By: Andrew Lu
Qatar hosted the spectacular 2022 World Cup. Ironically, its soccer team lost all of its games in the knockout round and is considered to have performed the absolute worst of any host country in history.
Nevertheless, this tournament is what Qatar wanted – from over a decade ago in the 2010 biddings for hosting the World Cup.
The small country, a tiny peninsula, that just wanted to be more well-known. And, like any country, Qatar wanted to become richer. Today, with Lionel Messi lifting up the trophy he’s always wanted to touch, Qatar’s hope for global recognition was manifested.
Argentina vs. France was a dramatic and spectacular final for an already fascinating World Cup. It was a head to head, that got extended another 30 minutes, and still, it was tied 3-3.
Kylian Mbappe, France’s young star, carried the team with a hat trick; well-known Lionel Messi of Argentina scored two goals for the team and lifted the team’s spirits up to survive France’s devastating offense.
In the end, Argentina won the penalties, and the team fulfilled its dream of lifting up the trophy once again.
No matter what happened in the final match, Qatar already got what it wanted – the final featuring two opposing stars, one young and rising up, and one that has had a wonderful career so far. The two stars were not only enemies, they were teammates of the same France club PSG.
As if to make sure the world knows, the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, stopped a cheerful Messi before he received his award to give him a golden fringed Bisht, a cloak worn in the Gulf on special occasions.
“Qatar has reportedly invested approximately $220 billion, debatably much more, to stage this mega-event. It’s a record that soars above the sums spent on previous editions that now appear ridiculously cheap,” said Henry Flynn from Forbes.
Even better, this World Cup had many teams breaking records that previously had not been possible. With Morocco upsetting Neymar’s Brazil and the Spaniards, Saudi Arabia beating Argentina 2-1 in the knockout round, or Croatia gliding past Portugal to make the semis.
In the end, Argentina got what it wanted: the World Cup. Qatar got what it wanted: a whole month of fame and pride, glowing and outshining its nearby countries. And we got what we wanted: the world’s best sport’s best game ever.