#World Cup loss to Russia

[ninyard]

Today I’m thinking about Kayleigh Day.

Fighting for her sport, in the beginning. Her, as a female co-founder, travelling the world as a representative of Exy. I’m picturing her standing in front of all-male boards and councils selling the sport, selling her life’s work, a young woman in an underrepresented field, desperate for her passion project to be picked up, to be respected. Do you think she had to sit in front of Olympic Councils with Tetsuji by her side and beg for the sport to be including in the Olympics? While men sat there and asked her, why does this sport work, do you think she had to put on a brave face and ask them to watch one game, to see what it was all about? Do you think she had spreadsheets and documents and presentations of how having a mixed gender sport worked, of proof that the sport had taken off already in Ireland and Japan?

Can you imagine her, unknowingly birthing the Raven mentality as she spent night after night awake until all hours on phone calls with a time difference, a cup of coffee to one side, and the first prototype of an Exy racquet to the other? When she wasn’t talking business, she was probably touring the country, offering free equipment to schools that were willing to trial the sport, offering coaching support to anyone who was willing to ask for it.

Kayleigh Day, sleepless and running on caffeine and years of work, receiving the phone call that the Olympics had decided to give Exy a shot. Then a call with Russia, with Germany, with Australia and China, as more and more people joined their little team, more and more schools and colleges and local sports clubs picking up the sport. Suddenly she’s in Barcelona, watching a game, hearing calls being shouted in Spanish, calls that she’d first came up with on her bedroom floor with Tetsuji on the other line. She’s in Japan, maybe she’s made it to the Olympics, the first ever Irish National team playing against the first ever Japanese National team. She can’t help but feel a tug in her chest watching fans in the crowd invest themselves into the game, upset at a loss, ecstatic at a win. She’s standing back and watching her life’s work FINALLY pay off. She’s finally getting to see what it was all for. But it doesn’t last long, does it?

[lostfirefly]

Who cares if one more light goes out? Well, I do...

I was at the gym today and "Breaking the habit" came on in the player. I remembered the video from The Red Square in Moscow. This year it's been 7 years since Chester's death and even though the anniversary of his death is still a little over a month away, I want to share with you what I wrote just a couple of days after his death. As the years go by, the emotions are still the same.

~ welcome under the cut ~

I'm holding on

Why is everything so heavy?

On July 27, 2017, Linkin Park's first concert of their North American tour was supposed to take place. People in Mansfield were supposed to take pictures of their favorite artists on their phones, happily singing not only new songs from the album, but also old hits so dear to fans' throats. After two hours of endless high, they had to go home happy. With a million new impressions.

On July 6, 2017 someone was lucky enough to see the band's last concert. Just a week ago, it was unimaginable. But now it doesn't feel like a lingering joke anymore.

Why does it feel like night today?

Something in here's not right today.

On July 20, I was coming home from the movie theater, and New Divide was playing in my headphones. I was thinking that Linkin Park had a new album out, that they were starting their American tour, and that means that they would soon reach Russia. Well, what else does my fan's heart need? A concert, the band, Chester.

That same evening, when I was surfing x/twitter with a cup of delicious tea, I saw the headline "Chester Bennington committed suicide". My first reaction was that it's a stupid joke. I mean, really, how many times has he been buried before? It doesn't make sense. Within a couple seconds, similar headlines started appearing on various news outlets. The second reaction was that it's just yellow press. But inner doubts made you turn on your laptop, put your tea aside and typed those damn four words into the search box. Four words and the enter key separated me from the first reaction. And then I saw the links, the headlines. And you know, it was like a virus that infects every cell in your body. And then I saw Mike Shinoda's tweet. He's gone. The one whose gorgeous voice was in my headphones just a couple of hours ago, he's gone. In an instant, the world was emptied of one weighty man. Why weighty? I checked websites, Facebook, Instagram. Looked how many people were crying like it was their own personal loss. It was a loss to those who loved his voice and his energy.

I can't feel the way I did before.

My introduction to Linkin Park happened pretty much the same way my 90's generation did. It was 2001, I was 14 years old. I was waiting to visit an ex-friend who burst into my house with the words: "Give me the tape recorder. I want you to hear a song. There's a man with a very beautiful voice."

And there was Crawling.

"Who's that? Linkin who? Park?" you asked.

Three minutes of buzz for your ears, and you run to find a free cassette to re-record that Hybrid Theory.

In the evening, you typed the band's name into a rambler search to look for the man who three hours ago sang about something inside him pulling beneath the surface. And then Rambler brought up the music video for One Step Closer. Monks, warriors, red-haired Shinoda, blond Bennington.

At that moment, my life was divided into a before and an after.

Before Linkin Park and with Linkin Park.

And you realize you're screwed. Seriously, and for a long time.

Those strangers from the other side of the planet singing about such familiar things. And it's with them that it becomes easier for you to get through the school years with bulling, the first betrayals of friends, long stays in the hospital, going to university, defending your diploma, moving to another city, life changes. And, honestly, I want to say a huge thank you to the whole band for the fact that in all the difficult times, when I wanted to send everything to hell, they believed in me. And I believed that they would be proud of me if I overcame everything. And I did. With Chester's voice in my headphones. He was the only one who could sober me up and kick my ass with his screaming. And then, a second later, switch to a gentle timbre and soothe your wounded soul. And I always knew I could count on him. My faithful friend named Chester… My sweet Chester Bennington. You were my rock when no one else had the right words. You helped build the wall of defense I needed.

That all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you will forever be my motto for life, which you diligently scribbled in notebooks, notepads, and a magnetic board on the refrigerator.

You diligently gather information about the band members, getting stunned by the frontman's biography, and find forums. You get new acquaintances scattered in different corners of Russia and over the world. Probably one of the most beautiful periods of my youth.

These feelings, when you are just starting to get into music, forming your views on life, when you are still youthful to maximalism, when you are sure that you can do everything that others couldn't and still wear rose-coloured glasses. All this for me finally left on July 20, 2017.

What I've done.

That day, I felt sick. I felt physically sick. My heart felt like it had been crushed by a tank. It ached like a chronic cardiac patient. My head was filled with endless questions of "What? Why? How?" I don't want to judge the act. Knowing what demons were in your head, I understand that choice. I'm sorry we couldn't help you when you helped all of us.

Chester. My sweet Chester.

