Life Lesson we can learn from the just concluded 2022 world cup
The 2022 world cup was one of the most exciting and yet controversial world cups in the history of football. Starting from how a tiny country with less than 12,000sqkms of land could secure the rights to host such a big event compounded by the fact that this country is not in even a football country, plus the stringent rules place by same country to ban alcohol, nudity or any kind of haram all through the tournament. Or the fact that 7 of the 8 stadiums used for the world cup were built from scratch recently and the underlying controversy behind those stadiums-It’s been said that those stadiums were built on immigrant blood where about 8500 immigrants died during their construction.
In addition there were anti-gay and LGBTQ laws imposed on visiting countries that caused a stir as well as the human rights that is reportedly being breached in Qatar. Also, the record sum of over $220 billion was alleged as the cost of hosting the world cup, a gigantic leap compared to the $12 billion Russia spent in hosting the world cup just 4 years ago. I would save all these details for another day.
However, the World cup felt like it would be one of the least attended and watched world cup with lots of football lovers across the world boycotting the game at early stages due to all the controversy aforementioned and the fact that the country is indeed a small country to host the “world”.
Yet in the midst of all negativity and pessimism surrounding this great event, it ended up being the most intriguing and one of the most memorable World cups ever, if not the best.
Here are some of the lessons we can draw from the World cup
A poor start does not mean failure
The eventual winners of the world cup was Argentina. Even though initially, they were predicted as one of the favorites to win the tournament from the get-go, they quickly lost this status following the way and manner at which they lost their first game to the most unlikeliest and lowliest of opponents, Saudi Arabia.
This feat gathered so much attention and popularity that the Saudi Arabian players were said to have been given a Roll Royce each and Argentina were quickly written off. Attention shifted to the other favorites which includes, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, Neymar’s Brazil, Harry Kane’s England, Pedri’s Spain and the eventual finalist France.
However, Argentina slowly improved after each game and became almost undisputedly the best team in the tournament.
Moral of the story is that you can equalize from whatever set back thrown at you or hand that you are being dealt with as long as conscious effort to improve and a strong belief in success is conceived by you and your team.
To be the Undisputed best, you need to show up when it matters
Louis Vuitton ran one of the most eye-catching advertisements where Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi were seen to be playing chess using a Louis Vuitton checkered box which eventually became the box used to carry the world cup. It didn't take long for this advert to set the world on fire where millions of fans uploaded it on their social media page to show allegiance and solidarity to their GOAT. Some fans had gone ahead and included themselves in this epic picture.
The dream final was touted to be a battle between the two greatest players and going by the way the matches were organized, this dream was possible. However, only one player made it to the final and ended up winning the tournament. None other than the officially crowned GOAT, Leo Messi.
This victory has laid to bed the debate of who the greatest player is and Cristiano himself will agree that Messi has beaten him to this title. Even though CR7 will always be my GOAT.
It ultimately means that in order to be the best at what you do, you have to show up in the biggest of stages or when it matters the most or in front of decision makers and people that matter. Be it in your personal life or in business.
Your team has to be galvanized to achieve this goal and be able to fend off distractions. I personally think Portugal had what it took to get to the finals, but the distraction from the media surrounding CR7’s exit from Man Utd cost them the finals.
It’s okay to be a gallant loser
If you have to lose in life, you have to give it your best shot, not losing woefully. I don’t believe all losses are equal if not, people will never put their best foot forward. Only in the game of sports that 2nd place seems like a big loss. It's so bad that people prefer to go out in the group stage (Just like Germany did) than go to the final only to be heart broken.
I was still driving home from church when I saw WhatsApp updates of Leo Messi already being crowned the GOAT even when the game was still in the first half, with France trailing by two goals. The France National team came to life in the 80th minute and scored another goal in quick succession in the 81st minute, dragging the game to extra time. They will further drag the game to penalties after going down the 3rd time, thanks to the brilliance of Kylian Mbappe.
In real life, being the 2nd best company in a sector is success, being the 2nd in class is also success (because you finished in the top 1% of your class). Being the second richest man anywhere is also a success. Being the second person to break a record is success.
I liked the doggedness of the French players and especially Kylian Mbappe in ensuring that we experienced the best finals ever, giving the Argentines a run for their money and the rest of the world an elevated blood pressure. It's too sad that there is a misconception that second best is failure
You need an Mbappe in your team
Perhaps, Mbappe should be a new word added to the dictionary to mean doggedness, skillful and resilient. This talented young attacker showed his mental toughness and doggedness in that final in such a way that you will think he was trying to avenge his mentor and boy hood hero, Cristiano Ronaldo to ensure that Leo Messi never wins the eternal debate of who the greatest player ever is. To his disappointment, his team mates let him down in crucial moments during the game and eventually at the shoot-outs.
However, you can never undermine the effort this 23 year maestro put in ensuring his team got across the line and almost single handedly dragged his country to glory.
While key players like Karim Benzema, Ngolo Kante and Paul Pogba were missing from the tournament due to injuries, his displays ensured that they were never really missed and it doesn't seem like they would have been better with them on board because this team gave the game their all.
You need team members that are skilled at their craft and resilient enough to deliver the goods for you when it matters. You also need to have these qualities so that your team can emulate you. Even though this may not lead to eventual success, it puts a fighting spirit in any challenge which is very necessary.
Everybody in your team matters and plays a significant role in your life
This world cup was a world cup of penalty shoot-outs and the most important player in a shoot-out is no one else than the unsung hero, the goal keeper. If you had ever doubted the importance of having a solid goalkeeper, this tournament will definitely have cleared your doubts.
The Argentine goalkeeper Emi Martinez, was in familiar territory, having saved his team from a rampant Dutch side coached by the philosophical Veteran, Louis Vangaal two matches before the final. Hugo Lloris on the other hand, had never had to deal with penalties all through the tournament. This was probably the Argentines' upper hand.
What was however certain at that point in time was that both teams were praying and hoping that their goalkeeper would turn up. The brilliance of Mbappe was only limited to one spot kick which he converted. But the keeper was the common denominator across all spot kicks taken.
All team mates matter in business and real life scenarios and they should be appreciated accordingly for their contribution even when not so obvious.
6 Life is fickle. If Mbappe won the world cup, it would have been a completely different story
I hold this as very true and can liken it to real life scenario. What if Kolo Muani converted his chance at the dying minute? What if Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni converted their penalties. We probably would not have logically settled this GOAT debate. Messi would never be BBC player of the player, FIFA player of the tournament or 2023 Ballodor sure winner. All this accolade would have gone to Mbappe. There’s a popular saying, a stitch in time saves 9. Where opportunities are not seized, this could leave to a life of regret.
Little wonder why the French players and fans as well as CR7 fans were crying after the world cup.
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