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Path to the Cup
Qatar will be making history this November as the very first Middle Eastern country to host the FIFA World Cup. Traditionally held in June and July, the World Cup is being played throughout November and December to avoid the extreme temperatures of Qatar’s summer.
By the vote of 22 FIFA executive members, Qatar managed to edge out the U.S.A with fourteen votes to eight. Qatar will also be the smallest nation to host the tournament, allowing fans to easily travel to multiple fixtures. Everyone might think Qatar is new to the world of football, however, the Qatar Stars League officially kicked off way back in 1972. To put it in perspective, the National Soccer League (The A-League predecessor) launched in 1977.
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The World Cup is the pinnacle of football, hosted
every four years since 1930. Only eight teams have had the honour of winning this tournament. Brazil holds the accolade of winning the World Cup five times, bettering the likes of Italy and Germany who hold four titles each. Puskas, Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Ronaldo, Zidane, and footballing legends alike have all played in the biggest sporting event in the world.
This is where legends are made, and future stars are born. Could this be Ronaldo and Messi’s last World Cup? Who will go down in the history book? Being ranked number one in the world and qualifying in first position in the South American qualifiers, Brazil are
the favourites to win. With the
likes of Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Richarlson, Casemiro and more, Brazil is in no shortage of world-class talent to get them the title. Although, France, having won the last World Cup aren’t in short supply of superstars either, with Mbappe, Benzema, Lloris, Dembele and co. They are serious contenders and if the two teams happen to meet in the Grand Final it could be one of the most entertaining games of football we have ever seen.
Let’s not forget the likes of Germany, Spain, Belgium, Argentina and England as genuine contenders for the title as well. However, injuries to several of the national teams’ key players mean an outright favourite is hard to pick
