Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi World Cup Final Matchup Hyped by Twitter After France Win
Dec 14, 2022
AL KHOR, QATAR - DECEMBER 14: Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates the 2-0 win after exchanging shirts with Achraf Hakimi of Morocco (not pictured) during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between France and Morocco at Al Bayt Stadium on December 14, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Kylian Mbappé's France will go toe-to-toe with Lionel Messi's Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final after the defending World Champions beat Morocco 2-0 in Wednesday's hard-fought semi-final.
Flying left-back Theo Hernandez did brilliantly to give Didier Deschamps' side a fifth-minute lead, taking advantage of some uncharacteristically poor defending from the African side.
Morocco, undoubtedly the story of the tournament after a fairy tale run, had three injury worries heading into the tie. Key defenders Nayef Aguerd, Romain Saïss and Noussair Mazraoui were all struggling but named in the starting lineup.
Coach Walid Regragui's game plan was thrown out of the window before kick-off, though, as Aguerd was pulled moments before the game began. Saïss limped through 20 minutes before being subbed and Mazraoui was switched at halftime.
Morocco came out after the break in typically impressive fashion, forcing France into desperate defending on multiple occasions. Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi tormented goalscorer Hernandez down the French left flank, while midfielders Azzedine Ounahi and Sofyan Amrabat once again put in exceptional shifts.
France have a real knack of winning matches they don't dominate, though, as we saw in the quarter-final victory over England. Deschamps pushed Mbappé central after subbing Olivier Giroud for Marcus Thuram, a tactical switch that suddenly saw the tournament's joint-top scorer receiving more of the ball in dangerous areas.
This proved fatal to Morocco's chances just seconds after Deschamps brought on Randal Kolo Muani for Ousmane Dembélé. Mbappé's brilliant footwork ended with the ball trickling to Kolo Muani, who duly tapped it in for 2-0.
79': Kolo Muani enters the game 79': Kolo Muani scores
The result sets up a dream final for neutrals: Messi vs. Mbappé for the biggest prize in football. Twitter, understandably, was more than a little excited.
Morocco have lit up this World Cup, making massive strides for Berber, African and Arab football. Huge congrats for that.
But Argentina v France, Messi v Mbappe, two-times winners v two-times winners, PSG v PSG, in Qatar.
We’re in for a treat Sunday. France vs Argentina for the World Cup. Messi gets his first, or Mbappe gets his second. Messi vs Mbappe for the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball, and maybe the Ballon D’or. Massive.
Mbappé has the opportunity to secure a second successive World Cup at age 23. Standing in his way is arguably the greatest player who has ever lived; one who is desperate to win the trophy for the first time.
Mbappé or Messi? Whatever your answer, do not miss it.
World Cup 2022: Early Guide for Argentina vs. France Final
Dec 14, 2022
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 13: Lionel Messi (10) of Argentina is seen during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Semi-Final match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium on December 13, 2022, in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has a dream final.
Kylian Mbappé and France will try to defend their World Cup crown from 2018.
Argentina will try to earn the one thing missing on Lionel Messi's illustrious resume.
Sunday's final has everything you could ask for from star power to strong defenses to a recent history between the two sides.
France defeated Argentina 4-3 in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup in a game that featured Mbappé, Messi and plenty of others who will be on the field Sunday inside the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar.
Match Preview
Argentina and France have been two of the best sides in Qatar and are deserving of playing in the final.
Argentina cruised past Croatia in the semifinal round thanks to an early attacking onslaught led by Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez.
La Albiceleste have an extra day of rest compared to France and they played in a less stressful semifinal. Croatia did not produce much in the final third against the Argentinian defense.
The Argentina back line has been solid for most of the tournament. The South American side produced two clean sheets to recover from a humiliating loss to Saudi Arabia at the start of Group C.
Argentina defended well for long stretches of the knockout round. Its concession against Australia was an own goal and it held the Netherlands without many significant chances for 80 minutes. Croatia did not manage much in the final third on Tuesday.
Messi is the game-breaker in the Argentina attack, and he will be expected to shine again on Sunday, but the Argentinian defense could be the ultimate difference-maker.
France's back line has looked shaky for parts of the tournament. France was lucky not to concede in Wednesday's semifinal win over Morocco.
Before that clean sheet, France had not shut out an opponent in Qatar.
France has gotten away with the defensive mistakes because Mbappé, Olivier Giroud and Co. have scored multiple goals in every game the first team has started.
The concern for France comes in the form of the Argentina defense. Mbappé and Giroud could be limited by Nicolás Otamendi and Co.
Mbappé was not as dominant in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds as he was in his first three starts in Qatar.
Argentina can overload one side and commit an extra defender to Mbappé to take the 23-year-old out of the contest.
France still has other stars, like Antoine Griezmann, that can break apart Argentina, but losing some of Mbappé's chance creation could hurt Les Bleus. Griezmann is the only player with over 20 chances created in Qatar.
The attacking depth is as even as it could be. Each team has an in-form true striker in Giroud and Álvarez to support its superstar. The play of Messi, Mbappé, Giroud and Álvarez will determine the Golden Boot winner. Messi and Mbappé lead with five goals each, while Álvarez and Giroud have four goals.
If that even matchup translates to the field on Sunday, the defensive play will be the difference-maker, and that is where Argentina holds the edge for its performance over six games.
World Cup Security Guard from Kenya Dies After Fall at Lusail Stadium in Qatar
Dec 14, 2022
The Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 logo is displayed on the pitch before the start of the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between France and Poland at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on December 4, 2022. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP) (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images)
John Njue Kibue died Tuesday after falling three days earlier while on security duty for the men's World Cup at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, per Larry Madowo and Chris Eldergill of CNN.
He was 24 years old and had travelled to Qatar from Kenya for work.
Madowo and Eldergill noted a medical certificate revealed he suffered a "severe head injury, facial fractures and pelvic fractures."
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which organized the World Cup, released the following statement: "We regret to announce that, despite the efforts of his medical team, he sadly passed away in hospital on Tuesday 13 December, after being in the intensive care unit for three days."
However, Kibue's family said it is still waiting for an explanation about what happened.
"We don't have the money to get justice for him, but we want to know what happened," his sister Ann Wanjiru said. " … We want justice. We want to know what caused his death. They have never sent us a picture to show where he fell from or given us any other information."
The Kenyan embassy in Qatar told CNN it is "undertaking necessary consular assistance whilst awaiting official communication from Qatar's Supreme Committee and competent authorities."
The safety of migrant workers has been a significant concern surrounding this World Cup.
Kibue is the second migrant worker to have been confirmed as dead since the event started, and Sammy Mngqosini of CNN noted World Cup chief Hassan Al-Thawadi told Piers Morgan of TalkTV on Monday that there have been between 400 and 500 migrant worker deaths due to projects connected to the World Cup.
His comments came after a report from the Guardian suggesting 6,500 migrant workers died since the preparations began after Qatar was given the World Cup in 2010.
A Qatari government official told CNN, "The 6,500 figure takes the number of all foreign worker deaths in the country over a 10-year period and attributes it to the World Cup. This is not true and neglects all other causes of death including illness, old age and traffic accidents. It also fails to recognize that only 20 percent of foreign workers in Qatar are employed on construction sites."
Grant Wahl Died of Ruptured Blood Vessel in Heart at World Cup, Autopsy Shows
Dec 14, 2022
AL KHOR, QATAR - DECEMBER 10: Stadium announcement that US Journalist Grant Wahl has died before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between England and France at Al Bayt Stadium on December 10, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images)
The cause of death for soccer journalist Grant Wahl was revealed Wednesday.
His family announced he died while covering the men's World Cup in Qatar because of a ruptured blood vessel leading from his heart, per Apoorva Mandavilli and Andrew Das of the New York Times.
An autopsy showed he "experienced a catastrophic rupture in the ascending aorta, which carries oxygenated blood from the heart."
Wahl collapsed in the press box while covering the quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands. Medical personnel attempted to revive him before he was transported to the hospital, where he was eventually pronounced dead.
Mandavilli and Das noted there were suggestions following his death that COVID-19 vaccines or foul play could have been factors.
Dr. Celine Gounder, Wahl's wife, is an infectious disease physician and was part of the transition team that advised President Joe Biden during the coronavirus pandemic.
"She and the rest of the family rejected, in particular, the speculation linking his death to vaccines, saying that it was especially insulting because of her work," Mandavilli and Das wrote.
