Get A Kick Out Of This: 40 Fifa World Cup Memes Leading Up To Qatar 2022
By Anthony K
Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 has already been in the works for a while. Soccer fans are treated to the grand event involving all continents every four years. If our calculations are correct, our last World Cup was in 2018- so it’s time to get ready for this year’s tournament. We always have something different to expect from the venue, qualifying teams, the actual World Cup, all the way to its aftermath. After four years of rigorous training and preparation, fans and participants are bound for surprises. November 21st can’t come soon enough for many fans, and as such, we have collected some of the funniest reactions to the previous and upcoming games that are sure to leave you in stitches and brighten your day.
1. Celebration At All Costs
Professional players are under immense pressure to deliver their best results in every appearance for the national team and club, or they will fall victim to the judgment of unforgiving fans and critics. Imagine the pain of celebrating a goal only to have it canceled after reviewing the V.A.R. while opponents celebrate not having conceded.
The image above shows Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe with a choreographed celebration before V.A.R. ruled out Arsenal’s goal against Watford at the Emirates. Thanks to their continuous efforts and struggle, the Gunners managed a 1-0 victory. We suspect they saved the celebration for major tournaments like the World Cup and U.C.L.
2. What A Flop!
For over a decade, Cristiano Ronaldo has been an icon among soccer players and soccer fans worldwide for his prowess and looks, giving women sleepless nights. eFootball 2022 went beyond their comfort zone to produce a hideous version of CR7. They are lucky that Cristiano didn’t file charges for butchering his face.
The much-awaited e-Football 2022 had players waiting to compare statistics of CR7 and Messi by engaging them head to head on details like appearance and performance. We can imagine the disappointment of various players when they interacted with the face butchered CR7. We hope the game developers can do better when creating players in the future.
3. The Brexit Champs
The English soccer team has been a worthy contender in most tournaments, but the team has had a fair share of trophy drought in recent appearances. After the controversial Brexit, the English soccer team proved to perform beyond regular expectations.
After twenty-four years, the star-studded team played a big fight earning them a slot in the Euros finals. We can imagine how the Englishmen felt after a long-awaited appearance. Although they didn’t win, they managed a runners-up slot and a chance to play the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Fans worldwide can’t wait to watch England play the world as non-members of the E.U.
4. Football Over Soccer
We wonder how Americans chose the name American Football for a game with numerous differences from soccer. Notable differences are available in the spelling and pronunciation of American and British English words. Could the name American Football be the reason for the U.S.A.’s lack of love for soccer?
Americans are not afraid to express their love for football during the annual Super Bowl. The image above shows that the passion for soccer has gone beyond Europe into distant continents like Asia, while Americans didn’t show up for their team during the 2020 World Cup. We hope the fans will turn up to support their national team in future tournaments.
5. How I Started Playing Soccer
Every kid is curious about their parent’s history and love life as they are about to explore similar or more complex challenges in their own lives. In How I Met Your Mother, a father recounts events before and after meeting their mother. We must warn you that this show is probably more addictive than games like soccer.
At the bottom left, Uncle Barney is never short of ideas to attract more girls into their fold. We can imagine that Ted Mosby could have subscribed to Uncle Barney’s vision to join the team without a second thought. We hope their lookalikes won the hearts of women following the world cup in their absence from the tournament.
6. One For The Legends
The World Cup allows international players to showcase their unique talents and abilities as numerous fans stream them. Unfortunately, some players fail to deliver their best results due to age, low form, and factors like different weather conditions. Nonetheless, fans wouldn’t forgive dismal performances from iconic players like Arjen Robben.
After missing to hit the net in 2010, we would expect Arjen Robben to hang his boots before sending his career into further depression. Instead of retreating with his tail between his legs, Arjen Robben proved to be resilient by netting two goals in the world cup four years later. This proves that every day is a chance to get better.
7. Who’s The Real GOAT?
The measure of success differs from one individual to the next. The last decade has had endless debates between team CR7 and team Leo. Besides the two titans, we should acknowledge legends like Xavi, Iniesta, and Mueller, that have won the U.C.L. and the World Cup but haven’t won the Ballon D’Or throughout their careers.
