The Long Awaited Messi Mbappe Match
The rollercoaster ride that has been Morocco's campaign in Qatar came to an agonizing end at Al Bayt Stadium as France took a step closer to realizing their own World Cup goal. Holders France erased romantic preconceptions about Morocco, this tournament's beautiful surprise package, by going even further and becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals on a night of raw emotion and cacophony of noise in Al Khor. The impressive Moroccan fan base, who flocked to Doha in their hundreds to cover the stadium in red, was left overcome with emotion but also filled with pride as France eventually made class and efficiency pay, scoring in each end of a thrilling game to win 2-0.
Others teasedly edged into view for Sunday's final at Lusail Stadium as Morocco's players, staff, and their inspiring coach Walid Regragui received a lengthy and richly deserved standing ovation in front of those devoted supporters with their dreams dashed. Specifically, Kylian Mbappe vs. Lionel Messi in the France vs. Argentina matchup. On the grandest platform in sports, the teammates from Paris St. Germain will face off against each other internationally. The Argentine genius, who is 12 years his older, has one final chance to win the title that would support his claims to be the best player to ever play the game, while the 23-year-old Frenchman is vying for his second World Cup victory gold.
Successive victories would further solidify Mbappe's standing as France strives to become the second nation to win back-to-back World Cups, following Brazil, which did so in Sweden in 1958 and then in Chile four years later. He contributed to France's 4-2 victory over Croatia in Moscow in 2018 and has the ability to increase his total both now and in the future. Pele, a legend in Brazil, is the only person to have won three medals. Only 21 men—including Pele—have garnered multiple victories. It creates amazing opportunities for France going forward. The situation is different with Messi. He has reached the end of a career in which he has achieved all of the game's goals with the exception of that one, crucial gap.
The ultimate way to cap off Messi's saga with Argentina would be if he wins his final World Cup game on Sunday. Anything else would make the great sporting symbol of his nation feel empty and hopeless. According to what we have seen in Qatar, the World Cup final might be one to remember, but it is now too close to call. It might even come down to a single stroke of brilliance from the two players who are most likely to offer it.
Despite Morocco applying pressure for brief periods, the French maintained their calm. Theo Hernandez scored for them after five minutes, and then Randal Kolo Muani scored only 44 seconds after coming on, the third-fastest goal by a substitute in World Cup history and his first for France, 11 minutes from time. Additionally, Didier Deschamps' coaching career will be further rewarded with a place in history if his team wins the championship on Sunday. The 54-year-old guided his nation to the 1998 World Cup on home soil and was dubbed "The Water Carrier" by France teammate Eric Cantona for his tireless approach and capacity to win possession for other allegedly more attractive teammates.
After Vittorio Pozzo with Italy in 1934 and 1938, Carlos Bilardo with Argentina in 1986 and 1990, and Franz Beckenbauer with Germany in 1986 and 1990, Deschamps is just the fourth coach to take a country to back-to-back World Cup finals. After Pozzo, he would be the second person to ever win it twice. Even at this crucial juncture in the World Cup, he was forced to withdraw Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano due to sickness; the latter was expertly replaced by Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool, giving Deschamps a tasty selection dilemma on Sunday.
Thus, this is what the World Cup boils down to. Argentina and France. Mbappe vs. Messi, in many people's views. Many had anticipated this World Cup final and eagerly awaited the personal showdown between two legends.
