Argentina And France Lived Up To The World Cup Final's Hype — And Then Transcended It
FiveThirtyEightMAR 15 2023
In spite of the criticism and scandal, Qatar got what it wanted: an exhilarating World Cup watched by millions. The icing on the cake was watching superstar Messi finally lift the World Cup trophy — a dream he has no doubt sought since first kicking a soccer ball.
This was nearly a perfect tournament — but that's exactly the problem. Once the games started, all concerns about corruption, migrant deaths, and the persecution of the LGBTQ community were quickly forgotten. Unfortunately, it demonstrates that "sportswashing" works.