Argentina won the World Cup final against France after a Goal of the Tournament worthy hit by Angel Di Maria. But HITC Football has not named his goal as our best of Qatar 2022.
Instead, we have named a goal from a player who left the World Cup in the group stage as our best of the tournament. The first round also returned the second and third-best goals. They also helped to set up a record-breaking edition of the quadrennial FIFA competition.
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Qatar 2022 was already a tournament of firsts before a ball was kicked. It is the first World Cup held in the Middle East and the first of the 22nd editions that FIFA has scheduled over the winter months. And it would end with another record after producing the most goals.
Qatar 2022 set a new World Cup record for the most goals at one tournament
Over the previous 21 editions of the World Cup, the 1998 and 2014 tournaments in France and Brazil held the record for the most goals with 171. But Qatar 2022 featured 172 across the 64 ties that made up this year’s edition. Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot on eight.
Qatar 2022 will also own the record forever more for having the most goals at a World Cup with 32 teams. FIFA will increase the number of sides to 48 at the next edition in 2026. The next tournament will also be the first held in three countries: the USA, Mexico and Canada.
So, what was the Goal of the Tournament for the 2022 Qatar World Cup? HITC Football has taken a look through this year’s edition which Argentina won on penalties against France…
11) Aboubakar struck an early contender for the Goal of the Tournament
Vincent Aboubakar produced one of the goals of the tournament in Cameroon’s second tie at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The Indomitable Lions met Serbia in their second match and took a 3-3 draw to keep their hopes alive. Aboubakar’s strike also kept them in the match.
Serbia responded to falling behind to stun Cameroon by scoring two in first-half stoppage-time. Orlovi would strike again early in the second period, as well, but Aboubakar hit back on 63 minutes. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (66’) then swiftly secured their equalising goal.
Aboubakar could not celebrate his goal straight away, though, as the linesman rose his flag to rule out an audacious hit. Yet the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) overturned the on-field decision as the striker had actually timed his run to perfection to beat Serbia’s offside trap.
From there, the 30-year-old casually evaded Milos Veljkovic’s attempted last-ditch tackle. He would also lift the ball over Vanja Milinkovic-Savic with effortless ease. Yet he may not have tried to score in such a delightful manner if Aboubakar did not expect an offside call.
10) Tchouameni sent England out of the World Cup with a Goal of the Tournament
Aurelien Tchouameni helped France fire England out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals with a goal of the tournament contender. The €100m (£87.5m) Real Madrid ace flashed his shot beyond goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after 17 minutes to hand Les Bleus an early lead.
Pickford could only see Tchouameni’s attempt late as he disguised the shot by unleashing a rocket through Jude Bellingham’s legs. His excellent shot crashed into the bottom corner of the Everton ace’s net. While France went on to win the tie 2-1 during their route to the final.
9) Chavez crashed his free-kick into the Saudi Arabia net at the 2022 World Cup
Luis Chavez crashed a free-kick into the Saudi Arabia goal as Mexico took a 2-1 win in their final Group C game. His thunderous piledriver of a shot gave El Tri a 2-0 lead before Salem Al-Dawsari hit in the 95th minute to end Mexico’s dwindling hopes for a Round of 16 spot.
Chavez rifled the ball in from 32 yards out to leave Mohammed Al Owais helpless between the Saudi Arabia sticks. The 26-year-old placed a powerful free-kick with utmost precision to pick out the top corner. He produced a perfect blend of power and precision to convert.
8) De Arrascaeta delivered for Uruguay but their World Cup dreams faded
Giorgian de Arrascaeta delivered for Uruguay as they met Ghana at the 2022 World Cup by capping off one of the goals of the tournament. But La Celeste’s dreams of finally adding a title to their 1930 and 1950 titles still faded in Group H despite beating the Black Stars 2-0.
