In a World Cup which has bordered on the stupendous and miraculous, with on-field and off-pitch narratives at every corner, Qatar 2022 has the finale tournament organisers and fans could have only etched out in their dreams. In one corner, France: the defending champions, Europe’s current powerhouse, a well-oiled machine with a king-in-waiting their key asset on the left. In the other, Argentina: South America’s champions, adaptable and resilient, feeding off a storyline which can only end one way – surely? – for the greatest player of his generation and their captain as he bows out of his fifth and final World Cup on the grandest stage.
What is even more astounding, though, is that these two have been here before. Not in World Cup folklore, not dating back to black and white, but in recent memory. How about the standout game from the last World Cup, four-and-a-half years ago in Russia? That’s right – that absolute humdinger of a football match. Depicted as a changing of the guard in the aftermath, it’s worth analysing: how much has actually changed since France’s 4-3 win? Has that changing of the guard actually shifted? Or is it, perhaps, all coming full circle?
