France will defend their title in the 2022 World Cup final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Sunday, for which they qualified by beating Morocco (2-0) on Wednesday at the al-Bayt stadium in al-Khor.
The Blues of Didier Deschamps can enter a little more into history: only two nations managed to keep their crown, Brazil of Pelé (1958 and 1962) and Italy in the fascist era (1934 and 1938), a time when only sixteen teams took part in the tournament.
But despite the defeat, the Moroccans also made history: no African nation had ever entered the semi-finals, Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana having failed in extremis in the quarters.
A course of which Moroccans can be proud but on which they can build the future.
Encouraged by the public, where their supporters were clearly in the majority, they could have hoped for better.
Very quickly led to the score on a goal from Théo Hernandez (5th), Walid Regragui’s men then often dominated, especially in the second half, against a French team which seemed physically worn out.
Deprived of midfielder Adrien Rabiot and defender Dayot Upamecano, sick, the Blues, under the eyes of their president Emmanuel Macron, took shelter on a goal from Randal Kolo Muani who pushed the ball into the goal after a number and a deflected shot from Kylian Mbappé (79th).
Long-awaited meeting
The meeting was eagerly awaited, in Morocco but also in the large community of Moroccan origin settled in France, where many had explained before the match to be divided.
Thousands of police and gendarmes have been mobilized in France with a view to seeing supporters of the two teams take to the streets, particularly on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, the scene of a few incidents last Saturday after the French and Moroccan qualifications.
Of the 64 matches of this very controversial World Cup, opened against a backdrop of Western criticism of respect for human rights in the small gas emirate, there are only two left to play.
First there will be the small final, which will be played on Saturday between Morocco and Croatia and could have more salt than usual. The Croats have indeed said their intention to go all out, and will be keen to offer an exit worthy of his rank to their brilliant playmaker Luka Modric, 37, for whom this is for sure the last Cup of the world.
But also for Morocco: a third place would enhance the course of the Atlas Lions, who only have one African Cup of Nations (1976) on their record.
Messi-Mbappé Summit
But the big match will be for Sunday with the face-to-face between two teams that appeared to be natural favorites, and between two stars of the game, teammates at Paris SG.
On the one hand, Lionel Messi, seven-time Ballon d’Or, which a large part of the planet dreams of having the most beautiful of titles on his list.
On the other, Kylian Mbappé, who confirms his status as a phenomenon, with his five goals in the tournament (nine in all with the four registered in 2018), and can become the first player to double world champion before his 24th birthday, since … King Pele.
Argentina-France is also the memory of what was undoubtedly, with Brazil-Belgium, the biggest match of the World Cup-2018, in the round of 16, ended in a 4-3 victory for the Blues.
Not sure that this Qatari edition of the premier football competition has so far given birth to a match of this caliber. So maybe it will be for the final…
Especially since Messi once again displayed his genius in the semi-final against Croatia.
This World Cup will be historic no matter what. It was the first organized in the Arab world, the first played at the start of winter, in the middle of the sports season, to avoid the unbearable heat of this desert country.
It was also one of the most maligned sporting events in history, with accusations of corruption to surprise the organization in 2010, accusations that Doha vehemently denounces.
The Qatari authorities have also been criticized for the treatment reserved for migrant workers, in particular on the construction sites of the World Cup, on the rights of LGBTQ + people, and the environmental impact of the competition.