Thanks for reading, enjoy today’s match, and we’ll be back for more top blogging tomorrow.
The time has come to close this blog down but never fear: Rob Smyth has Croatia v Morocco, right here … and it’s live!
“We are convinced of the power of our game.” A short phrase by Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, from his closing press conference at this winter’s World Cup. Compared with his opening speech some four weeks previously, a wild-eyed address that went viral in a manner unusual for sports administrators, it appears harmless enough. But the more you stare at the words, the more revealing the sentence becomes.
The power of football has been a matter of contention for the duration of Qatar 2022. What the world’s most popular spectator sport symbolises, what it can achieve, and what it can cover up have been the subject of intense debate. Tomorrow the tournament reaches its climax with a blue-chip final between France and Argentina. As the world tunes in, perhaps now is the time to draw conclusions as to the effect of such power.
Over in Kosovo, meanwhile, the artist Alkent Pozhegu has made a Messi and Mbappé mosaic from grain and seeds in the town of Gjakova. You love to see it.
Here’s a Mbappé v Messi ‘tale of the tape’ thing I compiled before tomorrow’s final.
You can also enjoy it in today’s main section of the Guardian newspaper, which I highly recommend rushing out and buying.
Lionel Messi
Age 35
Born Rosario, Santa Fe
Nickname La Pulga (The Flea)
Club Paris Saint-Germain
Reported earnings, 2022 £90m ($110m)
Major endorsements Budweiser, Gatorade, Konami, Pepsi, Mastercard
Instagram followers 391 million
International debut August 2005
World Cup debut June 2006 (Argentina 6-0 Serbia and Montenegro)
International goals 96
Goals in Qatar 5
Assists 3
Minutes played 657
Best moment in Qatar Messi’s tormenting of the Croatia defender, Josko Gvardiol, in setting up Argentina’s third semi-final goal may live longer in the memory than any he scored himself.
Worst moment Wojciech Szczesny’s brilliant save denied Messi from the penalty spot in Argentina’s Group C match against Poland.
Surprising fact Messi was sent off less than a minute into his international debut against Hungary in 2005 for elbowing an opponent.
Memorable quote “What are you looking at, dummy?” Messi took issue with a Netherlands rival while on media duty following their bad-tempered quarter-final.
What he says about Mbappé “Kylian is a different player, a beast who is very strong in one-on-one, who goes into space, who is very fast, who scores a lot of goals. He is a complete player and he has proved it for years, and in the years to come, he will certainly be among the best.”
__________________
Kylian Mbappé
Age 23
Born Paris
Nickname Donatello (from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Club Paris Saint-Germain
Reported earnings, 2022 £105m ($128m)
Major endorsements Nike, Dior, Hublot and Oakley
Instagram followers 78.3 million
International debut March 2017
World Cup debut June 2018 (France 1-0 Peru)
International goals 33
Goals in Qatar 5
Assists 2
Minutes played 550
Best moment in Qatar In their last-16 encounter Poland’s defenders made the mistake of allowing Mbappé time and space in the penalty area not once, but twice. Twice he punished them in spectacular style. His second and France’s third, curled into the far top corner, was probably his best in the tournament.
Worst moment Mbappé has been fined by Fifa for refusing to speak to the media after matches.
Surprising fact When the plane carrying Cardiff City’s new signing Emiliano Sala across the English channel went missing in 2019, Mbappé donated £27,000 to the search fund.
Memorable quote “I have nothing against journalists,” Mbappé said of his self-imposed media ban. “If I didn’t come to talk it’s because I need to fully concentrate on the competition and not waste energy on other things.”
What he says about Messi “I always say I dream about everything. I have no limits. So of course it’s a new generation. And Ronaldo, Messi — you’re gonna stop. We have to find someone else, someone new.”
As the World Cup winners lift the golden trophy on Sunday evening, an alternative to the ultimate footballing achievement will highlight alleged corruption and reported human rights violations that have been a feature of the 2022 tournament hosted by Qatar.
A Russian-born conceptual artist has created a replica of the World Cup trophy that slowly fills with crude oil. It has a symbolic price of $150m – a figure that matches the amount of money allegedly spent on bribes and kickbacks to Fifa officials, according to US criminal investigators in 2015.
