The Daily Morning Voice Online Desk: The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was voted the ‘best World Cup this century’ in a BBC Sport survey with a whopping 78% votes. The next in line were the 2002 World Cup (Japan/South Korea) with just 6% votes, followed by 2014 (Brazil) with 5%, 2006 (Germany) and 2018 (Russia) tied at 4%, and finally the 2010 (South Africa) World Cup, with 3%. The results come despite the BBC choosing to shun the opening ceremony of the World Cup, instead launching a tirade of attacks against Qatar’s human rights record, in a move that saw the BBC receive major backlash from football fans in the UK. For more reasons than one, Qatar delivered a football legacy that ended with Lionel Messi earning his World Cup glory by defeating a contesting France squad 3-2 on penalties.

Several groundbreaking moments were struck in Qatar as Morocco became the first African and Arab team to go to the semi-finals. FIFA president Gianni Infantino and several other sporting actors anointed the tournament as the best ever due to the diversity and inclusion of the game. “Many people from around the world have come to Qatar and have discovered the Arab world, which they didn’t know or they knew only for what was portrayed to them,” the FIFA boss told reporters.

From the surprises, shocks, and upsets in the group stages to the excitement of the knockout rounds, and arguably the best final ever, the Qatar 2022 World Cup moved the world in many ways. After Argentina’s thrilling victory over defending champions France in a penalty shootout, Lionel Messi finally won the one trophy he had failed to win throughout his lengthy career. The historic tournament- the first to be held in the Middle East- was marked with goals galore and comeback chaos, with Morocco and Japan among the teams that stood out.