The 2018 FIFA World Cup saw twists, turns, fouls and especially penalty kicks. With many big name players and their teams eliminated as early as the group stages, new athletes were given the chance to showcase their talents and create new reputations on a global stage. With new players and video assistant refereeing (VAR) technology, the World Cup continues to become more captivating and unpredictable.
Teams from smaller countries stole the show early on. Mexico shocked the world audience by beating previous World Cup champion Germany, in their first game. Iceland, in its first ever World Cup appearance, was officially the team from the smallest country in the competition. Not only did the team manage to qualify, they also scored their first ever World Cup goals, despite not continuing further in the competition.
Two of the biggest names in men’s soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Lionel Messi of Argentina, both faced elimination during knockout rounds.
Two of the biggest names in men’s soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Lionel Messi of Argentina, both faced elimination during knockout rounds, which was surprising to viewers to say the least, considering Ronaldo’s four goals in group stages. His goal count also put him in the running for the Golden Boot award, the trophy awarded to the player with the most goals scored in the tournament.
Messi had a rough start to the cup, missing a penalty kick in the first game against Iceland. Barely qualifying for group stages, France quickly eliminated Argentina. Other favored teams were surprisingly quick to go, including the previous German champions.
Croatia fought all the way into the finals, but fell short of winning the Cup. However, captain Luka Modric created a legacy for himself, taking the Golden Ball award for winning Best Player.
Star captain of England Harry Kane ended with another unforeseen outcome as he was awarded the Golden Boot for being the top scorer of the tournament, with six goals, despite England finishing fourth after suffering a loss to Belgium in the match for third place.
The competition saw 29 penalty kicks awarded and 22 converted into the total 169 tournament goals, breaking a 28-year-old record for the most penalty kicks given in World Cup history. Another extremely high number was the amount of yellow cards given out, with an average of 3.5 per game. The new VAR technology allowed all statistics to be confirmed through an intricate camera system, providing referees certainty when giving penalties and awarding controversial goals.
Even with carefully calculated odds and outcomes, the 2018 World Cup had some of the most unanticipated knockouts and victories.
Even with carefully calculated odds and outcomes, the 2018 World Cup had some of the most unanticipated knockouts and victories. The cup came home to France and 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé in the finale, leaving a lasting impression on worldwide audiences and the French repeatedly chanting “allez les blues” throughout the Arc de Triomphe.
Most players who represented their country in this year’s World Cup now return to their competitive club teams to pursue league victories. However, players may find themselves representing their home countries again sooner expected with the Union of European Football Associations Nations League creating a new tournament to take place every two years within the international match schedule. The tournament aims to create an increasingly competitive environment for national teams in place of friendly matches between countries, and is set to begin this coming September.
