The final match of the Qatar Football World Cup 2022 was an exceptional event, after Argentina was crowned the championship title for the third time in its history.
The Tango team succeeded in stripping its French counterpart of its previous title, after winning a penalty shootout after an enthusiastic match that extended to two additional halves, so that Lionel Messi fulfilled his dream of carrying the cup, and untangled a knot that lasted 36 years. .
After an exciting match described as “the greatest” in the history of the FIFA World Cup Final, the communication sites were filled with hundreds of pictures and tweets that shed light on cultural, political and sports aspects unknown to some.
This report reviews the most prominent shots and events that marked the closing match:
The match in the eyes of the top soccer stars
Senior football and sports stars interacted with the enthusiastic atmosphere of the Argentina-France match.
Former Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo, nicknamed “The Phenomenon”, praised Messi and his comrades. He said in a lengthy post: “The ball offered by Messi erases any rivalry, even the historical rivalry between Brazil and Argentina. I have seen many Brazilians and people from all over the world cheering for Messi in this exciting final. This is a farewell worthy of this genius. Congratulations Messi.”
As for the former England star, Michael Owen, he tweeted, “Unbelievable match. This is the best final ever!”
In a post on Instagram, Brazil legend Pele congratulated Argentina and France. He singled out Messi and Mbappe for his speech, saying: “As we are used to, today football continues to tell its story. Messi won the 2022 World Cup title for the first time, as he deserved.”
He continued, directing his words to the French star: “My dear friend Kylian Mbappe scored four goals in the final confrontation, which is a great gift for the fans who are watching the future of our sport.”
Messi and Mbappe break records
The match, which was titled Messi and Mbappe, prompted many to draw comparisons between them. This edition of the World Cup witnessed the setting of many records.
Frenchman Mbappe is the youngest player in history to break the 10-goal barrier in the World Cup.
- Mbappe has 12 goals in just two World Cup appearances.
- The French star equalized the outcome of the goals of the brown jewel of Brazil, Pele.
- Mbappe needs to score 4 goals to equal the number of German Miroslav Klose, who is the historic scorer of the World Cup with 16 goals.
In the final match against Argentina, Mbappe managed to score three “hat-trick” goals, but it did not enable the French team to win the title.
After that hat-trick, Mbappe jumped to fifth place in the list of all-time top scorers, one goal ahead of Messi.
After scoring seven goals in the World Cup in Qatar, Messi raised his tally in the history of the World Cup to 13 goals. And the Argentine flea has become so:
- Argentina’s all-time top scorer in the World Cup
- The only player to have scored in a World Cup in his teens, 20s and 30s.
- The player with the most chances in World Cup history, ahead of Maradona.
- More than ever won the Man of the Match award in the World Cup, outperforming his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
In light of these new data and records, the debate was renewed about who deserves the title of best player in history: Messi, Maradona, Ronaldo or Pele?
Some commentators believe that “Messi settled the matter after he led his country to win the two most important titles: the Copa America and the World Cup.”
Arab observers and some foreigners also called the Argentine star “Sheikh of Football”, to emphasize his distinction.
While others refused to engage in comparisons, saying that “the race for the title of best player in history has not been finally decided.”
The Sheikh of Football and the symbolism of wearing the Bisht
It seems that some were inspired by the title “Sheikh of Football” from the moment Messi appeared to participate in the coronation ceremony while he was wearing it.
While everyone was waiting for the moment the Argentine captain received the cup, a snapshot of him wearing the Qatari uniform caught the eye and made headlines around the world.
And before the expected moment, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, dressed the Argentine captain in the “Gulf Bisht”, so that this shot became the most prominent image in the history of the World Cup and in the player’s football career.
The bisht is one of the oldest formal clothes in Qatar. It is a woolen cloak worn by men in large areas of the Gulf countries, Iraq and the Levant, as it is considered a symbol of luxury and dignity and a measure of social status.
The shot of putting the bisht on Messi’s shoulders sparked mixed reactions, and renewed the political debate that accompanied the tournament from the start.
While Arab singers expressed their admiration for this snapshot, others expressed their dissatisfaction with it.
Some described the shot as “the last smart and thoughtful Qatari touch in the World Cup.”
While others protested the idea of putting the bisht on a sports uniform. The Gulf robe covered part of Messi’s shirt, which angered many who accused Qatar of hijacking the historic coronation moment from the Argentine national team.
Some even described Bisht as “a tool of the Qatari regime to divert attention from the human rights record in his country.”
In the same context, some wrote that “Messi’s wearing of the bisht is the latest episode of the ‘sports washing’ policy adopted by Doha throughout the World Cup.”
On the other hand, other commentators believe that the criticism of the Gulf dress “revealed Western double standards towards Arabs.”
Some pointed out that this commemorative photo “came as a closing ceremony for a World Cup that was held in an eastern land and represents a beautiful message of cultural coexistence between peoples.”
Some cited an old photo from the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. The picture shows Pele wearing the traditional Mexican hat, the sombrero, after Brazil won its third world title.
Exciting family shots and celebrations
After his coronation, the Argentine star appeared sharing his joy with his wife and children.
And the cameras monitored the joy of Messi’s mother as she ran towards her son to hug him after the victory. There were many comments praising the role played by Mrs. Cuccittini in supporting her son, Lionel.
The communication sites were also filled with video clips showing the streets of Argentina, which turned into a raging sea of blue and white shirts.
And in the city of Rosario, the hometown of Messi and a number of the most prominent stars of Argentine football, fans of the competing local teams united, threw their opponents aside and exchanged hugs in a scene that many described as touching.
Dozens of comments spread in cyberspace reflect the Argentine people’s passion for the round witch and their thirst for victory at a time when their country is experiencing a severe economic crisis.
Joy and enthusiasm, then sadness.. Macron in 3 Situations
While Argentine President Alberto Fernandez preferred to watch the final match from his home, his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, was keen to follow it in Qatar. After the defeat of the “roosters”, Macron went down to the grounds of the Lusail World Cup stadium, as he appeared trying to console Mbappe.
The photos circulated by tweeters documented the moments when Macron appeared with different expressions that varied between joy, enthusiasm and sadness.
Macron’s presence at the World Cup finals drew many criticisms. There are those who criticized his “insistence” on comforting his country’s players and “following” them to the dressing rooms.
Some of them pointed out that Macron’s speech to the French national team after the match “sounded like a campaign speech,” and described his behavior as “an empty display of arrogance.”
The French presidency has already responded to criticism of Macron. “His presence is important to support the national team players,” said a presidential advisor. “The president is fulfilling a promise he made to himself,” he added.
Before the start of the World Cup, Macron announced that he would attend the semi-finals or the final if the “roosters” qualified.
However, that statement did not mitigate the criticism that saw his presence in Qatar as a rebellion against European calls to boycott the World Cup in Qatar.
After the match ended, the French president posted a tweet of thanks His team saying, “The Blues made us dream.”