Spanish star Olga Carmona scored the only goal in the 2023 Women’s World Cup Championship Game on August 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Spain defeated England 1-0.
Credit: © Chris Putnam, ZUMA Press/Alamy Images

For the first time in history, Spain’s women’s national football team won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Soccer is called football or association football in much of the world. In a dramatic tournament full of firsts, Spain, ranked number 6 in the tournament, is taking home the trophy. On Sunday, August 20th, England and Spain played in Sydney, Australia, with Spain’s La Roja beating the Lionesses 1 to 0. Spain defeated Sweden 2 to 1 in the semifinals on Tuesday, August 15th. England defeated Australia, the host team, 3 to 1 the following day. The championship match marked the first time either team made it to the final game of the World Cup.

The England Lionesses lost several players due to injury, and one player, Lauren James, was suspended from two games after stepping on the back of a Nigerian player in a match last week. Despite this grim outlook, the team had their eyes on the trophy. Goalkeeper Mary Earps kept England afloat in the final match, but in the end, Spain’s offense bested the team. England wasn’t the only upset in the tournament, as the United States Women’s National Team lost to Sweden in round 16 after winning the last two World Cup tournaments.

La Roja has overcome many obstacles in the last year, surprising many with the World Cup title. In October, players complained about the team’s leadership under coach Jorge Vilda. Many of the players refused to play until changes were made, sitting out their country’s first World Cup match. Spain joins Germany, Japan, Norway, and the United States as the only Women’s World Cup winners since the tournament began in 1991.

In the first half, Spain’s Olga Carmona, a 23-year-old left-back for Real Madrid, scored the only goal of the game. After the game, Carmona discovered her father had passed away a few days before the match. Carmona’s goal in the 19th minute of the game allowed Spain to play confidently, controlling the ball with momentum for the rest of the game. Spain possessed the ball for more of the game and made more attempts on goal and shots on target.

In the second half, England’s playmaker Lauren James began playing after sitting out the first half. Play picked up for England, but La Roja still controlled the game. England’s goalkeeper Mary Earps saved a penalty shot from Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso. While England fought to the last minute, Carmona’s first-half goal remained the only score.

Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí earned the Golden Ball, a trophy presented to the best soccer player in the World Cup finals. Bonmatí, a 25-year-old midfielder, started all seven matches for Spain, scoring three times and supporting teammates with two assists. Earps won the Golden Glove for the tournament as the best goalkeeper in women’s soccer. Spain’s Salma Paralluelo, a 19-year-old left winger, was named Young Player of the Tournament. Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa won the Golden Boot after scoring five goals in the tournament.

American soccer player Sophia Smith (11) controls the ball in a game against New Zealand on Feb. 20, 2022, in Carson, California.
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Professional soccer player Sophia Smith is a champion. Even though the United States Women’s National Team was eliminated from the 2023 FIFA World Cup tournament, Sophia Smith showcased her talents as a rising star. Australia and New Zealand are hosting the World Cup this year. Smith scored two points against Vietnam, a feat known as a brace, on July 21st. While Smith led U.S.W.N.T. to the next round of the tournament, the team lost to Sweden on Aug. 6th. The loss marked the team’s earliest exit from the tournament in history.

Sophia Smith isn’t new to the spotlight. Smith led the Portland Thorns to win the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship in 2022. At only 22 years old, Smith became the youngest player in NWSL history to be named league Most Valuable Player (MVP). She is known for her versatility (ability to do many things well) on the field and skilled dribbling.

Sophia Olivia Smith was born on Aug. 10, 2000, in Windsor, Colorado. Smith attended Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins. She was named First-Team All-Conference during her freshman year. Smith began playing for the Under 17 USA team in 2016. In 2018, while playing for the USA Under 20 team at the Women’s World Cup in France, Smith scored three goals. Smith enrolled at Stanford University to play soccer in 2018. She helped Stanford win the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Women’s Soccer Championship in 2019.

In 2020, after her sophomore season at Stanford, Smith was named the number-one recruit for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Smith left college to pursue soccer full-time in the league. She was drafted to the Portland Thorns. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith debuted for the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) in November 2020. In a game against Uzbekistan on Apr. 9, 2022, Smith scored three goals—a feat known as a hat trick—becoming the youngest USWNT player to score a hat trick since 2000 and the fifth youngest in league history.  In July 2022, Smith scored twice for the United States team to defeat Jamaica 5-0 at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, qualifying the United States team for the 2023 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics. CONCACAF stands for Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). Soccer is called football in much of the world.

Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Smith (9) controls the ball in a game against Kansas City Current on Oct. 29, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, DC, USA – 29 OCTOBER 2022: Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Smith (9) goes around Kansas City
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In 2022, Smith set a Portland Thorns record for scoring 14 goals in a regular season. On Oct. 29, 2022, Smith scored a goal when the Portland Thorns won the NWSL Championship against the Kansas City Current 2-0.

Australian soccer player Sam Kerr
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If you’ve been following the World Cup, you have probably heard of Australian player Sam Kerr. The star striker returned from sitting out of the games due to a calf injury. Kerr joined the Matildas to defeat Denmark 2 to 0 on Monday, August 7th.

Sam Kerr is an Australian soccer star. Kerr, a striker, represented Australia in the FIFAWorld Cup in 2011, 2015, and 2019. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). FIFA is soccer’s world governing body. Soccer is called football in much of the world. In 2019, Kerr became the first Australian to score three goals, a feat known as a hat trick, in a World Cup match.

In 2008, Kerr played her first match in the W-League, the top Australian women’s soccer league, with Perth Glory FC in Western Australia. FC stands for football club. The W-League was renamed the A-League starting in 2022. In 2012, Kerr moved to Sydney FC, a W-League team from New South Wales. She helped Sydney FC win the 2012-2013 W-League championship before returning to Perth in 2014. Kerr also played in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the top women’s professional soccer league in the United States. She made her NWSL debut in 2013. The Australian and U.S. leagues compete in different months of the year, enabling Kerr to play for both leagues.

In 2020, Kerr left the W-League and the NSWL and joined the Football Association (FA) Women’s Super League in England. With Chelsea FC Woman, a Super League team from London, she won multiple Super League titles and two FA Cups. She is the only female player to earn the Golden Boot, awarded to the top scorer, in three international soccer leagues: the A-League, the NSWL, and the FA Super League.

Samantha May Kerr was born on Sept. 10, 1993, in Fremantle, Western Australia. She grew up playing Australian Rules football. Her father and brother both played Australian Rules football in the Australian Football League (AFL). Kerr switched to soccer when she was around 12 years old.

At age 15, Kerr joined the Australian national women’s team, known as the Matildas. She played in her first international match in 2009. Kerr was named Young Australian of the Year in 2018. In 2022, she was awarded the Order of Australia. Kerr was named captain of the Matildas in 2019. She also represented Australia at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan
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Acting as co-captain for the United States at her fourth World Cup, Alex Morgan is a leading star soccer player. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is in Australia and New Zealand. With two World Cup wins, one Olympic gold medal, and hundreds of goals to her name, Morgan dominates the field. Morgan is known for her speed and for her skills as a scorer and playmaker. This year she is playing alongside experienced players Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Lindsey Horan, and Megan Rapinoe. New players adding to the team include Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Alyssa Thompson. The United States Women’s National Team is ranked number one globally. So far, the team has beaten Vietnam 3-0 and tied the Netherlands 1-1. They will face Portugal on Tuesday, August 1. Tune in to watch Morgan command the field!

Morgan, a forward, helped lead the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) to the gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. She also helped the USWNT win a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forwards are primarily responsible for scoring goals for their team. In 2015 and again in 2019, Morgan helped lead the United States to FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament championships. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). FIFA is soccer’s world governing body. Morgan previously played on the U.S. World Cup team in 2011.

Alexandra Morgan was born on July 2, 1989, in Diamond Bar, California. She did not begin playing club soccer until the age of 14. Club soccer consists of teams playing within a league, in contrast to national teams that represent a country. Her progress was so rapid that she was invited to play on the Under-17 and Under-20 national teams. She was also named a high school All-American. In 2008, Morgan scored the winning goal to make the U.S. team the Under-20 Women’s World Cup champions.

Morgan entered the University of California at Berkeley in 2007. She led the team in scoring all four of her years in college, graduating a semester early with a bachelor’s degree in political economy. Morgan was the first player selected in the 2011 draft held by Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), the top American women’s soccer league until it ceased operations in 2012. In 2013, she joined the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She played the 2016 season with the Orlando Pride, an NWSL expansion team, before joining Olympique Lyonnais in France ‘s top women’s league. Morgan returned to Orlando in 2017. In 2020, she played a few games for Tottenham Hotspur in England before, again, returning to play for Orlando.

Morgan made her U.S. national team debut in 2010. One year later, she scored a goal and recorded an assist in the Women’s World Cup final. In 2012, Morgan led the U.S. national team in goals scored (28), assists (21), and points (77), including 3 goals and 4 assists in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The U.S. Soccer Federation named her the 2012 Female Athlete of the Year.

