a legendary final for a legendary player
But what is it? Because Messi, one of the best players of all time, could believe that the curse that haunted him in the World Cup would experience a new episode.
Another star on the pitch, Kylian Mbappe, got his team back on their feet as the Argentines took a 2-0 lead thanks to his penalty and a goal from his favorite lieutenant Angel Di Maria (23rd, 36th) and dominated the outgoing champions head and shoulders. within a few seconds (80th, 81st). Messi then saw the French take their second penalty of the evening (118th), while the Argentine had just restored the lead to his people and offended his home crowd (109th).
But after four defeats, this time it was a night that made football fans happy for a long time. It was achieved on penalties against a team that refused to give up but saw Kingsley Coman and Aurélien Tchouaméni miss their tries in a terrible test.
After the teams led by Daniel Passarella (1978) and Diego Maradona (1986), this third star for the Albiceleste will carry the stamp of favorite Messi to be named the best player of the tournament to the delight of millions of players. fans all over the world. If Mbappe, the author of a hat-trick in the final, does not receive such a meager consolation for the first time since Geoff Hust (1966).
Holy Trinity
Before this crown, the 35-year-old Rosario’s kid won everything in clubs, especially with FC Barcelona. But with his choice, he settled for Copa America (2021). This world title, which he won in his fifth attempt, makes him join the legend “el pibe de Oro” Maradona, who won the crown in 1986. He is also level with Pele with twelve goals in five editions of the Premier League competition. A trio that looks a lot like the Holy Trinity for football fans.
Messi did something that neither his two elders nor anyone else could: he scored in the group stage and then in each of the four knockout matches… Including twice in the final…
This last step was too much for defending champions France.
Resilient, the Blues have so far overcome many headwinds: packages in cascades of managers, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Presnel Kimpembe, Karim Benzema, then a virus that affected the workforce during the semi-final and final week. The admirable Warriors still thought they had twisted the arm of bad luck on Sunday.
But France will not be the third country to hold the biggest football trophy, like Italy (1934 and 1938) and then “King” Pele’s Brazil (1958 and 1962). He also remains the only man to have won two titles before turning 24, something Kylian Mbappe will not be able to achieve.
– Disputes –
Under the eyes of Elon Musk, this World Cup was unlike any other tournament, a World Cup that required an investment of between 200 and 300 billion euros, according to estimates. Seven of the eight stadiums were built for this occasion, and the last one was completely renovated.
It is also the first World Cup to be held in a venue as small as the Paris region, with all stadiums within a 70 kilometer perimeter.
He had come to interrupt the professional football seasons held in the autumn-winter borders to escape the unbearable summer temperatures of this small gas emirate.
The organizers caused many controversies.
First, in 2010, accusations of corruption to get the organization of the race at the expense of the United States were raised, surprising everyone. Judicial investigations are underway in several countries.
Qatar has also been criticized on human rights issues, including its treatment of migrant workers from South Asia and Africa who work in the construction, security and service sectors.
Qatar has denied that thousands of people died on World Cup construction sites from 2014 to 2020, citing a total of 414 deaths from industrial accidents (mostly outside the World Cup) from 2014 to 2020.
Gilbert F. Houngbo, director general of the International Labor Organization (ILO), explained in an interview with AFP that the exact death toll will never be known: “I think the public needs to know the truth, and sometimes that truth is telling. , frankly, there is no reliable information.”
– Gigantism –
However, he regretted the “double standard” in the criticism, said he was sure that “Qatar is doing a better job (in this area) than other countries” and praised the “very positive work” to improve social rights for the benefit of the tournament.
Another controversial topic in the West is LGBT+ rights in a very conservative country where homosexuality and extramarital sex are illegal.
The serious damage of such a tournament to the environment, especially the carbon footprint of the necessary infrastructures, was also noted.
In terms of enormity, the next World Cup promises to be even more disproportionate, with three host countries, the United States, Mexico and Canada, sixteen cities thousands of kilometers apart, four time zones…
And 48 teams will participate, versus 32 today, potentially over a hundred games (vs. 64 currently).
