After a long wait of four years, this coming Sunday it will happen – the World Football Championship, “Qatar 2022”, will kick off and accompany the fans of the game for a month, until the long-awaited final that will be held at Luciel Stadium, in the city of Doha, on December 18.
32 teams that will be divided into eight houses (for the last time before increasing the number of participants to 48) will stand on the starting line, and try to amaze the fans of the sport all over the world, when according to the betting agencies, Brazil is the favorite to lift the cup for the sixth time, after doing so recently in 2002, in the World Cup held in South Korea and Japan, and when the scar of the defeat to Germany in 2014 (7:1) still shines in the distance.
After Neymar and the friends in yellow and blue, Leo Messi’s Argentina and Kylian Mbappe’s France stand in the index. The English, who have not stopped disappointing since the 1966 World Cup, stand in fourth place, but are highly popular among gamblers, thanks to the rewarding attitude.
This week we contacted sports people in the area, and we heard from them who they think will be the big winner, what the heart wants, and also what it’s like to welcome the World Cup, when outside the rain is knocking on the window, and when the local leagues had to go on a forced break, and not necessarily at the right time. And yes, there were also those who did not ignore the elephant in the stadium, in one of the perhaps most controversial World Cups the game has ever known.
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Qatar Stars 2022
(EPA)
Excited for the games?
“It’s a little strange that we have a World Cup in the middle of the season, in the middle of the games, but it’s always fun and exciting. In addition, we as players are also on break and we can enjoy the games.”
Who is your favorite team?
“I really like the French team, mainly because of the football and the talent.”
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
“The winning goal of Andres Iniesta and the Spanish national team against the Netherlands in the 117th minute (0:1 at the end), or Germany’s 1:7 against Brazil in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“The heart is with France, the bet is for Brazil”.
Excited for the games?
“There is no doubt that this is the biggest event in the world, in terms of football. It’s just a shame that it’s in Qatar, if we don’t ignore everything that happened there in the entire preparation process for the event (about 6,000 workers were killed during the construction of the stadiums) and that it’s forbidden to drink alcohol there. In addition, it’s quite a shame that it interrupts the sequence of the leagues. In my opinion, they will feel the problem when the teams return to routine after the World Cup. Still, despite everything, it will be a great soccer experience and we will all watch it.”
Who is your favorite team?
“As a native of France, my heart is with the French team. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like they will be able to bring the trophy. The squad is injured, and senior players like Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba are reaching beyond their prime.”
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
“I saw France’s victory in 1998 as a child in France. I was 12 years old.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“I belong to Leo Messi’s camp, and I would be very happy, if not France, that the cup goes to Argentina and we get the final stamp that this is the greatest of all. On paper, Brazil is the favorite.”
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Messi. The frontal fight against Ronaldo continues
(EPA)
Excited for the games?
“Excited for the games, but it’s a shame that this year the tournament was held in the winter because it also takes revenge on us, in the national league. Because of this, a large load of games was created, and at the international level it also caused injuries and many good players will miss the World Cup.”
Who is your favorite team?
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
“During the 2014 World Cup finals, I was on vacation in Germany with my family, and we saw the game there. I will never forget the celebrations of the German crowd at the end (0:1 in overtime).”
Which team is favorite to win?
“In my opinion, this year belongs to Brazil. I think they have the best squad, with good players in all positions.”
Excited for the games?
“The World Cup is a football celebration for everyone, and the fun part is that the current one will be at times convenient for all spectators. I hope we will also see a surprise, maybe this time the cup will go to the Belgians and not to the immediate candidates again.”
Who is your favorite team?
“Holland fan, even from the 1970 World Cup”.
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
I have two big matches recorded in my memory, the final in 1974 and the final in 1978, in both cases the Dutch found a way and lost the match, once to Germany (1:2) and once to Argentina (1:3).
Which team is favorite to win?
“Assuming that this time it will go to one of the teams from South America, I think Brazil”
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Neymar. For romance
(EPA)
Excited for the games?
“The World Cup is a fun event for everyone. I think holding the games in the winter will mainly affect the players themselves and their habits, less so for the fans and spectators.”
Who is your favorite team?
“The Brazilian national team, and it’s thanks to a friend with whom I watch the games and he is of Brazilian descent.”
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
“My nostalgic moment is the winning goal (0:1) by Andres Iniesta and Spain over Holland, in the 117th minute of the World Cup final in South Africa.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“France will go all the way, also thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s fitness, and in my opinion they are the best team.”
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Mbapa His tournament?
(EPA)
Excited for the games?
“The truth is that I am less happy that the World Cup stopped the season, and specifically also came at a bad time for Ironi Modi’in, which started to connect after a difficult start to the season. In any case, we gained time to think in order to come back better later and to stay in the league.”
Who is your favorite team?
“The teams I would like to win – Brazil or Argentina, I have always connected with the South American teams and their happy football, but they usually fall against the European teams, who present more physical and tactical football.”
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
When talking about the World Cup, I always remember Paolo Rossi’s goal against the great Brazil of Sorquets and Zico, in 1982. Then there was a different football, and the fans’ attachment to the game was greater. As a kid, I wouldn’t miss a game. It’s something that’s hard to explain today.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“In my feeling, Germany will be the big winner, it will go all the way with France.”
Excited for the games?
“There is no doubt that this is a big celebration, I think it is quite problematic that the World Cup was placed during the leagues, it is something problematic on a mental level and I think it may affect the level of the tournament.”
Who is your favorite team?
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
As a child I was on a trip with friends in Eilat, and the final between Spain and the Netherlands (2010) was just broadcast on the screen, which Iniesta won deep in extra time.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“My gamble goes with the heart – France”.
Excited for the games?
“The truth is that I love all the big events, like the World Cup, the Olympic Games, and I watch, even though I’m not a big soccer fan. More than the game itself, it’s an event of historical magnitude, and I want to see it.”
Who is your favorite team?
“Of course there is the great Brazil of all the ‘Do’, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and in real time I connected to their football.”
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
I remember when my wife and I were engaged and we would go to the first beach to the restaurant ‘La Mer’ and we would watch the games there with watermelon, Bulgarian and a glass of wine.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“I’m going with the classics, England. And don’t underestimate Qatar, if they can build stadiums, they must have built a national team as well.”
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Puden. What will the English disappointment look like this time?
(EPA)
Excited for the games?
“It’s exciting that for the first time there is a World Cup in winter, and in my opinion this is really the ideal time for soccer anywhere in the world.”
Who is your favorite team?
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
“I especially remember the goal in the final of the 2014 World Cup, when Germany beat Argentina 0:1 with a goal by Mario Gotze. A fourth World Cup goes to Germany and not to Messi.”
Which team is favorite to win?
Brazil – they have a fire team.”
Excited for the games?
“First of all it’s fun, we’re looking forward to it. Usually we see the games with watermelon, but this time there will be no watermelon.”
Who is your favorite team?
“Argentina, since 1986”.
Strongest memory from a past World Cup?
“For me, the World Cup is Argentina, and Argentina is one player – Diego Armando Maradona. Even when I was playing in the neighborhood, I would imagine that I was him, and he was the one I was waiting for every time we watched the game.”
Which team is favorite to win?
“Even with the figure of the winner, I go with Argentina, but France is also a favorite for the title.”