FIFA 2022

Yes…it has been quite some time…since I wrote.

Every time I watch something larger than life, I feel like jotting my mind.

So, this time it is the World Cup of Football, 2022 – the most expensive and the shortest FIFA ever! The Championship saw 172 goals, a new competition record.

Not that I am a Football expert or a huge fan, but I enjoy watching it as a family and want my girls to be aware and know about many sports, the hard work and the persistence.

The last few weeks at Qatar came with their own set of happiness and sadness. While a few made history by winning, others made history just by putting their best foot forward. Teams and individuals, along with organisers and fans, had varied experiences. The hosting country had its own share of controversies, as people talked about not so ethical practices during the preparation and hosting of the mega event.

Interestingly, all the 6 goals in first 90 minutes of the final game were done by Qatar Sports owned Paris Saint-Germain (PSG - Football Club) players – current and erstwhile.

India made its mark in a game where it has almost nil international presence, via Deepika Padukone – when she unveiled the FIFA World Cup 2022 Trophy on Sunday. She was dressed (rather overdressed) in a Louis Vuitton layered outfit. I think she could have done better. Did she get to have her say in that ensemble?

Minnows like Morocco and Saudi Arabia (defeating the team that went on to lift the cup ultimately) made their mark, and bigwigs like Spain, Brazil and Germany were shown the door earlier than expected, the biggest disappointment being Italy (4 times champion), not qualifying at all.

While English fans complained of shortage of Liquor in Qatar (yesss!!! That is true), Japan as always showed immense social responsibility by their behaviour on (coach taking a bow) and off field (by cleaning stands after every match of theirs). These small gestures by Japanese, showcased their culture and discipline to the world. We need to make a note and learn something here…Is Football turning into a Gentleman’s game too? Did you know that in their match against Spain (which they won 2-1) they only had 18% ball possession.


While FIFA 2022 was all about Lionel Messi, his win and how he deserved to hold the trophy at least once in his illustrious career, his controversial behaviour on and off field was ignored in the light of his years of labour and performance. Fair enough, I say. There were 15 cards shown to players on field in Argentina vs Netherlands knock out match (the most ever in a World Cup game).

However, FIFA 2022, to me was about Kylian Mbappé more than anyone else - I call him the unsung hero, as he single-handedly took France to a photo finish from a rather one-sided boring Final of the World Cup. He won the Golden Boot and all, but one could see the dejection on the face of this young man. The pep talk by French President to Mbappé after the final loss was also noteworthy and a true example of good leadership. A leader is not just to celebrate wins, but to also stand by his team in hours of failure.

It was also about Cristiano Ronaldo and how he was on bench and how on field he looked a little off form. I think he deserved better. I hoped to see him in 2026… but, Alas. And I am definitely looking forward to see Mbappé play 😊

Till then it is Waka, Waka, eh eh!!!

Source:GQ

 

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FRIENDSHIP

A topic with as many viewpoints as stars in the sky… Incidentally, one of my close friends suggested that I should write on “wonder-fool” Friends. I immediately warmed up to the idea. How does one define ‘Friends’? Oh, tell me about it, it can be very easy or very complicated. Millennials, senior citizens, and we in between, will have our own definitions. The meaning will also differ with gender. Let us start with the cliché – a friend in need is a friend indeed. Not necessarily, a friend might not be able to help you at a given point of time (for some ‘n’ number of reasons) but does that mean that he/she doesn’t care for you? On the other hand, if some lesser-known person extends help, chances are that you will end up as good friends. Now is the time to ponder on terms like acquaintance, friends, good friends, and best friends. Can you categorize your social group as per these? You will say, why categorize? To that I say, it helps you prioritize and optimize your involve...
Read more

OLYMPICS 2020 - FASHION FORWARD!

Image
Olympics brings out varied emotions in each one of us - a spirit of humanity, pride, hard work, resilience and more. To me, this event is the torchbearer of grit and determination, more than anything else. As a kid, me and my brother were really fascinated with some Jazzy country names and their big and small contingents of athletes, as they entered the stadium during the opening ceremony, full of hope and positivity. Their multicolored uniforms have always added to the flamboyance of the event. TOKYO today was none different. The only marked difference this year was the presence of masks… some countries made their fashion mark right there! Colorful masks with small country flags embroidered/printed on them, made their debut at 2020 Olympics – Zambia, Mexico, Italy are a must to mention here. Many countries impressed me with their effort in dressing up. I personally take introductory looks quite seriously. While African countries always catch attention with their colorful outfi...
Read more

WHEN TO RETIRE?

I have been meaning to write on this, for a long time now – again something, suggested by a dear friend of mine. This one is very to the point, and a brief one. What is retirement? The act of stopping to work permanently. This brings me to the next question – How do you define work? Is it something, that makes you earn? Or something that improves quality of life as well? How about doing something, that gives you money and makes you happy? I bet; you will never think of quitting then. There might be a job, that you initially loved, but later it becomes monotonous or tiring. Fatigue sets in. This is the time when you need to relook, at your working life. People shift jobs, change industries or quit altogether. You might even want to revisit your lost passion. It is never too late – painting, fashion, farming, gardening, travelling, digital marketing, teaching, writing, any of these can make you earn money as well. The list is endless. For example, I did my schooling in Sciences...
Read more