The World Cup you don't expect: unexpected defeats and historic gestures

For those who feared a less than captivating World Cup due to Italy's absence, the answer has already arrived in these first four days.

And at the moment there is something for all tastes. 

Sports results.

The first day of the group stage hasn't ended yet, and clamorous results are already arriving from the field that let us foresee a world championship that is anything but obvious.

Yesterday the

.

Today the equally sensational

.

In both cases for 2-1.

In both cases, a comeback and overtaking by the underdog in the predictions.

And this makes the next few days even more interesting.

Argentines and Germans are now forced to pursue.

And missteps can no longer be afforded.

On the second day they will have commitments that are anything but easy.

will have to deal with Mexico.

On Sunday, again at 8pm,

, who in the meantime

In short, a football world cup that becomes exciting.

And with possible surprises already from the elimination round.

But it's not just sports news that comes from Qatar.

That of 2022 is probably one of the most "political" editions ever seen.

First of all the discussions on the

, with

and the request for a boycott. 

This forced

to turn the press conference on the eve of the opening ceremony into an attack on what he called the "double standards" and "hypocrisy" of Europe and the Western world.

Then comes

.

And the players choose one of the most popular stages in the world to say that, between the regime in Tehran and the demonstrators, they are on the side of those who protest and ask for freedom and rights. 

Seeing the players close-lipped as the national anthem played in Doha's Khalifa Stadium was a powerful gesture.

Of those who know that, in all likelihood, they will pay for their silence.

And the audience was with them.

The choir for Ali Karimi, a former Iran player who has become one of the protagonists in the fight against the regime, has repeatedly rang out from the stands.

The choice of the international director to intersperse the images of the players with those of an emotional, crying woman in the stands, gave even more strength to what was happening.

Worldwide.

The shocking declaration of the Belgium captain, Jan Vertonghen, at the press conference:

.

And so we come to today, Germany's debut day.

Shortly before the kick-off the news began to circulate that

would have defied the Fifa ban on wearing the rainbow captain's armband with the words "one love".

The mystery deepens when he enters the field, because the armband is expertly covered by the game shirt and the international director never dedicates narrow images to him. 

But then comes the certainty: Neuer did not wear the rainbow band, but the official Fifa one with the words "No Discrimination".

However

. 

"To deny us our armband is to deny us our voice," explained the Football Federation.

Such a direct attack on Fifa on the occasion of an official match has never been seen before.

To complete the picture, and to give political and institutional coverage to what was happening on the pitch,

: she wore the rainbow sash.

Clearly and blatantly.

And sitting next to FIFA president Infantino.

In short, just 4 days have passed since the inaugural ceremony.

And there are 25 left until the final.

And Qatar 2022 is already proving to be one of those editions that will not be archived quickly.