The standard of the penalties at this World Cup has been nothing short of diabolical.
At the time of writing – that is, before the quarters – a staggering 42 per cent of spot kicks have been either saved or missed, double the normal tournament average. And that stat comes despite the fact that, up to that point, we had not yet been treated to England’s blast-your-kick-over-the-crossbar approach to this fine art.
Penalties in open play have been in relatively short supply, but we have still seen misses by the likes of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Alphonso Davies, players who should know a thing or two about scoring from 12 yards. But the real awfulness has come in shoot-outs.
The Japanese players, bless their inexperienced little cotton socks, took their penalties in a manner that suggested they weren’t entirely sure how the whole process worked and were worried that scoring may offend someone. And that’s a shame because I thought they were actually more deserving of a place in the quarters than Croatia.
Meanwhile, the less said about Spain’s penalties the better, certainly if you are a Spanish fan. But I’m not, so I don’t mind telling you I thought their spot kick demise was no less than they deserved for making me watch them play.
I have long said Spain’s possession approach to football is painfully boring. Passing the ball until your opponents – and the millions watching on television – fall asleep is anything but entertaining. A thousand passes in 120 minutes? It’s enough to make you want to gouge out your eyes.
Sadly, it seemed they couldn’t shake off that approach when it came to penalties either – with their players delicately passing the ball straight to the Moroccan keeper. And all that despite manager Luis Enrique making his players take 1,000 practice penalties in preparation for the tournament.
There is one consolation for those Spaniards who failed to score – most of their homeland probably missed the penalty fiasco, having fallen into a collective, nationwide coma while the thousand passes were taking place.
Spain’s abject performance ultimately cost Enrique his job. When he wakes up, someone should probably let him know…
A new hero has landed
Sometimes in football, a proper hero is born. And by proper, I mean one that genuinely deserves a status that is frequently handed out too easily. Step forward Achraf Hakimi, the Moroccan defender whose decisive penalty saw his team overcome Spain in the round of 16 at the World Cup.
Why is his title as hero deserved? Because his is a truly inspirational rags-to-riches story. This is a player who came from nowhere to rise to the top of the sport; a man whose humble background is living proof that you can achieve anything if you have the right support, drive and determination.
As Hakimi himself has said, he had the humblest of upbringings in Madrid, with his mother a cleaner, his father a street vendor, and the family constantly living on the breadline. Yet, despite their hardships, his parents did everything they could to make their son’s football dream come true.
And the dream has certainly come true with Hakimi now regarded as one of the best right-backs in world football, a regular with star-studded Paris Saint-Germain and a national hero in Morocco.
He once said of his parents: “They sacrificed everything for me. Today I fight every day for them.” And it’s a fight he is winning.
Interestingly, Hakimi could have been playing for Spain, the country of his birth, in that crucial match. Instead, he chose to represent Morocco, a considerably less glamourous option, as a tribute to his parents, who emigrated from the African country in search of a better life.
And how did Hakimi celebrate his historic goal? Not by milking the moment or trying to bask in the glory. No, he ran over to the side of the pitch and into the stands to hug his mother.
Whatever else happens in this World Cup, I don’t think there will be a nicer, more heart-warming story than the tale of Achraf Hakimi.
I hope he inspires many other young lads to follow their dreams. And parents to give them their support to do so.
I hope [Hakimi] inspires many other young lads to follow their dreams. And parents to give them their support to do so
Raheem right to rush home
When Raheem Sterling’s house was raided while he was on World Cup duty with England, he did what every father would do in his situation and flew home to be with his family. This meant he missed England’s game against Senegal.
Anyone saying he was wrong to do that – and I have heard a few people express that opinion – is totally out of order. Even if Sterling was certain his children were safe, going back to be with them was entirely the right decision.
I don’t particularly like Sterling as an international player, and I think England are a better team without him on the pitch, but I won’t knock him for putting family first.
It does make you wonder though… has anyone checked the whereabouts of the Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish’s families on the night the robbery took place?
Just wondering…
Predictions
And let’s finish off with a little semi-final prediction, shall we? Here’s my final four: France, Brazil, the Netherlands and Portugal.
Just for the record, this column goes to bed on Friday before a quarter-final ball will have been kicked, so if I’m right, you can rest assured I didn’t cheat and that it was all down to hard work and careful studying of the contenders.
And if I’m wrong, well, that would just be par for the course, really.
E-mail: James@Quizando.com
Twitter: @Maltablade