Before Cristiano and Messi, the incredible Zidane and Ronaldinho won the Ballon D’Or, U.C.L., and World Cup. Given that Messi and CR7 have won Ballon D’Ors and U.C.L. without lifting the World Cup, we believe that Ronaldinho and Zidane are the G.O.A.T.S. The FIFA World Cup 2022 will give CR7 and Messi a final chance to win the prestigious Cup.
8. Who Has The Best Designers?
Every World Cup features an iconic logo prepared by international designers invited by FIFA. The best designers draw inspiration from readily available items they can manipulate to resemble the trophy. No matter how the chosen logo appears, the World Cup must go on.
Owing to its origin in Mexico and the Spanish culture, one may accuse this designer of favoring the Spaniards and Mexicans. Unfortunately, these teams must put in more work to ensure they advance to the highest levels of the tournament. We hope that time shall let us accept the World Cup 2022 logo without thinking about the Oaxaca cheese.
9. Oh, Griez!
If you ask around, some people have no idea what happens in the soccer world. They are either ignorant or in the dark about the game. We were surprised to learn that some people don’t know tiny details like winners of the previous World Cup, hosts, and best performers.
After a world-class performance at the world cup 2018 and preceding tournaments, fans elevated Griezmann to compete against CR7 and Messi. Unfortunately, failure to meet our standards in recent appearances makes one wonder whether the French national has had enough of victory or is saving the best part for the awaited World Cup 2022.
10. Life Without Penalties
Suárez, Messi, Lewandowski, and Cristiano are among lethal scorers making defenders look unprepared for the trouble following them. Fans and critics have a hard time choosing their best scorer when building a dream team. What if we overlooked penalty goals in the total goal count?
As easy as it seems, scoring a penalty requires timing, skill, precision, and creativity. We hope that CR7 and Lewandowski will not feel attacked by this meme. On the contrary, we hope they score over 50 non-penalty goals in a season before hanging their boots.
11. Who Should Score Next?
Soccer fans are always eager for victory and world-class goals during the World Cup. Germany has made a name for itself by netting against formidable opponents like Brazil, who suffered a 7-1 defeat at the 2014 World Cup Semis. A team must be prepared for Germany or risk destruction.
The image above shows the Germans celebrating a goal against Ukraine in a game that ended 2-1 in favor of the Germans. After celebrating Leon Goretzka’s goal, the players seem to be choosing their next scorer. Unfortunately, the team was knocked out long before the Semis.
12. Never Give Up
Should we conclude that it’s coincidence or hard work? Considering recent Euros tournaments, titans that emerged top-scorers led their teams to World Cup victory. CR7 proved his resilience by netting more than other Euro 2020. We wonder whether Ronaldo is bound for a similar fate in the 2022 World Cup.
With the World Cup around the corner, folks are already predicting the worthy contenders and individual players. If Cristiano knows what’s best, he should train harder or risk losing the top scorer mantle. Winning the World Cup would make it the best time for CR7’s retirement.
13. What’s Wrong With The English?
Defenders work mainly to avoid conceding goals or creating chances for their scorers. At times, goals by defenders save the team from embarrassments like goal droughts. Dante proved that he could do better than the entire English soccer team by scoring more goals in six minutes. It raises whether Dante should change his nationality to English or play alone.
In the English team’s defense, the tournament may have been stiffer, players may have lost form, and they would recover in future appearances. Unfortunately, life offers no platform for excuses, even for the English. We may conclude that Dante performed better at the time but cannot perform better than the entire English squad in every game.
14. Take Me to Neuer’s Ark
German’s humiliating 7-1 win over Brazil surprised the host team and fans worldwide. However, German players brought their best form from goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, strikers, and the technical bench. Neuer proved that he deserved the golden gloves.
Considering the performance by Neuer throughout the entire tournament proved that he could cover more than the goal. For example, it seems that he can cover the 40% of Brazil that the rainforest doesn’t cover. We hope that Brazil tried convincing him to stay in Brazil after the World Cup.
15. Man Up, Panama
Each soccer-loving nation spends four years or more on building a formidable team. We want to congratulate the Panamanian team on advancing to the 2018 World Cup. Due to their performance, we ask whether the group came to win the Cup or make a technical appearance.
