THE BALL – Portugal’s disappointment among the best moments of the World Cup? (World Cup 2022)
For FIFA, Portugal’s quarter-final tie against Morocco was one of the best moments of the World Cup. Not because it cost the Quinas team to qualify for the semi-finals, but because it put the Moroccans in the history of football, as they were the first African team to reach the semi-finals.
In addition to Morocco’s epic victory over Portugal (1-0, goal by Youssef En-Nesyri 42′), FIFA chose six other unforgettable moments that took place in Qatar. And there is another involving the Quinas team. At stake is the qualification of South Korea, then coached by Paulo Bento, who beat Portugal, 2-1, in the last round of Group H and was, after the final whistle, with his ear in the other group game, Ghana-Uruguay . The South Americans won 2-0 and got a goal through to the round of 16. The Koreans celebrated qualifying.
Japan’s qualification was also epic and the victories over Germany and Spain in Group E, Saudi Arabia’s victory over Argentina to open Group C, the Netherlands-Argentina quarter-finals, with Wout Weghorst entering and scoring the goals that took the game to extra time, and the duel between Messi and Mbappé in the final between Argentina and Messi, with the South American winning.
Also in history is Mohamed Muntar, scorer of the first and only goal scored by Qatar, the organizing country, in a World Cup.