{"id":50442,"date":"2022-12-17T16:40:51","date_gmt":"2022-12-17T21:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/lionel-messis-world-cup-pursuit-has-become-the-worlds-shared-dream-50442"},"modified":"2022-12-17T16:40:51","modified_gmt":"2022-12-17T21:40:51","slug":"lionel-messis-world-cup-pursuit-has-become-the-worlds-shared-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/lionel-messis-world-cup-pursuit-has-become-the-worlds-shared-dream-50442","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi\u2019s World Cup pursuit has become the world\u2019s shared dream"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

AL RAYYAN, Qatar \u2014 By definition, fairy tales aren\u2019t real.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So, as much as it might seem like the stars are aligning for Lionel Messi<\/u><\/a> to end his unparalleled career cradling the World Cup in his arms, the cold, hard reality is there\u2019s as good a chance that the storybook ending doesn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n

According to the sports books, there will be no favorite when Argentina and France take the field in Sunday\u2019s World Cup final<\/u><\/a> (coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET, FOX and the FOX Sports app). That\u2019s not stopping the Argentines from embracing \u2014 manufacturing<\/i> \u2014 an underdog role ahead of the match against the defending champions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“People can say that the favorites are France. We always like to hear that the opponent is the favorite,” goalkeeper Emiliano Mart\u00ednez said Saturday at his team\u2019s final press conference before the decisive contest. He couldn\u2019t help then adding a qualifier.<\/p>\n

US AMBASSADOR TO UN VISITS FOX SPORTS IN QATAR FOR WORLD CUP<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“But we have the great advantage to have the greatest player of all time.” <\/p>\n

Mart\u00ednez was talking about Messi, of course.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The marquee finale between two nations that have both won the title twice previously has been billed as a battle between the GOAT, who is desperate to win his first World Cup in his last appearance for his country (Messi will retire from international play following the game, in which he will break the tournament record for appearances) and his heir apparent: French star Kylian Mbapp\u00e9<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s an irresistible storyline, to be sure. So is France\u2019s own quest for history; Mbapp\u00e9 is hoping to help Les Bleus<\/i> become the first nation in 60 years to win consecutive titles.\u00a0<\/p>\n

WORLD CUP 2022: CROATIA DEFEATS MOROCCO IN THIRD-PLACE MATCH<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Still, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni<\/u><\/a> insisted Saturday it\u2019s about more than the two bold-faced names. <\/p>\n

“Tomorrow’s game will be more of a collective effort than an individual effort,” he said. “Mbapp\u00e9 is a top player, obviously. France has so many great players, and they work for him, and that makes him an even better player.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But this match will be between Argentina against France, beyond Messi and Mbapp\u00e9, beyond these two players,” he added. “There are many players who can decide this match.”<\/p>\n

Argentina does appear to have a cosmic advantage, though, however slight. Les Bleus<\/i> have been ravaged by a virus that has torn though their squad in recent days. Illness prevented two French starters from participating<\/a> in Wednesday\u2019s semifinal victory over Morocco.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

FOX Sports\u2019 Jenny Taft reported Saturday that all 24 remaining French players<\/u><\/a> (forward Karim Benzema and defender Lucas Hernandez left the camp earlier in the competition because of injury) trained Saturday, but it\u2019s obviously not ideal preparation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We would\u2019ve preferred not to have to face this difficulty,” coach Didier Deschamps said. <\/p>\n

Another factor that isn\u2019t in France\u2019s favor? The Albiceleste<\/i>\u2019s support on the ground in Doha. Qatar\u2019s capital city has been overrun by fans adorned in baby blue and white for weeks. With Argentina and its superstar attraction now on the verge of glory, those numbers have exploded over the last few days.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The cavernous, 90,000-seat Lusail Iconic Stadium will be packed to the gills Sunday, and almost everyone in attendance will be screaming their lungs out for Argentina, hoping to see Mbapp\u00e9 & Co. lose. <\/p>\n

“It’s like we\u2019re playing at home,” Mart\u00ednez. “That’s a great advantage.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a great responsibility. Mart\u00ednez and Scaloni both spoke about being fans as well as players. It\u2019s hard to describe what soccer means to everyday Argentines in normal times<\/a>, though the coach did his best to try. With the country mired in an economic crisis, what his team has accomplished so far has been the most welcome diversion.<\/p>\n

“They very much needed this joy,” Scaloni said of the fans. “Football is more than a sport for us. The fact that we were able to make them happy is something wonderful and amazing.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

FRANCE \u2018TAKING ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS\u2019 TO HALT SPREAD OF VIRUS AS WOLRD CUP FINAL LOOMS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Still, the burden of trying not to let down their backers \u2014 and not to mention their revered 35-year-old captain \u2014 at the final hurdle is immense. Those emotions must be carefully managed, or they risk getting the better of the Argentine players and swallowing them whole.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“To be honest, the need to win a game can be counterproductive sometimes,” Mart\u00ednez said. “We need to keep a cool head.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

With every neutral on Earth \u2014 “and perhaps some French people as well,” Deschamps said \u2014 seemingly rooting for Messi and his squad, Argentina sure doesn\u2019t feel like an underdog. But there\u2019s no doubt La<\/i> Albiceleste<\/i> are the overwhelming popular favorite because of their singular headliner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Win or lose, Messi already has given the world yet another gift before his final act on the biggest stage: a reason to hope and dream. <\/p>\n

“This is the best scenario possible, because it\u2019s a World Cup final,” Scaloni said. “We hope he can lift this trophy. It would be something wonderful.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source – https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/sports\/lionel-messis-world-cup-pursuit-become-worlds-shared-dream <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AL RAYYAN, Qatar \u2014 By definition, fairy tales aren\u2019t real.\u00a0 So, as much as it might seem like the stars are aligning for Lionel Messi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_2902945987_2902945987":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[16563],"tags":[],"stock_ticker":[],"class_list":["post-50442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-market-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLionel Messi\u2019s World Cup pursuit has become the world\u2019s shared dream - Wall Street PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/lionel-messis-world-cup-pursuit-has-become-the-worlds-shared-dream-50442\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lionel Messi\u2019s World Cup pursuit has become the world\u2019s shared dream - 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