Opinion: High drama surrounds FIFA World Cup 2018

This edition of the World Cup, the 21st of the tournament, has been hysterical, a roller coaster ride that has thrown up the great, the good and, above all, the most bizarre results. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have already been sent home - by Uruguay and their attacking phalanx of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez, and France and their new princeling Kylian Mbappe. In short, Russia 2018 has been the most open World Cup since South Korea and Japan co-hosted the World Cup sixteen years ago.

Back then Senegal, Turkey and South Korea upset the footballing hierarchy in the Far East. The latter two advanced to the semi-finals, much to the delirium of the Taeguk Warriors’ fans who spilled onto the streets of Seoul in their millions - before the natural order was restored by both Germany and Brazil. In the final Ronaldo struck twice to become the World Cup’s all-time leading goal recorder at the time and crown Brazil champions.

In Russia, Sweden, Russia and Japan were the surprise packages in the round of sixteen. Russia and Sweden marched into the last eight with fine rearguard actions. Japan pushed Belgium all the way and Colombia nearly eliminated England.

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The gods of football have thrown a lot of drama at every game this tournament. In the group stages there were plenty of standout results: South Korea eliminating Germany 2-0, Iceland drawing with Argentina 1-1, Morocco holding Spain 2-2, Switzerland containing the mighty Brazilians 1-1 and Senegal battering Colombia 2-0. Asia had a fine World Cup, with Japan the pick of the teams. Africa underwhelmed: no team from the continent, with 54 member associations the biggest in the world, progressed to the knock-out phase.

Yet, as the second round, drew towards it conclusion, normalcy was slightly returning. On Tuesday, Sweden, Switzerland, Colombia and England all contrived to play out dour and stifling games, low on goals and flair. The drama, however, was unrelenting as Colombia tore up the script, scoring a last-ditch winner to force prolongations.

With the quarter-finals up next, the drama will continue, but the open nature of the tournament may not prevent one of the traditional powerhouses from winning it. On one side of the bracket, Europe have a guaranteed finalist, a testimony to how the Old Continent has dominated the latter stages of the tournament in the last few editions. On the other side, Brazil and Uruguay challenge for South America. The five-times world champions, spearheaded by Neymar and his quest to topple the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly, and France, galvanised by the rising star of Mbappe, must be among the top favourites.

They could ensure an ending similar to the 2002 World Cup, when outsiders had challenged but ultimately fell short.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)