Great insight here on Didier Deschamps, the France head coach, by Philippe Auclair:
“This has already been a World Cup of records for France, who are chasing a third title in less than a quarter of a century on Sunday. The captain, Hugo Lloris, will celebrate his 145th cap against Argentina, three more than the previous record holder, Lilian Thuram. Olivier Giroud equalled, then surpassed, the 52 goals that Thierry Henry had scored for Les Bleus. Antoine Griezmann, one of this tournament’s standout performers, has now played a barely believable 72 consecutive games for France.
“Then there is Didier Deschamps, who will be attempting to win the World Cup for a third time to go level with Pelé, the only other person to have achieved that feat; Deschamps, one of only three men, the others being Brazil’s Mário Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, to become a world champion as a manager and as a player; Deschamps who, if France win on Sunday, will have a legitimate claim to be considered the most decorated man in the history of the game; Deschamps, who only joined a football club at the age of 11, and has certainly made up for lost time since then.”
A gallery of weird and wonderful World Cup-related images here, compiled by Steven Bloor:
More Reuters content: Here are ten World Cup highlights as chosen by their team of reporters at the tournament.
Saudi Arabia stun Argentina
Argentina were cruising in their opening Group C game after Lionel Messi scored a first-half penalty. But the Green Falcons swooped after half time with Saleh Al-Shehri squeezing in a low shot to equalise and five minutes later Salem Al-Dawsari curled in a scorching second to leave Argentina in disbelief and Saudi fans joyously singing ‘where is Messi?’.
South Korea’s nervous wait
When Hwang Hee-chan scored a stoppage-time winner for South Korea in their final Group H game the hard part was just starting. The players then had to spend almost 10 agonising minutes in a tight huddle in the centre circle peering at phones, hoping Uruguay would not score another goal against Ghana. Finally, with a last-16 place assured, they sprinted en masse towards their delirious fans.
Messi bamboozles Gvardiol
Such has been the Argentine No 10’s impact in Qatar that the seven-times Ballon D’or winner could have multiple entries on the memorable list. But the way he held off Croatia’s masked defender Josko Gvardiol, then bamboozled him with an electrifying twist to set up the third goal in a 3-0 semi-final win, encapsulated the 35-year-old’s genius.
Ronaldo’s tearful exit
Portugal’s talisman became the first male player to score in five World Cups with a penalty against Ghana. But the 37-year-old was subsequently left out of the starting lineup and after he was unable to save his side after coming off the bench in the quarter-final against Morocco he was filmed walking down the tunnel in floods of tears.
First female referee
Frenchwoman Stéphanie Frappart was handed control of Germany’s final Group E clash against Costa Rica, becoming the first female referee to officiate at a men’s World Cup. Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suárez described it as a big step forward in a ‘sexist sport’ and the 39-year-old Frappart produced a calm and assured display in Germany’s victory.
Japan shock Germany
Before kick-off in their Group E opener Germany’s players covered their mouths in protest at Fifa’s threat of sanctions against the wearing of the ‘OneLove’ armband. At the final whistle they were left gobsmacked after Japan’s substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano secured an unlikely 2-1 comeback win for the Samurai Blue, whose fans celebrated hard before tidying up the litter in the stadium.
Morocco fans
Thousands of them descended on the Arabian Gulf to roar the Atlas Lions and were richly rewarded as Morocco became the first African and first Arab country to reach the semi-finals. The noise the red-clad hordes created in the stadiums was deafening and reached fever pitch in the penalty shootout defeat of Spain in the last 16 and against Portugal in the quarter-finals when a cacophony of whistles greeted every touch by the opposition as Morocco protected their 1-0 lead.
Group E finale mayhem
A group that began with Germany losing to Japan and Spain putting seven goals past Costa Rica concluded on a tumultuous night that almost turned the football world upside-down. Germany needed a win over Costa Rica and for Spain to beat Japan to go through as runners-up, and at halftime that was exactly what was happening. Then everything went mad. Japan scored twice in three minutes early in the second half and Costa Rica flipped their game against Germany to lead and for four minutes the live table showed Japan and Costa Rica in first and second place with Spain and Germany going home. Germany ended up winning 4-2 to save Spain’s bacon, although they were on the flight home the next day.
Mbappé eliminates Poland
Kylian Mbappé has enhanced his reputation as one of the best players in the world in Qatar and the Frenchman was simply unplayable in the last 16 against Poland. First he set up Olivier Giroud to open the scoring then took matters into his own hands with two sublime finishes to seal a 3-0 win. He was clocked running at 35.3kph during the game.
