Qatar World Cup 2022 - Reflections

I was eight years old when Argentina won their first World Cup on their home soil. It was a final in the Monumental in Buenos Aires against Holland. Watching it with my family in war-torn Beirut, what I remember most was all the paper flying all over the stadium. I didn't really know much about the teams and didn't really support either in the final. The dramatic game, which would end in a 3-2 victory for Argentina, however, did start a love affair with a game that has lasted to this day ... Since then, I have been playing almost weekly and often watch leagues or international tournaments and been quite fortunate to attend several World Cups and finals. None like this one. The setting, the backdrop. The story of the players. The fans. The ups. The downs. And then the brilliant performance by both teams. What drama! What passion! What pride and respect for their respective nations! And what love for a game that every now and then delivers an inevitable, albeit sometimes delayed,...