We sincerely believe that the Panamanians can better fight if they qualify for future tournaments. One shouldn’t blame the team entirely because they seem unaware of what they would do if they emerged as world champions in soccer. We hope they shall use the following qualification to make their fans proud.
16. Guys, We Can Do Better
As the Euro 2020’s top scorer, Cristiano is expected to lead his team to victory and lift his first World Cup. To achieve such a milestone, CR7 will need the support of its team, nation, fans, and critics. He is probably sizing up Portuguese players that may cap in the next World Cup while putting in more work to secure his chances.
We can imagine the joy of Cristiano and his teammates if the team manages to win the 2022 World Cup. Ronaldo may be hungrier for the victory as it would be the best time and gift for his retirement and chance to dine with legends like Zidane and Ronaldinho.
17. Who Needs A Superstar Cut?
Neymar has won the hearts of many with a fair share of controversies, a unique style of play, and an exclusive sense of fashion. The player appears for every major tournament with a different hairstyle that fans are quick to copy, while critics have made funny comments.
If we consider Neymar’s style in 2014 and 2018, we can get an idea of what may be on his head in the next major tournament. Fans and critics have made various predictions for his hairstyle with a touch of his favorite hair color. We can’t wait for the surprise he’s set to unleash in Qatar.
18. What A Relief!
The Croatian team won the hearts of many soccer fans around the globe in the 2018 World Cup. After beating Argentina, we were torn on whether to feel for Messi or support Croatia’s new kid, looking to sit with the big boys like France, Germany, England, and Brazil. The top image shows Messi’s surprise after losing to Modric’s side.
Those who didn’t support France and folks without specific teams in the FIFA World Cup 2018 threw their weight behind Croatia in the finals. The bottom image shows Lionel Messi with relief after evading the French men’s wrath. We hope that Messi wasn’t afraid of playing France before playing for P.S.G. two years later.
19. More Salah
The Egypt national combines agility, unpredictability, skill, resilience, and humility on and off the pitch. We understand why the national team played the World Cup with “more Salahs.” Mo Salah moved from the bench to a household name with an elusive career at Chelsea, Liverpool, and AS Roma.
Mo Salah’s impact on Egyptian soccer has his teammates and coaches look up to him. Unfortunately, designing their style of play around a single player may have jeopardized their chances of winning. We hope they shall be back with a better approach or risk losing again.
20. Fine, You Can Have It!
On the battlefield, it’s best to know when to stand down to minimize avoidable casualties. This image shows one player chasing the ball above Marcelo’s head while Marcelo raises his arms in surrender. We hope that he used the ball creatively after bringing it down mid-air.
Considering Marcelo’s resilience and fighter spirit, we can’t imagine that he would let the ball go without a fight. We hope that our next world cup will feature more athleticism images showcased by players making appearances for their national sides.
21. We Don’t Mind The Goals
The 2018 World Cup was full of surprises, with first-timers like Panama joining the tournament alongside veterans like Brazil. Key moments of the recent World Cups include Brazil losing 7-1 to Germany in 2014 and England beating Panama 6-1 in 2018.
Besides losing in their home base, Brazil was openly devastated because it squashed their winning chances. On the other hand, Panama celebrated their opportunity to participate in a World Cup despite losing every game. We hope that Panama can do better in future appearances.
22. Don’t Run Out Of Breath
Brazil has been a favorite of fans around the world. Unfortunately, critics point fingers at Brazil for being awarded penalties even they don’t deserve it. Measures like V.A.R. may have been adopted to tame participants like the Brazilians receiving free penalties.
When playing Brazil, one should avoid punishments for silly mistakes that could create free kicks and penalties. Imagine the ref calling for a penalty because the defenders are panting trying to retrieve the ball from Neymar’s side?
23. The Future Of France Is Secure
Despite Croatian winning our hearts in the 2018 World Cup, France didn’t let the trophy slip through their fingers. After the successful campaign, one may argue that the French team doesn’t have more to offer. Fortunately, the team comprises youngsters that can play in more world cups.
The young team may allow France to maintain its success in future appearances. On the bright side, young players like Mbappe and Martial are more eager to deliver better results on every appearance. We hope that the team can maintain an exceptional track record.
24. Round Of Applause
When a team concedes, the opponents can’t hide their joy as they jump up and down to express their happiness. More goalkeepers are hungry for a clean sheet for every game. Unfortunately, the team can concede deserving an undeserving goal without a strong defense.
