The largest athletic event in the world, FIFA World Cup 2022, has begun. The first day of group stage matches has already delivered some high-octane excitement. Multifaceted criticism of the tournament hasn't dampened the quality of the football being played.
Spectators have witnessed some of the most shocking results in World Cup history. In a year that has seen records fall, superstars show up, and underdogs wow the world, it's safe to say that this year has been unlike any other. The standard of football has been as excellent as expected from such a rich tournament. The qualification scenario has been made much more interesting by the big boys losing and the underdogs winning. Let's look at the FIFA World Cup 2022 Match Day 1 Team of the Week before we go on to Day 2.
Source: Getty Images
The star-studded Argentina XI was held at bay by Owais, who was aided by a couple of offside calls. The Argentines were leading Saudi Arabia when Messi converted a penalty. Al-Owais was the deciding factor in Saudi Arabia's shocking 2-1 victory over Argentina.
In recent seasons, Luke Shaw has battled for his club. But his performance improvement comes at a good moment since Shaw has just returned to the United XI. Therefore, he was responsible for starting for England in their first match. The first goal for England came from a perfectly timed cross by the Manchester fullback.
Godin was Uruguay's defensive standout once again, especially due to his aerial prowess. The experienced center-back kept a clean sheet and had a golden opportunity to win it for his team, but saw his header hit the post instead.
A 38-year-old center-back for Brazil played like a quarterback when his team possessed the ball. He completed all necessary tasks, and his final judgment was accurate.
Qatar, the 2022 FIFA World Cup host, struggled in their opening match. Angelo deserves praise for his great play, as he was unstoppable on the wing. The second goal for Ecuador was set up by his perfectly timed cross.
The defensive anchor was outstanding as he shielded the goal and displayed outstanding passing range. Even though he wasn't called upon to do much in defense, he still managed to steal the show with his brilliant imagination.
Gavi's maturity and poise as a player for Spain's starting midfield team have fooled many who have seen him play for the first time. He is only a teenager. He could easily get through the defense, and his passes were pinpoint. With the 18-year-old looking like a spitting image of the great Spanish midfielders, Luis Enrique's team thrashed Costa Rica 7-0. His outside-foot volley in the 74th minute was the highlight of the match.
Rabiot proved why he should start by taking his red-hot form from the club to the international level. The French midfielder has long been hailed as a potential superstar on the international stage, and his recent performance—including a well-deserved goal and a spectacular assist—finally lived up to the hype.
Mbappe opened his scoring account at the 2022 World Cup with a brace against Australia. In a match versus Australia, one of the best players in the world at the time went on the offensive. Australia's only hope against Mbappe was for him to shoot wide. The PSG attacker delivered yet another masterpiece with a goal and an assist.
Brazil has a reputation for creating incredibly skilled forwards; Richarlison is another outstanding talent developed by the South American nation. It has been speculated that the scissor-kick goal scored by the Tottenham forward will end up being the best of the tournament. He was taken out of the game in the 79th minute after scoring twice and leading Brazil to a rout of Serbia.
England's opening match was a 6-2 thrashing of Iran, and Saka scored twice to prove he deserved to start. The Arsenal forward performed at a high level, dribbling past opponents with ease and meeting Gareth Southgate's high standards. His right-wing runs and passing to Kieran Trippier were flawless.
Spectators have witnessed some of the most shocking results in World Cup history. In a year that has seen records fall, superstars show up, and underdogs wow the world, it's safe to say that this year has been unlike any other. The standard of football has been as excellent as expected from such a rich tournament. The qualification scenario has been made much more interesting by the big boys losing and the underdogs winning. Let's look at the FIFA World Cup 2022 Match Day 1 Team of the Week before we go on to Day 2.
Best Team After Round 1
Goal Keeper
Source: Getty ImagesThe star-studded Argentina XI was held at bay by Owais, who was aided by a couple of offside calls. The Argentines were leading Saudi Arabia when Messi converted a penalty. Al-Owais was the deciding factor in Saudi Arabia's shocking 2-1 victory over Argentina.
Defense
In recent seasons, Luke Shaw has battled for his club. But his performance improvement comes at a good moment since Shaw has just returned to the United XI. Therefore, he was responsible for starting for England in their first match. The first goal for England came from a perfectly timed cross by the Manchester fullback.
Godin was Uruguay's defensive standout once again, especially due to his aerial prowess. The experienced center-back kept a clean sheet and had a golden opportunity to win it for his team, but saw his header hit the post instead.
A 38-year-old center-back for Brazil played like a quarterback when his team possessed the ball. He completed all necessary tasks, and his final judgment was accurate.
Qatar, the 2022 FIFA World Cup host, struggled in their opening match. Angelo deserves praise for his great play, as he was unstoppable on the wing. The second goal for Ecuador was set up by his perfectly timed cross.
Midfielders
The defensive anchor was outstanding as he shielded the goal and displayed outstanding passing range. Even though he wasn't called upon to do much in defense, he still managed to steal the show with his brilliant imagination.
Gavi's maturity and poise as a player for Spain's starting midfield team have fooled many who have seen him play for the first time. He is only a teenager. He could easily get through the defense, and his passes were pinpoint. With the 18-year-old looking like a spitting image of the great Spanish midfielders, Luis Enrique's team thrashed Costa Rica 7-0. His outside-foot volley in the 74th minute was the highlight of the match.
Rabiot proved why he should start by taking his red-hot form from the club to the international level. The French midfielder has long been hailed as a potential superstar on the international stage, and his recent performance—including a well-deserved goal and a spectacular assist—finally lived up to the hype.
Attackers
Mbappe opened his scoring account at the 2022 World Cup with a brace against Australia. In a match versus Australia, one of the best players in the world at the time went on the offensive. Australia's only hope against Mbappe was for him to shoot wide. The PSG attacker delivered yet another masterpiece with a goal and an assist.
Brazil has a reputation for creating incredibly skilled forwards; Richarlison is another outstanding talent developed by the South American nation. It has been speculated that the scissor-kick goal scored by the Tottenham forward will end up being the best of the tournament. He was taken out of the game in the 79th minute after scoring twice and leading Brazil to a rout of Serbia.
England's opening match was a 6-2 thrashing of Iran, and Saka scored twice to prove he deserved to start. The Arsenal forward performed at a high level, dribbling past opponents with ease and meeting Gareth Southgate's high standards. His right-wing runs and passing to Kieran Trippier were flawless.