7 juicy takeaways from the 2022 fifa World Cup
If I haven’t texted you back in the last month, it is probably because I have been watching the World Cup.
Sorry.
32 countries, 1 month, 1 winner. Yet, the focus is never just the winner. It is the underdogs, the tactical scientists, the antagonists, and your countrymen. It is the drama, the emotions, the unexpected, and the heartbreak.
Here are 7 passionate takeaways from the biggest soccer tournament in the World.
King Lionel and his Hot headed crowned villains
One step for the Southern Hemisphere,
And one less for European Colonialism.
Political tally marks aside, what took place early, last Sunday morning was a battle between individual brilliance and coordinated aggression, a showdown between passion and calculation, a dog fight really, between the reigning champ and the hungry (some would even say starving). To keep things brief, in the spirit of haunting flashbacks, Argentina threw away a 2-0 lead. Trashed it. Blew it, like Billy Madison style. Yes, the infamously chilling, and psychological mystery of the game: an early 2-0 lead.
It was not until the final minutes of the game when South American joy turned to doubt. Kylian Mbappe found himself a penalty kick in the later minutes of the game (a gift granted by Kolo Muani, who was pulled back by Nicolas Otamendi in the box). Of course, Mbappe had no trouble smashing the ball in the back of the net.
2-1, and teams approached the final minutes right?
Kylian Mbappe shows his experience in an instant. One moment to silence doubts, and ignite a stadium in disarray, along with a couple countries in disbelief. Round-the-hips, side volley, edge of the box, shot through Martinez' reach, and rippled the back of the goal like a salmon caught in a fish net. Kylian Mbappe darts to the corner flag, celebrating with the rest of the bourgeoisie.
A 2-2 tie when the final whistle blew.
An extra 30 minutes of extra time is exactly what Argentina feared, but just what our enduring official, Szymon Marciniak, ordered. And so the two teams battled to the death. Taking excessive tackles, and overexerting lung capacity, teaching the world a lesson in competition and perseverance. An Argentine goal established a cementing defeat in minute 109 (when Messi nailed a rebound, initially delivered by Lautaro Martinez) of course until it didn't. Argentina's, Montiel committed the ultimate tragedy of the game. Turning his back on a cannon of a strike, and redirecting Mbappe’s shot in the sacred penalty box with his elbow. Another penalty awarded to Mbappe, and another goal.
Penalties, and fate, is what crowned Argentina. The world finally saw justice for Lionel Messi and his bandits of emotional, skin faded disciples. These guys wanted to see Messi lift the trophy more than Messi. So when the final whistle blew, the immediate location of the cameras was no mistake. Messi: the protagonist of a new chapter in the history books, one that mirrors the legend of Diego Marradona, but one that is drastically different. An underdog in some ways, but a registered king in many others. We love him because he presents flaws in the formula, questions in the status quo. It is his ability to dare. Mocking any system or rule on how the game is supposed to be played, Messi shows us there is another. We are riveted by the game because we witness moments of the unexpected. Messi produces the unexpected, like a circus performer in an arena. So when Messi lifted that World Cup trophy, that golden globe shining next to a heavy, brown beard, the rest of the world took a breath, because our unreasonable demands were met. The best in the world must win a World Cup. He’s done it. His new nickname, not La Pulga, not Dios, not G.O.A.T. His new Nickname is Campeón, and you could hear it being sung from the Argentinian bakeries to the streets and sieged highways of Buenos Aires.
Is American soccer getting better ? What’s the beef between Reyna and Berhalter ?
The United States played a decent World Cup. Right? Someone give me confirmation. Given a few dodgy pre tournament friendlies, our overall performance against Wales, England, Iran, and Netherlands was convincing in moments. Maybe we still lack the experience needed, but we proved our own defensive capabilities with immediate, organized pressure. Creative counter attacking actually became fun to watch.
The game against England was a shock, as we showed we had the maturity to close a leveled game against a serious high valued attack. Then came Iran, and in the most American fashion, Pulisic put the family jewels on the line, and netted one of the sweatiest goals I have seen since my days in AYSO. He also suffered a pelvic contusion. Finally, it was Netherlands that dismantled us, exposed us for our weak transition to track opponents. Against a world soccer power, our attack was neutered and Sergiño Dest became one of the few players to actually penetrate defenders. Big Haji, from Culver City, California, produced one of the strangest (and definitely intentional) goals of the tournament. We lost 3-1.
Overall, our team competed decently, lost to a good side, and therefore, it feels like we've arrived at a feeling of some achievement.
I hope Berhalter is ok. He seems agitated. His contract is up by the end of the year, and there has been "mutual understanding to reflect and review" (whatever that means). International soccer will become irrelevant regardless, and whatever you think about our national coach’s tactical adjustments, or silly bounce passes, you cannot deny his leadership in this tournament, his ability to understand and motivate (most) players. Yet what has become most recognizable is the player that lost motivation.