I'm glad I was able to go to two Linkin Park concerts. I was no longer separated from the band by thousands of Russian kilometers, but only half an hour by subway. And I was able to see the real, sincere Bennington. A man with absolutely crazy energy. After that, I went to different concerts of different artists, but I have never seen such a connection with fans with anyone else. One second everyone is like positive sectarians singing I'm breaking the habit tonight, and the next second everyone is ready to die to Faint. Two hours later you walk out of the concert complex with a sore back, gray voice, and torn sneakers, but you're happy. The dream of a girl from 2003 has finally come true.

Who would have said that in 5 years at the place where fantasies became reality, I will say goodbye to my favorite musician.

Who cares if one more light goes out

Well I do…

Chester's passing showed me that I still have a lot of pain and darkness that I'd been suppressing. He mirrored that pain. I once again, fully faced everything I hadn't really wanted to face in years. A few months that added up to years of sweeping those emotions like trash under the rug, pretending the house was clean. It wasn't. The trash just piled up under the bed. The pain didn't go anywhere, it stayed neglected and recycled.

It's a moment when you don't want to open yourself up to the harsh reality of having your favorite musicians shut the door firmly behind you, but perhaps you shouldn't be afraid to live in it. There is pain, humiliation, hunger, wars and terrible injustice. People have the right to show emotion. Not everything is the way I want it to be. A lot of things are not the way I want them to be. It's hard, and it's unlikely that I can fully accept the world as it is. But thankfully, I have a few outlets.

I don't want to stifle my emotions. I don't want to forget about them when sucked into a "normal" life where everyone asks you to be "normal". And I don't want to hide from my inner demons, because they are what make you and me alive.

But for now, I want to turn on From the inside again, like in tenth grade, to turn on full blast, black pencil my eyes and become a different person. It was that song that made my inner core strong and made me stronger. And, Chester… My sweet Chester, it's thanks to you again.

I tried so hard

And got so far

But in the end

It doesn't even matter

I hope you have finally found peace and your demons are off of you.

I'm sorry Chester won't get to take his kids to school, won't see his grandkids. Won't know what it's like to be 50, 60, 70 years old. And I think that would be great, because it certainly wouldn't age him. Chester's not gonna write any new songs. I won't be able to listen to Shadow of the day, Leave out all the rest, One more light, Talking to myself. When you know what they're about, you want to turn them off. After listening to Given Up, you want to run up to Chester and shout, "You're great!!!" It's a shame he had such a hard time with himself.

The news of him being buried won't fit in my head for a long time. Even the overwhelming love of fans, family and friends couldn't save him from himself.

I don't want to say goodbye. I want to say thank you.

Thank you for the inspiration, for the amazing story of struggle told in such a powerful and emotional voice. I will love this amazing voice forever.

His example encourages us to become sincerer. Darker. Gloomier because without the dark days, you don't appreciate the sunshine as much.

Chester had so many words about light and sunshine. His light and warmth has stayed with us and will continue to warm us even after many years.

Rest in peace, beloved Chester.

Good

Goodbye.

I'll miss you forever.

[yabagofmilfs]

I loved your recs so far! Can you do sophi?

i can certainly try, but i'm running out of bookmarks at this point haha.

S - (the) space in between by saintroux | 3k | rated E

alpha geno goes into rut on a team trip to banff, and enjoys the rare occasion of his beta boyfriend letting him top, even if it's only in the literal sense because sid is still a bossy bitch who lives to tease. i love the way this flips the traditional omegaverse dynamics, and that geno is so, so gone for sid.

O - okay by getoffmyhead | 2k | rated T

after another disappointing playoff loss, geno prepares to head to worlds to play for russia, and tries to convince sid to go with him. a sweet and simple look at the early stages of their relationship.

P - phil kessel is a two time stanley cup champion by whisperedwords12 | 4k | rated E

BDSM au where sub sid is trying to make sure all his teammates have what they need directly post-2017 cup win, despite dropping a little himself. Geno bullies him into kneeling for Phil while he takes over with the team. just kind of sweet and hazy as sid struggles to let himself relax, but goes loose and biddable any time geno stops by to check on him.

H - happy to comply by pinetreelady | 1k | rated E

cute and hot pwp where geno really likes nipple play but is a giant baby about them being sore afterward. really captures the essence of their relationship lol.

I - in xanadu by sevenfists | 73k | rated E

the fraught emotional journey of zhenya coming to america and figuring himself out. 70k of what can best be described as my tummy hurts. :( (i am not doing this justice i just don't know what to say. it's beautiful! it's devastating! it hurt my feelings real bad. i read it once every couple of months just to feel something.)

[the20thcenturykid]

I jumped into that ship and even slightly helped it sail so let me correct myself and put it straight - whenever it was russian missiles or not, whenever it was accident or deliberately done (tho that last is the worse) - IT DOESN'T MEAN WORLD WAR 3!

Whatever news tell you, whatever people scream the louder - we don't know whole story yet!

Let's take deep breath and try to calm yourselves. Panic only make us vulnerable and hurt our mental and physical health.

We, Polish people, know this war pretty well because it's next to us, because milions of Ukrainian refugees, we were anxious it might happen here too since 24 February. We are afraid. We are angry. We are frustrated. We are on edge for some time. All those emotions are valid, if anyone feel them - it's ok! But let's at least try to refrain ourselves from letting those emotions control us! We all know it was always Russia's weapon - chaos, fear, censorship and misinformation. I know we have shitty government right now, but with all what happens we should trust them (for now) and wait.

Brothers and sisters - make yourselves warm cup of cocoa, wrap yourselves in blanket and try to relax at least a little. Save your nerves and spirit for moment when they will be needed.

My condolences to families of killed people. Whatever happens their loss and pain is the worst of it all.

Good night guys, hope despite all you'll get your beauty sleep.

And I wish putin very horrible, slow and gruesome death <3

[xdominiklivakovicx]

Top 5 Croatia NT games 👀👀👀👀👀👀

Huhhh okay xD

🇭🇷 VS 🇧🇷 (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar) - Okay this one is a fucking day to remember. The Friday evening when my family and me watched this game...heck it felt like it was yesterday, the joy of screaming, crying and laughing when we kicked out the favorites out. These emotions weren't easy to describe! Livi was incredible and he literally saved our asses along with the others!

