adminDOHA. – Argentina versus France, Lionel Messi against Kylian Mbappe is the World Cup Final many wanted, and none more enthusiastically than hosts Qatar.
The best player in the world against the second best, old master facing young prodigy, the tournament’s two top scorers.
One aiming to finish a glittering career with the only prize in football which has so far evaded him, the other on the brink of winning a second World Cup aged 23.
And, most relevantly for the host nation, both employees of a Qatari state project at Paris Saint-Germain.
Qatar desired this final above all, pitting the greatest assets of the country’s day-to-day sports vehicle (with apologies to Neymar) against each other in the showpiece of their lavish global event.
Whatever happens on Sunday, Qatar will end the occasion by crowning one of its own poster boys as king.
And, the country will forever be associated with one of football’s most compelling storylines.
Messi’s involvement ensures the final is guaranteed to end in triumph or disaster.
Either the 35-year-old, who has said he is playing in his fifth and final World Cup, bows out by confirming his immortality and surely settling the debate over the greatest player in history.
Or he will lose a second final, making for an epic tragedy and a lifetime of what-ifs.
And, Mbappe’s presence on the other side only increases the stakes.
For France’s talisman to be part of the first side to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, would elevate him to one of the game’s all-timers, while compounding Messi’s own sense of loss. Given the highly problematic nature of this World Cup, it is significant Qatar is able to lay a claim to such compelling narratives and drama.
In terms of pure sporting theatre, this World Cup stands as one of the best.
It has been tempting at times to wonder if Qatar has any regrets about hosting “the tournament of external noise”, as Gareth Southgate put it, given the sheer extent of negative publicly.
But when attention inevitably turns elsewhere, the legend of Sunday’s final will live on.
A battle between the games two biggest stars and icons surely goes a long way to making their $220billion investment worthwhile.
Neither player will have forgotten their last meeting on this stage, France’s 4-3 win over Argentina in the last-16 four years ago, when Mbappe announced himself to the world with a brilliant double — the first teenager to score twice in a World Cup match since Pele.
Messi was first down the tunnel in Kazan that night, his dreams of winning a World Cup appearing in tatters.
Revenge or redemption now awaits. Messi and Mbappe go into the game in a race for the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, with five goals apiece. Like Argentina in their semi-final against Croatia, France ceded plenty of possession but never panicked.
Given the nature of the two sides, a tight final is even more likely to be decided by a moment of inspiration, and the genius of Messi and Mbappe could be the difference between winning and losing. Qatar will feel they have already won. – Evening Standard
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter