The World Cup in Qatar was preceded by 12 years of controversy. Now, after four dramatic weeks and 63 games, the prestigious football tournament has reached its climax. Heavyweights France and Argentina will clash in an eagerly awaited final.
This was a World Cup of surprises. Morocco, ranked 22nd, won deserved plaudits and many new fans with their extraordinary performances, becoming the first African team to progress to the semi-finals. Asian teams fared well. Saudi Arabia caused the biggest shock, beating Argentina in a group match. Japan, South Korea and Australia all made it through to the last 16, causing upsets along the way.
Meanwhile, highly rated contenders Germany, Brazil, Spain and Portugal suffered disappointing exits. England, typically, missed a penalty on their way to defeat. The surprises made for an exciting tournament.
Now, champions France take on fellow two-time winners Argentina in the final. It will feature two of the world’s best players. Argentina’s Lionel Messi, 35, widely regarded as the best ever, is playing in his last World Cup. Many will be willing him to win. But France have Kylian Mbappe, 23, leading the new generation of greats. It will be a tantalising contest.
Controversy has dogged the competition with the choice of Qatar as hosts questioned because of corruption allegations and the Arab state’s human rights record. In the end, protests were limited, partly because of a ban imposed by the sport’s governing body Fifa on teams engaging in such activity.
This prompted German players to cover their mouths when posing for photographs, symbolising censorship. Other issues, such as the heat, did not turn out to be a big factor. The matches produced much entertainment and excitement.
Fifa’s much-criticised president Gianni Infantino declared this World Cup to be the best ever. That is open to question. But there is no doubt it has brought much joy to fans. In these times of geopolitical tensions, there is little global cohesion.
At Sunday’s kick-off more than a billion people worldwide are expected to join in a common purpose – watching and enjoying the final. We can only hope that what Infantino described as the “unique, cohesive power” of the competition has a positive and lasting impact.