3 similarities between the 2022 WWE World Cup and FIFA World Cup
The 2022 WWE World Cup ran concurrently with the ongoing FIFA World Cup, featuring eight nations instead of the latter's 32. Unlike the football tournament, the United States of America emerged victorious, with Ricochet defeating Mexico's Santos Escobar in a thrilling finale. The One and Only won an opportunity to challenge Intercontinental Champion Gunther two weeks later, ultimately falling short.
The FIFA World Cup comes to a close tonight, with France and Argentina battling for the most prestigious prize in the sport. As fans await the epic conclusion of the most-watched sports event on the globe, let's reflect on how the 2022 WWE World Cup compared with its older, more prestigious namesake.
Here are three stunning similarities between the two tournaments:
#3: The feel-good stories
EXCLUSIVE: Even though he did not come out the victor, @AliWWE says the best man won and that he is proud to have honored his late father and grandfather by representing Pakistan in the #SmackDownWorldCup tonight on #SmackDown. https://t.co/piDPHlrzX9
The FIFA World Cup has been full of the kind of feel-good stories that remind everyone why football is called "The Beautiful Game." There were many heartwarming moments, from Christian Eriksen representing Denmark again after suffering a heart attack at Euro 2021 to Alphonso Davies scoring Canada's first-ever World Cup goal. Fans worldwide have found reasons to celebrate one way or another.
The WWE World Cup also had its fair share of these moments, chief among them being Mustafa Ali's heroic effort to represent his homeland of Pakistan. Although he lost to eventual winner Ricochet, Ali was visibly emotional, and fans could see that representing his country of origin meant a lot to him. This kind of pride can only come from the magic of the World Cup.
#2: The WWE World Cup brought similar upsets to the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup favorites like Belgium and Spain suffered unceremonious exits from the tournament at the hands of unfancied nations like Morocco and Japan. These heavyweights, much superior to their counterparts in star power and experience, seemed to have easy routes on paper. They soon discovered that anything could happen when an underdog has more fight in them than a heavyweight.
This was a lesson echoed in the WWE World Cup, especially when Ricochet shockingly defeated Braun Strowman in the semi-finals. The Monster of All Monsters was heavily fancied not only because he was almost twice his opponent's size but also due to his momentum since returning to WWE and the fact that he is a former world champion. However, The One And Only pulled off an upset for the ages, earning the respect of fans and Strowman alike.
The magic of the FIFA World Cup is well known, and with giant killings like these, the magic of the WWE World Cup might soon become a thing.
#1: Traditional heavyweight countries made it to the final in both tournaments
WORLD CUP 2022 FINAL MATCHDAY! 🇦🇷🇫🇷
Are you team Argentina or team France? 🧐
#ArgentinaVsFrance #Argentina #France #FIFAWorldCup #Qatar2022 https://t.co/066MDoU1JX
When it comes to professional wrestling heritage, few countries sit at the same table as Mexico and the United States. The two nations have produced countless moments, legends, styles, and boom periods for the industry, helping it grow into a worldwide phenomenon. It was thus somewhat fitting that a Mexican and American Superstar contested the final of the WWE World Cup, a tournament also featuring stars from Japan and Canada, among other countries.
Similarly, the FIFA World Cup final will be contested by traditional heavyweights France and Argentina, who have four trophies between them. France is the defending champions, having won the tournament in 2018, while Argentina will seek to claim the trophy for the first time in 36 years.
The WWE World Cup paid homage to the legacies of both Mexico and the US in the professional wrestling industry with a thrilling matchup. Will FIFA World Cup finalists France and Argentina, spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, respectively, put on a similar show? Only time will tell.