Qatar 2022: Top award winners of the FIFA World Cup

After one month of pure emotion, the FIFA World Cup is over. Argentina has won the World Cup for an unprecedented third time in their history. Kylian Mbappé was the leading scorer and in 64 games there were 172 goals.

Emotions were high as 32 teams battled for the right to lift the FIFA World Cup, but only one national team walked away with the biggest prize in sports. It was a spectacular tournament filled with goals, unexpected heroes, and some teams that were vastly disappointing.

Here are the 2022 FIFA World Cup’s biggest winners and losers, some of these players are ones to look out for, others will want to hide that wooden spoon.

2022 World Cup unexpected star

Enner Valencia, the Ecuadorian striker was the talk of the town for the first two weeks of the tournament, scoring 3 goals for a surprising Ecuadorian side that fell short of the round of 16. Valencia scored two against Qatar and a big goal against the Netherlands.

Team that got it all right

Morocco, the first African team to reach the semifinals, did so by topping their group and beating Spain and Portugal before losing to France. Behind a compact and counter attacking style of play, Morocco made it to the semifinals on pure collective understanding and hard work. Few teams can boast they bested Croatia, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal in one tournament.

Team that got it all wrong

A disastrous World Cup campaign ended even worse post tournament. Not only did an attack that fielded Luis Suárez, Darwin Núñez, and Edinson Cavani fail to score, Uruguay played two abysmal matches against South Korea and Portugal. The World Cup would end in disgrace when veteran players like Edinson Cavani and José Giménez either were destroying FIFA equipment or attacking a FIFA official. Worse yet since arriving home all Uruguay has done is blame the referees for their poor tournament and big questions have been raised from inside the professional clubs of Uruguay as to what happened to all the World Cup money… A far cry from the Óscar Washington Tabárez era.

Best match of the 2022 World Cup

Spain and Germany gave the world a lesson in soccer at the highest level, needing a win Germany went full force against a Spain side that had just beaten Costa Rica 7-0. Fluid, emotional, and attacking Spain was 1-0 up when Germany tied the match in the 83rd minute. Only one game later, amazingly both teams would be eliminated from the competition in the first round.

Surprise team of the 2022 World Cup

The USMNT shocked many at the World Cup with fluid play and tactical understanding, it was certainly not the USMNT that grew a reputation of bunkering and counter attacking, the USMNT was the best team overall in all three of their first-round matches and were unlucky to not take the lead early against the Netherlands in the round of 16. The future looks bright for the Americans. 

Highest attended match

88,966 in three matches, all featuring Argentina against Mexico, Croatia, and the final against France.

Best Defender of the 2022 World Cup

Joško Gvardiol proved that at 20 he has a huge future, mixing speed with dominance in the air the RB Leipzig defender will be playing for a much bigger club sooner rather than later.

Best Goalkeeper of the 2022 World Cup

Emiliano Martínez, El Dibu as he is known, had a spectacular World Cup, from clutch saves to keep Argentina alive against Poland to big time penalty kick saves against the Netherlands. Emiliano Martínez channeled his inner Sergio Goycochea and is returning home an Argentine hero.

Best Manager at the 2022 World Cup

Walid Regragui took the job in August of 2022, with only 5 months to prepare for the World Cup he positioned his team to just 90 minutes from the World Cup final. While tactically defensive minded Morocco conceded very little and only were bested by France.

Top Goal Scorer of 2022 FIFA World Cup

With a sensational 8 goals in the tournament that included a hat-trick in a losing effort against Argentina, Kylian Mbappé was Qatar 2022’s top scorer.

Goal of the tournament

Richarlison’s second goal against Serbia was a turn off the lights go home moment, a side volley strike that was taken back to goal, positioned by his right foot, and struck midair was sensational.

Flop of the tournament 

Cristiano Ronaldo came to the World Cup looking to show the world that what happened at Manchester United was not his fault. Well, he brought that drama, CR7 scored 1 goal, a penalty, was benched, and saw his final World Cup go up in smoke with very little participation when it mattered most.

Underrated gem

USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams had a commanding four games for the USMNT at the World Cup, the Leeds United midfielder has been playing European soccer for four and a half years now, before at RB Leipzig. It looks unlikely Adams will be at struggling Leeds much longer.

Emerging star of 2022 World Cup 

Julián Álvarez’s stock is rising, with 4 goals at the World Cup, the young Manchester City striker had made a name for himself at River Plate in Argentina, wisely turning down an offer from Orlando City in MLS, only six months later he was signed by Man City, and took over the number 9 spot on Argentina and looks to be one of the best strikers in the next World Cup cycle.

Best Player of 2022 World Cup  

 

 

With seven goals in seven games in the World Cup, Lionel Messi was clutch and in his fifth World Cup was able to finally win the big prize, and in the process become the greatest soccer player of all-time. Where would Argentina be without Lionel Messi.