The Road to Moscow
‘Live It Up’ with the World Cup 2018
After a gruelling wait of four years, it is finally here. The stage where legends are made, tears are shed for joy and despair alike, with memories that none would ever forget. The veritable clash of the greatest football titans.
This week marks the start of the 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup, which has all the markings of transpiring into the most hotly contested WC since its inception decades before. Here are a few talking points you may want to keep in mind as you witness this football extravaganza unfold.
First time’s the charm?
Two countries — Iceland and Panama — have succeeded in paving their way to Russia to make their World Cup debut this year. While Iceland is in red-hot form after knocking out former world champions England in the knockout phase of Euro 2016 and breezing through the World Cup qualifiers, Panama managed to secure a spot by scoring a late goal against Costa Rica in their playoffs. Will they be adept enough to throw off any surprises?
The Vengeful Brazilians
On July 8, 2014, a confident and undefeated Brazil went out on the football pitch against Germany with hopes of a sixth World Cup title. What subsequently unfolded was a horrifying display of football as they succumbed to their biggest ever margin of defeat, 7–1. It was mourned as a national humiliation by Brazilians throughout their country.
Four years later, they head into their World Cup campaign as one of the favourites, having completely revamped their team and approach after deep introspection. On paper, they are the most balanced side in the tournament with several competent players available for every position. Spearheading their attack is Neymar, the world’s most expensive player and the fourth leading scorer for Brazil. They would surely hope to avenge their 2014 humiliation by securing yet another World Cup title.
England: Cautiously optimistic
After their unpleasantly quick exit in the 2014 WC and their shocking loss to minnows Iceland in the UEFA Euro 2016, England seems to be restrained in their approach in comparison to the previous tournaments. Under their new manager Gareth Southgate, they have returned to the WC as a fresh, relatively young squad who embark upon their campaign as underdogs. Their title hopes are largely dependent on Tottenham Spurs striker Harry Kane, who has over 100 Premier League goals under his belt. They would be wise to spare their fans of the ignominy of choking in yet another international tournament.
Adiós, amigos?
The 2018 WC may turn out to be the last World Cup played by the greatest football icons of this generation, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who would be in their late thirties by 2022. Every Ballon d’Or award since 2008 has been bagged by one of the two. However, the most prestigious silverware has always eluded the two although Messi came closest with Argentina’s 1–0 loss to Germany in the 2014 WC final. One can definitely expect them to give their all in their pursuit of a perfect culmination of their illustrious careers.
Can lightning strike twice?
Since 1962, no country has successfully been able to defend their World Cup title. If any team is capable of shattering this dubious record, it’s Germany. They had qualified directly for the World Cup by convincingly winning all ten UEFA WC qualifiers. With plenty of high-calibre players like Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer in their squad, it would be no surprise if Germany strolls towards their second consecutive title.
The Egyptian King
After a gap of 28 years, Egypt has managed to qualify for the World Cup, thanks to an injury-time penalty by Mohammed Salah against Congo in the qualifiers. Salah has single-handedly managed to unify the entire country with his exploits in Liverpool and the national team. With an invincible Salah supported by a robust defense, Egypt certainly has a chance of making it into the knockout stages ahead of established football giants.
Although the tournament begins with a handful of favourites like Brazil and Germany, if there’s anything that the ‘Beautiful Game’ has shown us, it is that surprises await around every corner. Regardless of the outcome, the tournament promises to be an unforgettable experience to be cherished by fans for years to come.