After great performances time and again, David de Gea has proved his worth as the number shot-stopper at Old Trafford and the Spanish national team. Unfortunately, he has a poor record for failing to maintain clean sheets even when the team annihilates an opponent. We encourage his defenders to do better and avoid making their goalkeeper look bad.
25. What’s Your Team?
Most soccer fans prefer the World Cup, while others wait to witness the unique performance of seasoned and rookie players participating in the tournament. One may support the team because of a single player, coach, or member of an unbeatable squad.
Some fans supported Brazil for Neymar, others Portugal for CR7, while some preferred Argentina for Messi. Following a single player can disappoint you if the player doesn’t deliver. Other fans chose Germany because it has a star-studded team with world-class players hard to choose from.
26. Don’t Mess With Messi
Imagine the soccer world without the iconic Lionel Messi. Not so fast. Let’s also consider the significance of Messi in online gaming. Fans are devastated when they can’t interact with better graphics of their preferred players that may not look as they do in real-life games.
The top left image features a better version of Messi with realistic features in the FIFA 19 game, unlike the eFootball 2022’s version. Joey may have accepted the top Messi as a F.R.I.E.N.D. In contrast, the bottom one is quite startling with strange eyes.
27. Let Us Create Stadiums
Most countries have invested in stadiums for the iconic game, followed by the masses. The stadiums are built with slightly different designs to hold as many people as possible for every game. From an aerial view, most stadiums take the shape of a giant toilet.
The toilet shape may explain why the campaign for most teams has flushed down the drain before the World Cup advances beyond the group stage. We hope that designers can develop better ideas for the outlook of stadiums emphasizing aesthetics, capacity, and facilities.
28. A City Of The Future
Ever thought of visiting Singapore? The city-state has risen drastically in technology and development, with various inventions making life easier. It boasts advanced architectural designs, earning the city a reputation as one future. We are curious about their outlook on soccer and other games.
Considering architectural designs and other advancements making Singapore a city of the future, we would love to look at their stadiums. Recent developments have allowed the city to create great conditions for developing online gaming culture for games like soccer.
29. Wash Cloth or World Cup 2022 Logo?
The 2022 World Cup Logo looks like the Oaxaca Cheese from a different angle. This person used a washcloth to create a shape resembling the World Cup logo. We guess it can produce a World Cup feeling as one tries handling it cautiously not to damage the ‘trophy.’
The missing line at the bottom changes the entire perspective towards the washcloth and logo above. Before interacting with the 2022 World Cup logo, some may rule it out as a perfect recreation of ribbons that bring awareness to diseases. We hope that this logo can increase soccer awareness.
30. Germany Or Britain?
How do you choose the team to support in international soccer tournaments? Worst case, think about a situation when your preferred team is playing against another team you love. Germany and England have plenty of followers, including those following their respective leagues.
Considering previous records of the German and English teams, one would be quick to grant Germany the win before kick-off. Soon as the whistle blows, reality hits as one looks beyond the trash talk. We imagine that this guy may have placed a bet for England to win.
31. Americans And Football
Americans follow games like American football, baseball, and basketball while sidelining soccer. During the World Cup, even folks that don’t watch soccer regularly prefer watching the game to witness history in the making. Guess the disappointment of Americans looking for a team to support at the World Cup.
The newfound soccer fans searched through every possible category to find the national team at the 2018 World Cup. Making sense of the rules and naming the squad is an uphill task for one who never watches the game. We hope to see more American fans at the 2022 World Cup.
32. From Costa Rica With Love
Costa Rica launched a vigorous campaign to earn a slot at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Fans were also eager to watch the team play in the upcoming tournament. Beyond winning our hearts, the team needs to put a bigger fight and prove themselves as worthy contenders in all matches.
We hope the team can deliver results beyond our expectations after putting up a big fight to join the big boys in Qatar come 2022. Costa Rica, we love you back, but you have to play beautiful soccer to attract more fans looking to support newer teams in upcoming events.
33. Croatia, Bring Back Our Hearts
Croatia proved critics wrong and gave fans more reasons to believe in them. The team was composed and adequately prepared to go beyond the group stage into their first World Cup final against France. Croatia may have lost the match but won our hearts.
