The World Cup delivers iconic moments time and time again on the biggest stage, but for every winner, there are millions of losers.
Players have been humanised with their shows of emotion when representing their countries, while others have shamed their nations by writing dark passages in the history of FIFA’s flagship event.
Here are some of the saddest moments in the World Cup’s long and storied history.
*Note – these entries are not ranked.
James Rodriguez had torn up the 2014 World Cup with Colombia, playing at an incredibly high level that he couldn’t quite replicate throughout the rest of his career.
The former Real Madrid attacker had scored a truly wonderful Puskas Award strike against Uruguay and then netted a penalty in his side’s eventual exit to Brazil. The emotion overcame Rodriguez, who was comforted by Brazilians David Luiz and Dani Alves having been the leading goalscorer at that World Cup with six efforts.
A nation that worships the World Cup whenever it comes around, hopes were high in Brazil for their semi final with Germany on home soil in 2014.
But with no Thiago Silva or Neymar, the Selecao looked a shadow of the side that had dominated earlier in the tournament and were carved open time and time again as the likes of Thomas Muller, Miroslav Klose and Toni Kroos ran riot in a 7-1 thrashing.
Germany would go on to win the tournament, but that did little to soften the blow for Brazil and their fans after the humiliating defeat.
FIFA’s decision to award the World Cup to Qatar in 2010 brought with it a litany of human rights issues. Among these problems has been the treatment of migrant workers.
By early 2021, more than ten years after the tournament was given to the Middle East nation, over 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died in Qatar. The nation has been developing new football stadiums and its own infrastructure in order to host the World Cup.
Lionel Messi and World Cups have never quite got on. He was named the best player in 2014, but it wasn’t vintage Messi even if Argentina reached the final.
The legendary attacker had chances during the final to put his side ahead but they were left heartbroken when Mario Gotze…
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