Qatar World Cup delivered - on the pitch at least

Even though Fifa supremo Gianni Infantino wants us to believe Qatar 2022 was "the best World Cup ever" it’s difficult to be quite as positive, despite Sunday's thrilling final.

It’s a tricky job assessing just how successful this latest tournament was.

Plenty has already been said and written about whether Qatar was the right country to host such a prestigious event but if we are to judge it purely on the football then it delivered. And then some.

Before a ball was kicked I was fairly unenthused about a winter showpiece tournament but I have to admit by the end I had been reminded why World Cups every four years are so special.

Yes, there were a handful of dour games and plenty of cagey, goalless first halves before matches often sparked into life. But we had several shocks, some fantastic goals, late drama and wonderful storylines as the competition went on.

Without the normal month or so build-up we get before major summer international tournaments, we were thrust pretty much straight into Qatar 2022 when the club action was paused and there's no denying watching a World Cup at the end of November and into December was a sometimes surreal experience.

An ageing Wales side struggled to assert themselves in their first appearance on this stage since 1958 whereas England impressed and built momentum nicely before unluckily losing to eventual finalists France.

Japan, Saudi Arabia, Croatia and magical Morocco – to name just four countries – all produced moments to remember. Morocco's stunning run to the semis was arguably the story of the tournament as they became the first African nation to make the last four of a World Cup.

As is often the case, a collection of players enjoyed breakout tournaments with some relative unknowns being catapulted into the spotlight. Netherlands' flying forward Cody Gakpo, Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and Croatia centre-back Josko Gvardiol all fall into this category and are likely to now find themselves the subject of much transfer speculation and interest from Europe's biggest clubs.

However, it's not always wise to buy players solely off the back of a great World Cup. The words Phil Babb, Ireland, 1994 and Liverpool still send me into a cold sweat.

Sunday's final, when Lionel Messi did Lionel Messi things and led Argentina to world glory, was a sensational match. It appeared to be heading for a comfortable and deserved triumph for the South Americans before France and Kylian Mbappe suddenly remembered they were meant to be competing in the biggest game of all.

Mbappe, with his hat-trick, demonstrated why he is currently one of the best players in the world, although he will have his work cut out to eclipse what Messi has achieved in the game with the 35-year-old now rightly laying claim to be the GOAT, which seems to be the popular way to label him these days.

Argentina's victory on penalties after it had finished 3-3 after extra-time has been widely described as the greatest World Cup Final ever and it’s hard to argue with that, even if England’s famous 1966 triumph runs it close.

In the aftermath of the wild and breathless final, it's easy to see why Infantino suggested the tournament was the best we've ever seen but it’s not an opinion I can fully get behind.

The short build-up had been dominated by debate over Qatar’s suitability to stage the tournament and, while all the off-field controversies of course must not be forgotten, the exhilarating football ensured we witnessed a thrilling sporting spectacle at least.

Jesus injury a huge blow for Gunners

We had a raft of injuries before the tournament began with global stars such as Senegal’s Sadio Mane and France's Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema missing out on Qatar. Then Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus suffered a serious knee injury in Brazil's final group game.

With the Premier League about to resume – and Arsenal's unexpected title bid with it – just how big a setback for Mikel Arteta’s side will Jesus’s injury be?

Following his move from Manchester City, the forward was a key cog in the Gunners' hugely impressive start to the season but he's now unlikely to play until March after undergoing surgery.

Arteta, of course, has plenty of other attacking talents in his squad and may also look to sign a replacement next month. Finding someone who can do Jesus's job will be extremely difficult, though, and his lengthy absence could derail their title bid.

Manchester City are leading the chasing pack, with Pep Guardiola's men five points behind and they resume with Argentina striker Julian Alvarez returning to club action on a high after he played a big role in his country's World Cup success.

Alvarez was a bit-part player for City up until November and only started three Premier League games before the pause. However, his performances in Qatar, when he scored four goals and got one assist, means he is likely to become an increasingly important player for the reigning champions for the remainder of the season.

Some will say City do not need much back-up for the centre-forward role due to Erling Haaland's ridiculous goal-getting ability and they are probably right. But Alvarez's displays over the past month have shone a light on how effective he is in the final third.

Arsenal will be weakened by Jesus' absence but City, in contrast, could now be even stronger.

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