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With the commencement of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, there has been a shift in the focus of fans to follow what is happening at the tournament. Players and teams are being carefully monitored to ensure that their performances are up to scratch.
In the first days of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, there have been several top performances from players and their teams. On the other side of the spectrum, too, there have been a number of poor performances from players who are expected to be among the best performers.
Without further ado, here is a list of five disappointing players from the first round of matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#5 Alphonso Davies (Canada vs Belgium)
When facing one of the best national sides in the world, you must take your chances when they come. Canada and their wing-back Alphonso Davies learned this lesson the hard way as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Belgium.
With five goals and eight assists in qualifying, Davies was going to be Canada's most important player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Bayern Munich left-back stepped up to take a penalty which had been awarded to his side, and he fluffed his lines. Davies saw his spot-kick saved by Thibaut Courtois in the 10th minute.
Belgium barely escaped with a 1-0 win thanks to a Michy Batshuayi goal, but Canada were the better side. They had hoped for their stars to get them over the line, and on this count, Davies let his team down.
#4 Edouard Mendy (Senegal vs Netherlands)
A goalkeeper's worst nightmare is to be the main reason for his side's loss after an impressive performance in a game. Edouard Mendy knows all about this as he was culpable in Senegal's 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands in their opener.
The Teranga Lions fought bravely against the Netherlands, but their hard work was undone in the final stages of the match. First, Mendy showed great hesitation in dealing with a dangerous cross from Frenkie de Jong, allowing Cody Gakpo to head past him. The Chelsea custodian also parried a shot straight into the path of Davy Klaassen, giving him the easy task of tapping into an unguarded net.
For a goalkeeper of his caliber, Mendy should not be making such mistakes which are slowly becoming commonplace in his game. He has suffered a dip in form and may be axed from the starting line-up for their second game at the FIFA World Cup against hosts Qatar.
#3 Robert Lewandowski (Poland vs Mexico)
Regarded as one of the world's deadliest finishers, Robert Lewandowski failed to show his finishing ability against Mexico. The 34-year-old was, in fact, responsible for his side failing to win the game.
Captaining his country, Lewandowski was expected to be their leader with his performances on the pitch. The Barcelona striker was found wanting in this role as he played on the periphery against Mexico. He had only two shots, one from the penalty spot, in the game.
To make matters worse, he failed to convert a penalty that was easily saved by Guillermo Ochoa. Lewandowski remains without a FIFA World Cup goal after Poland's game against Mexico. The 34-year-old must deliver an improved performance for his country against Saudi Arabia.
#2 Thomas Muller (Germany vs Japan)
For a player of his FIFA World Cup prestige, Thomas Muller delivered an underwhelming performance for Germany against Japan. The forward struggled as the Blue Samurai defeated Germany 2-1.
Muller came into the match looking to make an impact in his fourth FIFA World Cup. The Bayern Munich man was, however, isolated for long periods of the game. The 33-year-old found himself on the periphery of the game and attempted no shots throughout his time on the pitch. He was ineffective in a game where his quality and experience were needed.
Muller played for only 67 minutes before he was replaced by Jonas Hofmann. The 2010 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner will need to be more involved for his team if they are to overcome Spain in their next match.
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina vs Saudi Arabia)
In what is expected to be his final attempt at World Cup glory, Lionel Messi took a poor first step at the Copa Mundial. The 35-year-old hardly had a sniff for Argentina as they lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their clash.
Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after only 10 minutes, but that was as good as it got for him. For the rest of the match, he failed to make an impact for La Albiceleste as they fell to a shock defeat. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner failed to take the game by the scruff of its neck against the Asian side.
Messi lost the ball in the move leading to Saudi Arabia's equalizer. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar was hardly involved as his side labored in vain against the Saudis. With elimination a real possibility, Messi must motivate his teammates to avoid a shock first-round exit.