Eric Wahl, Grant's brother, initially believed there could have been foul play because Wahl had recently posted an article criticizing the Qatari response to the death of another migrant worker at the World Cup. What's more, he detailed difficulties he ran into while wearing a shirt with a rainbow to support gay rights in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal:
I’m OK, but that was an unnecessary ordeal. Am in the media center, still wearing my shirt. Was detained for nearly half an hour. Go gays 🌈 https://t.co/S3INBoCz89
Free to read: What happened when Qatar World Cup security detained me for 25 minutes for wearing a t-shirt supporting LGBTQ rights, forcibly took my phone and angrily demanded that I remove my t-shirt to enter the stadium. (I refused.) Story: https://t.co/JKpXXETDkHpic.twitter.com/HEjr0xzxU5
Yet Eric tweeted the following Tuesday: "The family will release a statement as to cause of death soon. I no longer suspect foul play."
Wahl was covering the eighth World Cup of his career in Qatar.
He was often held up as the gold standard of soccer coverage, especially in the United States. His career featured stops at Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports and CBS Sports.
Argentina's in. La Albiceleste is going to be playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, the sixth in the country's history, after defeating Croatia 3-0 in the...
Lionel Messi's Trip to World Cup Final Celebrated by Twitter as Argentina Top Croatia
Dec 13, 2022
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 13: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates the team's 3-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium on December 13, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday, catapulting the South American champions into the World Cup final for the second time in three tournaments.
Messi began the scoring with a 34th-minute penalty after a cagey opening saw Croatia dominate possession. Goalkeeper Dominik Livaković—hero of the European side's penalty shootout wins over Japan and Brazil—was adjudged to have brought down the onrushing Julián Álvarez before Messi blasted in.
Five minutes later, Álvarez dribbled the length of the pitch before nudging the ball beyond Livaković for 2-0. The Manchester City forward was a little fortunate to see the ball bounce back to him, but the gut-busting run got the reward it deserved.
Croatia made attacking changes for the second half, but Messi and Álvarez ended any hope of a comeback with 20 minutes to go. Messi's unbelievable run sent Joško Gvardiol for a spin—the highly rated youngster unable to do anything as Leo laid on the assist for Álvarez to tap home.
Messi enters the second World Cup final of his career in what is likely his last attempt at winning the one major trophy that has eluded him. Mario Götze's injury-time winner ended Argentina's hopes in 2014, but with Messi in such rampant form, they have great momentum to get the job done.
Messi's outrageous display was vastly celebrated on Twitter as fans anticipated a showdown with either France or Morocco on Sunday.
Lionel Messi is the 1st player to score & assist in 3 different games, in a single edition of a World Cup, since 1966. Unreal. Expected a more dogged Croatia, but looks like the fairytale is on for Messi & Argentina (& not Modric 😬) 🇦🇷v🇭🇷 #ArgentinaVsCroatia#Qatar2022pic.twitter.com/XTLZ1mO06F
Will it be a fairytale ending for Messi? Or is heartbreak on the horizon? One thing's for sure: Argentina have come a long way since the opening-round defeat to Saudi Arabia left them scrambling to escape the group stage.
Messi already has a legendary career wrapped up, and it's remarkable to think at 35 years old he is about to enter the biggest match of his life. Sunday's World Cup final can't come soon enough.
Actor Michael B. Jordan Becomes Part-Owner of EPL Club Bournemouth
Dec 13, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 05: Michael B. Jordan attends Critics Choice Association's 5th Annual Celebration Of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 05, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
Actor Michael B. Jordan is now a part-owner of English Premier League club Bournemouth.
Per Giacomo Pisa of The Sun, Jordan is part of a minority investment group that purchased a stake in the club.
The Premier League ratified the sale of Bournemouth to a group led by Bill Foley.
According to Pisa, Foley will serve as club chairman and will be in attendance for its next home game against Crystal Palace on New Year's Eve.
Maxim Demin, who became a co-owner of the Cherries in 2011 and had been majority owner since 2013, reached a verbal agreement with Foley to sell the club for $150 million in October.
Foley is also majority owner of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights through his Black Knight Sports and Entertainment consortium.
A press release stated that Jordan and Nullah Sarker will work closely with Foley in areas that include "global marketing and internationalization of the club."