Aboubakar sinks Brazil
A manic group phase concluded in almost comical fashion as Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar scored a stoppage-time winner against an already-qualified Brazil, took his shirt off, and was immediately given a second yellow card by an apologetic referee, who shook the player’s hand as he dismissed him.
Updated
Fifa have released a downloadable digital World Cup final programme for tomorrow’s sizeable clash between Argentina and France. Get stuck in:
OUT TODAY - The FIFA World Cup™ FINAL Matchday Programme!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 17, 2022
For the first time, the in stadium programme is FREE for the world to enjoy. Watch it come to life with videos and sound in a new, interactive digital edition. Download it now - https://t.co/gWBIXjmURe pic.twitter.com/Vj1gX4Lp5R
As French star Kylian Mbappé gears up for the World Cup final on Sunday in Qatar, the forward’s presence is also felt strongly in Bondy, the satellite city of Paris where he grew up.
“Ah, Kylian, the rising star – the star of the stars,” said Kamel Ghehioueche, 41, bundled up in front of the city hall, an austere, concrete building from the 1960s, as parking agents cleared a lot for the Christmas market.
Local enthusiasm for the city’s favorite son is palpable, piercing through the winter gloom ahead of Sunday’s match between the reigning champions and Argentina.
For his second World Cup final, Mbappé, 23, will be playing against his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi.
“Kiki, we love you!” said Melissa Toumi, 28, who crossed paths with Mbappé during his youth, training on the soccer pitch.
In the parking lot of burger joint Harry’s Cafe, the famous striker’s image towers behind her, blanketing one side of a 10-story building.
“We want the third star,” said her friend Dounia Zeghadi, 34, referring to another star on the French team’s jersey signifying their third World Cup victory after their previous two in 1998 and 2018, where Mbappé shot to fame.
“Kylian, bring home the prize, inshallah,” said Frikhi Mansour, who recalled regularly cutting Mbappé’s hair when he was young.
“I told him, ‘When you’re a great football star, call me!’ It’s a great memory,” he said, pointing to photos snapped with the star draped in a barber’s cape. (Reuters)
Updated
Thanks John. I like it that Deschamps said the cold virus affecting his squad before the final is “obviously a situation”. It’s very Glenn Hoddle, or indeed very late, great Graham Taylor.
Please email me any World Cup-related thoughts. Funny stuff, interesting stuff, it’s your choice!
And with that, the blog is placed in the cold, dead hands of Luke McLaughlin. For a while, at least.
Americo gets in touch, with a public service request: “I have a favour to ask: yesterday a reader sent an email, asking other readers to recommend a place to see the final in Paris.
“In that spirit, I was wondering if you could help me: my partner will be in central London tomorrow for the game, and throughout the World Cup she’s grown accustomed to watching the games in what I would call an Argentinian “ambience” here in Spain. It doesn’t need to be a place filled exclusively with Argentina supporters; somewhere with a nicely mixed crowd would be perfect!”
Any ideas, anyone?
“Winning the World Cup” means more than lifting the trophy these days. No doubt, should Saudi Arabia host 2030, it will be hailed as the “best World Cup ever” before during and after the tournament, to follow the same pattern as with Qatar.
For Saudi, landing the trophy tournament in 2030 could offer rehabilitation on the world stage for crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. He was initially lauded as a reformer who might lead the kingdom on a path to modernity, until the murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi left it a pariah. The country’s role in the bombing in Yemen, restrictions on women’s rights and its use of the death penalty have further damaged its international reputation. Recently, Saudi’s decision to defy American pressure on oil production has frayed already uneasy relations.
Jonathan Wilson’s had his chalkboard and leather elbow pads out again. No Hamlet sub-headings this week.
“Stopping Messi. Stopping Mbappé. Hernandez v De Paul. Stopping Griezmann.”: is that from Coriolanus?
France’s Hugo Lloris is bidding to become the first man to captain two World Cup winning teams. In 1934 and 1938, the Italian captains were first Gianpiero Combi and then Giuseppe Meazza. In 1958 and 1962, the Brazilian captains were Hilderaldo Bellini and then Mauro Ramos.
He’s been speaking about the Doha flu in the French camp.
We are going to try and do our best in spite of the circumstances. I think thanks to the adrenaline and the excitement we will feel we will all be fit enough and ready to do whatever we can to win this last battle.
