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NEW YORK: France captain Kylian Mbappe paid an emotional tribute to Didier Deschamps ahead of the coach’s final match in charge, saying the players had failed to give him the ending he deserved at the World Cup after 14 years at the helm. “Today is your last dance. You, who have given us so much.
NEW YORK: FIFA President Gianni Infantino deemed the World Cup a success on Friday, saying the tournament achieved its mission of uniting people from all corners of the globe. Infantino spoke at the United Nations as part of a daylong session there about how the game can be a catalyst for youth mental health. He brought one of the official game balls that are to be used in Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain to the stage, calling it “a magic object which has the power to unite the world.” “We hear it many times, don’t we, that we live in a divided world, that we live in an aggressive world, that there are so many things that divide us, that create us problems,” Infantino said.
DHAKA: There are rooftops draped in blue and white and murals of Lionel Messi everywhere — but this is not Argentina, it is Bangladesh where football-crazy fans are again celebrating their unique bond with the South American giants. The craze for Argentina has endured for decades in a country of 170 million people who have never qualified for the World Cup, but embrace the global showpiece with unmatched passion. The connection is once again on display ahead of Sunday’s final in New Jersey, where the defending champions will face Spain. While fans in Buenos Aires prepare for what they hope will be another night of celebration, the mood more than 10,000 miles away in Dhaka is also reaching fever pitch. “I was tense during the Argentina-Egypt match. I was sweating and almost cried,” motor mechanic Nurul Islam told AFP. “But now I can confidently say that Argentina will win.” Football fans in Bangladesh have traditionally split their loyalties between Argentina and Brazil, South America’s football powerhouses. But once Brazil were eliminated in the last 16 by Norway, many of their fans also threw their weight behind Argentina. By some accounts, Bangladesh is home to the largest number of fans of the Albiceleste outside Argentina. For many the love affair began with Diego Maradona’s performances at the 1986 World Cup.
NEW YORK: For some fans following this World Cup, the calculation has been simple: support whoever is playing against Argentina. Across the tournament, that has meant wearing the green of Algeria, the blue of Cape Verde, or the red of Switzerland. Even the often maligned England got a boost in global social media pledges of support last week ahead of their semifinal clash. And in Sunday’s final, it may mean pulling on a red Spain shirt. Argentina are one of football’s most successful and recognizable national teams, but also one of its most polarizing. From Diego Maradona’s defiance to Lionel Messi’s global celebrity, the Albiceleste have long inspired devotion at home and abroad, alongside irritation, envy and resentment from rivals.
PARIS: The World Cup has engaged punters like never before with an 80 percent increase in betting volume compared to the 2022 edition, even taking into account the higher number of matches for a 48-team tournament, a betting expert told AFP. Although many football fans were skeptical about the increase in the number of teams from 32 to 48, it appears punters have welcomed it. “We’ve seen an 80 percent increase in the ticket volume,” Darren Small, senior vice president of Managed Trading Services at Sportradar, told AFP. “So we’re seeing more bets and more active customers. “We’ve seen record numbers and we’ve surpassed our expectations in terms of what we felt we were going to see if we compare it to 2022, which is a little difficult because it was different as it was in the winter.” For Sunday’s final between Spain and defending champions Argentina, Small expects the company to be handling approximately 8.5 million betting tickets for their 250 bookmaking clients round the world. Sportradar is a global sports technology company that says it creates immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors. Small said even if the numbers have surprised the company, they anticipated an increase because of the expansion of the tournament to 104 games. “But we also expected it just because of the industry growth and general growth,” he added. England may have to wait another four years to try to add a second star to their 1966 triumph but they have topped the betting table. Indeed the four semifinalists — also the top four FIFA-ranked teams — drew the most interest. England attracted approximately 16.3 million betting tickets ahead of France (15.5m), Argentina (15m) and Spain (14.5m). The games with the highest volume of betting
MADRID: Former Spain defender Joan Capdevila has appealed to President Donald Trump for help after being denied permission to enter the United States for Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and defending champions Argentina. Capdevila, a member of Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning team, said his application was rejected because he played in an exhibition match featuring LaLiga stars in Iran in 2016. The 48-year-old tagged Trump in a social media post seeking help. “They just told me that I can’t travel to the final with my kids because my ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) has been denied,” Capdevila wrote in a social media post.
MIAMI: Didier Deschamps brings the curtain down on a remarkable 14-year reign as France coach on Saturday when Les Bleus face England in the World Cup third-place play-off. Waiting in the wings is Zinedine Zidane, Deschamps’ former teammate and one of the all-time great French players. Deschamps, 57, had been determined to sign off by leading Les Bleus to a third World Cup triumph after a glittering career as a player and coach. France justified their billing as favorites for the 2026 tournament with a series of swaggering attacking displays but came unstuck against Spain in the semifinals. The painful 2-0 reverse in Arlington, Texas, denied them the chance to reach a third consecutive World Cup final and leaves them chasing bronze. Characteristically, Deschamps is not anticipating an emotional farewell in Miami on Sunday.
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Alpine’s Franco Colapinto wound up seventh fastest for Alpine in Friday practice at the Belgian Grand Prix and then said he will be more nervous watching Argentina in the World Cup final than driving in Sunday’s race. The only Argentine driver on the grid, Colapinto wore a Lionel Messi football shirt on arrival in the paddock on Thursday and spoke enthusiastically about Argentina’s 2-1 semifinal victory over England. “We hadn’t played England for a very long time and we’re just really happy that we took the win,” he said. “Happy for the team, happy for Messi — and I’m very proud of my country.” The 23-year-old Buenos Aires-born driver said Argentina’s win meant a great deal to him. “This is the kind of match that really shows why Argentina is one of the biggest teams in the history of football.