🇭🇷 VS 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia) - did ya all ever dream of going to finals? We Croatians always did. That match was as tought as Brazil, but we did it. Mandzo has slythered us all to the finals and thanks to him we can always talk about our journey to the finals

🇭🇷 VS 🇫🇷 (Nations League 22/23) - oh yeah...after two very heavy 4-2 losses the tables have finally turned around for Croatia. It was finally a moment of our glory to celebrate 1-0 against France in Pariz! I didn't even believe we would win, but I guess I was proven wrong by our boys!

🇭🇷 VS 🇸🇲 (Friendly Match 2016) - man, I just can't believe we managed to score 10-0 against San Marino, I mean I know they are the worst National Team in the world, but for some reason I really enjoyed that match. San Marino fans please forgive meh 😭

🇭🇷 VS 🇯🇵 (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar) - I just wanted to say, I love Japan with all my heart and this game was kinda hard, but I did enjoy it a lot. Japan has proved that they are no joke in this World Cup, but we sadly had to play against them. I was happy that Croatia won, but deep inside I felt really sorry for kicking Japan out of the World Cup

THANK U FOR THE ASK KARIN! I am so glad I was able to answer these <3

[themculibrary]

AU Fics Masterlist 3

Links Last Checked: April 13th, 2024

part one, part two, part four

Alone in the Bitterness (ao3) - Lissadiane bucky/clint G, 16k

Summary: “In which Bucky is a nurse and Clint is his favourite (and most frequent) patient.”

Almost Boyfriends (ao3) - IronDadStan steve/tony, bucky/clint, rhodey/natasha G, 22k

Summary: Tony moved from California to New York his junior year of high school, where he started attending SHEILD high school in Brooklyn. He made amazing friendships his first day that would bloom into life long friendships. While Tony was a small, nerdy guy who kept to himself - everyone liked him and he never really had any enemies - well, there was one. The person in school he hated and who seemed to feel the same about him. Stupid, tall, handsome Steve Rogers.

and he looks up (ao3) - Anonymous steve/tony, one sided obidiah/tony M, 25k

Summary: Tony says, “You jump, I jump, right,” with barely any breath left, and Steve can’t do anything but stare.

Tony touches his face, cups his cheek, runs his fingers over the back of his neck like he’s not going to get another chance, and Steve says, “Right,” and kisses him before burying his head in his neck, kissing whatever he can reach.

(Or, the steve/tony Titanic!AU with a happy ending for the Avengers.)

Barnes Family Motors, Inc. (ao3) - phlintandsteel bucky/tony E, 68k

Summary: In a world where alphas legally own omegas, Bucky is just a small time mechanic from Brooklyn who gets lucky in a poker game. Tony is an omega whose life is fraught with abuse, until his luck suddenly takes a turn for the better.

In the grand scheme of things they may only be able to make little differences in the lives of those around them, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth making them. After all, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Breakaway (ao3) - NegativeGhostrider yelena/kate E, 81k

Summary: Kate Bishop is a photojournalism student at NYU, talented but admittedly lacking in focus. When she’s all but forced to cover an international hockey tournament for her end of semester piece, it’s not exactly her dream come true. Kate has never really given a shit about hockey. But that was before she met the terrifying captain of Team Russia. Yelena Belova is one of the world’s best competitive hockey players - ruthless, driven, and talented beyond measure - and Kate knows a good story when she sees one. Sure, she’s strange and irritating and extremely distracting, but Kate can deal with it. But there’s more to this game than meets the eye, and when she goes digging and uncovers more than she bargained for, everything changes. The stakes are high and everything is on the line. But she can’t win alone.

can’t for the life of me (ao3) - prxntiss gamora/peter M, 38k

Summary: “I promise I’m not just tryna get you in my bed… unless it’s working?”

She shoved him so hard that he almost fell off the path. “In your dreams, Quill.”

-

[ in which peter and gamora are flustered teenagers who are strongly in denial ]

Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend (ao3) - camichats wanda/tony E, 14k

Summary: Wanda ends up as Tony Stark’s sugar baby to help get her through college. Getting into that relationship was the last thing she expected and falling in love came as a surprise to both of them.

Expecting The Unexpected (ao3) - Capsicle2013 steve/tony M, 35k

Summary: When Steve struggles to get pregnant, Tony offers to carry the baby. It’s a success and Tony falls pregnant. Everything appears normal. So then why is Steve experiencing the same thing?

Friday Night Lights (ao3) - beezyland steve/natasha T, 276k

Summary: Coming off a heartbreaking loss their previous season, the Lieber High Avengers, led by ex-military first year head coach Nick Fury, need all the help they can get when the next football season brings teenage drama and heartbreaking injuries.

AKA A Friday Night Lights AU where Natasha is the coach’s daughter and Steve is big enough to be a linebacker, but only wants to play quarterback, a position secured by Bucky, his football machine of a best friend destined to play college ball. Well, at least, before the accident.

Prima Nocta (ao3) - Dira Sudis (dsudis) M, 19k

Summary: This is the night Steve is stolen by Tony Stark, whose slaves disappear in industrial quantities. This is the night sex slave #32557038 is given to a new master and finds out what is expected of him. This is the night Tony saves two slaves and doesn’t tell them any comforting lies like “You’re free now.”

Stars Fading, but I Linger On, Dear (ao3) - ChibiSquirt steve/tony E, 53k

Summary: A Soulmate AU where people meet their soulmate in their dreams. Of course, not even that solves all the world's problems, especially if one or more of the soulmates has a secret identity...

strays (ao3) - Anonymous steve/tony, clint/natasha T, 85k

Summary: Tony will take whatever he can get from Steve, which is pathetic, because he’s not even really friends with him.

Or, the highschool!AU where Pepper is Tony's much-needed therapist, Darcy is his parter in crime, Bruce needs to go through puberty, Clint shows up to school with bruises and Steve just wants everyone to get through this intact.

Swings and Roundabouts (ao3) - mariana_oconnor bucky/clint E, 50k

Summary: Clint Barton hates everything about Bucky Barnes, from his stupid perfect hair to his stupid perfect smile - especially the stupid perfect smug smile that he aims at Clint, like he’s better than him or something.

Clint wants nothing more than to wipe that smile off Barnes’ dumb face and make him see exactly how good Clint is. So naturally, he kisses him.

That’s how it begins.

the view when you’re falling (ao3) - peculiarblue mj/peter G, 24k

Summary: MJ decides to cash in her good deed of the week by covering her best friend Ned’s night shift at the local coffee shop and gets a lot more than she bargained for when a masked hero swings in for a late night order.

alternatively: MJ falls in love with Spider-Man one night on the rooftop of the coffee shop she works in. and the next night. and every night after that.

