Opinion – The World Is a Ball: World Cup in Qatar confirms football of alternation, balance and momentum

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Argentina and France finalists. Croatia and Morocco semifinalists.

The top 4 of the Qatar Cup reflects what has been seen in the football of the national teams over the last ten years: alternation of protagonism, constant balance and momentary consecrations.

Anyone looking to find hegemony, a preponderant selection for an extended period, constantly present in decisive phases (semifinals and/or finals) of the World Cup and the main continental competition, needs to dig, and the conclusion is not assertive.

France had the (enormous) merit of reaching the World Cup final twice in a row – the “timing” of the Bleus (Blues), in terms of effectiveness on the field, is impressively precise.

However, in the interval between editions (Russia and Qatar), the French fell early in the multi-seat Euro Cup, in the round of 16, when they lost on penalties to Switzerland, which is no super team – they took a rout of Portugal in the round of 16 of the Qatari Cup.

Portugal, which, champion of the 2016 Euro Cup (unprecedented title, against France), stopped in Morocco in the quarterfinals after being eliminated in the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Euro.

The Moroccans, the biggest sensation of the first World Cup in the Middle East, owners of an unprecedented feat by putting Africa in a semifinal for the first time, showed almost nothing before, whether at world level or at continental level.

Morocco did not qualify for the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups and stopped in the first phase in 2018. In the African Cup of Nations, the country has only won one, in the distant 1976. In the 21st century, only once reached the top four, with the runner-up in 2004.

Of the greatest African forces in the continental competition, Egypt (seven titles), even with star Mohamed Salah, did not even qualify for the Qatar Cup, and Cameroon (five trophies) and Ghana (four) were in the group stage.

Morocco’s performance obviously has to be tracked going forward, but the Qatar campaign looks like an outlier.

Returning to Europe, Croatia, seen by some as a new football power – finalist in 2018 and semifinalist now–, repeatedly failed in the European Championship. In the two most recent, it didn’t go beyond the first knockout.

Champion in the 2014 World Cup, in Brazil, Germany threatened to do well afterwards, scoring a semifinal of the Euro Cup, in 2016. It remained under threat.

In both the 2018 and 2022 Cups, the Germans shamefully left the competition in the first phase. At Euro-2021, they stopped in the round of 16.

Four-time world champion like Germany, Italy experienced a seesaw. Euro 2012 finalist, fell in the first phase of the 2014 Cup.

He seemed to be improving when he reached the quarterfinals of Euro 2016, but did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup. He reacted, won the Euro Cup last year, spirits soared and… he was left out of the 2022 World Cup.

If there is any logic in football, it is not continuous. There are some good take-offs, and then there is a loss of attitude. There are indications of dominance, but they take time to materialize. Enchantments do exist, but they are generally ephemeral.

In South America, Chile, after only being beaten on penalties by Brazil in the Cup on Brazilian soil, in the round of 16 in 2014, won two Copa Americas in a row (2015 and 2016).

It was “the” selection of the subcontinent. It lived its moments of glory, but they passed quickly – the Chileans did not qualify for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Brazil, the biggest champion in World Cups (five times), has choked tournament after tournament.

He even won the 2019 Copa América, at home, and that was his most important cup for ten years. It reached the decision of the same competition in 2021, again in Brazilian territory, but lost. In the 2015 and 2016 editions, he was not even a semifinalist.

In the World Cup, Brazil was a semifinalist. In 2014. At home. Result: 7 to 1 for Germany.

Later, in Russia-2018 and Qatar-2022, defeats in the quarterfinals – sore, not deserved, but defeats, and no top 4.

And Argentina? It is an exception that confirms the rule.

In the World Cup, finalist in 2014 and in 2022. In Copa América, champion in 2021 (ending a 28-year fast in the tournament), runner-up in 2015 and in 2016, semi-finalist in 2019.

Not bad. It is the selection that, ten years ago, comes closest to a hypothetical “top of the shelf” in world football.