In the past we have proved that French teams who have been successful have always based that success on a strong team spirit.
So we try to draw from that, there is a very good feeling in the camp since the beginning of the tournament and there is no reason why that shouldn’t be the same again tomorrow.
You’re never really prepared for that type of thing but we are trying to get ready for this match the best we can, these are things for which we weren’t necessarily prepared but we remain focused and of course we are very excited to play in a World Cup final.
Tom Jenkins has been out in Qatar for the duration, and captured the passion of Argentina’s fans. It’s often been left up to them to add colour to the tournament.
Some strong quotes from the scene of that A-League violence.
"Outside the ground, I stopped at the lights on Batman Ave and saw three Melbourne Victory fans, two women and a little boy, shaking.
— CODE Football (@codefootballau) December 17, 2022
"He saw things tonight that scared the life out of him."@adampeacock3 on tonight's shameful scenes at the #MelbDerby https://t.co/FG9TFKLOdV
Didier Deschamps has been speaking this morning on the ongoing sickness within the French camp. More to follow but some sample quotes.
We try to take the maximum precautions, to adapt and to deal with it, without going overboard. It is obviously a situation. If it could not exist it would be better, but we manage as best we can.
I have no worries or stress. The important thing in preparing for a match like this is to remain calm.
In a World Cup final, there is the match, but also the context which is particular. But I know that the Argentinians, and maybe some French people too, would like to see Messi win the title.
Will Nash gets in touch: “Isn’t Messi winning the World Cup the ultimate in sportswashing? Everyone seems to be firmly on board, though.”
Employed by Qatar, an ambassadorial role for Saudi Arabia, Messi does embody that idea, but then again Kylian Mbappé is also a PSG player.
Nick Ames, as ever, says it well here.
Pairing the world’s most gifted forward with his heir apparent, along with the more divisive figure of Neymar, was intended as a fail-safe plan to microwave the highest level of success for Qatar’s club project. But it also ensured those players were inextricably linked with the nation when its $220bn exercise in soft power and diplomacy took centre stage. They have both delivered, and little that occurs in Lusail this weekend will change that. Shocks and underdog stories have provided welcome diversions, opening genuinely healthy discussions about football’s distribution of power, but only two individuals’ names will cut through the hubbub.
Unrest and violence in the A-League. Pretty jarring viewing.
As supporters flooded on to the field of play, a metal bucket used to dispose of flares was thrown in the direction of Glover, striking him in the face and drawing blood. The match referee, who was left covered in ash from the bucket, had no choice but to pull the players off the pitch and suspend play, before it was later abandoned.
It comes after a day of protests across the A-League Men competition, as fans made their feelings known about the Australian Professional Leagues’ controversial decision to sell off grand final hosting rights to Sydney for the next three years.
Relentless hype in Bavaria here.
🇭🇷 Stanišić 🆚 Mazraoui 🇲🇦
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) December 17, 2022
Two of our boys face off later today in the bronze medal match 🥉#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/BgCKd1VS2B
It wasn’t just David Beckham who made a lot of money from Qatar’s World Cup.
One Briton who played an important role in the World Cup press operation is Richard Conway, who as a BBC Sport correspondent in 2018 produced an upbeat report on the preparations for the Qatar World Cup while riding a camel across the desert. A few months later he left journalism to form his own PR agency and has been working exclusively on the Qatar World Cup for several years. Journalists who have dealt with him say he has adopted a hands-off approach, acting as an informal conduit and enabling conversations by inviting critics of the World Cup and prominent newspaper journalists to off-the-record meetings with senior Qatari officials at London hotels.
Many Britons also work for the Qatari division of Teneo Blue Rubicon, a PR agency that has worked hard to promote the country, while journalists who have written critically about the country have also received legal letters from the law firm Carter Ruck. Neither company returned a request for comment on the nature of their work in the country.
A short line on the World Cup final referee, Szymon Marciniak, from Poland, per Reuters. He will follow in the tradition of bald World Cup final referees, broken up only by Nicola Rizzoli in 2014 since Pierluigi Collina. Nestor Pitana four years ago may well have engaged assistance since Russia but Marciniak follows in the Collina/Howard Webb tradition. Perhaps it’s a Gianni Infantino thing.
The 41-year-old, who became a Fifa referee in 2011, was all set to officiate in the European Championship last year before he was diagnosed with Tachycardia.