Uncertainty of the Law (ao3) - mambo steve/bucky M, 26k

Summary: Steve didn't expect to fall in love with the lawyer looking at his painting.

But he did.

Undertones and Overtures (ao3) - RockSaltAndRoll steve/bucky E, 106k

Summary: In which Steve is deaf and Bucky is an amputee.

Bucky Barnes is studying for his masters in Music Composition at Juilliard when he unexpectedly meets skinny little artist Steve Rogers in a book store one Saturday. They both have their issues and it’s going to take a lot to understand each other, but with a little help from friends and family, they might be able to make this work.

Untouchable (ao3) - AvoidingAverage steve/bucky E, 43k

Summary: (Or, the AU where Bucky tries to protect Steve by threatening violence on anyone who hurts him and inadvertently leads him into a world of mob violence, Interpol raids, and an overthrow of Alexander Pierce. )

Urgent Care (ao3) - Jo (jmathieson) clint/phil E, 45k

Summary: When a gorgeous young paramedic named Clint Barton walks into Dr. Phil Coulson's ER, both of their lives get a lot more complicated.

we’re invincible, remember? (ao3) - Possiblyenjoyable bruce/tony, brief pepper/tony E, 80k

Summary: Time moves slowly for Tony. He’s tried everything he could possibly think of to make time move faster, but God, it’s impossible. He remembers when he used to think time moved too quickly, back when he and Bruce were online best buddies and before Bruce’s Skype icon disappeared from his computer when he was twelve. Now, he just wants everything to be over and done with. Until he sees a familiar face the start of his senior year of high school.

Or, the one where Tony and Bruce were childhood best friends before Bruce disappeared for six years.

wholesale change (ao3) - biblionerd07 steve/bucky M, 83k

Summary: Steve Rogers, captain of a losing NHL team, has taken so many bad penalties this season he’s worried he’s going to get set down to the minors as punishment. His agent comes up with a plan to make Steve irreplaceable to the fans–a reality dating show. Where the contestants want to date Steve.

[end-of-pizza]

A small typeset about climate change

15 years, thats about all the time left. Realistically within 15 years we hit runaway, permafrost melts, co2 and methane skyrocket and chain reaction until we cross that line

You know the 3 degrees, no wait 4 degrees.....5 degrees?

Who cares

You want to know the honest truth, the raw honestly that no one else is giving you

This is all planned, its not denied, its not bypassed. Us hitting runaway and melting all the ice caps has been more or less a given since the late 70s. The green new deal would have been great, and i like electric cars

But it wouldn't have fixed it. The united states alone couldn't stop this, no one could

You cant stop climate change now. To prevent billions of deaths due to starvation and migration, to prevent loss of major cities, we need to be carbon NEGATIVE right fuckin now, and maybe our grand kids won't have to worry about climate change that much.

Grand kids.

Writing this because some ding dong was arguing with someone that even though theyre poor they should go vegan to save the planet

The planet, is on fire. Let the dude eat a cheeseburger.

There is no fixing this. Within 15 years, all major cities will be under water, a few billion people will have to migrate further north or south to survive 150 degree summers, and we will have multiple hurricane Katrina style tragedies every, single year

And remember like I said, this was planned.

Major companies still own a lot of land in the rust belt, a place that no one really uses

China has built hundreds of ghost cities in northern territories

Russia and america both want that sweet northern ice free passage.

There is no stopping this. This is not hyperbole. The last president who could have averted this wasnt obama, or bush, or Clinton.....it was carter, and he tried

This isn't doomerism or something, this is just the truth. Im not sugar coating it. Its not a doomsday scenario, because climate change isn't the end of the world

You're on tumblr, you'll be fine

Like you'll have fema trailers in your states national parks and likely in your town, and your schools will be so packed because of migrating families that theyll likely barely work, and food shortages far larger then what happened in covid will be common enough that there will be some weeks normal shit like milk, cheese and eggs might be pretty expensive.

But you'll survive, thats the worst part about climate change, you'll live. You'll watch the news and see stories of 100 million people starving to death in India, of governments toppling, of riot, of wars and of other such nightmares over fresh water and bread.

If you live in the southern us, you'll have a summer so hot that thousands of people will die, that power grids will fail and the water stops flowing from the tap

But you'll move north, and you'll survive

You live in the uk, you'll migrate to the EU, live on a coast you'll either get some insurance claim or you'll abandon your house and move inland.

Don't fuckin shame someone for using a paper cup, or driving a gas car. They didn't light the house on fire.

[liamhaydn-blog]

Lionel Messi at the 2022 World Cup

The first ever winter World Cup appeared perfectly timed for Lionel Messi. The previous season, his first in the colours of Paris Saint-Germain, had been the toughest of his career to date. The flawless finishing we had witnessed for well over a dozen years momentarily deserted him and was replaced with efforts suddenly being denied by posts, crossbars and goalkeepers, more often than they were finding the net. For the first time since his teenage years, Messi failed to reach double figures in the league, scoring just six goals in 26 appearances, and 11 in all competitions. Those who saw this and declared Messi’s glory years over would quickly be proven wrong however as just a few months into his second campaign with PSG and his difficulties in the previous season were already nothing but a rapidly fading memory. 

By the time club football took a winter break for the mid-season World Cup, Messi had already outperformed last season’s goal haul, with 7 in the league and 12 in all competitions. On top of this he also added 14 assists in the 19 games he featured. The numbers and performances showed us Messi was coming into the World Cup bang on form, and given his age of 35, playing this tournament mid-season rather than at the end of another long 50+ game season, was likely to be more of a help than a hindrance. 

The Argentina side he would be captaining at the finals were unbeaten since they suffered a loss to Brazil at the 2019 Copa America, their 5th tournament in 6 years where they had been unable to end a trophy drought which stretched back to 1993. Messi may have dragged his nation to three major finals in as many years but falling short in all of them led him to announce a short-lived retirement. He was back playing for the Albiceleste shortly after but the 2018 World Cup in Russia looked like something akin to torture for him. Rarely if ever did he seem to exhibit the same joy and freedom in Argentina’s colours as when playing for Barcelona. 

That was until the 2021 Copa America in Brazil, when at his 10th major tournament, Argentina finally assembled the right supporting cast around Messi, and with it Leo dazzled scoring 4 and assisting 5 as he led Argentina to the final. In the final he wasn’t at his best, a result of an extremely physical semi-final against Colombia, but for this new Argentina they could find a way to win without relying solely on their talismanic captain. Di Maria scored the goal which won them the cup at the Maracanã against hosts Brazil and suddenly Argentina who had been so poor at the 2018 World Cup were now one of the top favourites for the next World Cup which would take place the following year in Qatar. 

Argentina only strengthened their credentials with a run of 36 games unbeaten going into the World Cup. This run took in their Copa America triumph and aswell included a 3-0 win over European Champions Italy and on the very eve of the tournament a 5-0 win over UAE. In that game Messi notched his 18th goal for Argentina in his last 22 appearances, it was with real belief he and his teammates would begin Group C. Assigned to a favourable looking group alongside Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland, it would be the Saudis first up for Argentina.

v.s Saudi Arabia 1:2- Group C

Saudi Arabia are regular World Cup qualifiers, Brazil in 2014 being the only finals they haven’t reached since first qualifying in 1994. They are not however regular World Cup winners, having won just one game since they reached the knockout stages for the one and only time at their first World Cup. They appear to be the perfect opponent for Argentina to lay down a statement of intent with an emphatic victory.

 It takes just 94 seconds for Messi to have his first shot on target, forcing Al Owais into an early save. A few minutes later and holding in the box as Saudi Arabia attempted to defend a corner drew the attention of VAR, who alerted the referee to have a look at a possible penalty. The referee decided it went beyond the acceptable level of grappling and pointed to the spot, giving Messi and Argentina the chance to make the perfect start. The chance was taken as Argentina’s number 10 calmly rolled the ball into the net for 1-0. 

Messi appeared to have his and Argentina’s second in the 22nd minute when a long ball over the top left him baring down on goal and he calmly slotted home. However the linesman’s flag was then immediately raised. Five minutes later there was an even tighter call after Lautaro Martinez had gone clear and lifted the ball over the onrushing Al Owais. This time it was VAR who intervened to rule it out, judging Lautaro’s shoulder to be offside. Remarkably 7 minutes later Argentina had the ball in the net for a fourth time, and for the third time it was disallowed for offside. This was the clearest offside of the lot, though Lautaro’s composed step-over and finish after Messi had put him through displayed Argentina’s supreme confidence and the control in which they exerted over the match. 

Despite Argentina’s dominance in the first half, they had just one goal to show for it. And the frailty of that lead was exposed just three minutes into the second half when Alshehri expertly shot through the legs of a sliding Christian Romero and from a tight angle the ball bobbled into the bottom corner past Emiliano Martinez. The goal had come from a simple ball straight down the middle after Messi had been dispossessed in midfield. Just 5 minutes later, things went from bad to worse for Argentina as Nicolas Otamendi’s failure to get distance on a clearance eventually led to the ball finding Aldawsari who made room for the shot by cutting inside and then let fly from just inside the area. Martinez got a hand to the ball, but the power beat him and suddenly Argentina were behind against Saudi Arabia. 

Argentina almost respond immediately when Messi is found in the box, but just as he is about to shoot a potentially goal-saving tackle flies in on him from Abdulhamid, who celebrates this tackle like a goal, and he isn’t the last Saudi player to do so. The Albiceleste come closer still when Lisandro Martinez’s close-range shot deflects off the knee of Tagliafico from even closer, but Al Owais’ reflexes are up to the task.  

Following these chances, you could see the panic start to set in for Argentina as the reality of what defeat here could mean began to dawn on them. They began to fall back into their old habits of relying on Messi to rescue them. Since the last World Cup, Argentina had ended their long wait for silverware and were on the verge of equalling Italy’s world-record of 37 matches unbeaten. However as the clock ran down on them here, they could have been mistaken for the Argentina of 4 years ago who had toiled against Iceland and Nigeria. 

For a period in the second half Saudi Arabia correctly identified that if they could stop Messi, they could stop Argentina as the nerves and pressure began to get to his teammates. With 10 minutes of normal time left, Messi won a free kick in a promising position for a strike at goal, but his shot sailed harmlessly over the bar. He was closer a few minutes later when he was found in the box by Di Maria, but the floated ball didn’t allow Messi to generate enough power on his header to seriously trouble the keeper. 

As they neared closer to a historic victory, the Saudi’s gave full commitment to every sprint and tackle, it was going to take something special to snatch victory from them. They time-wasted, they took yellow cards and did everything they could to see the game out. Due to the timewasting, there was in the end an extra 13 minutes of additional time played for them to defend for their lives. But it seemed not to matter if the board had showed 30 minutes, Saudi Arabia were not going to be denied 3 points on this day. 

Having turned the game completely on its head in 5 mad minutes, they refused to squander their new-found lead through any fault of their own. There would be no shortage of desire, nor intense concentration in order to maintain their advantage and in the end it was enough to ensure one of the World Cups big upsets. And we were left wondering whether Argentina were just cursed in World Cups, having reached the Semi-Finals just once since 1990. But after this result the immediate worry was now just to ensure they got out of the groups. 

v.s. Mexico 2:0- Group C

In the lead-up to what was now a do-or-die game against Mexico, Messi spoke to the media: “In five minutes of mistakes that we made, we went 2-1 down and then it was really tough, we lost organisation and started punting the ball. It's up to us to fix what we did wrong and get back to the basics of who we are. We're OK, obviously hurt by the result, very bitter. But people must trust that this team will not let them down and we are going to go for it in the next two games.” It was strong words from the skipper and Argentina were also aided by results going their way in the other group games. First Mexico and Poland played out a 0-0 draw with Robert Lewandowski missing a penalty, then Poland beat Saudi Arabia 2-0. These results helped ensure Argentina’s destiny remained in their own hands. 

However as the game began it was clear these results had done little to settle Argentina’s nerves, nor had the 5 changes Lionel Scaloni made to the starting 11, including 3 in the defence. Though you regularly see both Argentina and Mexico in the knockout stages of the World Cup, the first-half here was more befitting of a League 2 match. The match was scrappy and extremely low on quality, littered with fouls which forced the game into a stop, start nature. The first sight of goal for either team didn’t arrive until the 40th minute when Lautaro’s header cleared the crossbar after being found by Angel Di Maria. Mexico’s one moment came in the 45th minute when a Vega free-kick forced Martinez into action. 

