Argentina’s football players celebrate with the World Cup trophy after winning the final match with France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar.
(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, many highlighted the controversial and politicized climate of the tournament, but sport and politics are rarely, if ever, separable.
There are concerns that this World Cup’s timing could have a greater psychological impact on players compared to previous ones.
TOLGA BOZOGLU/ EPA
Some Premier League players may only have mere days to recover from the World Cup before returning to regular season play.
Youssef En-Nesyri (c) celebrates after scoring Morocco’s first goal against Portugal during quarterfinal match on December 10 2022.
AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Football is one of the hardest sports to predict – but there are some fascinating geographical clues when we look at the latitudes of past performers and their ultimate success.
France’s goalkeeper #01 Hugo Lloris (C) jumps for the ball during the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final football match between England and France at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of Doha, on December 10, 2022.
Jewel Samad/AFP
Starry-eyed claims such as “the World Cup brings down cultural barriers” simply do not stand up to scrutiny.
Liverpool fans have embraced the Egyptian footballer with chants including “Mohamed Salah, a gift from Allah.”
Allstar Picture Library Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
Being on the same pitch as superstars like Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi signalled both the scale of this achievement and the tough task ahead for a game with a troubled history in Australia.
How can they run and run and run for so long? What makes them so good at speedy changes of direction? Biomechanically, is there a certain body type perfect for football?
The Brazilian’s football team’s yellow shirt has become a symbol of Bolsonaro in recent years.
Salty View/Alamy
Cities vie with each other to present global sporting events as a way to position themselves as world-class cities. However, this marketing often exacerbates social inequalities.
Ronaldo reacts after Manchester United’s November Premier League match with Aston Villa.
Peter Powell
Staging the spectacle in Qatar has raised rights issues and concerns about the heat. But away from the controversy, there will be the usual mix of sporting moments, supporters’ joy and heartache.