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When Qatar won the World Cup bid, it faced accusations of corruption and bribery. Additionally, concerns arose over the treatment of migrant workers who were brought in to construct the stadiums. This being the first World Cup held in winter to avoid the extreme summer heat of the Middle East added another factor that lowered expectations for the event.
Yet, despite these controversies, the desire for high-quality football remained strong. Some truly memorable moments have taken place, showing that the negative aspects haven’t dampened the excitement for the sport.
‘Adeus’ to the Ronaldo era?
Where do we even begin? Cristiano Ronaldo has been a prominent figure in soccer for almost two decades, beginning his journey at Manchester United in 2003, following his early years at Sporting Lisbon. A record-shattering stint at Real Madrid saw him score an incredible 438 goals in 450 matches. Ronaldo is currently the all-time leading goal scorer in football, surpassing rivals like Leo Messi and Brazilian legend Pele. These three players make up the top three goal scorers in football history, as recognized by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics.
With 813 career goals for both club and country, Ronaldo’s achievements are nothing short of remarkable. However, even the greatest athletes must eventually face aging. The mindset that pushes them to the top is the same mindset that may prevent them from acknowledging that their time has passed. After lackluster performances at club level and a subpar showing at the Qatar World Cup, Ronaldo is now staring down an uncertain future for the first time in his illustrious career. His goal-scoring prowess no longer justifies the enormous salary and special treatment he demands, especially as elite clubs hesitate to invest in him.
Like many athletes at an advanced age, Ronaldo struggles to accept his body’s limitations. Could a lucrative deal in Saudi Arabia be on the horizon, or perhaps a glamorous stint in the United States? Only time will tell, as retirement seems far off for now—at least according to his recent interviews.
Crypto takes center stage
As we predicted before the tournament kicked off, crypto was set to play a pivotal role in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and we were right. Crypto.com emerged as one of the largest sponsors of the event, with eye-catching banners on the sidelines displayed for millions of TV viewers worldwide. In just one month, this sporting event may have done more to normalize crypto adoption than any other event in history. Alongside this, several NFT launches were introduced as part of the football festivities, including Ronaldo’s collaboration with Binance and the release of fan tokens for national teams.
Messi continues to dazzle
We couldn’t begin with Ronaldo without turning our attention to Lionel Messi.
The ‘little magician,’ as some fans fondly call him, reminded everyone why he’s often considered the greatest player in football history. While Ronaldo’s stats are astonishing, Messi matches him in nearly every category – and being two years younger, he may surpass him in some. Moreover, when it comes to attributes other than goals, Messi is consistently regarded as the better all-around player by his peers. ‘The footballer’s footballer,’ as he’s often called, is the favorite of both current and former professionals when asked to choose between him and Ronaldo.
His passing, vision, and footballing intelligence are still on par with that of an elite midfielder in their prime, despite being an ageing forward. As Pep Guardiola once remarked, Messi could excel in any position from deep-lying playmaker (think Pirlo) to striker, and still be the best in the world. He’s that exceptional—and even at 35 years old, he’s still a marvel.
While his pace may have declined, he still managed to dazzle the Croatian defense with a stunning dribble on Tuesday night, assisting in Argentina’s winning goal.
Краят на една ера?
Football romantics will be hoping the six-time Ballon d’Or winner can finally lift the one trophy that has eluded him, solidifying his place in history alongside his idol Maradona – a figure Messi has far surpassed at the club level due to his longevity and consistent excellence, similar to Ronaldo. Some argue that Messi is the superior player, while Ronaldo has had the more successful career. While there is truth to this, given Ronaldo’s achievements across multiple leagues and his national team success in 2016, a World Cup victory for Messi could very well settle the debate.
The match between Argentina and France might be seen as the passing of the torch. As Messi and Ronaldo’s chapter closes, the rivalry between Mbappé and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is just beginning. However, Haaland’s country, Norway, isn’t likely to participate in major international tournaments, so the competition may not have the same magnitude.
Crypto casinos: a new halftime craze?
What we didn’t anticipate was the rising trend of crypto casinos becoming a popular halftime activity. With the bear market still in full swing and Bitcoin looking for its bottom, many people are choosing to have a bit of fun with their funds instead. Established online casinos are now accepting crypto deposits, and a growing number of crypto-only casinos are popping up, giving potential players plenty of options. Many of these platforms also feature integrated sports betting, making it just as easy to place a bet on the next goalscorer as it is to invest in crypto on your favorite platform or exchange.
Whether this trend continues throughout the club football season remains to be seen.
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Morocco’s underdogs shine on the world stage
Does anyone remember Euro 2004, when an unexpected Greece team won one of the biggest international football prizes? We certainly do. And for a while, we thought Morocco might do the same. Had it not been for a Kylian Mbappé-inspired France, we might have seen Africa’s first World Cup winners and the first Muslim-majority nation to achieve such a feat – which would have been fitting, given the location!
While they didn’t quite replicate Greece’s triumph, Morocco’s resilience and strong defensive play made them the underdog story everyone was cheering for. They were the scrappy underdog, much like Rocky Balboa to France’s slicker, higher-profile Apollo Creed. Every major football tournament needs a team like this, and Qatar delivered, with Morocco earning ‘second-team’ status among millions of fans.
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