FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP

The best FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup ever

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Moscow 2021

Russia, playing under the title of RFU, won their third World Cup, the ninth edition of the biggest beach soccer show of all, and the best yet according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

The best FIFA Beach Soccer

The magnificent Luzhniki Beach Soccer Stadium, a real “theatre of dreams”...

The biggest beach soccer show on Earth, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, was held in Moscow in August 2021.

Edition number nine edition saw the hosts RFU win the title after going undefeated, despite a shaky start, to regain the world title they last won back in 2013.

The two previous winners who qualified for the 2021 edition, Portugal and Brazil (France are the only other team to have won the World Cup but did not qualify), experienced disappointing campaigns, while new beach soccer nations stamped their marks on the world stage.

Hosts impress on home sand

RFU struggled a little in their opening matches, just managing to beat USA in extra time and then only downing Paraguay from the penalty spot in the group stage. They did cruise past Japan by seven goals to one in what turned out to be a preview of the final, and ended the group stage on top after going undefeated.

Mikhail Likhachev’s men then met Spain in the quarter-finals, where another tight fixture saw them come out on top by four goals to two, earning them a place in the semi-finals against a dangerous Swiss side who had defeated Brazil in their first match.

It was penalties again that would decide this one between the European powerhouses,

and the hosts held their nerve to reach the final, while Switzerland’s unbeaten run came to an end.

Things got tough for hosts RFU in the first stages of the competition...

RFU met Japan for the second time in Moscow, who had recovered from their heavy defeat to their hosts to not lose another match. But once again, it was Likhachev’s tactics that proved too much for the Samurai Blue, and with a final score of 5-2, one of RFU’s most convincing wins of the campaign, the hosts lifted the most sought-after trophy of all.

The rise of Africa

As undeniably impressive as the performance of the RFU was on home sand, it is well worth giving a mention to the role played by the two African nations at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Senegal are no strangers to the world championships, as they have qualified for eight of the last nine World Cups, but they made it all the way to fourth, the furthest they’ve ever reached, and they defeated the five-time champions Brazil and two-time champions Portugal in the process.

The other qualified nation was Mozambique, a team that burst onto the beach soccer scene when they swept aside some of the continent’s top teams at the CAF Beach Soccer

How many FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups have you won, Mikhail?

Africa Cup of Nations to make it all the way to the final to qualify for Russia 2021.

Once in Moscow, at their firstever FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, the Mambas looked right at home, fighting against Spain in their first match, but losing 4-2. They did, however, defeat UAE in their second match to give them a lifeline in their quest for a place in the knockout stages.

A thrilling 8-7 battle against OFC champions Tahiti (Twice FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup runners-up) marked the end of the World Cup dream for Mozambique, but their number nine Figo lead the scoring charts for much of the group stage matches. The team scored a total 15 goals in just three matches.

Senegal wrote a historic page for Africa’s beach soccer in Moscow

Africa has a new powerhouse, and the spirit that the Mozambique team brought to Russia was without doubt one of the most memorable aspects of the World Cup, where they were close to upset some giants.

Golden Swiss Stars

Angelo Schirinzi’s Switzerland fell just short in the European Qualifiers but with the withdrawal of Ukraine they seized their good fortune with two hands and kicked off their World Cup campaign with a memorable win against five-time champions Brazil.

Next, they downed fellow European giants Belarus by seven goals to three, and a final group win against El Salvador saw the Nati finish top. They then breezed past Uruguay by

10 goals to one, as Schirinzi’s stars Noel Ott and Glenn Hodel continued to control games and score goals.

Keeper Eliott, renowned across Europe for his shot-stopping and deadly long-distance shooting, also played a huge part in the continues success, as Switzerland reached a semi-final against the hosts…

Their mission to lift the World Cup ended from the nine-meter line, but after winning a place on the podium with a playoff victory against Senegal, the Swiss stars were recognised in the awards ceremony by scooping the Golden Ball, Golden Scorer and Golden Glove, as Noel Ott, Glenn Hodel and Eliott Mounoud all went home with the prestigious trophies.

The Mozambique National Team was another story to remember

The unique stories, the triumph of the home side, the packed stadium and all-round brilliantly organised event meant that the FIFA President Gianni Infantino marked out the 2021 edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup as the best one to date.

Alaev: It is really valuable

RFU General Secretary Aleksandr Alaev, could hardly describe the feelings after making history: “The outcome of the event, the result by the team, and the level of the organisation proof the high level of development of beach soccer in Russia. FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s words, defining the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Russia 2021 as the best World Cup in history, are truly valuable. Just as the feedback from our fans is. It is something really satisfying for us”, he said.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was highly impressed with the event.