The Goal Line

I wish it were easier to get excited about the 2022 World Cup. It’s truly a shame that the corrupt and immoral rewarding of Qatar as the host country tainted the quadrennial showcase of the beautiful game. Some would argue it was already the case long before FIFA named Qatar host in 2010, and they’d be right. But FIFA’s decision epitomizes the troubling influence of money and political power on the modern football landscape.  I wholeheartedly understand the moral dilemmas at play here. The World Cup is supposed to be a month-long celebration of the beautiful game. Instead, it will be a month-long reminder that bribery and blackmail are the easiest means to hosting a World Cup. This preview is not an endorsement of the Qatar-hosted World Cup, rather a preliminary look at the 32 countries competing for the most iconic trophy in sports. Without further ado, let’s dive into our eight-part preview, starting with group A.  The Netherlands Embed from Getty Images