The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar came to a close with Argentina lifting the trophy in a captivating penalty shootout against France. Considered by many as the greatest men's World Cup game in history, the tournament was filled with unforgettable moments.
The Journey to Glory
Led by Lionel Messi, Argentina showcased their brilliance with two goals from their captain. Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Boot winner, added a hat-trick to his name. The intense match featured dramatic comebacks from the French side and a spectacular save from Argentina's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, in extra time.
In the shootout, Argentina proved to be flawless, converting all their penalties, while France faltered, missing two crucial shots. Argentina emerged victorious, claiming their first World Cup title since 1986.
Meanwhile, Croatia secured third place by defeating the surprise contender, Morocco. It was an impressive achievement for the European nation, marking their third top-three finish in the last six World Cup editions.
Tournament Format
The 2022 World Cup followed the format of recent editions, starting with a 32-team group stage. From there, the top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stages - Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.
Every knockout-round match had to produce a winner on the day, and if necessary, extra time and penalty kicks were utilized to determine the victor.
Worldwide Football Fever
Fans around the globe were treated to a football extravaganza as the tournament provided matches at reasonable hours across different time zones. During the group stage, there were up to four matches per day, including simultaneous matches on the final day of the group stage. As the tournament progressed to the knockout rounds, there were a maximum of two matches per day, culminating in the gripping semifinals, third-place match, and the final.
Here's a breakdown of local kickoff times in Qatar and how they translated to various regions:
| Stage(s) | Local (Qatar) | USA & Canada (ET) | UK (GMT) | Australia (AEDT) | India (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | 1 p.m. | 5 a.m. | 10 a.m. | 9 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. |
| Group stage | 4 p.m. | 8 a.m. | 1 p.m. | 12 a.m. | 6:30 p.m. |
| Knockouts | 6 p.m. | 10 a.m. | 3 p.m. | 2 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| Group stage | 7 p.m. | 11 a.m. | 4 p.m. | 3 a.m. | 9:30 p.m. |
| Group/Knockouts | 10 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 7 p.m. | 6 a.m. | 12:30 a.m. |
Relive the Action
The knockout rounds were filled with excitement and nail-biting moments. Here's a recap of the matches:
Round of 16
- Netherlands 3, USA 1
- Argentina 2, Australia 1
- France 3, Poland 1
- England 3, Senegal 0
- Japan 1, Croatia 1 (1-3 pens)
- Brazil 4, South Korea 1
- Morocco 0, Spain 0 (3-0 pens)
- Portugal 6, Switzerland 1
Quarterfinals
- Croatia 1, Brazil 1 (Croatia win 4-2 on pens)
- Netherlands 2, Argentina 2 (Argentina win 4-3 on pens)
- Morocco 1, Portugal 0
- England 1, France 2
Semifinals
- Argentina 3, Croatia 0
- France 2, Morocco 0
3rd Place Match
- Croatia 2, Morocco 1
Final
- Argentina 3, France 3 (Argentina win 4-2 on pens)
Group Stage Standings
Here's how the teams fared in the group stage:
Group A
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands-Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 |
| Senegal-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 |
| Ecuador-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Qatar-E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | -6 |
Group B
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England-Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | +7 |
| USA-Q | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Iran-E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | -3 |
| Wales-E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -5 |
Group C
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 |
| Poland-Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mexico-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| Saudi Arabia-E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | -2 |
Group D
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 |
| Australia-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -1 |
| Tunisia-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Denmark-E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 |
Group E
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Spain-Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | +6 |
| Germany-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 |
| Costa Rica-E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | -8 |
Group F
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco-Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
| Croatia-Q | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
| Belgium-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Canada-E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -5 |
Group G
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Switzerland-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Cameroon-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Serbia-E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | -3 |
Group H
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal-Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
| S. Korea-Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Uruguay-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Ghana-E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | -2 |
Relive the exciting moments of the tournament and celebrate the triumphs and heartbreaks of the participating nations. The FIFA World Cup is an event that brings people together and leaves a lasting impact on the world of football.