We may call this a win-win situation because the winner took the cup home while the runner-up escaped with our hearts. We hope they can return our hearts in time to avoid heartbreaks or step into the next tournament to win the World Cup. By the way, nobody said it would be easy.
33. Best Midfield At The FIFA World Cup 2018
Besides humility and discipline on and off the pitch, Croatia brought a world-class squad with notable names in significant soccer leagues with thousands of fans. After much consideration, we’ve been unable to find a better midfield led by Luca Modric at the tournament.
We’re still waiting for fans to name a better midfield four years later. Fans and critics seem to agree unanimously about the Croatian squad’s performance. We hope that Luca Modric’s mates can find better ways of controlling the midfield instead of playing with our hearts.
35. Funniest Video Game Screenshot
Soccer fans go beyond the pitch to compare the performance and prowess of their teams and individual players. When called upon to produce funny video game screenshots, one presented a game between Portugal and Argentina. Other than taking Messi down, Argentina was humiliated by the Portuguese.
Messi can’t hide his disbelief as he is sent crashing down face first. The meme speaks volumes as it highlights Messi’s and Argentina’s performance at the World Cup. To make matters worse, Cristiano performed better. We hope that Messi didn’t take it personally.
36. A Cake For Consolation
Germany is notorious for humiliating big teams. After massacring the Brazilian team, Germany proceeded to teach Argentina a lesson. Friends will have strange ideas on how to make you feel better. For instance, this friend brought an Argentina fan a cake with the Argentinian flag and the German flag on the inside.
Before making the first cut, the Argentinian fan may have felt excited. We can imagine their shock after coming across the German colors inside. After such humiliation, one would refrain from the opponent’s colors or risk falling into depression. We hope that the Argentinian fan didn’t throw away black, yellow, and red traces from his wardrobe.
37. One For The FIFA Fans
Every year, FIFA fans are waiting for a new version of the game. Unfortunately, we don’t understand why one would prefer a poor-quality match every year. We expect FIFA to make relevant adjustments to make the game better and of higher quality with every improvement.
Nonetheless, we understand that the game is addictive irrespective of its quality. You also get a chance to play your preferred team in the desired formation repeatedly. While FIFA fans rarely complain of the poor quality, we hope the game developers can do a better job to win the hearts of soccer and non-soccer fans looking to unwind.
38. The Trend Continues
How competitive is the World Cup? It’s so competitive that winning the tournament in a row has been impossible for the champions. After the World Cup in 2006, Italy was knocked out at group stages in the FIFA World Cup 2010. Spain stepped up and lifted the trophy in 2010, hoping to prolong their form four years later.
Unfortunately, Spain met a similar fate in 2014 when they were knocked out at group stages, allowing the German team to shine. After lifting the world cup in 2014, we expected Germany to retain the title in 2018, but they failed at group stages. While looking forward to 2022, we believe that France has minimal chances of retaining the World Cup.
39. Neymar The Yoga Trainer
How often do you practice yoga? It seems odd to watch soccer players doing yoga on the pitch. Neymar is controversial for a unique style of play that includes diving after slight contact with the opponent. He also showcases his yoga skills by landing uniquely every time.
If you can’t afford a yoga trainer, you should probably consider Neymar’s moves among your starter pack. If he continues with the same spirit, we’re convinced that more yoga fans will consider watching Neymar play. We may find an equilibrium between yoga and soccer to build healthy teams in due time.
40. Who’s the Better Scorer?
Would you believe that Harry Kane has better World Cup statistics than Messi? This seems like a far-fetched joke, given that Messi has won several Ballon D’Ors and caps. Unfortunately, the former has proven his prowess by scoring five World Cup goals in 152 minutes, while it took Messi four tournaments to score the five World Cup goals.
If granted a chance to play in more World Cup tournaments, Harry Kane may surprise the world by netting more goals than other scorers. Messi cannot hide his disbelief and disappointment, considering that he is about to retire. Some underdogs may play better than renowned players like CR7 and Lionel Messi.
Soccer fans are notorious for supporting their respective teams through thick and thin. With every game, meme creators will have something to brighten your day and make the game more memorable. We can’t wait for the FIFA World Cup 2022 to see what the future has in store.