Before the World Cup began in Qatar, the media around the world rightly focused mainly on the social injustices of the host.
The only hope was that football would rise to such a level that it would forget everything, bring us back to childhood for a few weeks, and produce a cosmic tournament that will be remembered for generations.
Indeed, the World Cup that ended last Sunday became iconic, thanks to dramas in the group stages, big surprises in the knockout stages and of course the way Leo Messi and Argentina won the title and spent millions in their homeland for celebrations that refuse to end.
Starting today, the top leagues are back in action, and even if we have a tremendous sense of catharsis from the World Cup, at the end of the day these are our lives, so here is a brief reminder of the top struggles that await us.
England
In the first 14 rounds in the Premier League, every week Arsenal gained momentum, and went into the break at the top with a gap of 5 points from the second - Manchester City.
Every time we thought the Gunners would fall, Mikel Arteta's side kept going, looked connected and could really challenge for the title.
Now she will have to pass a test of character to continue galloping forward.
Her biggest problem is Gabriel Jesus' injury during the World Cup, which is expected to return only in February.
City, the champions, will be waiting in the corner for the Londoners with the new world champion Julián Alvarez.
The one who has so far been considered a replacement for Arling Holland, can become a significant factor in the run for another local title.
The other big teams - Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea - will fight for the place in the first four that leads to the Champions League, and each of them also has to deal with the problems that the frequent break has created.
Antonio Conte, for example, will have to collect the heartbroken Harry Kane and Richarlison to try to get closer to the two title contenders, while at Old Trafford, Eric Tene will have to prove that the Cristiano Ronaldo saga has paid off and he can now carry his close-knit group at least back to the continent's top enterprise next season.
Not to be ignored is Newcastle, which is starting to show that the Saudi ownership is already producing results.
Italy
13 wins, 2 draws and 0 losses.
A goal ratio of plus 25 and 8 points difference from the second Milan.
If there is a team whose World Cup came at particularly bad timing, it is Serie A leader Napoli.
The Blues provided a rare start to the season, captured the top and showed signs of a real candidacy for the Scudetto - the first since 1990. Although the Mexican Herving Lozano returns from Qatar a little bent, but the pair of his friends in the attack - Victor Osiman and Javiche Kwazdalia were not part of the tournament and the rest they received can allow continuity.
Milan, Inter, Juve and Roma are hot after Napoli, but starting next week they need to get as many points as possible and hope for the stumbling of Luciano Safaletti and his players.
After his beloved Argentina returned the World Cup to Buenos Aires, in southern Italy they hope that the spirit of Maradona will bring with it an exciting double.
Kwazdalia
Napoli will race to the first championship since 1990?, photo: Reuters
Spain
The rehabilitation campaign that Xavi is doing at Camp Nou and the purchase campaign last summer, proved themselves at least in the first part of the season.
Barcelona went into the break as the leader of "La Liga" with a gap of two points over Real Madrid.
Robert Lewandowski bombed like he did at Bayern Munich and is expected to continue to do so, but what should worry the "Blaugrana" is the fact that his supporting team - Ousmane Dembele, Rafinha and Fran Torres come heartbroken after the World Cup - and will have to pick themselves up mentally to return the championship to Catalonia.
Real, for its part, is already thinking about the upcoming summer, and dreams of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, but it will not give up easily, certainly if Luka Modric, Vinicius and Karim Benzema are fit.
Lewandowski with Gabi and Pedri.
Barça owes a championship, photo: Reuters
France
PSG went into the break leading the table and ahead of the second Lance by 5 points, not something that should be overemphasized.
In the era of the Qataris, the championship is important but it only becomes a story if the team from the City of Lights loses it.
PSG's big challenge, as always, is mainly personal, to stay focused and cruise to the title.
The problem is that Christophe Galtier will have to deal with something no coach has faced before - an extremely happy new world champion, and some frowning faces around him that include Mbappe, Neymar and Ashraf Hakimi.
It is not clear how long it will take for this group to recover, when it seems that their head is already in the round of 16 of the Champions League against Bayern Munich in February.
Mbappe and Messi.
It will be interesting to see the combination between them after the World Cup final, photo: AFP
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