The FIFA World Cup may have started a little flat, but it certainly exploded into life with the knockout stage approaching. With upsets and surprises coming thick and fast, the tournament has shocked many a fan.
It takes a lot to surprise the world. And yet, Cameroon did just that against France.
1. Colombia
Few sides came into Australia & New Zealand with the same sense of self-belief as Colombia. The South American nation, led by Real Madrid forward Caicedo, navigated adversity off the field to make the tournament. But on the pitch, they commanded their groups and have set themselves up to reach the final in Paris.
And the surprise doesn’t stop there. Colombia are the first side to beat Germany in the World Cup and, with two victories in their last three matches, have reached a place of prominence in women’s football that many had considered unattainable.
The victory against Germany saw the Colombians play with a newfound urgency. They pressured the Germans at will and a flurry of crosses into the box – including a beautiful cross from the left by Ramirez that Caicedo just about managed to get her head on. But goalkeeper Er-Rmichi was up to the task and saved.
But the highlight came in the 97th minute when Manuela Vanegas scored to hand Colombia a shock victory that saw them advance to the knockout rounds. It was a result that was hard to believe, not least because it saw co-hosts New Zealand eliminated in group play, becoming the first team to be sent packing before the quarter-final stage in World Cup history.
While some have criticised Qatar’s human rights record, ban on stadium beer and questionable award of the tournament, there is no denying that the event was a huge success on the pitch. The tournament ran smoothly and the ability to travel between games with ease meant that fans got the best value for their money – and made the trip a lot more affordable than in previous editions.
2. Morocco
Morocco entered this World Cup as the ultimate underdog in a group consisting of Canada, 2018 finalists Croatia and Belgium, yet they lit up the tournament like no other team. Walid Regragui’s side was a revelation in the opening stages, earning a goalless draw against Croatia and a 2-0 win against the Golden Generation of Belgian footballers — including superstars Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and sofisticated midfielder Sofyan Amrabat — to finish top of their group and advance to the knockout round with seven points.
It was an incredible feat that ignited passion among millions of Arabs, Muslims and North Africans, uniting them in a way that’s rarely seen at such a global event. They shook the football world with their defensive fortitude, counterattacking prowess and a squad filled with players capable of making a difference on the big stage. Goalkeeper Yasine Bounou, fullback Achraf Hakimi and midfield duo Zakaria Aboukhlal and Sofyan Amrabat are all team of the tournament contenders and helped Morocco to a remarkable run.
In the end, it was not enough to overcome Portugal in the last eight but it was still a monumental achievement for Morocco. It is the first time an African team has reached a World Cup semi-final and the second time a Muslim country has done so (Turkey in 2002).
In an era where the sport’s traditional powerhouses have dominated, Morocco is proving that there are teams who can challenge them. The world’s eyes will be on them in the last four, and they deserve a chance to prove that their performance is not just an anomaly.
3. Germany
Regardless of who wins this year's World Cup, the tournament will be remembered for some remarkable shocks. Among those are previous champions Germany's early exit and Brazil falling at the hands of co-hosts South Africa.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of all was the stunning upset of Argentina by Saudi Arabia in the third round. It's a match that will go down as one of the greatest shocks in football history.
After an enthralling first-half, the match was tied at 1-1 with Lionel Messi having scored for Argentina. But it wasn't until the end of extra time that the real drama took place. With both sides pushing forward, they were level in the 113th minute when Saudi Arabia's Youssef En-Nesyri kicked the ball past keeper Manuel Neuer to seal a famous victory.
The other big surprise in this group stage was Japan's come-from-behind win against Spain. It was a game that needed a lot of heart from both teams. Despite losing to Costa Rica in their opener, Germany still had an outside chance of qualifying for the knockout stage. All they had to do was defeat Costa Rica and hope for a favourable result in the other game between Japan and Spain.
However, the Japanese players' grit and determination proved too much for their Spanish opponents. After falling behind to Alvaro Morata's goal, Japan responded with two quickfire goals from Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka. Understandably, scenes of jubilation were seen all over the country after this game.
4. South Africa
The last few days of the World Cup have been filled with upsets and controversy, but perhaps none were as unexpected as South Africa’s. The African champions, afforded Pot 1 status in the draw as hosts, went into their tournament with expectations of causing a major shock. But no one could have predicted a 3-2 victory over Italy, with Thembi Kgatlana’s stoppage-time winner clinching the win.
The result is that Africa’s oldest and most storied team is in the last 16. It’s one of several surprises by lesser-fancied teams who have advanced into the knockout rounds, with Morocco (ranked outside the top 50) and Colombia also making it to this stage.
As the games have progressed, it’s been a joy to watch the team — which included a roster that includes players with experience in Europe’s top leagues — play with so much confidence and skill. The win over Italy was especially impressive, given the fact that the South African players resolved a pay dispute with their federation just days before the tournament started and refused to play a pre-tournament friendly in protest.
It’s also been a joy to watch the team’s resilience, with South Africa continuing to defy the pessimists who warned of a disastrous tournament. This is not only because of their performances on the field, but also because they have refused to let Fifa’s corruption and ticket rackets derail the tournament. While the country’s most famous soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, may not have been at his best at this World Cup, South Africa as a whole has made a strong statement of solidarity with migrant workers and other oppressed groups in the country.
5. Croatia
Croatia’s appearance in the World Cup final on Sunday is no great surprise. After all, the country has a deep footballing culture and boasts some of Europe’s best players in Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Ante Rebic and Domagoj Vida. They are also smart, and incredibly resilient, a trait that has served them well at the tournament. It’s easy to forget how difficult it is to reach this stage of a major international competition, especially for teams without the benefit of home-field advantage. The last eight rounds become games of attrition. Teams are often hurting and exhausted, with drained mental reserves. It is rare to see a team withstand such physical and emotional adversity as Croatia did.
This was the first time that Croatia – which became an independent state in 1991 – had appeared at a FIFA World Cup and they were not expected to go far. But thanks to the harmony coach Zlatko Dalic engenders and the quality in his squad, the Croats surprised many by reaching the semifinals before being overpowered by France.
They began their campaign with victories over Jamaica and Japan, before beating a much-fancied Germany side 3-0 in the quarterfinals. They were then pushed to the limit by eventual champions France in a pulsating semifinal, where Davor Suker scored twice. Despite losing the third-place play-off to the Netherlands, Croatia’s performance in France 98 was one of the most memorable of all time. It was a fairytale run for an underdog team, and one that could serve as inspiration for the next generation of footballing rebels.
