The Fix Is In – Is The FIFA World Cup Rigged?
Posted 4 years ago | Featured, Soccer | 0 comments
Who Doesn’t Love a Good Conspiracy Theory?
Here at Capper Reviews we’ve never dabbled in conspiracy theories, but perhaps it’s a sign of the times. We live in an era where Tom Brady endorses a modern-day Bernie Madoff, Elon Musk buys Twitter and releases the Twitter Files, and Kanye West makes Alex Jones look like the voice of reason.
It’s no wonder so many Americans are questioning everything (the media, the government, financial institutions, and major corporations). Why would it be any different in the world of sports? We can’t tell you we have any evidence of any wrongdoing at the World Cup, or even that we lend any credibility to such stories. For the sake of public interest and having a little fun, we can simply point out some interesting facts and let people decide what (if anything) it all means.
A History of Corruption in Soccer
– In 2015 the FBI arrested seven FIFA officials as part of an investigation into bribery, fraud, racketeering, and money laundering. The investigation resulted in the resignation of FIFA President Sepp Blatter. On June 10th, 2015, FIFA announced that they would be delaying the 2026 FIFA World Cup bidding process, amidst allegations surrounding bribery in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding processes.
– In 2006 the 36-time Series A champions Juventus were relegated to Series B after a match-fixing scandal that rocked Italian football. They were not alone, Lazio and Fiorentina were sent down to Serie B, and AC Milan was banned from European competitions for two years.
Lionel Messi Controversies
– In 2014 FIFA awarded Lionel Messi with the Golden Ball (MVP) at the World Cup. A decision that was later described as “wrong” by then FIFA President Sepp Blatter: “I think the decision was incorrect. I was surprised when I received the committee’s decision,” Blatter said. New York Times reporter Roger Cohen called the decision a “farce”.
– In 2021 Messi was awarded the Ballon Dor (player of the year), a decision so controversial that the voting process was overhauled shortly thereafter. Even a casual fan realized that Robert Lewandowski was player of the year in 2021, with 38 goals in 30 matches. Lewandowski was also favored to win the award in 2020, but it was canceled due to Covid.
– In 2010 Messi was awarded the Ballon Dor (for the second time) when many thought that Wesley Sneijder was more deserving. Spain’s Andres Iniesta was also considered to be a more deserving candidate than Messi in 2010.
The 2022 World Cup
Lionel Messi and Argentina will play Killian Mbappe and Les Bleus in the Final, and this was not lost on Twitter user @kiracantmizz, who tweeted: “Qatar hosting the World Cup, Messi vs Mbappe in the Final, both play at PSG, which is owned by Qatar Sports Investment”
Qatar hosting the world cup, Messi vs. Mbappe in the finals, both players play for PSG, which is owned by Qatar Sports Investment … very interesting 👀
— kira* (@kiracantmizz) December 14, 2022
Messi is currently tied with Mbappe for the most goals in the tournament, setting up a possible Golden Ball and Golden Boot haul. Argentina has been awarded a record four penalties in this year’s tournament, and three of Messi’s five goals have come via penalty. This includes three highly controversial penalty decisions against Croatia, Poland, and Saudi Arabia.
Conclusion
Before you bet against Argentina in the Final, or bet on players other than Lionel Messi to win individual awards, it’s worth having a second thought considering all the facts we have listed above. Even if there is no grand conspiracy, there is a documented history of controversy when it comes to major awards, and many of those decisions involve Lionel Messi.
