SOCCER

If we hadn’t had the opportunity to witness their technically astute, precise brand of soccer, powered by an unrelenting belief they belonged on the field with established world powers, we might never have known Japan had visited the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Pele’s place as one of the greatest footballers of all-time remains unrivalled but his status in his native Brazil is beyond iconic. Despite producing generations of world class players, Pele remains synonymous with Brazil’s greatest achievements, after he won three World Cup titles with the Samba Boys between 1958 and 1970.

Qatar 2022 has created a string of competition firsts, as the FIFA World Cup switched from a summer tournament to a winter schedule in a major shift from tradition. The tournament also marks the first World Cup held in the Middle East, and despite major criticism over FIFA’s decision to select Qatar as hosts, it has broken new ground in the Arab state.

Are you ready for some fútbol? World Cup 2022 is underway in Qatar, but you don’t have to be an expert on soccer — or football, as most of the world calls it — to enjoy the planet’s most-watched sports competition.

Amid a brutal 2022 World Cup group that features two European giants, Japan knew they would need to spring an upset or two to qualify for the knockout stage. They did just that in their opening match, coming from behind Wednesday to defeat Germany, 2-1, in shocking fashion.