When Qatar was dubbed the "Biggest Loser" after losing three consecutive matches in the group stage, the worst record for a World Cup host, who would have guessed that the Middle Eastern nation would become the hidden winner as the final unfolded. Argentina's King Moses and France's Kylian McBarbie, two of the world's top players, both play for Qatar Sports Investment Fund's Ligue 1 giants, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), making the final effectively "Qatar's final! Qatar's final".
Qatar began laying the groundwork for hosting the World Cup more than a decade ago, not only managing to win the hosting rights amidst controversy, but also acquiring PSG in 2011 and spending huge sums of money to bring in stars every year. From signing Nima from Barcelona for a world record price of 222 million euros in 2017, to bringing in Kilian Al-Mababi on a rent-and-buy basis, to signing the free agent Meis last summer, Qatar has formed a fantastic "MNM" front line that has shaken the entire soccer world.
PSG, since being acquired by the Qatar Sports Investment Fund, have not only enjoyed a long period of dominance in their home tournament in France, but have also enjoyed a stellar run of results in the Europa League, including losing only to Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.
Although the Qatari national team was not strong enough to win the World Cup, the government-supported "PSG Force" made a big splash in this year's tournament, creating a "cross-generation match" between Mays and Kilian Al-Mababi. With both teams tied at the top of the scoring charts with 5 goals, this final was not only a battle between the two teams for the title, but also a battle between Mace and McBarbee for the top spot in the scoring charts, which made for a great storyline.
Meanwhile, Morocco's magical run to the quarterfinals has attracted global attention, and the team's star, Ashraf, plays for PSG. From a macro point of view, Qatar has actually become the real winner behind this soccer feast, as the team's star Ashraf also plays for PSG.