The most concerning sight in the first half for Messi and Argentina fans had been where the number 10 constantly received the ball and the movement, rather the lack of it around him. Argentina’s forward movement was very static, the player in possession left short on options so even Messi with having difficulty in progressing his team up the pitch when receiving it around the half-way line, where nearly all of his touches were. The first half had been in many ways, even more troubling than the second half against Saudi.  

At half-time in the ITV studio, Gary Neville said: “Players aren’t fearful of Lionel Messi anymore. They are taking the ball off him easily.” Joe Cole bizarrely put Messi’s struggles in the first-half down to the fact that “It's tough to get out of bed and get your roadwork done at 5am when you're sleeping in silk pyjamas." Neville and fellow pundit Roy Keane then found time to criticise Di Maria, with Neville saying “He’s got no heart.” to which Keane responded: “He’d break your heart, I’m not sure he’s got one.” Based on these words, Argentina may aswell not have bothered coming out for the second half. 

They did, but nothing appeared to have changed from the first. 5 minutes into the half and Messi won a free-kick in a dangerous position. Due to the lack of clear-cut chances this presented as good a chance as any for him to find the target. But his effort never threatened to harm the Mexico goal, flying high over the bar. It just about summed the game up so far for him and Argentina. 

Messi disappeared from the game once more, Argentina now had less than half an hour to find a goal that was looking increasingly unlikely. They were on the verge of having just one point from their opening two games, when Messi picked the ball up in the same kind of unthreatening position he had all game. He played a simple pass forward then continued his move toward the penalty area. Mexico’s midfield all then turned their attention to the ball and ignored Messi’s positioning. Di Maria however noticed exactly where he was and found Messi in a pocket of space. With one touch he set it out his feet and with the second he arrowed the ball into the bottom corner. 

Afrer scoring the vital opener, Messi shouted to the players: "Come on, look at the scoreboard. Now that's in front of you, look at it. 88,000 spectators are looking at you and 45 million Argentines are behind us watching. We won't let them down today, guys. Defend it like savage hyenas. Focus and never miss a ball." De Paul who had been struggling in the game conceding the ball cheaply was told in no uncertain terms by Messi that if he lost another ball, he didn’t want to see his face after the match. The midfielder responded to this by playing a lot better for the remainder. 

Mexico never looked like possessing the quality to equalise but the 3 points weren’t secure until the 87th minute when Enzo Fernandez doubled Argentina’s lead. With a step-over he bought room for the shot, and he didn’t waste it by bending it in past Ochoa. Messi played the pass for the goal to become the first man to register an assist at 5 World Cups. With the full-time whistle Argentina could breathe a huge sigh of relief. They were off the mark at the 2022 World Cup, thanks in large part to their captain whose wonderful goal came at a time when he and Argentina were clinging on to their dreams of glory. 

“Well they haven’t got much, but they have got him!”- Sam Matterface as Lionel Messi opens the scoring against Mexico

“One more Messi moment and Argentina are alive!”- Peter Drury

v.s Poland 2:0- Group C

Going into the final matchday Argentina knew that a win over Poland would near certainly be enough to see them secure top spot in the group. This was due to them having a positive Goal Difference, and Saudi Arabia having a negative one. Poland though would be mathematically certain of topping the group if they beat Argentina. Finishing 1st was vitally important as 2nd place in the group would meet France. Having faced France at the same stage 4 years ago, Argentina would be keen to avoid a repeat, with memories of an 18-year old Kylian Mbappe sprinting through the middle of their defence still raw enough to know if you get the chance to avoid him, you should take it. 

However from the offset Poland had only the draw they needed for qualification in mind. They lacked the belief to try and obtain the win to ensure they topped the group and instead sat back, inviting Argentina (wearing their purple away jersey for the one and only time in the tournament) to dominate possession which they duly did. Unsurprisingly it was Messi who had the best chances of the first half. Running into the box he was faced with a tight angle, but the power generated in the shot forced Szczesny into a smart save down low at his near-post. 

A golden opportunity would arrive in the 36th minute when a cross from Julian Alvarez was missed by the Polish keeper and reached by Messi though his header ended high over the bar. However, Szczesny caught Messi in the face when attempting to reach the ball, and as it was Messi who made contact with the ball, the Polish number 1 was judged to have committed a foul after the referee watched the incident back on VAR. Though Szczesny was to redeem himself with an outstanding penalty save, guessing the right way and getting a strong hand to Messi’s kick. The penalty was struck with power, but Szczesny’s hand remained firm and palmed it to safety. 

It seemed like nothing could go straightforward for Messi and Argentina at the World Cup. Given the chance to turn all their pressure and domination into a goal from the spot, they’d been unable to convert it. Was it going to be another one of those awful days for them? Such fears were quickly dismissed as they broke the deadlock in the very first minute of the second half. Molina’s cross into the box was fired into the feet of Alexis Mac Allister who opted against needing a touch and instead just stroked it into the bottom corner, hitting the inside of the post on the way in. 

Despite now trailing, Poland were unwilling to alter their game plan and it was Argentina doing all the searching for the game’s second goal. Messi took the ball from well inside his own half and dribbled it all the way into the Poland box before scuffing the shot well wide. In the 67th minute the Albiceleste made sure of top spot, after Enzo Fernandez had threaded the ball into Julian Alvarez who took two exquisite touches to make room for a shot that flew into the back of the Polish net.    

With Mexico leading Saudi Arabia 2-0, Poland were currently only progressing through by virtue of having fewer yellow cards than the Mexicans. Rather than pushing for a goal themselves, they seemed to be relying on Argentina not getting another. This plan appeared flawed however, as Messi looked like he was starting to enjoy the World Cup stage, spraying passes with ease and dribbling past bodies at will. The pick of the passes came in the 74th minute when from the half-way line he instantly spotted the run of Alvarez, and weighted it perfectly into his path. Mercifully for Poland, he could only find the side-netting. The match finished as one of the most one-sided of the tournament with Argentina managing 12 shots on target to Poland’s 0. 

It would however, be Poland joining Argentina in the last 16, a 95th minute goal for Saudi Arabia confirming it beyond doubt. After the game Rio Ferdinand said: “he wasn’t even at his best today but the best 3 or 4 dribbles in the game was Messi, the best 3 or 4 passes in the game was Messi and the best player on the pitch was Messi.” Poland were poor opposition and therefore did not provide much of a test, but Argentina were growing in confidence. For the first time in the tournament they started the midfield three of Enzo Fernandez, De Paul and Mac Allister. Julian Alvarez also made his first start after Lautaro had struggled against Mexico, and he had not wasted his chance. This was a significant game for Argentina as from this point on those four players would start every game together.

