We did it, folks. The 2022 World Cup is in the books and everything is now retrospective.
After a month of dizzying highs, teary lows and the chaos cluttered in between, we have a new world champion, a new case for the greatest player of all time.
Here are some of our favourite moments from this World Cup.
The tournament kicked off with hosts Qatar essentially crapping their pants on a global stage. A team that took 12 years to build and was backed to cause some upsets did not look fit to be playing a World Cup match.
When Ecuador found the back of the net after only three minutes only for the goal to inexplicably be ruled out at the end of a lengthy VAR check, onlookers across the world thought something wasn’t right.
However, once graphics came through showing the goal was correctly ruled out for the most marginal of offsides, everything simmered down.
3) THE MOROCCO SENEGAL FAN pic.twitter.com/nokca82zat
— ⚽BE🇳EDICT⚽ (@djbantiben1) December 19, 2022
The great thing about everyone’s favourite part-time Senegal fan is he joined the Lions of Teranga again for their last 16 tie against England before returning to Morocco’s run to the semi-finals.
What could have been! 😧
Iñaki Williams slips in the dying seconds of the game and misses the chance to level it for Ghana #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/t9C00ik9jt
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 24, 2022
Portugal were one Inaki Williams slip away from blowing a two-goal lead in the dying embers of their group stage opener with Ghana.
Come for the Stevie G tribute act, stay for Cristiano Ronaldo’s exasperated expression.
Rudiger 👋 pic.twitter.com/LQFeOxOSLJ
— Joga Bonito (@ufcfooty) December 2, 2022
Is this how he often breaks into stride? Is he being disrespectful? Is he preparing to take off?
Only Antonio Rudiger knows for sure.
SIMPLESMENTE IMPOSSÍVEL torcer pra norte americano pic.twitter.com/RxJkvhzVeR
— Midnite Futebol (@MidniteFutebol) November 25, 2022
While you’re at it, Weston, why don’t you ask the poor bloke if you can wash out your dreadful hair dye with his possessions as well?
Prior to the tournament, Cristiano Ronaldo sat down with Piers Morgan to discuss the dream scenario of scoring a hat-trick against Lionel Messi’s Argentina to win the World Cup.
In the end, he bagged a solitary penalty and tried to claim a Bruno Fernandes goal as his own, with adidas even coming out to prove his claims as false.
He also moved down a spot in 90min’s greatest footballers of all time rankings.
Dave the Cat – adopted by some of the England players at the World Cup in Qatar – is heading to the UK with the team.
John Watson had the details on #BBCBreakfast https://t.co/xuS6OLahjO pic.twitter.com/TrRTLpHNCW
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) December 12, 2022
The England camp adopted a stray cat during their preparations at Al Wakra, affectionately giving him the name of ‘Dave’.
After forming a close bond with the squad, Dave has been vaccinated ahead of moving in with Manchester City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker in the near future.
Lukaku Punches Glass Dugout 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/QXlMhtMH3y
— Football Gossips (@FGossips_) December 1, 2022
Boy, this was not a good month for Romelu Lukaku.
The striker linked up with Belgium’s World Cup squad clearly unfit, and put in a series of stinkers – including a horribly wasteful display in their do-or-die game with Croatia – as the Red Devils crashed out at the group stage.
He was then seen smashing the plastic of the Belgian dugout following their elimination. When it rains, it pours.
Self-proclaimed rival of Mohamed Salah, Vincent Aboubakar was keen to make a splash this winter.
After scoring a delectable dink in Cameroon’s stunning 3-3 comeback draw against Serbia, he went one better with a stoppage time winner against Brazil in their final group game.
He removed his shirt in celebration and was handed a second yellow card having already picked up a booking, but with Cameroon’s elimination already sealed, you can’t blame him for enjoying the moment.
17 yellow cards (including a red after the final whistle). Four goals, two apiece. Two Wout Weghorst strikes. Two penalties saved by Emiliano Martinez.
The Battle of Lusail, you will not be forgotten.
We will be lucky to ever see two all-time greats go toe-to-toe on the biggest stage of any sport again.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Kylian Mbappe’s France put on the greatest show on Earth. It’s a final that will go down as historic, legendary, quite literally unbelievable. The three-part Netflix documentary about it in 2040 is going to be amazing.
Credit: 90min.com
