The WMF World Cup in Baku continues with a striking pattern — the reigning champions’ early exit.
As Idman.biz reports, Azerbaijan’s national team defeated Romania, the 2023 world champions, in a dramatic Round of 16 clash decided by penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Familiar Curse
The first world championship in 2015 was hosted by the USA. The North Americans enjoyed championship glory on home turf. A team long deprived of football success fulfilled its dream in minifootball. Two years later, they were stopped in the Round of 16. Mexico was the one to say “The King is dead” – with a 4–3 win. After knocking out the reigning champions, the Aztecs went on to win the silver medal.
The Timeline of the “Champion’s Fall”
In Tunisia, Mexico again stopped the reigning champions—the USA—only to lose to the Czech Republic in the final. Two years later, the European team traveled to Australia to defend their title. They cleared the Round of 16, but in the quarterfinals, they faced a familiar rival. Mexico—the same team they had defeated in the final two years prior—once again blocked the champion’s path with a 2–1 win. As in previous years, the team that beat the champion reached the final. This time, however, Mexico went all the way and became champions.
The Slayer of Champions Gets Slain
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t spare minifootball either. The 4th World Championship, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed to 2023. Mexico entered the tournament in the UAE to defend its title—the same Mexico that had previously dethroned past champions. But the Aztecs met the same fate. They were eliminated in the Round of 16. Kazakhstan delivered the blow via a penalty shootout – 0–0 (2–1 on penalties). Kazakhstan went on to beat Azerbaijan in the semifinals and reach the final, but eventually lost to Romania in an endless penalty series – 2–2 (11–12 on penalties).
A Final Awaits Our National Team
From North America to Africa, Australia, and Asia, the reigning champions have seen their titles slip away. The same scenario unfolded for the first time in Europe as well, with Romania losing to our national team in the Round of 16. For the first time, it was the host nation that eliminated the champion.
Just like in 2017 and 2023, the dethroning happened in the Round of 16. In 2019, it occurred in the quarterfinals. In each case, the team that beat the reigning champion went on to reach the final.
Mexico, which ousted the champion in the Round of 16, earned silver in DWC 2017. Kazakhstan did the same in DWC 2023. Mexico, which eliminated the champion in the 2019 quarterfinals, ended up winning gold. All these patterns point toward a potential final for our national team.
Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz
