“Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East” – Ex-England cricketer Kevin Pietersen makes emphatic claim after 2022 FIFA World Cup

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has praised the violence-free atmosphere Qatar created for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The former England star backed the Middle Eastern country to host every football tournament to eradicate hooliganism from football.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup has come under a lot of scrutiny over the last month. The deaths of migrant workers (during infrastructure development) have been brought up, many stadiums have had a lot of empty seats, and concerns have been raised about human rights issues.

Many European heavyweights, including Germany and England, were advised not to show open support for same-sex relationships, which are prohibited in Qatar.

Pietersen, however, chose to focus on the positive after the tournament concluded with Argentina's win on Sunday, December 18. Sharing a video, he showcased the harmonious atmosphere outside a football stadium (possibly the iconic Lusail Stadium, which hosted the final).

The caption accompanying the video read:

“A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace & now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout!

“Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable!”

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Lionel Messi comes out on top in battle with PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe in 2022 FIFA World Cup final

Lionel Messi’s Argentina beat Kylian Mbappe’s France 4-2 on penalties (3-3 after extra time) to seal their third FIFA World Cup trophy. Messi lit up the show with two goals, while Mbappe bagged a stunning hat-trick.

While the 23-year-old managed to score more goals than Messi, the 35-year-old had the edge in terms of overall impact.

The former Barcelona man was practically at the heart of every encouraging passage of play. He ran as hard as he could, linked up flawlessly with teammates, and was hard to shake off the ball.

Along with the two goals, Messi played three key passes, delivered four accurate long balls, completed 46 passes (86.8% accuracy), and won five duels. He also helped out at the back, attempting two tackles.

Mbappe, on the other hand, completed 16 passes, did not play any key passes, misplaced three crosses, and was caught offside twice. It is not hard to see how much more involved Messi was in the game than his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate.