And here we are, on the shores of the Persian Gulf, and the hereditary monarchy of Qatar, the latest and arguably most controversial venue for the FIFA World Cup. It is here, on the Arabian Peninsula where thousands of foreign workers have been exploited and lost their lives in preparing for this tournament, where the majority of the most talented male footballers will gather; with the exception of Haaland, Pogba, and Salah, who will be watching all 63 games from wintery Manchester, Torino and Liverpool. Oh yes, and let us not forget; the entire nation of Italy, who have once again failed to qualify, and will no doubt bitterly ignore the entire tournament. But this will not be the case for us at Football4Mates.
Here, every game means something; Qatar v Ecuador, you better believe it, for 5 points will be up for grabs from the very opening game on November 21st (1:55 am). And the intensity and enjoyment will not end until the very end, when the final whistle is blown on Monday morning of December 19 2022.
Predict the outcome of every game (2 points), and watch for the correct score (3 points). Stay in touch with the leaders through the Group stages and march on where others have failed; through the Round of 16, onto the Final, and the title of Football4Mates Archon. All games have a purpose and every minute, bar the penalty shootout, and the useless playoff for Third counts. Extra time will add further anxiety, and failure leads to another two-year wait (for the Euros) to ponder what could have been. The Kudos that comes with victory brings the reward of bragging rights, and one's name on the honours roll. For the losers, it's derision and ignominy and the pondering of 'oh, if only'; not going for the heart; e.g England beating Argentina in the Quarter Finals (a real possibility).
Defending Euro Archon, Yianni will be looking at repeating his exploits from Euro 2020(1), while a long list of failed participants, including yours truly, will be hungry to redeem some credibility for their battered football fan egos. Football4Mates neutrals will be present, as will the next generation of our game's participants. 2022 promises to be an exciting tournament, and we cannot wait to take a small breather from all our hectic schedules to enjoy the football spectacle which will unfold before us. Friendly rivalries between mates will again blossom, and personal bets will again be on the table as the tournament moves towards the knockout phase. Will Brazil make it 6? Can the temperament of the Portuguese and Argentinians hold their nerve and give one of the two GOATs of the game a fitting send-off? And how about France, what can the current world champions produce in the desert? While the ridiculous kickoff times are the same as usual, for the very first time, we do not need to watch football in freezing pre-dawn conditions.
Let the tournament begin.
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