World Cup of firsts ends with clash of titans

DOHA: There is no new name on the trophy and many of football’s global superstars are taking their final bow but the most controversial World Cup in history will be remembered as a tournament of firsts. Heavyweights France and Argentina progressed to the final, each looking to win the trophy for a third time after a tournament packed with shocks and surprises. Four-time winners Germany crashed out at the group stage for the second successive time while Argentina were beaten by Saudi Arabia in their opener in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history.

Japan beat Germany and Spain to progress to the last 16 while South Korea also made it to the knockout rounds in a strong showing for Asian teams. But Morocco were the nation that caught the imagination — becoming the first side from Africa or the Arab world to reach the semifinals, before losing 2-0 to defending champions France. The north African nation beat fancied Belgium in the group stage before eliminating Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds, with their victories celebrated in Doha and across the Arab world.

Walid Regragui’s team showed other African and Arab sides what is possible, especially as the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams from 2026 increases the number of qualifiers. Africa will have nine slots while Asia will have eight. “With nine participants, we’re going to learn.

In 15, 20 years, I’m sure an African team will win the World Cup because we’ll have learned,” said Regragui. No African teams made it beyond the group stage in Russia four years ago, but this time Senegal also reached the last 16 while Cameroon became the first team from the continent to defeat Brazil at a World Cup. Every inhabited continent was represented in the