With the 2022 World Cup coming to a poetic conclusion, it’s Argentina and Lionel Messi who overlook the footballing world from the pedestal that Qatar put collectively.
The much-anticipated crowning of Messi’s Argentina got here after an exhilarating remaining that may stake a declare as probably the greatest World Cup finals in latest historical past. France and Argentina put collectively a spectacle on the Lusail Stadium in Doha, with the sport ending 3-3 after 120 minutes. It required a penalty shootout to distinguish Argentina because the World Champions.
And in some ways, particularly in a sporting sense, Qatar will go down in historical past as an iconic World Cup that will likely be spoken about for a very long time, identical to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
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Neglect the truth that this World Cup had beautiful venues and supplied followers a possibility to look at a number of video games in a day and all that. Look previous the truth that the World Cup supplied nice tales (like that of Morocco) and innumerable upsets.
On the finish of all of it, Qatar 2022 will likely be remembered for a very long time for being the platform upon which Lionel Messi lastly had his coronation as the best participant of this technology, probably all-time.
Very similar to how Mexico 1986 is remembered and related to the genius of Diego Maradona, Qatar 2022 will now grow to be synonymous with Messi. If it was Maradona’s Mexico 36 years again, it’s Messi’s Doha in 2022.
It nearly felt like future for Messi. The World Cup title was the one factor lacking in his cupboard and he performed like a person possessed all through the match. Within the backdrop of the sand dunes of Qatar, Messi walked the trail that only a few had ever walked. He adopted within the footsteps of Maradona and Pele, nearly single-handedly dragging Argentina with him to the highest of the footballing world.
Messi scored in all of the knockout matches, supplied fascinating assists and received the Golden Ball together with the World Cup, identical to Maradona in 1986.
And Qatar has been the proper host for Messi’s celebration. It’s been a fantastically organised World Cup the place followers from all around the world have come collectively to witness greatness. Making it extra candy was the truth that Qatar additionally introduced collectively followers who weren’t from conventional footballing international locations like India and UAE who supported Argentina and different footballing nations.
It was a World Cup for everybody. However it can ceaselessly be generally known as the World Cup of Messi. And the picture of Messi lifting the cup he wished probably the most whereas draped in a conventional Bisht given to him by the Emir of Qatar is a becoming observe to carry the curtains down on the 2022 World Cup.