They had lost the first game but still topped the group just like Spain did before going onto win it in 2010. There was also the curious statistic that Mario Kempes missed a penalty in Argentina’s third World Cup game in 1978 as did Maradona in game three of 1986. On those occasions, Argentina went on to lift the World Cup, with Messi missing on matchday three this time, would history repeat?

v.s Australia 2:1- Round of 16

Australia would be Argentina’s Round of 16 opponents, and also the opposition for Lionel Messi’s 1,000th official senior game. It would also be Messi’s 100th match as captain of Argentina, so the stage was set for something special and expectation was high. Australia like Argentina had lost their opening game and then won their next two. They had recovered impressively from a 4-1 loss to France by notching back-to-back 1-0 wins over Tunisia and Denmark. 

For 34 minutes, not a lot happened. Argentina controlled the ball but they struggled to find space in dangerous areas against a well-drilled Aussie side full of tall, strong players keen to impose their impressive physicality on the contest. It would be who else but the smallest player on the pitch to spring the game into life. Messi whipped in a free-kick from the right-hand side which was headed out by Souttar only as far as Papu Gomez who recycled the ball back to Messi for him to lay into Mac Allister before moving inside, Mac Allister’s pass found Otamendi who played it back to Messi now inside the penalty area. Messi took a touch then stroked it firmly into the net, through the legs of the stretching Australian defenders and past the outstretched glove of Matt Ryan. 1,000 games, 100 as Argentina captain and a very 1st goal in the knockout rounds of a World Cup. 

“He’s only gone and done it again! A Thousand games and still he excels! They’ll never be another like him! Enjoy him while he’s here.”- Peter Drury

Argentina doubled their advantage 12 minutes into the second half as the result of an excellent press from Rodrigo De Paul, who sprinted at the Australian defence forcing them to play it back to keeper Matt Ryan. De Paul didn’t stop there and chased all the way back to the keeper who tried to take the ball past him with his second touch and tempt him into a foul. This proved a costly error as De Paul didn’t take the bait and instead let him past, as Alvarez was also on the hunt for the ball and picked the keepers pocket, before simply rolling it into the empty net.

For the rest of the second half it was absolutely vintage Messi. Receiving the ball inside his own half, he turned away from one Australian midfielder, then dribbled through a gap of another three, leaving them trailing in his wake and looking statuesque, with seemingly none of them willing to be the one to draw the short straw and attempt to tackle him. Before they could make up their mind what to do, the 35-year old had left them in the dust. Advancing onto the defence, the ball ricocheted to Alvarez who played it back to Messi who beat one challenge in the penalty area before finally being stopped by a second defender who gratefully conceded the corner.  

There is a sting in the tail however when an only half-cleared cross lands at the feet of substitute Craig Goodwin, whose powerful but wayward first-time shot changes direction in the air after cannoning off Enzo Fernandez and leaves Emiliano Martinez flat-footed and rooted to the spot as the ball diverts into the back of his net. A few minutes later and Australia almost completed the comeback, their full-back Behich embarked on an incredible driving run which saw him beat 4 Argentine shirts before finally being denied by Lisandro Martinez just as he prepared to take his short, it was a vital intervention. 

Though right back in the game, Australia could do nothing to disrupt Lionel Messi’s rhythm. He wasn’t feeling the pressure, he was playing the match as though a testimonial. He controlled the tempo and pace of Argentina’s play, if he wanted to slow things down the Australians could not find a way to rush him, if he wanted to speed things up he would subtly switch the gears and drive Argentina forward. Which ever one he opted for, the ball was always safe in his possession, and thankfully for Argentina he was seeing plenty of it. There was a chance to make the game completely safe in the 89th minute when a run from Messi enabled him to occupy all 4 Australian defenders and drag them away from Lautaro Martinez who was left in acres of room, at the perfect time Messi rolled it across to him but now lacking confidence he got under the ball and lifted a horrible shot well away from goal. 

Moments later Messi found Martinez for a second time, this time the striker was able to hit the target but Ryan was equal to it. The number 10 is doing everything to put the game to bed, beating another 2 men he finds himself in the box, faced with 3 opposition players he is still able to get a good shot away, he looks for the top corner and the keeper is well beaten, but it’s a fraction too high. As the 7 minutes of injury time run down, it’s Argentina and Messi who are pushing for the game’s 4th goal. He finds Martinez for his third shot on goal, but his deflected shot is saved by Ryan and Messi is not ready when the save rebounds at his feet, dragging his shot wide. 

Then suddenly with 30 seconds left on the clock, Goodwin’s cross finds Kuol who is able to spin his marker, luckily for Argentina Emiliano Martinez was ready and immediately sprinted off his goalline, narrowing the angle and the shot was blocked by his left arm which took the sting from the shot and allowed him to collect the ball and collapse onto it in relief. He was joined on the floor by a couple of his teammates, no doubt thanking him for getting them out of trouble. 

It had been an interesting night for all 3 of Argentina’s Martinez’s, Emiliano and Lisandro had made fantastic blocks to deny equalisers, whereas it had been a bad night for Lautaro, wasting opportunities that would have made the win certain. But overall, the game was the story of Messi. In his 1,000th game, he had produced his greatest World Cup performance to date, a performance described by Rio Ferdinand as “the best individual performance we’ve seen at this World Cup so far, by a mile.”   

v.s Netherlands 2:2 (4-3 on penalties)- Quarter-Finals 

Argentina vs The Netherlands was to be the mouth-watering Quarter-Final clash. To the surprise of everyone, the winner would not go on to face tournament favourites Brazil as earlier that day they had been dumped out on penalties by plucky Croatia. Given the history of this fixture which had been the final of the 1978 edition, the semi-final when Messi reached his first World Cup final in 2014 and produced one of the most memorable Quarter-Finals ever the last time they met at this stage in 1998, it was a game that scarcely needed spicing up. But it seemingly got it anyway, with comments made by Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal that “you would see his plan to stop Lionel Messi on Friday night” taken to be disrespectful and arrogant by the Argentine side. 

Scaloni decided to match up with Netherlands’ 3-5-2 by playing the same formation, dropping a forward out for defender Lisandro Martinez. This decision was made easier by an injury to Angel Di Maria who was only fit enough for the bench.

