The recent 2022 FIFA World Cup has made headlines as Argentina emerged victorious against France. This tournament, which is the most prestigious in the world, takes place every four years and has a rich history that goes back to its inception in 1930 in Uruguay. Despite the high competition, Argentina managed to secure the coveted trophy this year.
About the FIFA World Cup
The Fédération internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup is an international football tournament. First held in Uruguay in 1930, the inaugural championship was won by the host nation. Originally, the winners received the Jules Rimet Trophy, named after the Frenchman who proposed the tournament. However, a new trophy, now known simply as the FIFA World Cup, was introduced for competition in 1970.
Highlights from the 2022 FIFA World Cup
This year’s World Cup saw incredible performances, with FIFA announcing numerous awards to celebrate the achievements of players. For instance, the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals was awarded to Kylian Mbappe of France. The Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper went to Emiliano Martinez of Argentina, while his teammate Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball for being the most outstanding performer of the tournament. Enzo Fernandez, another player from Argentina, was recognized as the Best Young Player. Meanwhile, England received the FIFA Fair Play Award.
The Official World Cup Ball
An interesting part of the World Cup is its official ball. For this tournament, the ball was named Al Rihla, meaning ‘the journey’, honouring the travelogue written by 14th-century explorer Ibn Battuta. This ball was unique in that it was the first World Cup ball manufactured exclusively with water-based inks and glues. Al Rihla was used until the quarterfinals, replaced by Al Hilm for the semi-finals and final. Interestingly, in the first World Cup in 1930, there was no official ball – both Uruguay and Argentina brought their own balls. Moreover, Pakistan, particularly the city of Sialkot, plays a crucial role in football production, making more than two-thirds of the world’s footballs.
Official Mascot
This year’s mascot, La’eeb, represents another crucial part of the tournament. This name translates to ‘super-skilled player’ in Arabic, which aptly characterizes the nature of the competition.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Questions
In addition to being a highly anticipated sporting event, the FIFA World Cup also appears in educational contexts such as the UPSC Civil Services Exam, where students are expected to answer questions related to the championship and other sporting events. Previous questions asked about the Laureus World Sports Award, the 32nd Summer Olympics, and the ICC World Test Championship, testing students’ knowledge of these significant sporting events. However, with the conclusion of this year’s tournament, future test-takers will have to familiarize themselves with the highlights and facts from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
