After getting more than 74 million "hearts" and becoming the most-liked post in the history of Instagram, the iconic photo of Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup trophy is again in the news.
This time for a very different and weird reason: Two Argentina supporters claim the trophy Messi was holding is a fake.
FIFA has launched an investigation to determine how in the hell restaurant owner and famous chef Salt Bae got access to the field during Argentina's World Cup celebrations in Qatar.
"Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail Stadium on Dec. 18," the world soccer body said in a press release.
Although FIFA didn't name Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, you don't need to be a genius to know what's going on here.
Written by Pardis Mahdavi courtesy of The Conversation
Shortly before Lionel Messi took to the stage to lift up the World Cup trophy, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani put a black cloak, called a “bisht,” over the Argentinian soccer star’s shoulders.
The World Cup has this supernatural power over soccer fans. It fills a void we didn’t even know we had, but now that the tournament is over, this missing piece in our lives is impossible to ignore.
For the past month, we have been treated to endless soccer of the highest caliber. Like babies being fed, we haven’t needed to think about what our next game was going to be. It was always there, waiting for us, and it never disappointed.
Assists are often overlooked in favor of their more flashy and prominent neighbor, the goal. In many ways, they require more technique and ability than scoring a goal because finding the goal is easy. Knowing where to place a ball to find a teammate while avoiding defenders and keepers, and actually having the technical ability to do it, requires a soccer mind of the highest order. One of the greats, Andrea Pirlo, famously said, "Football is played with the head. Your feet are just tools."
Argentina made history during the 2022 World Cup Final as they were awarded their fifth penalty kick of the tournament. The previous record was shared by the Netherlands in 1978 and Portugal in 1966 with four penalty kicks each. With his subsequent goal, Messi now is level on four goals with Eusébio and Rob Rensenbrink having scored the most penalty kicks in a single tournament.
MESSI PUTS ARGENTINA OUT IN FRONT pic.twitter.com/kZkUvRUXC9
It was Lionel Messi's World Cup. With almost 80 minutes gone in Sunday's final and Argentina leading 2-0, the 35-year-old looked destined to lift the trophy while capturing both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball — a clean sweep of everything on the GOAT's World Cup swan song.
Then, in 97 seconds of Kylian Mbappé-inspired madness over the 80th and 81st minutes, France pulled level with Messi's PSG teammate scoring from the spot before unleashing a 15-yard side-volley for the equalizer.
Lionel Messi consiguió su sueño: ser campeón del mundo.
El "10" lideró a Argentina ante Francia en la final de Catar 2022, acaso la mejor final en la historia de los mundiales.
Y no es exageración.
El partido tuvo polémica, una remontada increíble, tiempos extras lleno de suspenso y una definición desde los 12 pasos que dejó a más de 3.500 millones de personas – si creemos las proyecciones de la FIFA – con el corazón en la boca.
We are at the end of the road. Yeah! It's hard to believe it. After a month and 63 games filled with drama, joy and other emotions, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is almost finished. The only thing left to know is who will be the grand champion.
Argentina and France are the finalists, and both are chasing to lift the tournament's trophy for the third time in their history. But that's not all. Their best players, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, are also locking horns, seeking individual glories: the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball.
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