Countries with a slick history at the World Cup have always been the top seeds of the World Cup. It was not apart from the quality of star players that they have a lot. But the 2018 World Cup has its own story. Russia seems to be a grave for these countries. After Italy and the Netherlands failed in the qualifying phase, now turn to Argentina, Portugal and Spain who have to return home. They have surprisingly got knocked out in the knockout phase.
If examined more deeply, these three countries have the same problem so it is worth to go home early.
Depends on a player's big name
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are indeed the best players in the world in the last decade. They successfully bring their respective clubs to victory in Europe. A variety of individual and club titles have been achieved.
Unfortunately, the World Cup trophy is the only thing they have not been able to dedicate during their careers. World Cup 2018 becomes their last chance to achieve the dream of offering the best for their respective countries. Ironically, both players must bury the dream after they are defeated by their respective opponents in the knockout round.
Argentina surrendered in the hands of France with a score of 4-3, while Portugal beaten Uruguay with a score of 2-1. The failure of both teams feels they deserve to receive because of the enormous dependence on both players.
6 goals Portugal in the 2018 World Cup, 4 of which were created by Ronaldo so that when the player can be turned off by the opponent, Portugal also barren. No different, so even Argentina is very dependent on Lionel Messi. Even had time to circulate various issues if Messi who determines the composition and strategy of Argentina game.
Big names Ronaldo and Messi even look bigger than their national team in the 2018 World Cup. So, it's normal if Portugal and Messi had to go home first because football is a team sport is not an individual.Internal problems within the team
Since leaving Vicente Del Bosque, Spain has been entrusted with coaching to Julen Lopetegui since 2016. After successfully taking Spain off the 2018 World Cup qualifying phase, surprisingly Lopetegui was dismissed by the Spanish football federation just two days before the 2018 World Cup was officially held.
It is not separated from kontroverinya who officially accept proposal Real Madrid as a coach before. Fernando Hierro was then appointed as coach of the Spanish national team, but he still lack experience in the world of coaching.
Although managed to become group winners, clearly visible if the Spanish game is not seatraktif in World Cup 2010 when successfully become champion. Moreover, he was only inherited the players who brought the previous coach, so it is not surprising if Spain this time a team that is less creative in the game.
In effect, they also have to accept defeat from Russia through penalit shootout, but they are more favored before. No different from Spain, Argentina was plagued by internal problems. The role of Lionel Messi is irreplaceable, as if making it a 'king' who is able to provide decisions for the Argentina national team.
Argentine burden was as if by a Messi, so make other players as forgotten. Though Argentina has great names like Paulo Dybala, Higuain, and Sergio Aguero.Selection of wrong strategies
Argentina, Portugal and Spain are filled by top players who play in big European clubs. But it would be a boomerang if the coach is unable to coordinate the right combination as their play formation.
This is what seems to happen to these three teams in the knockout phase. Sampaoli has a row of main strikers like Aguero and Higuain capable of being a target man, but he prefers to place Messi as a shadow striker without the main striker.
So they are difficult to bang on the French defense. Argentina's three goals that were created were more due to long-range kicks. While the downgrading Aguero is able to score one goal in the final minutes was a decision that was taken.
Portugal and Spnyol had the same fate, Quaresma's reserve that had been a Portuguese helper in the group phase was considered a mistaken decision of Portuguese coach Fernando Santos.
As for Spain, Hierro is considered unable to maximize the potential of its main striker, Diego Costa when faced with Russia. COsta seulah dead lice with Hierro's applied strategy. No doubt, he also failed to score a goal for Spain whose edge must be lost in the round of penalties.
Regardless of the fall of these three great teams, their fatigue can be a material improvement for the next.
I myself very proud and support german, because I really like the football stars there like ozil, kheidira, muller, boateng et al. Germany is the defending champion of the world cup, but what can Germany have to go home sooner after being defeated by korea.
for me world cup 2018 is very strange and funny, why? because of a big team that can not get into the world cup for failing in the qualifiers of the Dutch and Italian so that teams who never play in the world cup can show their skill in this 2018 world cup.
until now only the remaining 4 teams in the 2018 world cup are: french, english, belgium and croatian. they will compete in the semi-finals, but who will qualify for the final and who will lift the 2018 World Cup trophy?
who they are but who will create the history of the world for the next.
my hope for germany to improve the ability of both the performance to the strategy of playing to face their opponents in the next world cup.
and I hope that Indonesia can follow the world cup in the future although not champion, but Indonesia can fill one of the team from 32 countries in the world cup.
since 1945 indonesian independence has never been able to follow the world cup until now in 2018, Indonesia always lose in the world cup qualifiers so failed to become one of the team from the 32 countries to follow the world cup.
the photos above I deliberately edit like that, because I think they deserve to go home like that because of their negligence in following the prestigious event world cup 2018.