THE WORLD CUP FINAL IS MORE THAN JUST MESSI VS MBAPPE

By Rashmi Goel

There has been a lot of activity surrounding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 26 days have passed since the tournament began, yet so much has occurred, including the elimination of 32 teams to just France and Argentina, who will face one another on Sunday. The defending champions, France, were expected to be present. Due to Argentina's upset loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening game, achieving a second World Cup final in eight years comes as more of a surprise. In the history of World Cup finals, this may be the greatest individual matchup ever. It would be the perfect end to Messi's World Cup journey which has been full of disappointment, from early exits to a defeat in the final against Germany in 2014. Plus, it would be another milestone for Mbappe. He'd become the second-youngest player, after Pele, to win back-to-back World Cups.

In a heavyweight match involving two of Paris Saint-Germain's leading stars, the final is advantageous for the Qataris. Moreover, the football itself has proved highly entertaining for a tournament that was overshadowed by controversies off the field during the tournament's buildup as well as during much of its action. The winner of the World Cup will add a new chapter to the legacy of their country's football, either the French who will become only the third back-to-back champions in history or Argentina who will become the first nation to win the World Cup in 36 years with Messi becoming a legend on the biggest stage of all. Even though this competition has included a number of surprising success stories, such as Saudi Arabia's victory over Argentina and Morocco's remarkable run to the semifinals, the final match between these two global powerhouses is what everyone is anticipating. When Qatar won the bid to host this tournament twelve years ago, it is likely that they had this in mind.