Gio Reyna, upset by his limited role in the tournament, was, from what it sounds like, being a dickhead. Before the accusations start, and the crowds sharpens pitchforks, it is not uncommon for a 20 year old player to get expressively emotional about play time. It is also possible that these emotions effect effort, but at the highest level? What are the expectations?
After a meeting with Berhalter and other veteran players, Reyna came forward, apologized, and put in an underwhelming shift against Netherlands. That's the end of the story. Maybe Berhalter would like to confirm the story again, for the safety of his job.
How to shut down bad manners, and change perceptions
Coolest American moment award goes to Tyler Adams, the premier league playing New Yorker. Baited into a tricky, accusatorial question in the prematch interview, that tested American loyalty, Adams showed the world what America is all about: blissful ignorance and desired progression.
The journalist initially questioned Adam’s support for Iranian people after Adams mispronounced Iran, and went further by asking Adams about supporting a country (United States) that discriminates against black people.
Adams responded, first with an apology for his mispronunciation, and then pointed out the value in assimilating in other cultures as an athlete and the progress that United States can achieve.
Understanding and improving, Tyler Adam's answer was not perfect but everything our country needed to show that we are more open than the World believes. We are more open to making mistakes, and willing to take accountability when they are made. As far as racial discrimination, Adams pointed to progress. A political trigger simmered to rest by the Captain.
Morocco Just shocked everyone, except for themselves
I will admit I was surprised, and most of the Western World appeared to feel the same, that is, except for Moroccans of course. Morocco's game was incredibly efficient, disciplined, organized, and ballsy. They direct immediate defensive pressure, confront 1 v 1 battles with courage, and heart, and in possession, counter and combine forward. With numerical advantages in transition, with composed combinations in and out of half spaces on the field, and a burning fire under all of their asses to put on for their country. It is the Moroccans, that make a tournament like the World Cup so enjoyable. The first African team to have played in a semi final, they broke records, and demanded attention. Morocco was always the under dog in our eyes. Yet Morocco had the biggest strength of all, playing with heart, playing for a purpose. There is nothing more that silences emotional Portuguese post match interviews than the Moroccan captain, Roman Saïs, thanking and showing love to his people, or the Goalkeeper’s (Yassine Bounou) son licking a microphone like an ice cream cone. There is nothing more heartfelt than a soccer team guiding a path of belief for a country. This is not to say that Senegal, Cameroon, and Ghana did not do the same, nonetheless, unify countries. Morocco just did it at a higher level. Watching how the team tackles adversity, watching how the coach communicates with players and how players communicate with coach, this was a group that saw incredible success for a reason.
bro, japan…
Japan is a stellar team, almost similar in their counter press and transition forward to goal. They handed out L's to both Germany and Spain. That is not an easy accomplishment. At the end of the day, it was a penalty shootout that forced Japan to fall, unjust and heartbreaking.
winning the battle, but losing the war (and the press )
One of the juicier stories, is head coach John Herdman of Canada telling sports media that his team will “F” Croatia. Turns out the sodomy went the other way around when Croatia dismantled Canada 4-1. And yet as an American, a brash one at that, damnit did it feel good to see Alphonso Davies assure Canadians of competition, after smashing the first goal of the game in with his head. Canada play good football, just not good enough to compete with Croatian masterminds of tactical superiority.
Croatians responded to Herdman’s comments with a front page photo of Herdman nearly naked. One Canadian leaf over the mouth, and a smaller leaf over the crotch, almost as if there’s nothing there. You get it? Of course Herdman was a good sport about it, but these are the types of tensions that are escalated on the world stage. It only makes the tournament more interesting.
The Dutch Disposition
Netherlands Versus Argentina was a classic. Beating the Netherlands 2-0 at the 80th minute, the baby blue and white flags flew across a stadium of bright eyed women. Fans are singing, and trumpets are being blown. Everything looks good for Argentina to move forward on to the next round. Well, at least until Louis Van Goal could have his say.
10 minutes left.
Louis Van Gaal, the tactical professor, sends on ginormous Wout Weghorst ( 6’6 in size). He scores a header in minute 82.
Eyes around the stadium become wider, and some fans froze in disbelief. After a few aggressive, hot headed tackles and a shot directed in the center of Netherland’s reserve player bench, the Dutch find themselves a last minute opportunity. Top of the box, a free kick awarded to the orange machine. Guess what happens next? You nailed it. Goal! They tie the game, with none other but the same man that scored the first, Wout Weghost. A carefully articulated set piece, to find the only thing that Argentina were not expecting, composure and technique inside of the 18 yard box.
Deceptive, and indecipherable, Van Gaal exposed Argentina’s weak points masterfully. It is even better that his pregame remarks (about Messi’s nonexistent defense) fueled a fire. That fire was still very much burning after Argentina beat them in penalty kicks, and Messi walked over to Van Gaal to give him a piece of his mind.
