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.
Kylian Mbappe 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.
Qatar 2022 Final: Argentina battle France for third World Cup glory
Football fans across the globe will stay glued to their television sets to savour the grand finale of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. The thrilling clash today is between defending champions, France and Argentina. Both would be attempting to win their third title in the history of the tournament.
World Cup needs risk-takers, says Klinsmann
(COMBO) This combination of file photos created on December 16, 2022, shows France’s forward #10 Kylian Mbappe (L) in Doha on November 26, 2022; and Argentina’s forward #10 Lionel Messi in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 3, 2022. – Argentina will play France in the Qatar 2022 World Cup football final match in Doha on December 18, 2022. (Photo by Franck FIFE and Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP)
Argentina v France sees Messi v Mbappe: Keys to the World Cup final
Argentina take on defending champions France on Sunday in the World Cup final.
Mbappe and Messi poised for blockbuster finale
The biggest game in football takes place on Sunday afternoon with two of the brightest stars in the game looking to cement their place in history.
France end Morocco World Cup dream to set up Argentina final
AL KHOR: France ended Morocco's World Cup dream as goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani gave the holders a 2-0 win in their semi-final clash and set up a showdown on Sunday (Dec 18) with Lionel Messi's Argentina.
And in the end, France win? How history will remember Qatar World Cup
The communion even included opposing fans, proud of a Morocco that's the first African and first Arab side to reach the final four at a World Cup. What does sporting success say about a nation and its character? Do performances on the pitch really wash away the controversy of a tournament awarded to Qatar under a cloud of suspicion? How will this World Cup be remembered?