This will stand in proxy for the entire group stages which were insane. Not as goal heavy as either 2014 or 2018 (the KO rounds more than made up for it), but had some amazing facts. No team won all three of their group games (first time ever). Only two teams didn't get a point in Canada and Qatar (lowest ever). And for three minutes, Spain and Germany were going to be exiting the tournament, with Costa Rica and Japan going through. It didn't last of course, though that same group did still give us Germany exiting and Japan winning the group having beat both Japan and Germany. This was a wild group stage, and set up things beautifully for the knockouts to come.
15.) The US has Hope
The result was akin to 2010 and 2014, a loss in the Round of 16. If anything, this wasn't even as close as those two, going out in extra time in those two losses. But if anything, this was more promising. The US needs a different coach, and an out-and-out striker, but their midfield, their top players, are getting better. The system is getting better. A lot can happen in four years (will be a recurring theme in this piece) but right now the US shapes up to be quite decent in 2026. These are small victories, but given how much a disaster 2018 was for the US, getting out of the group without too much fuss, being the only team to hold England without a goal, and generally getting the better of play for long stretches against the Netherlands. It was nice watching them again, and even nicer knowing the future is fairly bright.
14.) Qatar & FIFA
Look, this tournament was always going to have a black cloud over it due to the shadiness on how it came about, from the clear bribery involved in Qatar getting the tournament, to the treatment of migrants, the series of bone-headed decisions (like the "one-love" armband thing, and the 180 on alcohol sales in stadiums I do think that there was a definite soft racism/islamophobia in some of the criticisms, and others about valid criticisms being overextended (such as the treatment of migrants, who by and large weren't in great positions back home in India). But in the end, as predicted the dust settled and Qatar seemed to host a decent tournament. Yes it wasn't the same as in a football tradition rich country like Brazil or Germany, but there was something cool about that part of the world hosting hte tournament. Just don't go giving 2030 to Saudi, FIFA!
13.) Liking the Time of Year
I honestly think the original sin of this World Cup in many people's eyes started when Qatar gave up on their effort to temperature control in teh summer and forced the domestic European league's to take a pause. But to be honest, me personally I liked it. It created some epics sports days, where World Cup and NFL Football was taking place side by side, or USA v England on Black Friday. It was novel. I doubt it ever happens again, as there's no Southern Hemisphere place so cold it would require it, but given the World Cup is the biggest prize in that sport, it should take precedence over the European Leagues. I remember when it was first announced there was a lot of questions around would this make for a better tournament, with players in mid-season form, and I think that largely held true as well.
12.) CR7 and Portugal's Paradox
It is so funny leaving 2018, when Ronaldo and Messi saw their countries knocked out on the same day in the Round of 16, that we would find ourselves here four years later. While this probably puts any debate that was left to rest, it should be noted Ronaldo is 2.5 years older and the cliff has come really suddenly. The irony of it all, of course, was benching Ronaldo seemed to allow Santos to let his ultra-creative team play more open, but then gets you things like when that same team can't play through Morocco, you realize the value of a Cristiano who can just get crossed lobbed at him with a decent chance of getting to at least one of those. This is undoubtedly the last time we see Cristiano at a World Cup, and much like Messi he went out in tears. He'll retire maybe the best player ever to never win a World Cup (Cruyff is really the only competition that comes to mind), but at least he has that Euros title.
11.) The Tightening of the World
2018 already showed that the gap between the best team and worst team was closing (everyone scored at least two goals), and 2022 showcased that even further. We had Morocco and Japan win groups. We had Saudi Arabia beat the eventual winner in their opener, and in a game that wasn't a fluke but rather a tactics masterpiece. We had at least one country from every federation make the Last 16. We had Australia win two games, and Senegal and South Korea make it out of their groups. It's for this reason that I'm not opposed to the 48 team tournament - the world is bigger, the world is more capable of offering more than 32 quality teams. They just have to get the 48-team format right.
10.) Croatia Extending the Run
Croatia ending 3rd to me was more stunning and more commendable than them coming in 2nd in 2018. That 2018 team had most of the best players of this team, plus Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Rakitic. They were a great, stacked team that rode that ability to a final playing great football. This was a smash and grab team on heart that someone nearly did the same thing. Luka Modric was probably getting a bit more plaudits than he deserved but he showed again his ageless brilliance. Their goalie was in my estimation the best one in the tournament (though not as clutch as Emi - we're coming to him). You have to think this is it for Modric, but if so, he along with Perisic, Brozovic, Kovacic, Lovren and so many others that played either in 2018 or 2022 made a lasting impression.
9.) FOX needs a remake
I actually gave FOX some positive feedback in 2018, and I don't regret it. But man did they somehow make things a lot worse. First off, Alexi Lalas got way too much screentime. Second, they neutured World Cup Tonight, which was a fairly reliably good daily recap show in 2018, with Kate Abdo and Guus Hiddink and Michael Ballack and other good guests. This time it was having Ochocinco and leaning into the worst aspects of American sports coverage. The broadcast teams weren't really any different (I still like the main John Strong and Stu Holden team), but overall it just felt way too "FOX". They will get the 2026 World Cup and I do hope they improve some aspects of the coverage. Many aspects, to be honest.
8.) Brazil, for Good or Bad
That Brazil R16 win over South Korea was one of the more beautiful halves of football I've ever seen played. Brazil were something else, with swagger, technical brilliance, incredible precision, and a truly Brazilian flare that seemed to be straight out of 2002 or 1998. But then that same go-for-it mentality is what did them in, pushing for a 2nd goal in extra trime against Croatia, leaving too few in defense for Croatia's counter. It was painful, as was the penalty shootout loss. It was another loss in the QF, and another early exit for what had looked like the favorite, but at least Brazil gave us the fun. It gave us the clip of Tite doing the pigeon celebration with Richarlison. It gave us Vini Jr's smile. It gave us so much more.
