Qatar 2022: Shocks, Upsets and Morocco’s Fairytale Run-By Ozumi Abdul.
This year’s World Cup fiesta would go down as probably the best and most epoch-making one in the history of the round leather game. It would be the one that would leave some festering and lingering memories in the heads of several football fans and players who either participated in it, or are still participating in it for several reasons.
In fact, Morocco’s fairytale run to the semifinal can rival Diego Armando Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 version of the competition against the English national team and Luis Suarez’s hand ball that denied Ghana a semi final ticket in 2010, as some of the most iconic moments in the history of the coveted competition.
Qatar 2022 comes with it’s own distinctively spectacular, unique history and epochs, the first to be hosted in the Middle East, the second Asian country to host the competition and the most geographically compact since the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1930. This is also the first time Qatar is qualifying for the male football competition, by virtue of hosting it.
Another fact that adds glamour and sauce to the ongoing FIFA men football competition in Qatar is the lingering debates of G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) between the fans of two football greats, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For over a decade, Messi and Ronaldo have dominated men’s football especially at club levels, winning 12 Ballon D’ors out of 14 winners from 2008 to 2022. After a combination of 21 World Cup appearances between both footballers, Qatar 2022 is expected to be the last World Cup appearance for the GOATs.
Again, Qatar 2022 unarguably remains the most expensive one in the history of the competition. Added to the money spent on infrastructure, building new stadia, and renovating old ones, it cost Qatar around $220 billion to host the Winter World Cup, making it the most expensive ever, a figure that is about 14.6 times the amount Brazil spent to host the 2014 World Cup.
With it’s star-studded team, all eyes were on Brazil to fight for a 6th World Cup, their ouster in the hands of Croatia on Friday in the quarter final duel via penalty shootout however fits the Qatar 2022 drama script.
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The Croatians proved that an underdog with a united team can undo a tournament favourite with a galaxy of stars. In fact, they showed their strength of character when they conceded Neymar’s goal in extra time, they never dropped their shoulders, but rather held them high against their illustrious opponents in search of the equalizer which they eventually got at 117th minute. The rest is now history.
In the case of Germany, another pre-tournament favourite, they appeared not to go to Qatar to play football, but to champion the obnoxious LGBTQ cause. To the delight of the host country and majority of fans across the world, they didn’t survive a group made up of Spain, Japan and Costa Rica.
In the midst of the shock and disbelief that the ongoing fiesta has brought, Morocco continues to make every African and Arab happy across the world. The Atlas Lions took the world by surprise by finishing top of their group after holding 2018 runners-up Croatia to a goalless draw and blanking Roberto Martinez’s Belgium 2-0 before beating Canada. They pulled off an even bigger giant-killing act in the Round of 16 by knocking 2010 champions Spain out, holding their nerve in a tense penalty shootout.
Not many would have expected Morocco to advance from a group containing sides such as Croatia and Belgium and dark horses Canada, let alone advance to the quarters and beyond.
And yet here they are, becoming the first African/Arab team featuring in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup after beating 2016 Euro champions Portugal. In the process, they denied Cristiano Ronaldo the chance to retire from the sport with the coveted golden trophy.
The extension of Morocco’s fairytale run leaves one of the most celebrated heroes of the sport heartbroken as Ronaldo’s hopes of ending his long wait for a World Cup triumph ended in a tearful walk back through the tunnel.
Africa and Africans can now dream. Morocco has given Africa the reasons to believe that the continent and her people are no longer dark horses in global footballing competitions.
Who says Morocco and Africa can not go all the way to do the unthinkable? Is there any crime in dreaming and dreaming big? Dreams are subconscious events but some dreams do come true. Morocco and Africa can lift the 2022 Qatar World Cup; it’s eleven against eleven on the pitch of play.
In the words of legendary Nelson Mandela, “it always seems impossible until it’s finally done.”
The Moroccans will have the support of majority of fans in Africa and the Arab world tonight as they square up against the defending champions, France, in the semifinal.
Let’s go Morocco, Let’s go Africa.
