The streets of Doha were just as packed with revelers as those in Buenos Aires. The final whistle of the World Cup may have marked the end of the official tournament, but it was only the start of a global sense of jubilation, with the hosts feeling vindicated by their years-long effort.
Foreign Ministry praises conduct of 10,000 fans who traveled to the Gulf state as only 10 cases required special diplomatic treatment.
Plans of a monster-sized tournament, a currently unknown match system, and three host nations – the US, Mexico and Canada – are a guaranteed recipe for disaster. We try to figure out just what FIFA’s rulers were thinking.
Without a spot of patriotism, the most famous sports magazine in the world, L’Equipe, split its front page between Messi and Mbappé. The French indifference was apparent everywhere.
British-Argentinian sports reporter, Daniel Edwards, in Buenos Aires, describes the feelings immediately after the historic victory over France.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Nothing could have prepared us for what unfolded over the 120 minutes of an epic game.
Messi now has 12 World Cup goals – the same as Brazil great Pelé – and is the first player to score in the group stage and every round of the knockout stage in a single edition of the tournament.
After beating Croatia in the semifinals Tuesday, Messi said Sunday’s match would likely be his last in a World Cup.
The last time these two teams met was at the 2018 World Cup where France beat Argentina 4-3 in the last 16, an encounter that was arguably the most entertaining match of the tournament in Russia.
Much has been written over the recent weeks about the cold shoulder that Israelis have been given here. I haven't experienced any of this. Organizers are glad that Argentina and Messi have reached the final, guaranteeing peak interest up until the last minute.