Ukrainian coach and ex-captain of Dynamo Oleksandr Golovko expressed his expert opinion on the 2022 World Cup, which will end tomorrow in Qatar.
Alexander Golovko (photo: A. Ustimenko)What has the 2022 World Cup changed in terms of tactics?
In terms of tactics, everyone tries to play through short passes when coming out of defense - a build-up that has become an integral part of today's football
High line of defense. If we see how Morocco worked, they did not work in the low bloc before the game with France. The only drawback is compactness.
Won't everyone rush to play tomorrow like Morocco? It seems to me that each country should play from its own capabilities.
There is modern football that we see: speed, football intelligence, knowledge, knowledge and once again knowledge. A lot depends on the coaches preparing the staff. When viewed through the prism of Ukraine, the EU passport comes to the fore.
It takes 7-8 years to put football in the academy like the French. Elements of vertical football or control are the result of work in the academy.
This is energy-intensive and requires specialists. It's easier to play vertically, where you run a lot, you don't have to think a lot. You get out of what is at hand.
But this football will not bring a quick result if there is no long-term strategy, and the result is required here and now.
The biggest disappointment
I was not impressed by Belgium, which did not look solid. Some defended, others played the piano. The Americans performed predictably well, but the main surprise is Morocco, that's for sure.
World Cup opening?
It must be Guardiol in youth and Amrabat. He was not very conspicuous at the club level, but he gave a colossal amount of work.
Gavi and Pedri - no questions, the same young Portuguese. The Croatian strikers could have played somewhere differently, but Mbappe, who is only 23, is in the first place for me. It will be interesting to see how he will show himself against Messi.
Croatia - Morocco
I would not play matches for 3rd place. On the one hand, there is tournament motivation, but life is arranged in such a way that all the laurels go to the winners. The rest doesn't matter.
We saw Morocco in the open with France, which was not visible from the Croats. Whoever has more moral strength will win.
Argentina — France
I think it won't be so much a coaching fight, because Deschamps has a good bench, plays 4-4-2, very pragmatic. This is a big plus. Who has strength and luck left.
I liked the post on Facebook when Argentina lost to the Saudis and someone said that they would become champions. I liked it so much that now I want them to win.
I crossed paths with the French while working as a coach of youth teams. I saw how they work. We are, to put it mildly, too far from it. If people can call up three squads to the national team, this means that they will not have a crisis when the generations change.
The triumph of Argentina will be the icing on the cake for Messi. If earlier he looked like a robot, now you worry about him as a person.
The Scaloni phenomenon? If there is an idea, a human attitude to football, feedback between the coach and the players, then there is the result. Passion inherent in Latin Americans.
Let's hope for an equal final, but for some reason I'm waiting for the first time in more than 60 years to win the World Cup twice in a row. For France, this will not only be Mbappé's moment of triumph. Lloris had a wonderful tournament - look what Griezmann is doing. If Argentina wins, I will be very proud that Messi can claim the status of the king of football.