Morgan is the author of “The Kicks,” a popular series of books for middle-school readers. The books follow the adventures of four soccer-playing seventh-grade girls. The series began with Saving the Team and Sabotage Season (both 2013). Morgan’s young-adult memoir, Breakaway: Beyond the Goal, was published in 2015.

American Megan Rapinoe on a penalty in a match against the Netherlands on July 7, 2019, during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
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June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. All month long, Behind the Headlines will feature lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning pioneers in a variety of areas.

An athlete, fashion icon, and role model in the LGBTQ community, Megan Rapinoe does it all. Rapinoe is a professional United States soccer player. She helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Rapinoe also helped the USWNT win a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2015 and again in 2019, Rapinoe helped lead the United States to FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament championships. In 2019, she was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). FIFA is the governing body for soccer, which is called football in many parts of the world. Rapinoe also played on the U.S. World Cup team in 2011 and the U.S. Olympic team in 2016. In 2019, Rapinoe earned the Best FIFA Women’s Player award as soccer’s best female player. The award replaced the Ballon d’Or in 2016.

Rapinoe, a midfielder, is known for her dynamic skills as a scorer and playmaker. In soccer, a playmaker controls a team’s offense, often coordinating scoring chances through precise passing. For a discussion of soccer positions and formations, see Soccer (Players and officials).

Megan Anna Rapinoe was born on July 5, 1985, in Redding, California. She began playing soccer as a youth. In high school, Rapinoe played for Elk Grove Pride United, a team for players under age 19, and the Elk Grove Pride of the Women’s Premier Soccer League, a semiprofessional league in the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States. Rapinoe then played soccer at the University of Portland in Oregon, where she helped the team win a college national championship in 2005. She also played on U.S. national youth teams before debuting for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2006. Injuries caused her to miss international tournaments in 2007 and 2008.

From 2009 through 2012, Rapinoe played in the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league and the United Soccer League’s W-League. Rapinoe also played for Olympique Lyonnais in France’s top women’s league. In 2013, Rapinoe began playing for the Seattle Reign FC (now the OL Reign) of the National Women’s Soccer League, the top tier of women’s soccer in the United States. FC stands for football club. Rapinoe (along with her soccer-playing twin sister, Rachael) also runs soccer training clinics and has worked with a number of human rights organizations, including ones devoted to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) rights. In 2022, Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the president of the United States.

Chelsea player Christian Pulisic during the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham, on January 1, 2023.
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With the nickname “Captain America,” you know Christian Pulisic is a soccer star! At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Pulisic scored the only goal against Iran, winning the game and securing the United States a spot in the knockout stage. Sadly, the team later lost to the Netherlands. Pulisic returned to England after the tournament to play for Chelsea FC in the Premier League. However, Pulisic started the new year with a new knee injury on Jan. 5th. Despite his injury, Chelsea coach Graham Potter knows Pulisic’s worth and has promised to keep Captain America playing for Chelsea.

Pulisic plays forward and right winger. He has played for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT); in the Bundesliga, the professional soccer league in Germany; and in the Premier League in England. The Premier League is England’s highest professional soccer league. Pulisic is known for his agility, quick assists, and game-winning goals.

Pulisic was born on Sept. 18, 1998, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. His parents both played soccer at George Mason University. Pulisic’s family moved to England temporarily when he was seven. There, Pulisic played soccer with a youth team. The family then moved to Detroit, Michigan, where his father worked for the Detroit Ignition, an indoor soccer league.

The Pulisic family later returned to Hershey. At 16, Christian became eligible to play in Europe because his grandfather was Croatian. Pulisic secured dual citizenship with Croatia and a European passport. In 2015, he moved to Germany and began playing for the Borussia Dortmund team for players under 17. When Pulisic was still 16, Borussia Dortmund moved him to the under-19 league.

Pulisic began playing with the United States Men’s national team in 2016, becoming the youngest player to play in a qualifier, against Guatemala. In 2018, Pulisic became one of the youngest USMNT captains, in an international match against Italy. He won U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year award in 2017, 2019, and 2021.

In 2016, coaches pulled Pulisic up to the senior team for Borussia Dortmund. Pulisic also played for Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League competition. In January 2019, Pulisic signed a contract with the prestigious Premier League club Chelsea FC. Chelsea loaned him back to Dortmund to complete the season. The transfer cost was U.S. $73 million, making Pulisic the most expensive American player and one of Dortmund’s most expensive sales in team history.

