World Cup Haiku, Part 1
How does a 5-7-5 do against a 4-4-2 at the World Cup?
In case you hadn’t heard, at the time of this writing the 2022 World Cup begins in just a few weeks in Qatar. They say it’s the World Cup soaked in blood and bribery, because of the thousands of migrant workers that died building all the infrastructure required to put on this event, and the bald-faced bribery it took for tiny Gulf nation Qatar, with a flimsy football history and not-so-flimsy record of human rights abuses, to be awarded the opportunity to host. I recommend listening to the Lords of Soccer podcast series as well as the World Corrupt podcast series to get up to speed on the backstory of the Qatar World Cup.
As terrible as all that is, the games will go on. So for you new and not-so-new fans out there, here is part 1 of a haiku-based preview of the 32 teams competing at Qatar 2022, featuring the teams in Groups A and B. Next week will be Groups C and D, the week after will be Groups E and F, and finally the week after that, Groups G and H, right before the tournament begins on November 20th.
Group A:
Qatar 🇶🇦
Hosts get to compete.
Flimsy football history.
Will not win a game.
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Will play in first game
against Qatar; Could get to
knockout round this year.
Senegal 🇸🇳
Sadio Mané.
Champions of Africa!
The player to watch.
Netherlands 🇳🇱
Is this the year for
The Oranje? A win against
Senegal is key.
Group B:
England 🏴
Is it coming home?
Advance from group stage and then
hope for no PKs.
Iran 🇮🇷
Pro-women protests;
Queiroz back to coach again.
Good team in tough group.
USA 🇺🇸
Go! Go! USA!
Baby Eagles to take flight.
Might go home early.
Wales 🏴
Sixty-four years gone.
Welsh Dragons are back this year.
Is Gareth Bale fit?
Listen to this as a podcast:
Next week: World Cup Haiku, Part 2.
Many thanks to Alice Señeres.
Sources:
Ecuador World Cup 2022 squad: Who's in and who's out? | Goal.com US
Netherlands looks to snap World Cup dud at Qatar 2022
One month out: USMNT comforts & concerns as World Cup rapidly approaches | MLSSoccer.com
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