This marks Jordan's first foray into ownership of a sports team. His acting resume includes several sports movies and television shows, including the Creed franchise and the television adaptation of Friday Night Lights.
Jordan will make his directorial debut with Creed III, which is set to release March 3.
Bournemouth is in 14th place in the EPL standings with 16 points through 15 matches. Its next match is against Newcastle in the EFL Cup round of 16 on Dec. 20.
Mia Hamm Talks USWNT, World Cup, Mallory Pugh, Frito-Lay and More in B/R Interview
Dec 13, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Mia Hamm of the 1999 United States Women's National Team waves to fans during halftime at Banc of California Stadium on April 07, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The future is bright for the United States men's national team despite a round-of-16 loss in the 2022 World Cup.
Just ask arguably the greatest American soccer player in history.
"I look at the spine of the team, and we had some incredible performances that we can build on," Mia Hamm told Bleacher Report. "Sergiño Dest and Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic stepped up. The team is so young, and I think they learned a lot about themselves. I think they learned a lot about competing at that level and in that intense environment where they're being asked to carry the load. That's going to serve them well in four years, and with the experience that they gained, they already want more as a team."
It isn't difficult to envision this young and talented group taking another step when they host the World Cup in four years. The defense allowed a single goal during group play against the likes of England, Wales and Iran, and Pulisic scored a memorable goal before exiting with an injury against the latter, helping the United States secure its spot in the knockout stage.
Still, the defense that shined in the first three games failed in a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the round of 16. It lost track of markers on multiple crosses, which proved costly when the offense couldn't take advantage of their own chances on the other side.
"They left that tournament feeling that they could have and should have advanced had they played better," Hamm said. "You look at the Netherlands game in terms of possession, and the U.S. had their opportunities. They're stepping away proud of their accomplishments but knowing that they can achieve more. Which is what you want as a coach, as a team and as a fan."
That opportunity to achieve more is still on the table for Argentina, France, Croatia and Morocco in a World Cup that has featured no shortage of storylines.
Lionel Messi, who is arguably the greatest men's soccer player of all time, is trying to win the one glaring thing missing from his legacy for Argentina while Croatia attempts to play spoiler. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé is leading France in their defense of the title and dazzling every time he takes the field.
Yet Morocco is stealing the show as the underdog and first African nation to advance to the event's semifinals after stunning Portugal in the quarterfinals and ending any chance of a GOAT showdown in the final between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi.
Morocco making history at the World Cup is being celebrated all over the world 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/0MaKQVojId
"Seeing Morocco and what they've been able to accomplish," Hamm said when asked what her favorite storyline of this World Cup has been. "It's history as the first African nation to make the semis. I think it's important to celebrate that. I've been involved with FIFA talking about developing the game, and this is what you want to see. I look at this as positive with regards to its association with the women's game. You keep putting funds and resources into development, and these are the dreams that can come true. Our commitment on the women's side is important, especially with the women's World Cup coming up next year, and seeing how it can change people's lives like it has for the Morocco national team."
Few people know more about seeing athletic dreams come true than Hamm, who retired from professional soccer in 2004 as an icon and one of the most influential figures in the sport's history.
Her seemingly endless list of accomplishments includes two World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals, four straight NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles at North Carolina and two FIFA Women's Player of the Year awards.
She was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007, which was her first year of eligibility, and was a founding member of the Women United Soccer Association and eventual champion in the league for the Washington Freedom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daVcy0Zvb0U
Yet she finds herself reflecting back on more than just the victories and accolades as she watches the 2022 World Cup.
"Just the time we were able to have as teammates in the hotel because you spend a lot of time in this bubble," she said. "You're trying to find ways to entertain yourselves but also not use up too much of that anxious energy. Whether it was doing funny skits or playing games and cards, just really getting to know each other better and growing closer as a team because you needed that to get you through the tournaments.
"It's easy to be a positive teammate when things are going really well, but how do you handle that adversity? Knowing those players are there by your side willing to carry you when you struggle, you were able to lean into those moments in the hotel."
She was recently part of a different team off the field when she joined David Beckham, Peyton Manning, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Tim Howard and Javier "Chicharito" Hernández in a Frito-Lay commercial attempting to settle the debate of whether the sport is called soccer or football.
