World Cup: Hits and misses
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have dazzled at the World Cup in Qatar, while Morocco caught the imagination of a continent on their run to the semi-finals.
Germany Sport News
World Cup hits and misses
DOHA: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have dazzled at the World Cup in Qatar, while Morocco caught the imagination of a continent on their run to the semifinals. But the host nation flopped badly, Germany made a swift exit and Cristiano Ronaldo discovered he was no longer an automatic pick for Portugal. AFP Sport looks at the hits and misses from a month-long festival of football. Overachievers Morocco became the first African side and the first Arab team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup. And it was no fluke. Walid Regragui’s men, ranked 22nd in the world, beat Belgium and drew with Croatia on the way to topping their group before dumping 2010 champions Spain and Portugal out of the tournament. Roared on by tens of thousands of fans and supported across Africa and the Arab world, they came up short in the semifinals, losing 2-0 to France, but they have broken new ground. Japan shocked Germany and Spain to top their group before losing on penalties to Croatia in the round of 16. South Korea underlined the progress Asian football is making by beating Portugal to qualify from their group but came unstuck against Brazil in the first knockout round.
World Cup of firsts ends with clash of titans
DOHA: There is no new name on the trophy and many of football’s global superstars are taking their final bow but the most controversial World Cup in history will be remembered as a tournament of firsts. Heavyweights France and Argentina progressed to the final, each looking to win the trophy for a third time after a tournament packed with shocks and surprises. Four-time winners Germany crashed out at the group stage for the second successive time while Argentina were beaten by Saudi Arabia in their opener in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history.
Irish Argentines: From Foxford to Buenes Aires via Donabate
While we can't claim Diego Maradona or Leo Messi as Irish, the World Cup has revealed a link between Ireland and Argentina thanks to Alexis MacAllister, the Brighton midfielder whose father Carlos also played for Argentina.
Messi’s Argentina in World Cup final showdown with France
DOHA: Argentina face defending champions France in the World Cup final on Sunday with Lionel Messi seeking to win the honor that has so far eluded one of football’s greatest ever players.
'Genius' Messi on the verge of emulating Diego Maradona
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup final being his last appearance on the biggest football stage, Lionel Messi is certainly making it a memorable one.
In footsteps of France’s Mbappe, kids and parents dream big
BONDY, France: On the football fields where Kylian Mbappe honed the feints, dribbles and shots that all of France hopes to see in the World Cup final, another generation of French kids with big dreams is already hard at work trying to follow in the superstar’s footsteps.
Croatia's Modric wants to play Nations League, unsure about Euro 2024
Croatia midfielder Luka Modric said he intends to play for the Balkan nation until the Nations League finals in June next year but has yet to decide about his participation at the Euro 2024 tournament.