We are about to witness temporarily sad faces as the 2022 World Cup would miss some of football's most brightest stars.
Terrible officiating, complacency, inexperience, ill luck and Fifa's reoccurring incompetence have all played a part in making it possible that we will not be witnessing either of Portugal's iconic superstar Cristiano Ronaldo or European reigning champions and Italy's legendary defenders Bonucci and Chellini at Qatar in 2022 as all of them had hoped to participate in their last World Cup before calling it quits with their national teams.
The World Cup European Playoff draw pitied Italy vs Macedonia and Portugal vs Turkey for the Path C pot, with the winners of each pot playing against each other to decide an eventual qualifier. Which means if Italy wins Macedonia and Portugal wins Turkey, the final battle would be between the two European giants.
For Cristiano's Portugal, the story would have been different and Portugal already assured of qualification if Cristiano Ronaldo's goal which apparently crossed the line in the first leg against Serbia wasn't overruled by the officials.
For Italy, they were unlucky to have played out series of unwanted draws but yet they put up much of a good fight which was outdone by a more proficient team in Switzerland that ran out eventual Group C winners.
In my opinion, Fifa would have saved us these sad faces if they had a rule that automatically or systematically handed qualifications to European giants, because these are the teams that make World Cup more fun to watch, much respect to other Playoff Teams.
Well, it is what it is but if I am told to choose, I would undoubtedly root for Portugal to qualify; not just because I have always been a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo but that he has done so much for football that he deserves to play one final World Cup as he pleases. He certainly do not deserve this Playoff. Again, much respect to Italy and their legends.
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