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The 2022 Qatar World Cup presented many opportunities for nations to take the spotlight, bettors to make some extra cash, and players to rise up above their colleagues and competitors. What’s more interesting is how some countries like Marroco managed to surprise the whole world with their zest for football and winning. However, there were other Arab teams like Saudi Arabia and Tunisia who also made great achievements, playing in the league with giants like Argentina and Portugal.
Read on to see which Arab stars shone during the matches of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and what that could mean for the future of this sport in Arab countries.
Rising Stars During the 2022 Qatar World Cup
The 2022 World Cup shed light on the capacity of plenty of teams. Arab players were not left behind, and they managed to show the fire burning within this sport.
Sofyan Amrabat
None of the Arabs can dispute Sofiane Amrabat’s major role in guiding Morocco to historic success, despite their disagreements on a number of other issues. During Morocco vs. France match, Amrabat came toe to toe with one of the best players in the world, Kylian Mbappe, in an attempt to snatch the ball from him. However, despite the hard work put into it, that match ended 2:0 for France. Nonetheless, Amrabat’s presence on the field will be remembered for the next generations. He had supported the defense and assisted goals for his teammates, cementing his crucial role in Morocco’s win over colossal football forces like Spain and Portugal.
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Interestingly enough, Amrabat played the legendary match against Spain while having extreme back pain – one that required an injection. As an answer to this, he’d said, “I cannot abandon the players and my country.”
Azzedine Ounahi
Ounahi, a current member of the French team Angers SCO, gained recognition abroad while representing Morocco in the 2022 World Cup. His sharp sense of the game and imposing presence in the middle of the field were vital to the Moroccan Atlas Lions’ historic World Cup run. After the Morocco-Spain match, former Spanish head coach Luis claimed to have been astounded by Ounahi’s ability to understand the game and handle the ball.
Muhammad Kanno
Mohamed Kanno, an Al Hilal midfielder, has started the majority of his team’s Pro League games over the last three seasons. Mohamed, who has established himself as one of the country’s best, played 900 minutes in the final round of World Cup qualifiers for Saudi Arabia. He was already selected for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, making this his second appearance in the tournament. He is slated to appear in a number of similar upcoming events, as well as other significant football matches.
Salem Al-Dosari
The prediction that Salem Al-Dosari, one of the Saudi national team’s most well-known stars, will emerge as Saudi’s most brilliant player at the World Cup in Qatar came true. Al-Dosari proved his skills, speed, and elusiveness reached the pinnacle of his football maturity.
Sergio Aguero, a former Barcelona player who recently announced his retirement, was eager to warn Argentina about Al-Dosari. He expressed his respect for the star of Al-Hilal prior to the World Cup and emphasized that he had enormous potential and would be a threat to Argentina, which turned out to be true but, ultimately, not enough.
Qatari World Cup Viewership in the Arab World
People living in the Arab region are some of the most passionate football fans in the world. During the games, plenty had the option to bet in online casinos through sites such as https://www.7alalcasino.com/. According to the statistics from the official broadcaster of the 2022 FIFA World Cup – beIN Media, 111.7 million adults across MENA (countries in the Middle East and North Africa) watched the WC opening ceremony. More than 80.7 million adults in Iran watched this nation’s opening World Cup match against England.
On the other hand, 99.3 million people watched Saudi Arabia’s shocking victory over Argentina. Such numbers show a drastic increase in the popularity of the World Cup in the Arab region.
The statistics continue to show that Tunisia attracted 63.4 million viewers – 75% of the adult population. Morocco wasn’t that far in the number of viewers, as 57.2 million Moroccans were watching the match against Croatia.
Final Thoughts
An event such as the World Cup can be a huge springboard for the new football hope of any nation. The wins and achievements of Arab players during the 2022 World Cup have re-ignited young people’s passion for this sport and the opportunity to one day take part in this event and proudly wear the colors of their nations.
