The World Cup ends this Sunday with the final, and then the Argentinian and French teams will also make their way home. Some faces particularly shaped the finals. The impression will remain.
Walid Regragui (Morocco): It’s one of the pictures from this World Cup. Morocco coach Regragui is thrown into the air by his players after one of many victories. The Moroccans became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final. His own fans cheered, half the continent, even the Tunisian and Algerian rivals from the Maghreb, the whole Arab world. In the end it was not enough to win the bronze medal in the small final against Croatia.
Louis van Gaal (Netherlands): This World Cup is a “Van Gaal show,” said former national coach Dick Advocaat half appreciatively, half mockingly. Van Gaal danced through the hotel lobby, he kissed his players, he argued with the media and experts at home – but he also led a limited team from the Netherlands to the quarter-finals. He resigns as national coach. Constantly flirting with another job was part of the show.
Manuel Neuer (Germany): It wasn’t the German captain’s World Cup, really. Even before the first game, the 36-year-old’s name was often mentioned in the context of the debate about the “One Love” captain’s armband. Neuer himself couldn’t help it. On the pitch, the 2014 world champion no longer seemed like the usual support, like the entire German team, the goalkeeper, who had been injured for a long time during the season, was not in top form. On a vacation in the snow, Neuer injured his lower leg badly after the German exit, and he will be out for months.
Lionel Messi (Argentina): Even if it is not yet clear whether he will be crowned with the golden trophy – at no other continental tournament has Messi been better than this World Cup in Qatar. The 35-year-old performs magic with the ball like a 25-year-old. He is support and constant passing station, he also convinces with goals and templates. He looks happier and more relaxed than ever in the national jersey. Which is also a great merit of coach Lionel Scaloni.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): In what was probably his last attempt at the world title, the superstar failed with Portugal in the quarter-finals. After poor performances and a dispute with coach Fernando Santos over his substitution, Ronaldo was only used as a joker in the knockout phase. What remains of his fifth World Cup: A goal against Ghana, which made him the first player to score in five World Cups, and the tears after losing to Morocco.
Neymar (Brazil): He skipped the swallows this time. Still, it wasn’t his tournament. After the quarter-final defeat by Croatia, Neymar doesn’t even know if he even wants to play for the Seleção again. First of all, the attacker needs time. However, he did not prove in Qatar that his possible resignation would be a great loss for the Brazilians. Except for one brilliant moment in the goal against the Croatians, the 30-year-old only attracted attention with unnecessary dribbles and ball losses.
Gianni Infantino (Switzerland): The World Cup hadn’t even started when the FIFA President made his strange keynote speech. Among other things, he “felt” as a Qatari, Arabic and also gay. The outcry that distracted from the World Cup hosts was probably calculated. During the finals, the Swiss could mostly only be seen in the VIP stands. Infantino held his final press conference on Friday, and his conclusion was not surprising. It’s the “best World Cup ever”.
Der Flitzer (Italy): Packing three political messages into one performance. That was a great art at this World Cup of the much-announced, much-discussed protest (keyword “One Love” bandage) that was called off again in the end. Italy’s Mario Ferri walking on the pitch with a rainbow flag and a t-shirt printed on both sides during the preliminary round match between Portugal and Uruguay. It said “Save Ukraine” on the front and “Respect for Iranian Woman” on the back. Folders took him away immediately.
WM 2022
