From the scorn and derision after their losing to Saudi Arabia in their opening match at the Football World Cup 2022 at Qatar, Argentina led by Lionel Messi has risen from those ashes like a phoenix to lift the Jules Rimet trophy by beating France in the final. This achievement has been stupendous with Messi leading from the front to motivate his team to greater endeavours. The Football World Cup 2022 at Qatar that started on all the wrong notes like the inhuman treatment of workers who built the stadia and other infrastructure and the criminality in Qatar of the LGBT people threw up a lot of insights. That Asia and Africa, with Morocco particularly showing rare skill, grit and determination to reach the semi-final stage, are rising stars of a game long dominated by Europe and South America, for which reason Germany was unable to move to the knockout stage. This was also the World Cup that anointed Messi as king of football but recognised in Mbappe a rising star chafing at the reins to take over.
