Neil Humphreys: Russia 2018 raises the bar for Qatar
Next hosts must learn from greatest World Cup ever
After four weeks of sleepless nights, the Qataris now face four years of sleepless nights. It's over to you in 2022, folks.
Good luck with that.
How do they follow Russia 2018? The Qataris now find themselves in the invidious position of following Prince at the Super Bowl. There's only one way to go after a perfect show, which is pretty much what this World Cup was.
Russia 2018 roared like a G.O.A.T. Against all expectations, they hosted the greatest World Cup of all time, which is my time, which is the same thing.
Even the final was in keeping with the previous month of video assistant referee (VAR)-induced hysteria, colossal and calamitous goals and the kind of blunders between the sticks that leave goalkeepers burning effigies of Loris Karius to ward off evil spirits.
Russia 2018 was both sublime and silly, containing all the necessary ingredients of a tournament that requires a neat mix of human endeavour and human error.
And, my word, did this World Cup hit upon the right alchemy at its stadium laboratories.
Elitists will always hark back to Pele's hook and volley in 1958 or the Cruyff turn in '74, but most of them were not there.
Those classic moments are recycled YouTube clips; second-hand experiences passed down like an old jersey.
We can look back, but we can't touch.
Russia 2018, on the other hand, was a first-hand, visceral experience. Every kick, header, save, own goal, dodgy penalty, Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick, Luka Modric pass, Paul Pogba celebration, Belgian counter-attack, Neymar dive and Kylian Mbappe dance all belonged to us.
The least-anticipated World Cup in history ended up making plenty of its own for all the right reasons.
Russia witnessed teenage kicks, but not violent ones. Kids were expected to run riot on the streets, but it didn't happen. There was no hooliganism.
Instead, Mbappe won a different kind of war, the one for hearts and minds in a polarised France and a divided Europe.
On the very weekend that Donald Trump lamented immigration's alleged, negative impact on local culture, a vibrant side filled with African footballers, many of whom are Muslim, won the trophy under the united colours of the Tricolour.
Of course, a World Cup's overriding role isn't to produce a United Nations commercial for peace and goodwill to all men, women and Neymar. If the football doesn't bloom, it's nothing but an empty vase in a pretentious poem.
FABULOUS
Thankfully, the football was rather fabulous. Portugal and Spain served up six goals in a game that had everything except a genuine star-making turn.
So France and Argentina went one better. Their game had seven goals and incubated a superstar. Mbappe scored twice and caused gnarly Argentine defenders to practically soil their shorts whenever he took possession.
Ronaldo bowed out with a hat-trick. Lionel Messi left us with one great goal against Nigeria and the Spaniards left with their tails between their legs, which was where they mostly kept the ball as they passed themselves to death.
In their absence, the baton was passed to Mbappe, who took off like Jesse Owens, a captivating, unifying athlete to celebrate in troubled times.
Imagine how good this kid might be when Qatar 2022 rolls around.
The same could be said for the tournament itself. As the World Cup celebrates its most successful edition, Fifa's organisers must acknowledge that the next one will be held in the wrong country at the wrong time.
Qatar has so much to learn from Russia, but there's a suspicion that no one's really listening.
Modric epitomises the Qatari lunacy. After three matches going to extra-time, the 32-year-old craftsman was a spent force in the final. The Croat had managed only a fortnight's rest after his Champions League heroics.
In four years' time, Kevin de Bruyne, Harry Kane and Mbappe will be expected to turn their fitness around in a matter of days, swopping league football for a November-December World Cup.
Russia filled stadiums for much of the tournament. Qatar may struggle to do likewise in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2022.
The Russians utilised a broad, countrywide love for their national game. Qatar cannot.
Russia benefited from their plucky representatives reaching the quarter-final. Qatar will not.
Mbappe, Pogba, Modric, Eden Hazard and Ivan Perisic all flourished in Russia's temperate, cool conditions. The weather will be less kind in Qatar.
So cherish the memories of Russia and hope for the best in Qatar. The odds of history repeating itself are about the same as Neymar staying on his feet.
Slim.
But we'll always have Mbappe.
As long as he's around, the World Cup will be worth watching.
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