Messi and Ronaldo are favourite players
Staff Reporter
If the FIFA World Cup is an election, our ministers who follow football have qualified for the general round. A day before the 2022 World Cup kicked off in Qatar on November 20, Kuensel asked cabinet ministers to predict who would lift the cup on December 18.
Not all are football fans or follow the World Cup. But the teams they chose or their favourite are in the last 16.
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering, Lyonpo Dorji Tshering and Lyonpo Karma Donnen Wangdi are fans of Argentina. Like many, they Like Argentina because of the star player, Lionel Messi.
But not all think Argentina, who survived a scare in the group stage by losing their opening match to Saudi Arabia 1-2, would lift the trophy. Lyonpo Dorji Tshering who is a regular in the PMO team (Prime Minister’s Office) feels France is a better team and would win the World Cup for the second time in four years.
France, along with Brazil were the first teams to book their place in the last 16 and top group D and G with a game to spare. France will take on Poland on December 4. Brazil’s opponent is not yet declared as of yesterday.
Lyonchen, team PMO’s striker, is rooting for Argentina, one of the favourites and probably his favourite Messi’s last chance to lift the World Cup. Argentina will face Australia on Sunday and with a win probability of 82 percent, expected to progress to the next round.
Lyonpo Karma Donnen Wangdi, a good footballer in his young days, according to his friends, and the star player in the PMO team, thinks his favourite’s arch rival, Brazil will win the World Cup.
Rooting for Brazil is also Lyonpo Loknath Sharma. A fan of Brazilian star Neymar, Lyonpo will be wishing for Neymar Jr to recover soon and help his country to victory.
Lyonpo Dechen Wangmo, the only female cabinet teammate, thinks Portugal will lift the cup. The predication is based not on football knowledge, but because her favourite footballer is Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. Lyonpo’s favourite topped group H and Ronaldo scored once in three games.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Namgay Tshering has a rich line-up for the finals, but doesn’t include his favourite, Ronaldo. Lyonpo predicts the final between five times winner Brazil and 2010 winner, Spain with Brazil winning the cup. “They (Brazil) are a very consistent team even without the big names,” said Lyonpo. “No matter the new faces in the team, they are very impressive and professional.”