FIFA World Cup trophy: Finally, to Latin America or Europe?
The World cup has now come to the crucial phase. Three more matches and then emerges the new World champion of indeed the globe’s most popular sport. With the expanded format in place this time, 48 teams were in the fray and 44 of them have fallen by the wayside leaving the four best to fight for the ultimate honour. Interestingly the four _France, Argentina, Spain and England _ are currently the top listed countries in the latest FIFA rankings! Sustained excellence, it can be said, paid rich dividends. So, everything has come down to perfection, so to say and so it would be tempting to predict France as the probable winner! Brazil did it in 2002 but then that was a different era. For, today the once top football nation is proving to be just a shadow of its past. But such has been the churn of the competition in the current edition that the sword of uncertainty has always been there to strike and give a dramatic twist.
The knockout phase had plenty to show in this regard though it must be said an upset result as such did not happen despite there being close encounters aplenty. To that extent the World Cup has been in every sense what it was expected to be, full of excitement and at all the venues in US, Mexico and Canada, the three countries which are co-hosting this edition. What was initially feared would be mired in controversy and negative comments, this World Cup has veered past the difficult phase and caught the imagination of millions of fans all around the globe. Plenty has happened and plenty is still there to happen for such is the closeness of each team in terms of excellence.
This has been a World Cup, it must be said, where the revelation initially was the African nations. Four years back in Qatar, Morocco had brought this continent’s potential to notice by storming into the semi-final. This time however it was stopped at the last eight stage by France in what was a tense match that had France to fully depend on the individual brilliance of Kylian Mbappe to break the ice and for another classy performer Ousmane Dembele to complete the job. The Atlas Lions made their exit there but left another lasting impression of their capability.
Much of Africa’s effervescence had come in the earlier two phases of the knockout stage. The team from the tiny nation Cape Verde made the biggest noise. It certainly made their country proud with its irresistible show. The way they foiled Argentina for long before exiting, it was a match that was much talked about for the African nation’s resilience and none personifying that better than the 40-year old goalkeeper Vozinha. A household name after this great show, this brave heart kept the Argentinians on tenterhook before the brilliance of Lionel Messi took over but only late in the extra time did Argentina ensure they were not going to make a dramatic exit!
England was another to taste the African stubbornness in the form of D R Congo. An early goal had put the African nation ahead and not until the late stage of the match did England ensure its passage with who else but Harry Kane doing the great escape act with a brace. Belgium, too, faced a stiff test against Senegal, with the match going all the way to extra time before Belgium secured the win. Switzerland, by contrast, had a far less torrid time against Algeria.
Individual brilliance, complemented by inspired collective efforts, proved key to the leading contenders' progress. While Kylian Mbappé was France's driving force, Lionel Messi inspired Argentina, and Harry Kane led England's charge. For Spain the youngster Lamine Yamal was the centre of attention but the side was well stocked in defence and under the bar Unai Simon showed he was a tough customer, not having conceded a goal until in the quarterfinal against Belgium. Indeed, it was Spain which not just ended Portugal’s dream in this World Cup but finished off Cristiano Ronaldo’s career on a low note. Like the other current legends in the game, Ronaldo had aspired to finish on a high but a tame end in the pre-quarter was what he confronted finally.
How the other legends will take their brilliance ahead to guide their respective nations in search of glory the next few ways will reveal. Surely as Messi must have realised already, the task is not going to be easy as he found in the match against Egypt when Argentina just scraped through after being two goals down. Then again in the quarterfinal, Switzerland gave Argentina nightmares before the defending champion struck in the late stages of the match to ensure its passage. After the way Erling Haaland, the accomplished player in the current times, helped Norway demolish Brazil with his brace of goals, he seemed the man in focus when the team met England. But Haaland could not produce the same magic. Big names, yes, but it is the day itself and the way the contest unfolds that will ultimately shape the final script. So, who will it be—Mbappé, Messi, Yamal or Kane—who delivers the defining moments?
In Qatar last time, Messi inspired Argentina to victory, bringing the FIFA World Cup trophy back to Latin America after a gap of 24 years. Brazil had last won it in 2002. In the intervening period, the trophy had remained in Europe. Will Messi, already the owner of record after record, come up with yet another unmatched distinction by winning the trophy again and keeping Latin American football's reputation flying high? There are still two stages to cross before that, but there is so much more to look forward to.