DOHA: What do you do when a football match ceases to be just a football match, and becomes cosmic activity? Does it remain football, just a sport or does it become a lifelong metaphor for greatness and immortality. How is it entered in the official records then? Just plain Match No 64 at FIFA World Cup 2022, or is there a different nomenclature for such things? Does it leave all the political and cultural chaos of the hosting behind, leaving the suits feeling cleansed, as they laugh all the way to the bank?
On Sunday, whoever is crowned world champion, what is sure is that there will be a succession, a strange and belated rite of passage. Win or lose, Lionel Messi will pass on the mantle to Kylian Mbappe, making this final -- his last match -- then, somewhat redundant in exercise but not in meaning.
