FIFA World Cup 2022 was different in many ways. The quadrennial tournament held in Qatar from November 20 to December 18 was not only the first World Cup to be held in winter, but also the first World Cup to be held in mid-season in the history of the World Cup.
For football fans, the Qatar World Cup was one of the best World Cups of all time, but for the big clubs competing for every club title, this World Cup turned out to be nothing short of a curse. Most of the players from many clubs returned from the World Cup tired and lesser match-fit, which led to a steep decline in their performances. In addition, some players have returned to club football with low morale due to their nation’s disappointing defeat at the World Cup.
On the other hand, even the players from the nations that did not qualify for the World Cup have lost their pre-World Cup form due to the month-long break and are yet to reach their peak. So, today we are going to take a look at the 5 most affected clubs after the FIFA World Cup 2022, keeping in mind the reasons mentioned above, whose performances have suddenly dropped after the World Cup break.
5. Liverpool
Even before the World Cup, Liverpool, who was not in much better form, looked even worse after the World Cup. After the end of the World Cup on December 18, the Reds have played 6 matches in the Premier League and the FA and EFL Cups, starting from Boxing Day.
Jurgen Klopp’s team, which has lost most of its players due to injuries, has suffered 3 defeats and 1 draw in 6 games played since the World Cup.
4. AC Milan
Last season, Milan won the Serie A title after 11 years, of playing beautiful football. But Milan has not been able to come close to Napoli, who have been in a very high rhythm this season. After the World Cup, their performance becomes more inconsistent.
AC Milan has lost one of the 4 matches played since the World Cup, while drawing two matches and winning only one match. They are currently 9 points behind league leaders Napoli.
3. Manchester City
Manchester City, the most consistent team in world football, has also looked very thin after the FIFA World Cup. Man City has failed to perform as expected in the first half of the season, but after the World Cup, they look much more miserable.
Before the break, Erling Haaland, who is running riot all over the Premier League, has not scored a goal in the last 3 games since the tournament in Qatar. As a result, Manchester club lost 2 matches during that period.
2. Paris Saint Germain
Before the World Cup, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) had not lost a single match in all competitions. But since returning from the World Cup, the Paris club has lost 2 times in 3 league matches.
Brazilian star Neymar, who was performing at his peak in the first half of the season for Christopher Galtier’s team, has been showing a very disappointing performance following the World Cup heartbreak, with the hand of Croatia at the quarterfinal of the showpiece event.
1. Real Madrid
Reigning Champions League and Spanish La Liga winners Real Madrid are also struggling after the World Cup. Carlo Ancelotti’s side has been in poor form since returning from the World Cup break.
Heading into the World Cup, Madrid, who have tied with league leaders Barcelona on points, after returning from the break, lost to Villarreal and are currently 3 points behind Barcelona in second place in the table. Also, after losing 3-1 in the final against Barcelona last Sunday, Carlo has lost a final match of any competition for the first time since 2010.