The result was not enough to keep Uruguay in this World Cup on goals scored over South Korea. Both teams finished on four points but De Arrascaeta struck both of his sides’ goals in a 2-0 win over Ghana. They had drawn 0-0 against South Korea and lost 2-0 to Portugal.
De Arrascaeta broke the deadlock against Ghana with a scrappy goal as he bundled in Luis Suarez’s hit. But Uruguay showed class as Facundo Pellistri lifted the ball to Darwin Nunez, who found Suarez before looping play on for De Arrascaeta to drill under Lawrence Ati Zigi.
7) Di Maria scored one of the goals of the World Cup in the final vs France
Di Maria scored one of the goals of the 2022 World Cup in the final to give Argentina a 2-0 lead against France. The forward had already blotted his copybook with his earlier sight of Hugo Lloris’ net after blazing over. But the Juventus star made no mistakes on 36 minutes.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister started a rapid Albiceleste counter-attack and flicked the ball to Lionel Messi. The 35-year-old would then produce an audacious touch to turn play on to Julian Alvarez, who played his first-timed pass into the path of Mac Allister.
Jules Kounde would only watch the ball then roll past him in the box as Mac Allister picked out Di Maria at the rear post. And Lloris stood no chance of saving the forward’s shot as he kicked it into the ground so that it looped home over the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper.
Mbappe would later inspire a French revolution to come from two goals behind and force the final into extra time. His second penalty of the tie on 118 minutes would also force the World Cup final into a shootout, which Emiliano Martinez would then win for Argentina.
6) The Netherlands’ creativity caught Argentina out through Weghorst
The Netherlands showed their creativity to catch Argentina out and force extra time in the quarter-finals. La Albiceleste had led 2-0 through goals by Nahuel Molina and Messi before Louis van Gaal introduced Wout Weghorst. The Oranje boss also moved to play route one.
Dutch stars launched balls into the Argentina box before Weghorst fired home in the 83rd minute. But a moment of creativity with the last telling kick of the tie on 101 minutes saw Weghorst net again. Yet Argentina would win 4-3 on penalties after more Martinez magic.
Weghorst bagged a brace from the bench in the 11th minute of stoppage time when Teun Koopmeiners found the forward with a smart reversed free-kick on the edge of Argentina’s box. From there, he would hold off a challenge and roll the ball home into the far corner.
5) Mbappe let rip with a goal of the tournament against Poland in the Round of 16
Mbappe let rip to help France beat Poland in the Round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup with a goal of the tournament contender. The Golden Boot winner built on Olivier Giroud’s 44th-minute goal with a second-half brace. Mbappe hit home on 74’ and 91 minutes to win 3-1.
It was his second of the game that burst the net in style before Robert Lewandowski pulled one back from the penalty spot. Mbappe easily rolled a defender to move the ball onto his right foot inside the box and arrowed a shot home, stinging Wojciech Szczesny’s fingertips.
4) Ramos took the paint off the ball to stun Sommer at the Swiss star’s near post
Goncalo Ramos took the paint off the ball as the Portugal striker stunned Switzerland star Yann Sommer at his near post. Fernando Santos had only introduced the 21-year-old to his starting XI for the first time for the Round of 16 tie. Yet the striker ended it with a hat-trick.
He also laid on one assist as the Selecao beat Nati 6-1 in a resounding performance. A goal was on the cards nearly every time Portugal worked the ball near the Switzerland area. Yet it was not a clear-cut chance by any means as Ramos broke the deadlock after 17 minutes.
The Benfica frontman received the ball from Joao Felix and worked himself a yard of space before unleashing a rocket. Ramos fired the ball past Sommer at his front post before the Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper could react. His window to score in was minuscule.
Now, Ramos is highly sought-after in the Premier League as ESPN notes Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to sign him. The Red Devils are now enquiring into a swoop for January. But Dean Jones also reports Arsenal, Leeds, Newcastle and Southampton want him as well.