Pulisic debuted for Chelsea in August 2019. He scored three goals—a feat known as a hat trick— against Burnley in October. Pulisic became the second American to score a hat-trick in the Premier league.

Brazilian soccer star Pelé
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World-renowned soccer star, Pelé passed away in São Paulo, Brazil, on Thursday, December 29th. Despite retiring in 1974, Pelé still held world records for the sport. Pelé a Brazilian athlete, won fame as the greatest soccer player of his time and the most recognized athlete in world sports.

A forward, Pelé electrified crowds with his daring dribbling, perfect passing, and accurate shooting. He holds every major scoring record in Brazil, and scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games during his professional career. Pelé is the only professional soccer player to score 1,000 goals in a career.

Pelé, a Brazilian athlete, won fame as the greatest soccer player of his time and became one of the most recognized athletes in the world. A forward, Pelé thrilled crowds with his daring dribbling, perfect passing, and accurate shooting.
Credit: © AFP/Getty Images

Pelé was born on Oct. 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Pelé joined the Santos (Brazil) Football Club in 1956 and led Santos to world club titles in 1962 and 1963. He is the only soccer player to have played on three world championship teams, leading the Brazilian national team to World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Pelé is the only player in the world who has won three World Cup championships.

In the 1958 World Cup, Pelé was 17 years old. He scored six goals in the tournament, including two in the final to defeat Sweden. His skill landed Brazil their first of five World Cups.

Pelé retired as a player in 1974 but returned to competition in 1975 with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (N.A.S.L.). Pelé retired again after leading the Cosmos to the N.A.S.L. championship in 1977. He is known for popularizing soccer in the United States. He wrote a children’s book about his life in soccer, For the Love of Soccer! (2010).

Argentinian soccer players celebrate after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Yesterday, Sunday, December 18th, Argentina and France faced each other in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar. In a tournament charged with controversy over the use of migrant workers to build the stadiums, a dramatic final game unfolded for millions of fans around the world. Argentina, with star player Lionel Messi, won the tournament for the first time since 1986, defeating France, the defending champions. French player Kylian Mbappé scored all three of France’s goals in regular time, securing a hat trick. It was the first hat trick in the World Cup final in 56 years. The game tied 3-3 after regulation time and two periods of extra time, bringing the legendary game to a penalty shootout. In the tie-breaking penalty shootout, Mbappé and French player Kolo Muani scored on Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, but their teammates missed. Messi scored Argentina’s first shoot-out penalty kick on French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, followed by goals from Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel. In his first World Cup, Montiel scored to win the game for Argentina.

Argentinian Lionel Messi scores in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
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In what is being called the “best World Cup final ever,” star Messi clinched his first World Cup title and a legacy as one of soccer’s best players. He scored one goal in regulation time, one in extra time, and one of the penalty kicks to win the game. Argentina’s Angel Di Maria scored the other goal in regulation time. Messi and Mbappé competed for the Golden Boot, the award for the player with the most goals in the World Cup tournament. France’s Mbappé scored three goals in regulation time and one penalty kick, rightfully earning the Golden Boot. Messi and Mbappé play for Paris Saint-Germain FC, one of soccer’s top teams, competing against each other in the World Cup with their respective home countries.

Argentina’s pride and joy, Messi won the 2022 Golden Ball awarded to the best player in the World Cup, becoming the first player to win the award twice in tournament history. Messi plays as a striker, an offensive position. He has played for FC Barcelona in La Liga, Spain’s highest league, and has played for Argentina in the Olympics and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in a World Cup match. In 2008-2009, Messi scored 38 goals to help Barcelona win a rare “treble” of the La Liga and Copa del Rey championships in Spain, and the European Champions League title. On March 7, 2012, Messi set a Champions League record by scoring five goals against Bayer Leverkusen. In 2012, Messi scored 91 goals, the most by a player during one calendar year in professional soccer history. He holds the record for most career goals in La Liga competition with 474. Messi was awarded the Golden Ball in the 2014 World Cup tournament. Argentina lost to Germany in the final, 1-0. He again played for Argentina in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Messi signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Despite his reputation as a soccer star, this was his first World Cup win in his 22-year career.

French soccer player Kylian Mbappé
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Left-wing Mbappé carried France’s team, securing all three of the country’s goals before the penalty shootout. The star won the Golden Boot award and brought his total goals scored in World Cups to 8, a few days before his 24th birthday. He won the World Cup in Russia or France in 2018, holding up the trophy as a 19-year-old. While Messi and Argentina stole the show from Mbappé this year, Mbappé has an entire career ahead of him to win the Golden Ball and another World Cup title.

