The Sumptuous Minimalism of Lionel Messi

This is an edition of The Great Game, a newsletter about the 2022 World Cup—and how soccer explains the world. Sign up here.

Politically, socially, and competitively, there is much to be said about the 2022 FIFA World Cup. There are the of the host nation. There is the of how an authoritarian state twice the size of Delaware with no soccer history to speak of secured the rights to host the world’s biggest sporting event. (Qatar has bribery allegations.) There is the fact that Russia from the event because of its invasion of Ukraine, while the Iranian team , despite its ongoing crackdown on protesters. There are, more hearteningly, the of some of Europe’s top teams, and the obvious, endlessly debatable question of who will win. This, will be his last World Cup.