But the alviceleste team had a considerable stumble, the 2018 World Cup. In it, Messi and company stopped in the first knockout, the round of 16, against the French.

Out of the top 4 of that Cup, Argentina no longer fit the role of permanent protagonist, in the position of those who “always arrive”, in addition to having fewer achievements than setbacks in the recent history.

Check below the performance from 2013 to 2022 of selections in the World Cup, Euro Cup, Copa America and Africa Cup.

Europe

  • Germany: Copa-2014 (champion), Eurocopa-2016 (semi-final), Copa-2018 (first phase), Eurocopa-2021 (round of 16), Copa-2022 (first phase)
  • Belgium: Copa 2014 (quarterfinals), Eurocopa 2016 (quarterfinals), Copa 2018 (semifinals), Eurocopa 2021 (quarterfinals), Copa 2022 (first phase)
  • Croatia: 2014 Cup (first phase), 2016 Euro Cup (round of 16), 2018 Cup (runner-up), 2021 Euro Cup (round of 16), 2022 Cup (semi-final)
  • Spain: 2014 Cup (first phase), 2016 Euro Cup (round of 16), 2018 Cup (round of 16), 2021 Euro Cup (semi-final), 2022 Cup (round of 16)
  • Francidity: Copa-2014 (quarter-finals), Eurocopa-2016 (runner-up), Copa-2018 (champion), Eurocopa-2021 (eighth-finals), Copa-2022 (final)
  • Holand: Copa-2014 (semifinals), Eurocopa-2016 (did not qualify), Copa-2018 (did not qualify), Eurocopa-2021 (round of 16), Copa-2022 (quarter-finals)
  • Iengland: Copa-2014 (first phase), Eurocopa-2016 (round of 16), Copa-2018 (semi-final), Eurocopa-2021 (runner-up), Copa-2022 (quarter-finals)
  • Italia: Copa-2014 (first phase), Eurocopa-2016 (quarter-finals), Copa-2018 (did not qualify), Eurocopa-2021 (champion), Copa-2022 (did not qualify)
  • PPortugal: Copa-2014 (first phase), Eurocopa-2016 (runner-up), Copa-2018 (eighth finals), Eurocopa-2021 (eighth finals), Copa-2022 (quarter-finals)

South America

  • Argentina: Copa-2014 (runner-up), Copa América-2015 (runner-up), Copa América-2016 (runner-up), Copa-2018 (round of 16), Copa América-2019 (semi-final), Copa América- 2021 (champion), Copa-2022 (final)
  • Brazil: Copa América 2014 (semifinals), Copa América 2015 (quarterfinals), Copa América 2016 (first phase), Copa América 2018 (quarterfinals), Copa América 2019 (champion), Copa América 2021 (runner-up) -champion), Copa-2022 (quarter-finals)
  • Chile: Copa-2014 (round of 16), Copa América-2015 (champion), Copa América-2016 (champion), Copa-2018 (did not qualify), Copa América-2019 (semi-final), Copa América-2021 (quarter of final), Copa-2022 (did not qualify)
  • Colombia: Copa America 2014 (Quarterfinals), Copa America 2015 (Quarterfinals), Copa America 2016 (Quarterfinals), Copa America 2018 (Round of 16), Copa America 2019 (Quarterfinals), Copa América-2021 (semifinal), Copa-2022 (did not qualify)
  • Peru: Copa-2014 (did not qualify), Copa América-2015 (semi-final), Copa América-2016 (semi-final), Copa-2018 (first phase), Copa América-2019 (runner-up), Copa América-2021 (semi-final) ), Copa-2022 (did not qualify)

Africa

  • Morocco: 2014 Cup (did not qualify), 2013 Africa Cup (first phase), 2015 Africa Cup (did not participate), 2017 Africa Cup (quarter finals), 2018 Cup (first phase), 2018 Cup Africa Cup 2019 (round of 16), Africa Cup 2021 (quarterfinals), Cup 2022 (semifinals)

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