While Benfica president Rui Costa has stated, via 90min, that the Portuguese club will only sell Ramos in January for his release clause. So, clubs wishing to obtain the scorer of one of the goals of the tournament at the 2022 World Cup might need to pay €120m (£105m) now.
3) Fernandez will set Liverpool back a huge fee after winning the World Cup
Enzo Fernandez could also be Premier League-bound after scoring one of the goals of the tournament and winning the 2022 World Cup. The Argentina midfielder hit the net in style to secure a 2-0 win over Mexico in Group C. The win kept La Albiceleste’s campaign alive.
Saudi Arabia had already stunned Argentina by winning their opening match 2-1. And with Poland edging Saudi Arabia after drawing 0-0 with Mexico, anything but beating El Tri may have been curtains for La Albiceleste. But Messi and Fernandez delivered two vital strikes.
Fernandez built on Messi riffling the ball home in the 87th minute during the 21-year-old’s second substitute outing. It would also be his last from the bench before starting their next five games after taking the ball from Messi and picking out the far, top corner and scoring.
The Benfica midfielder showed great composure and skill to bamboozle Erick Gutierrez as he worked space to shoot. Fernandez dropped a shoulder to shake off the defender before perfectly placing a shot. He would also go on to win the Best Young Player award in Qatar.
Now, Record notes Benfica will tell his suitors to trigger a €120m (£105m) release clause to buy Fernandez in January. The San Martin native only joined them from River Plate in July. But O Jogo reports Liverpool will match any bid, while Sport cites interest from Barcelona.
2) Richarlison hit one of the goals of the tournament from his own error
Richarlison hit one of the goals of the tournament from his own error as Brazil beat Serbia 2-0 in their first game at the 2022 World Cup. The Tottenham forward also scored both of their efforts in the match after firstly tapping home at the rear post to break the deadlock.
Spurs’ £60m summer signing from Everton then doubled the Selecao’s lead on 73 minutes in style. But Richarlison’s second strike came about after mis-controlling Vinicius Jr’s cross and unintentionally flicking the ball into the air. Yet he tracked its flight to make amends.
Richarlison watched the ball flick over his shoulder to perfectly time an acrobatic volley to beat Milinkovic-Savic. The ball crashed past the Serbia stopper before he could react, even with Veljkovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in very close proximity trying to apply pressure.
1) Al-Dawsari almost ruined Argentina’s World Cup with a goal of the tournament
Argentina won their third World Cup title to date at Qatar 2022 after triumphs as the hosts in 1978 and at Mexico 1986. Yet their tournament did not start in a manner to indicate the trophy would follow. Instead, they fell to a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia despite leading.
Messi gave Argentina a lead with a penalty 10 minutes into the Lusail Iconic Stadium affair. Yet for all of his work with Lautaro Martinez, Lionel Scaloni’s squad failed to improve their lead. They did have the ball in the net three more times but each was ruled out for offside.
Saleh Al-Shehri would punish their inability to score a second legitimate goal as he dragged Saudi Arabia level. It took him three second-half minutes to equalise and it gave the Green Falcons the confidence to keep going. Yet it only took five minutes for them to score again.
Al-Dawsari gave Saudi Arabia a shock lead on 53 minutes with the goal of the tournament at this World Cup. The Al-Hilal winger did not initially control the ball as he sought to with Molina applying pressure. Yet Di Maria could not poach possession from the 31-year-old.
Neither Molina nor Di Maria could stop Al-Dawsari spinning back to be goal-side of the pair in the corner of the box. Nor could Rodrigo de Paul as the veteran forward’s quick feet got him into a shooting position. One that he would not waste as Leandro Paredes rushed out.
Paredes could only slide in vain as Al-Dawsari let rip and found the far corner of Martinez’s net. His effort had just enough curl to creep inside the post yet stay far enough away from the Aston Villa star’s reach. Martinez could only get his fingertips to the shot at full stretch.
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