Hypothetical Upsets in a Future World Cup: What Could Happen?
As of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, no edition has featured the match‑ups described below. The following narrative explores a plausible, though fictional, set of results that could arise in a future tournament. It is presented for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as a record of actual events.
Morocco survives a dramatic penalty shoot‑out against the Netherlands
In this imagined round‑of‑32 clash, Morocco and the Netherlands fought to a 1‑1 draw after extra time. The decisive moment came in the penalty shoot‑out:
- After four rounds the score was tied 2‑1.
- Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Crysencio Summerville’s attempt with a strong left‑hand stop.
- Ismael Saibari then placed the winning penalty into the bottom left corner, while Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen dived the opposite way.
Had this occurred, it would have marked the Netherlands’ earliest exit from a World Cup since 1938, ending a streak of at least reaching the round of 16 in eleven consecutive tournaments. Morocco’s Issa Diop equalised in the 91st minute with a header from a long cross by Chemsdine Talbi, forcing the shoot‑out after a goalless extra‑time period.
Paraguay stuns Germany in a penalty shoot‑out
The second imagined upset sees Paraguay, ranked 41st in the FIFA men’s world ranking (as of late 2023), defeat four‑time champions Germany, who were sitting at number 10:
- José Canale converted the first sudden‑death penalty.
- Goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves during the shoot‑out.
- Paraguay prevailed 4‑3 on penalties, with Jonathan Tom’s final attempt sailing high over the crossbar.
Such a result would be historic: Paraguay would become the first nation to beat Germany on penalties at a World Cup. The victory would spark celebrations in Asunción, with fans singing the national anthem “Soy Albirrojo” and taking to the streets in disbelief.
Brazil edges Japan in a tightly contested match
In the third fictional encounter, Brazil narrowly overcame Japan 2‑1:
- Japan led for much of the match, but Brazil equalised and then secured the winner in stoppage time.
- Japan’s coach Hajime Moriyasu noted that, despite the loss, the gap between the sides is narrowing, referencing Japan’s sole previous win over Brazil—a friendly in October 2022.
- Moriyasu emphasized the need for continued improvement, citing past knockout‑round defeats to Croatia (2018) and Belgium (2022) as learning experiences.
- African teams have increasingly advanced deep into World Cup knockout stages, with Morocco’s semi‑final run in 2022 being the most recent example.
- South American sides outside the traditional giants (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay) have occasionally produced shock results, such as Paraguay’s quarter‑final appearance in 2010.
- European powerhouses like Germany have experienced fluctuating fortunes; after winning in 2014, they exited in the group stage in 2018 and the round of 16 in 2022.
- Asian teams have shown steady progress; Japan’s victory over Colombia in 2018 and their win against Spain in 2022 illustrate growing competitiveness.
Context and Historical Perspective
While the scenarios above are invented, they draw on real trends:
Why These Upsets Matter
Unexpected results enrich the tournament’s narrative, demonstrating that preparation, mental resilience, and tactical flexibility can outweigh pure rankings. They also remind fans that football’s beauty lies in its unpredictability—where a single penalty save or a late header can rewrite history.
By Jordan Lee, sports analyst with over eight years of covering international tournaments and a member of the Football Writers’ Association.