“I had a very difficult time for the last year-and-a-half. I had Tachycardia - it’s a heart illness. In the beginning, it was very difficult for me and I had to stop refereeing,” Marciniak said. “I missed the UEFA European Championship, it was a terrible feeling. Now, life gives back to me and I cannot even stop smiling because it’s a great feeling.”
He took charge in France’s 2-1 group stage win over Denmark where Kylian Mbappe scored twice before watching Messi lead Argentina to a 2-1 win over Australia in the last 16.
Marciniak is not the only Polish official who will be on the pitch, however. He will be assisted by compatriots – Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz - all of whom worked together at the 2018 World Cup in Russia as well. Poland’s Tomasz Kwiatkowski will be in his ear as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) while American Ismail Elfath - a two-times Major League Soccer Referee of the Year - will be the fourth official.
Updated
The French are chasing history, according to L’Équipe, that World Cup retention only achieved by Brazil in 1958 and 1962, and Italy in 1934 and 1938.
Good cover pic.twitter.com/7ZcpP8u6fR
— Gavin Cummiskey (@Cumoski) December 17, 2022
Better known for its love of cricket, every four years India and the wider region are gripped by World Cup fever.
“Argentina is the land of Messi and Che Guevara. Whether it wins or not in the final, I will continue to be a diehard fan,” said TM Thomas Issac, an economist and member of Kerala’s ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Ahead of Sunday’s final, the state has descended into a blue-and-white frenzy, and public screenings, where thousands will attend, are being arranged by fans and local authorities. After a clash erupted between Argentina and Brazil fans during the beginning of the World Cup, police said they had beefed up security for Sunday.
Rob Smyth emails in, and is correct, as ever. “I think it was Sweden who finished third in 94, if only because I vaguely remember a dreadlocked Henrik Larsson scoring.”
Updated
Tony “TP” Paley has interviewed the man whose voice will guide UK viewers through the final. Guy Mowbray and Steve Wilson continue to be such safe pairs of hands for the BBC, and Jon Champion and Clive “Clive” Tyldesley did a good job for ITV, before the latter’s somewhat controversial early exit, while Sam Matterface continues to come in for a criticism that often appears a tad OTT. The breakout stars on the mic have been Seb Hutchinson on ITV, who has been excellent and full of fun, and Pien Meulensteen on the BBC.
Barney Ronay on the dark shadow that will, despite Fifa and Qatar’s gush, forever loom over the 2022 World Cup.
The fact is death and suffering were the inevitable collateral to this project from the moment Sepp Blatter read out the word “Qatar” in that weirdly strangled upbeat tone, crowded on his own stage by glad-handing power-brokers; and feeling, perhaps, through the lineups and posed smiles, that shadow already at his back, just out of shot, scythe clanking happily.
Do we have to say this again? Because what we have here is still an open case. The dots have not been joined.
Let’s start with the big one, the third-place playoff.
From today’s World Cup briefing:
Another chance to see Infantino
It seems within seconds of any World Cup match starting, the camera pans to Fifa president Gianni Infantino looking glum in the stands. The host broadcast camera operator always knows where to find him, allowing the world to celebrate his greatness. Rarely has he looked happy when watching a match but he is always there, committed to the cause like a parent on muddy sidelines every weekend. He will make the best of the occasion to celebrate football as a cohesive power for good or some such, while ignoring the empty seats. And if that does not entice you, then nothing will.
Updated
Preamble
It’s MD-1, as they call these things, and the buildup continues to the final. First though, there’s the third-place playoff, and the chance for Croatia or Morocco to finish on the World Cup podium. Winning would make it three podium finishes for the Croats – 1998, 2018 and now – while Morocco can do something nobody in the Arab or African world has done. Should they do that, then they would follow the likes of Turkey in 2002 and Bulgaria in 1994 as being surprise packages who get a nice reward for a near-golden month at the World Cup.
News is keenly awaited from the French camp as to the health of their players amid that unfortunate flu outbreak, with Raphaël Varane, Ibrahim Konaté and Kingsley Coman in the sick bay. Argentina meanwhile seem to have a relatively clean bill of health, give or take Angel Dí Maria’s creaking bones and the possibility Lionel Messi is carrying a hamstring problem. No word of the latter, nor is there likely to be, but could he emulate his old mate Ronaldo at Euro 2016 and find himself coaching from the sidelines?
The latest news and features will roll in all day ahead of Croatia-Morocco, so join me.
