Abdo Khal

The Final Mix

21 July 2026 - 00:00 | Last updated 21 July 2026 - 00:00

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The day before yesterday, the World Cup final was occupying people's minds.

The entire world forgot everything, eyes glued to television screens, and it seems the Islamic and Arab world focused their eyes on the screens only to see Messi's tears; to compare their spill at the Wailing Wall with their spill over his team's defeat against Spain. In yesterday's match, all emotions and loyalties mixed, a mix that appears football-related but inside had political, sports, and social dimensions. It was a match of bets, as Argentina made its way with consideration and fanfare to reach the final, and because of that consideration it earned the anger and enmity of the fans so that when it reached the final, the sentiments of the global fans carried hatred and wishes for it to be severely defeated.

What happened in this tournament set people against FIFA in a manner that seemed hidden, but the excessive consideration showed that opposition as a main feature of the World Cup; because all countries participated, and everyone who was eliminated in the various rounds carried a certain grudge that kept growing, and exploded in the final match. The explosion was gentle, an explosion simmering in hearts and exhaling dissatisfaction. Had Argentina won, anger would have been great. The Spaniards managed to alleviate that anger throughout the match by showing 80% control. That control enabled the world to see the Argentine players in a state of surrender and despair at losing the cup. With the final whistle, the cameras captured Messi's features and looks, features shedding tears over what had passed, all that had passed, falling on a stadium full of crowds, a farewell to the past and a welcome to all that is coming on the feet of Lamine Yamal.