Football – especially during World Cups – is often a swirl of competing narratives all bidding to become dominant while frequently colliding with each other. Qatar 2022 had more than most: would Cristiano Ronaldo put the perfect finishing touch to his stellar career? Could Brazil return to the top of the pantheon 20 years after their fifth and last success? Or would this finally be England’s year, as the FA targeted over a decade ago?
In the end, it was the two most compelling story arcs that met in the final, with the spotlight firmly on the tournament’s two main protagonists: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. One looking to end his career by ending all debates
