The People's Game

On the eve of the much-anticipated World Cup final, Laurent Dubois joins us once again, this time from Dakar, Senegal where he watched the France-Morocco semifinal and will watch the France-Argentina final on Sunday. We explore the deep quotidian connections between French and African societies and football fandom, Senegal's performance sans Mane, France's current reign at the top of the game, what it was like to watch the historic match between France and Morocco in Senegal, and, of course, his thoughts on prospects for the final.

We are nearing the end of this year's World Cup quest, and the lineup for the final is set: France goes up against Argentina this Sunday for the main prize of the tournament, and a chance at a very rare twice-in-a-row world championship, last achieved by Brazil in 1962. Today's match, however, also contained a tremendous victory in and of itself, in the ascendancy of Morocco, the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup in an astounding tournament run that captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of billions of people in Africa, the Middle East, and all around the world. In this remarkable postcolonial derby against France, a team itself made up of mostly African and Arab migrants, Morocco broke the inferiority complex that has dogged underdog teams from the Global South, as well as the patronizing colonial gaze that limits the imagination in both the global core and periphery. Dominant in the second half, never breaking, pushing through injuries and battling until the final whistle, Morocco, even in defeat, expanded the horizons of possibility for oppressed and colonized peoples everywhere, and for that they have secured their place in World Cup history, and the world is forever grateful.Lilian Thuram, the French football legend whose son Marcus Thuram's performance for France helped clinch today's victory, said in his recent book White Thinking that "we all engage with the past through the prism of extremely powerful historical and cultural forces that have shaped us in different ways," and that breaking down the colonial mindset in all of us, with an understanding of history, "can provide us with the tools to construct a shared future." Today's game between France and Morocco, with all the historical and cultural layers underlying it, has, in the words of Laurent Dubois, offered "a different way of seeing movement: not as a danger, but as possibility and freedom that makes something beautiful in the world."Alan and Mel salute Morocco, analyze the nuances of today's exciting match, and cast our lots on opposite sides of Sunday's final showdown: will the Cup secure a generational legacy for French football, or come home to the Church of Maradona in a long-sought moment of glory for Messi and Argentina? Sunday's magisterial final will show what Fate has in store for the World Cup in 2022.

Now we know the first World Cup 2022 finalist, and it is Argentina!! Today's decisive 3-0 win over Croatia in regular time secured Argentina's place in the finals, and Lionel Messi's place in the pantheon of Argentine and World Cup greats. As the Albiceleste contest yet again for another World Cup title, not won since the triumph of Mexico 1986, we can't help but do a little compare and contrast of Messi and today's Argentinian superstars with the era of the Greatest of All Time, Diego Maradona. We discuss today's spectacular performance, evaluate Argentina's chances in the final, and look forward to tomorrow's historic and tremendous showdown between Morocco and France.

Today's monumental pair of matches made history in more ways than one. Morocco emerged victorious over Portugal, carrying the dream of billions in Africa, the Arab world, and across the globe as they become the first African country to make it to a World Cup semifinal. Defying the colonial gaze, Morocco has cultivated a bonafide world-class team that, with the wind of collective joy in their sails, can make it all the way. On the other side, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo goes home in tears, never having caught his white whale of a World Cup title or a knockout goal, a missing jewel in his glittering career record. Alan analyzes the Ahab-like efforts and setbacks of an England side that held its own and more against France - but for that magic moment between Griezmann and Giroud that won the game for France, and Harry Kane's tragic moment at the penalty spot, ending England's quixotic quest to bring it home. We also pay tribute to the late great Grant Wahl, legendary soccer journalist and voice for justice and human rights, who passed away yesterday in Qatar during the Argentina-Netherlands game. He brought global football to a wide audience in the US and his influence and generosity is felt throughout the soccer world and in the hearts of everyone who knew him. He is dearly missed by all who know and love this beautiful game.

Today's epic quarterfinal matchups both went to penalties: one as Greek tragedy, one as opera. Brazil laid siege to the Croatian defense, with Neymar breaking through in extra time, only to fall victim to the fatal flaws in their own defense as Croatia equalized with four minutes to spare and took the match to their dreaded home turf: the penalty shootout, where the world's greatest teams have fallen at their gates; and a dull, mind-numbing Thanatos prevailed, killing joy and stopping the spectacular Eros of Brazil's joga bonito in its tracks. Mel mourns the revitalized Brazil we'd only just gotten to know and love, and Alan elucidates on how we got here, in the context of Croatia's long history of taking teams down at the penalty stage. We then turn to the high drama of Argentina vs. Netherlands, and the brilliance of Emi Martinez in a showdown full of echoes from their last matchup in 2014. Can Messi take it all the way to the final? Can Croatia be stopped? And what kind of epic World Cup action will we see tomorrow?

On this quarterfinal eve, Alan and Mel welcome Fernando back from Costa Rica, where he spent several days watching the game against Germany and the Round of 16 unfold. He brings back his impressions from a country where futbol is everywhere; and then we turn our eyes to Qatar, where one team - and country - is everywhere, despite not competing at this World Cup. Palestine, the unofficial Team 33 of this tournament, is already the winner of the World Cup in the eyes of many, including those in Gaza and the West Bank who can feel and hear the enormous show of solidarity from players and fans of every side. The Palestinian people are not forgotten, but in the global spotlight at these games, undermining the normalization of Israeli occupation. We then turn to our predictions, hopes, signs and omens for the quarterfinal games today and tomorrow, casting our lots for what promises to be a fun and fateful round of matches.