7.) France's Heart
France to me coming into the tournament were something of an afterthought. Pogba and Kante, two midfield pillars in 2018, were out with their replacements being young or untested. Benzema was injured/re-blackballed. There was the winner's curse. All of it then followed by Australia scoring first against them in the opening game. But here we are with all that "Never underestimate the Heart of a Champion" stuff with them coming back again and again and again. The future is of course still bright with MBappe, and players like Tchoumeni and Cammavinga primed for 2026 dominance, but this was a special group for France. As was true in 2018, France had a really understated ability to fight and claw their way to results. For nearly two straight tournaments, they were fearless, clinical and commanding. It just ran out a little too soon.
6.) Morocco's Defense
After their win over Spain there was a great 45-second clip of Morocco's perfect low block with two defensive lines moving and switchign with perfect precision. Yes, the clip also showed equally how risk-free Spain goes to its own detriment, but it was cool to watch a team pull off defense with such mentronomic precision. Ultimately, Morocco's talent deficit couldn't take it past France, but their performance, their very much deserved wins over Spain (where they had more shots on target) and Portugal, were one of the lasting memories of the tournament for me. Playesr like Amrabat and Bafoul, everything their coach did. It was cool that in the first World Cup in the Arab world, a team from a mulsim country made it. And they did 100% deserving their results and their plaudits.
5.) MBappe's Effectiveness
It's scary that MBappe had 8 goals in this tournament, and already has 12 in his two World Cups, with you would think at least two more. Yes, some were penalties, and yes he was a bit quiet in the Semifinal (or even to some degree the Quarterfinal) but his ability to just show up at huge moments with amazing calmness and brilliance is something else. There was never a doubt that he was going to miss any of the penalties in the final. There was such a smooth inevitability in his goal that tied the game at 2. There was something so powerful of his two goals against Poland. MBappe is easy to hate, but that's almost all due to his issues at PSG. MBappe in the shirt of Les Blues is magical.
4.) Goals in KO Games
I was surprised to learn after the tournament ended that 2022 was the higest scoring world cup. Mainly because I remember it initially setting records early on for the most say 0-0 1st halfs (there were a LOT of them). But a key reason why it was, beating 2018 by three goals and 2014 by one goal, was a record of goals in knockout games. In the 16 knockout games, there were 52 goals. This was five more than 2018 and a whopping 17 more than 2014. In retrospect, 2014 had a panoply of goals in teh group stage but way fewer in the knockouts. Here the knockouts were incredible, and offensive, and full of goals. There were a record five penalty shootouts, but only one was after a 0-0 draw (Morocco over Spain). We had a 3-3 final. We had 6-1 and 4-1 beatdowns. Wé had twice a team force extra time after being down 2-0. It was just an incredible series of games.
3.) Emi Martinez's Balls
By all statistical accounts, Lukasovic had a better tournament in net, including also being the winning goalie for two penalty shootouts. But Emiliano Martinez was a revelation in big moments. He was so good in those shootouts, generally guessing right even when he allowed goals. And of course there was all the shenanigans that he so well toed the line of arrogance and confidence. Finally there was that save, 123rd minute, a looped ball gives France a clear shot at the win at the death, and instead Martinez came out sprawling and made a brilliant save. Immediately up there with the Casillas save in 2010 as the best ever in a World Cup Final (this had less time on it, but the Casillas was truly a 1v1 with more space). While we're on it, I'll throw another one out there, which was Buffon's save on a Zidane header deep into extra time (before teh headbutt, of course) but this one was something else. In a match where the two headliners scored 5 goals, Emi Martinez may have been its best player.
2.) The end of an Era
There's the natural "this is it" aspect to a bunch of players that we expect won't be back. I don't want to dwell on that because (a) that's normal for every World Cup and (b) it's hard to predict four years. Case in point is in 2018, one of my notes was how we can slam the door on Messi or Ronaldo winning a world cup... No, I'm talking about this being the end of an era of world cups. The first one I watched intimately was 2006, when Messi and Ronaldo were the youngsters breaking out on the scene. This caps that era, but also the last one with 32 teams, 8 groups, 16-team knockout round. There has been some cool stability to that format. No more. We're entering a brave new world come 2026 in a still-to-be-announced format with 48 teams involved. I spoke earlier how I'm not categorically against 48 teams (maybe a bit more against a 32-team knockout instead of 24, with 8 getting byes...). Things will be different come US/CAN/MEX 2026. But for a last show for the 32-team era, this was quite a fun ride with an amazing final.
1.) Messi's Moment
What more is there to say. I was never the biggest Messi fan, but especially as he got older and the core around him in Barcelona got weaker, I realized a lot of my issue with an anti-Barcelona feeling, less an anti-Messi one (the exact opposite of how with Brady/Patriots, my animus is far more towards Brady). In the end, Messi is the best player I've ever seen, and as is my longstanding position, I am ecstatic that he as an all-time great was able to win a World Cup. Nothing pains me more than the whole "he didn't win a ring" discourse that has reached a point of no return in US sports, but for Messi it existed in the global stage as well. And the best part for him is that he did it delivering an incredible tournament, a spiritual successor to Zidane's 2006 swan-song (headbutt excluded...). This was no passenger, he led that team. He is that team. He deserves this so much, having to deal with a ton of heartbreak with Argentina that was either too poorly coached (say 2010), or too limited in talent (2014-2018). For once, it all came together, and there was much suffering along the way, but I'll be grateful that I got to see Messi win his World Cup, as much that I, after years of denying it when that Barcelona shirt just warped everything in my mind, am forever grateful I got to watch Messi.