"First of all, their commitment to supporting the game of soccer or football," she said when discussing what made her want to do the commercial. "And also the light-hearted way they took on this playful discussion. It's the global game, but here in the US we like to think we invented everything. And also who was in it with Peyton and Becks and, obviously, Jules and Brandi, and Tim Howard and Chicharito. It just sounded like a lot of fun, and I was honored to be a part of this crew."
The star power didn't stop there, as legendary filmmaker Michael Bay directed the spot.
"I don't know why he hasn't called me up since, maybe my acting wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be," Hamm said while laughing. "He was great. He kept it efficient, and the entire crew and all the actors were amazing. They made it really comfortable, and I just had a lot of fun doing it."
Football may have won out this time with the USMNT's exit in the round of 16, but the United States women's national team will have the opportunity to earn a victory for those who call it soccer during the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Red, White and Blue will be going for a historic three-peat after winning the World Cup in 2015 and 2019. While Germany also went back-to-back in 2003 and 2007, no women's team has ever won the event three times in a row.
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 8, 2022
It won't be easy for a team that Hamm said will get every opponent's "best shot" when they are on the field.
"There are teams internationally that are playing so well," she said. "We wanted the game to get to this level where teams aren't afraid of anyone. You have Spain playing the way they have, you have England, you have Germany and Japan. All these teams at any given moment, and the host countries in Australia and New Zealand are going to be fired up and ready to compete. Australia has one of the best players in the world in Sam Kerr. I know they're putting every resource in to make sure they're ready."
Tragically, one of soccer's top voices will not be there to cover the Americans' push for history.
Reporter Grant Wahl died while covering the World Cup quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands in Qatar. Wahl was the gold standard for soccer coverage throughout a career that included stops at Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports and CBS Sports, and his coverage of the women's game was particularly important to Hamm and many others.
"I would like to take the time to say thank you to Grant Wahl and everything he's meant to our game and our sport," Hamm said. "Especially the women's game. Early on, he gave our team and our sport a platform. He came out and watched the WUSA Finals, he talked to the players, he was involved with the women's national team. And he's been such a staunch advocate for us and for the game of soccer. He came in at a time when nobody wanted to cover women's soccer, and he just shined a really bright light on it. We're in this position we're in today with our game because of him. I just want to say thank you to him and offer my heartfelt condolences to his wife and his family and his colleagues who love him so much."
Nobody will be able to tell the stories like Wahl, but they will still be told during the 2023 World Cup.
Many of those stories when it comes to the success of the United States in women's soccer have been about the major stars, whether it is Hamm, Michelle Akers, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and so many others.
Some of the names such as Morgan, Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan will be familiar ones in 2023, but there is also a potential shift underway to a new generation of stars who could carry the Americans to more World Cup glory.
A couple of them in particular stand out to Hamm.
"Let's just talk about Mal Pugh," she said. "I can't imagine the expectations she had coming out of college. I mean, she didn't even really go to college. I think she went to college for three weeks and was like, 'You know what, I think I'm going to try this pro thing.' It's hard when everyone is asking you to carry the load and you have yet to deal with failure. I think for her, it shows how strong and resilient she is.
"But when I see her play, the joy on her face is what excites me about her future. I'm really excited to watch her play next summer."
"I think not making the Olympics was one of the best things that could happen to my career."
Adversity allowed @MalPugh to find her game again 📈
Pugh, who left UCLA after three spring games to turn professional in 2017, was part of the 2019 team that won the World Cup but figures to be much more prominently involved in the attack in 2023.
The 24-year-old and Catarina Macario each scored braces in the Americans' victory over Iceland to win the 2022 SheBelieves Cup. Pugh is playing some of the best soccer of her career and could be a Golden Boot candidate next year if that continues.
Macario, 23, may be as well if she returns to health after suffering a torn ACL while playing for Lyon in June.
"I want to see if Macario can come back," Hamm said. "She's a special player. As a forward, I wish I had her savvy and understanding at that age. Sometimes I willed goals in rather than being mindful of using the right surface or making the right run. But she is just so sophisticated at a young age. I would love to see her next summer just because I think she has so much exciting soccer to share with us."
And if everything goes according to plan, the USWNT will have a third straight and fifth overall World Cup title to share with soccer fans across the country.
The first African side to make the FIFA World Cup semifinals is the only thing standing in front of France from becoming a repeat finalist. France passed its...