French soccer player Kylian Mbappé
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France secured a spot in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar after defeating England this Saturday, December 11th. France’s star player Kylian Mbappé is stealing the show as the top scorer in the entire tournament. Scoring 5 goals in 4 games, 23-year-old Mbappé is solidifying his reputation as one of the world’s best soccer players. Mbappé has also clocked speeds up to 22 miles (35 kilometers) per hour, the fastest speed in the tournament so far. In another historical record, Morocco beat Portugal on Saturday, becoming the first African and first Arab country to reach the World Cup semifinals. France will pair up against Morocco on Wednesday, December 14th, to see who moves on to the finals.

Kylian Mbappé Lottin was born on Dec. 20, 1998, in Paris. Mbappé’s mother is from Algeria and his father is from Cameroon. He grew up in Bondy, a suburb of Paris. Mbappé began playing soccer at a young age. He stars for France’s Paris Saint-Germain FC (commonly known as PSG), one of soccer’s top teams. FC stands for football club. Mbappé also plays for the French national team, commonly known as les Bleus (the Blues). As a forward, Mbappé’s primary responsibility is scoring goals. Mbappé is known for his dexterity in using both feet, speed, intelligent plays, and composure in front of the goal.

Mbappé is used to the spotlight. Mbappé began his professional career with AS Monaco FC of Ligue 1, France’s top soccer league, in 2015, when he was only 16 years old. AS stands for association sportive, or sporting association. In 2017, Mbappé helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title. Later that year, he joined PSG. Mbappé has helped PSG win four Ligue 1 titles, in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. He has been named the Ligue 1 player of the year three times. Mbappé has led Ligue 1 in goals scored four times.

In 2017, Mbappé debuted for the French national team. The following year, he helped France win the FIFA World Cup. During the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia, Mbappé became only the second teenager, after the Brazilian star Pelé, to score a goal in a World Cup championship game. He scored the final goal to defeat Croatia 4 to 2, securing his first World Cup championship. Mbappé was named the French Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.

A general interior overview during the opening ceremony prior to the Group A – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar.
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Soccer‘s World Cup tournament for men, held every four years to determine the best team in international soccer, began on Sunday. The first match featured the team of the host country, Qatar, against Ecuador.

The tournament runs from November 20 to December 18 and will be held in six Qatari cities: (1) Al Khor, (2) Al Rayyan, (3) Al Thumama, (4) Al Wakrah, (5) Lusail, and (6) Doha. Favorites for this tournament include the teams from Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.

Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup. It became the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup. Qatar is a small Arab country in southwestern Asia. It occupies a peninsula that juts from eastern Arabia into the Persian Gulf (commonly known as the Arabian Gulf in Arab countries). Doha is Qatar’s capital and largest city.

Over two-thirds of Qatar’s people were born in other countries. The native-born people are called Qataris. Qatar’s economy depends largely on oil and natural gas. Since the 1950′s, the government has earned a large amount of income from oil exports and has used it to develop Qatar. Qatar ranks among the richest nations in terms of average income per person. The government provides free education, free health care, and housing for the poor.

The first match was held in Al Khor. Ecuador defeated Qatar 2-0, the first opening-game loss of a host country in the World Cup’s history. Ecuador’s striker Enner Valencia scored both goals.

The FIFA World Cup is the most important international competition in soccer. The year and name of each FIFA World Cup winner since 1974 is engraved on the underside of the trophy. A different trophy records the winners of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which began in 1991.
Credit: © Alfredo Lopez, Jam Media/LatinContent/Getty Images

In the men’s FIFA World Cup, qualification tournaments begin three years before the final competition. The qualification tournaments are organized in six geographical zones. These six zones are (1) Africa, (2) Asia, (3) Europe, (4) North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, (5) Oceania, and (6) South America. The tournament finals bring together the 32 teams that qualify. The host country receives an automatic berth. In 2026, the tournament finals will be expanded from 32 teams to 48 teams.

The 32 teams that qualify are placed into eight groups, with each group having four teams. Each team plays the other three teams in their group. These matches are played at various locations throughout the host country. The two teams with the best record in each of the eight groups advance to the knockout stage. The knockout stage is a single-elimination tournament—that is, a team is eliminated after losing one game. As the competition progresses, teams are eliminated until two teams qualify for the final match. The televised men’s final is the most popular single sports event in the world.

Uruguay won the first men’s FIFA World Cup in 1930. The World Cup was not held in 1942 and 1946 because of World War II (1939-1945). Brazil has won the World Cup five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002), more than any other country.