#WorldCup18 finally comes to an end. France, lucky on the night but worthy winners overall. They had the strongest squad and were most consistent throughout the tournament. But Croatia won all the hearts. What remarkable spirit and quality from such a small nation. They were gladiators who gave everything on the pitch in every match.
Football is the universal sport, the “beautiful sport”. And, the World Cup evokes passions and interest like no other event in the world. I find that World Cups have a way of teaching us a lot about life. My key reflection from #WorldCup14 was the importance of teamwork over individual brilliance – as evidenced by the win of Germany over Argentina and Brazil (read blog, Management lessons from the 2014 Football World Cup).
World Cup 2018 was full of surprises and saw many upsets. My salient reflection of #WorldCup18 is the rise of the underdogs. I am sharing below seven learnings I took away from this World Cup. These observations are not just about Sports but equally relevant for management and for life.
- World is getting flatter, competition is intense. There were no easy matches in this World Cup. Other than England’s thrashing of Panama, almost every match was very close. The so called minnows came well prepared, were well drilled defensively and gave the majors a tough fight even if they did not win matches – Morocco, Japan, Iran, Iceland and many more. This means margin of error is low, luck plays an important part, and nobody can take success for granted.
- Reputation mean nothing, performance is everything. On paper, Germany and Spain had the strongest squads. However, both struggled to make an impression and were knocked out early. Germany’s demise was particularly remarkable. They have an incredible record in major competitions, but this time they not just failed to progress to the next round but finished last in their group!! And, with their confused team selection and drab performance on the pitch, this result was not undeserved. Clearly in a flatter world, reputation means nothing, performance on the day is everything.
- Old order changeth, again and again. Winners of past several World Cups have failed to progress beyond the first round and this bizarre phenomenon was repeated this time with Germany. Powerhouses like Italy and Netherlands failed to even qualify for this World Cup. “Tiki Taka” style that made Spain so dominant not so long back, seemed like a joke this time especially in their match against Russia. It shows that there are no permanent success formulas and you cannot afford to sit on our your laurels. “Business as usual” is the kiss of death and constant innovatatio is the only way to move ahead.
- Superstars make way. The two dominant players in the world over the past 10 years – Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, barely made a mark in this World Cup. Ronaldo had one great game (against Spain) and Messi one great goal. Both could not help their teams progress beyond the second round. Their heir apparent, Neymar tried hard but will be remembered more for his theatrics. Who would have thought that Luka Modric, Eden Hazard and Griezmann would emerge the top 3 players of the tournament? The most influential players of this WorldCup were understated, hardworking and focused on their team.
- Rise of the youth brigade. This World Cup was a celebration of youth. 19 year old Kylian Mbape dazzled with his speed and skills and emerged as one of the most influential players of the tournament. Winners France had one of the youngest squads with average age of 25 years. Perenial underachievers England had their best tournament for 20 years all thanks to the speed and spirit of their young team led by a young manager. This World Cup showed dominance of youthful speed over established skills, not unlike what we are seeing in the business world.
- Bravehearts shine. Two teams surprised and overachieved more than anybody else – Croatia and Russia. Both were spurred by severe challenges : Croatia, a small country still suffering wounds of a tragic civil war, and Russia constantly lampooned by the West and under pressure not to embarass in their home World Cup. These challenges forged in them fierce team spirit and indomitable will to win. This proves once again that adversity can bring the best out of you and a strong will can move mountains.
- Ultimately squad depth matter. Two teams with the strongest squads – France and Belgium finished first and third. They were strongest both in skills and depth of squad. To last and win a long tournament, quality matters. Moreover, it is not just about the starting 11, but the squad of 23. In addition, both these teams did not achieve overnight success. Both were trained in the hard school of failures. France suffering the pain of losing Euro 2016 and the “golden generation” of Belgium has seen multiple failures. Ultimately, quality, depth and persistence are the key ingredients of sustained success.
This was a wonderful World Cup and leaves behind not just some great memories but also some remarkable life learnings. Thank you Russia, thank you all the wonderful players, thank you “the beautiful sport”. Looking forward to Qatar in 2022!!
