in Morocco delivered a first African and Arab team to the semis. QATAR 2022: THE BEST W/CUP EVER
In spite of the negative publicity that trailed the Qatar World Cup, especially, from the Western press, the biggest football tournament has been dubbed the ‘best ever’ by many, including the world football ruling body, FIFA. It is remarkable that no country left Qatar, without a goal to its name and the very big upset was against the eventual winner, Argentina.
For the first time, all the continents were represented in the Round of 16, with African pride, Morocco, going all the way to the semi-finals-the first time ever any African and Arab team would do that.
Qatar 2022 served up the best World Cup final for decades and Lionel Messi, in finally lifting the World Cup, confirmed himself as the finest player of the 21st century.
FIFA and the host nation had the showpiece they wanted, Messi and Kylian Mbappé coming to the party to echo the game’s greats. Mbappé’s hat-trick saw him overtake Pelé, Vavá and Geoff Hurst as the highest scorer in World Cup final ties, while Messi lived up to the ghost of Diego Maradona.
It followed a tournament that fully entertained and in Morocco delivered a first African and Arab team to the semis.
