This year’s world cup was undeniably one if the best world cups I’ve ever witnessed, better yet watched. Actually this was the only world cup I’ve ever watched. From the beginning to the end. Oh boy was it a movie. I enjoyed every single moment even when my team, Brazil, was kicked out of the quarter finals by Croatia.
Lession number uno, always make light of everything. How Kenyans equated the Croatia vs Brazil match to Embassava vs City Hoppa is unmatched. I mean, how? Yes their jersey colors were similar but really? And yeah embassava won so good for them.
Another lesson learnt is that do not judge your future by your first steps. Look at Argentina. Who would have thought that after being beaten by Saudi Arabia (of all the teams) they’ll end up winning the world cup? Even I after that loss I was doubting Argentina. But they came to prove all of us wrong by being this year’s World Cup champs. I’m so happy for Messi.
Always put your best foot forward. Not doing this costed Spain and Brazil their position at the semi finals. They failed to beat Morocco and Croatia at the quarter finals penalty rounds. Once you get to the penalties you give the five penalty slots to your best and experienced players. Spain and Brazil fumbled and they gave Morocco and Croatia an easy ticket to the semis.
Maximize your best resources to achieve the best results. Look at Ghana, they substituted Ayew during their last match with Portugal. Even though they were ahead by one goal, they ended up losing and subsequently getting kicked out of the World Cup. Same to Portugal! How in the world do you bench your best player against the underdogs that was Morocco? Then now you substitute him in the seventieth minute and expect a turnaround? Are you crazy?
Always have a strategy. This one I learnt fully from the Morocco squad. Their strategy was not to concede any goals but also attack and try to score. They were moving in groups of four that you’d think they had twelve players on the pitch. This strategy worked for them as by not conceding or scoring goals they forced the teams into penalties. They were so sure of their goalkeeper’s capabilities and of their own when it came to scoring penalties. Hence ey won most games via penalties. This strategy got them to the semis. Sadly for them France had already realized this. They used it against them kicking them out if the semis with an early goal lead within the first two minutes of the game.
Last but not least, you can still be the best and still not win. Shout out to France because they gave it their all. From the beginning to the end and they still didn’t bag the highly coveted title. I felt Mbappe’s pain. You can be man of the match, score a hatrick, win the golden boot and still not end up winning the cup. The defending champions failed to defend their championship and could only watch on the sidelines as Messi carried the cup he’s been waiting for.
One of the important lessons I’ve also learnt this world up is to keep doing the work and one day it’ll all make sense. Look at Messi, with his most decorated career and achievements he still didn’t have the world cup. Only almost at the end of his career did he finally bag it. So just keep putting in the work. Your breakthrough is coming.
What an end to an interesting season and it’s sad that we have to wait another four years for such a spectacle. Can we change that to two years? Anyways, looking forward to boxing day for the return of the English Premier League and get my usual heartbreaks from my team the great Manchester United aka Kiburi FC.
Happy holidays to you and yours and don’t forget to listen to the Tembo Diaries podcast on Spotify.