After a tight opening which was just about shaded by Argentina, Messi was the orchestrator of the game’s first goal in the 35th minute, the exact same minute he’d scored the games opener in the previous match against Australia. This time he was to be the provider however, with a body swerve and a drop of the shoulder Messi found the angle he wanted to thread a through ball between the legs of Nathan Ake and into the path of Molina, the weight of the pass was too perfect for Daley Blind to intercept, he was taken out of the game and Molina was left with just the keeper to beat which he duly did.

With a couple of minutes left in the half we were given a sign of what was to come as Lahoz’s fussy style of refereeing began to lose control of the match. The Spanish ref flashed 4 yellow cards in moments to Argentina coach Walter Sammuel, aswell as Dutch substitute Wout Weghorst who was yet to enter the game. More significant was the yellow card shown to Acuna, which would rule him out of the semi-final. In the second half Messi went close with a free-kick which was just too high and found only the side-netting, before an even better dead-ball opportunity presented itself when Dumfries brought down Acuna in the box giving the referee little alternative but to point to the spot.  

Faced with the 6 foot 6 inch goalkeeper Noppert, Messi stroked the penalty home with Noppert choosing to stay down the middle. With his celebration, Messi paid tribute to Juan Roman Riquelme’s trademark goal celebration, Riquelme whom it was noted famously clashed with Van Gaal when the two were together at Barcelona. Also noted was the fact Messi did the celebration with his eyes firmly set on the Dutch bench. 

The Netherlands had barely threatened all game, so the two-goal cushion was thought to have killed the contest and put Argentina safely through to the final 4. However with time running out and nothing left to lose, Van Gaal decided to throw the kitchen sink at it by taking off his more technical forwards and bringing on less gifted players who would be more of a threat in the air where they could use their height advantage. This strategy quickly paid dividends as the Dutch pulled one back with 7 minutes of normal time remaining, Weghorst directing his header past Martinez.  

With a minute of normal time left, the bad tempered game which had been simmering along finally reached its boiling point when Parades clattered into Nathan Ake and then blasted the ball into the Dutch bench. Luckily it didn’t hit anyone, if it did he may not have escaped with just a yellow card. The melee that followed saw all of the Dutch substitutes storm onto the pitch in fury, though it was Van Dijk who got to Paredes first and bumped him to the ground, for which he avoided punishment. 

The referee had frustrated both teams with his fussiness, which saw him constantly blowing his whistle to signal free-kicks for every minor and sometimes non-existent infringement. This led to 11 minutes of stoppage time being awarded and it was in the final of those added minutes when the Dutch equalised. From a free-kick, Koopmeiners, instead of shooting, worked a routine straight off the training ground by instead passing it past the wall and through to Weghorst who managed to hold off his marker and fire it past Martinez. It was the substitutes second of the game and the assist came from a fellow substitute, it had proved a tactical masterclass from Van Gaal. 

The first half of extra-time passed without notable incident, both teams looking to catch their breath. Netherlands seemed relieved to just still be in the competition, Argentina concentrated on re-composing themselves and looking to regain control of a game that had momentarily got away from them. 

All the big second half chances went Argentina’s way, they continued to probe for a winner, coming closest in added time at the end of extra-time when Fernandez let fly from outside the box and beat the goalkeeper only to be denied by the post. Like their encounter 8 years previously, the two sides would be separated by a penalty shoot-out when the referee finally called time on a game which had included 48 fouls, with 30 from the Netherlands. 

As in their 2014 World Cup shootout, the Dutch were first up. Again it would be a centre-back, then it was Ron Vlaar, now Van Dijk. Different names but the outcome remained the same, the player missed. Although more accurately, Martinez saved by diving correctly to his right and getting both hands to the ball. Next Messi faced Noppert from the spot for a second time, and the result was the same. He waited for the keeper to commit to his dive then just rolled it the other side. 

Berghuis then stepped up for the Netherlands, and he was also denied by Martinez who again guessed right, this time going left and making another outstanding penalty save. Noppert then guessed right for Parades’ kick but still couldn’t get anywhere near it due to perfect placement. Martinez stays in the middle for Netherlands third penalty and Koopmeiners blasts it into the far corner. Next up goes Montiel and he makes it 3 from 3 for Argentina sending the keeper the wrong way. 

Weghorst keeps the Dutch alive in the shootout but if Fernandez scores its all over. As he makes his way towards the spot, Dumfries is booked for gamesmanship as he goes with Fernandez, attempting to break his concentration. It seems to work as the midfielder fired wide, keeping alive slim Dutch hopes. De Jong then levels the shootout but Argentina have one kick remaining. It’s Lautaro Martinez who steps up, who had been enduring a difficult World Cup. Noppert hands him the ball and begins talking to him, begins the mind games. Martinez appears completely unruffled and he demonstrates this by sending the keeper the wrong way and his team through to the semi-finals. 

The drama still wasn’t over as quickly Argentina’s joyful celebrations were replaced with players and coaches from opposing sides coming face-to-face once more in angry confrontations. Messi became embroiled in a heating conversation with both Louis Van Gaal and assistant coach Edgar Davids. Messi’s hand gesture making plain what his issue with them was, the talking the Dutch camp had done in the build-up to the match. 

As Messi then gave a post-match interview to Argentine broadcasters he was distracted by Weghorst who was stood close by looking at him and apparently waiting for him. With the microphone still in front of his face, Messi snapped at Weghorst: “Qué mirás, bobo? Qué mirás, bobo? Andá para allá.” which translates roughly to “What are you looking at you fool? Go away.” When giving an interview to FIFA, Messi again didn’t hold back saying “It’s very frustrating. We were scared before the game because we knew what this was. I think FIFA must think about it, they cannot put a referee like that for these important games, for such a pivotal game — a referee who isn’t up to the task.” The Argentine public loved seeing this side of Messi, usually so shy and reserved. He seemed to be channelling his inner Diego Maradona as he angrily went at the Dutch coaches, Weghorst and the referee. This side of him showed just how much this World Cup meant to him and his desperation to win.

v.s Croatia 3:0- Semi-Finals

4 years prior when Argentina met Croatia in the World Cup group stages, during the national anthem, Messi had anxiously rubbed his forehead, looking like the loneliest man in the world, carrying a load too heavy for his weary shoulders, they went on to lose the game 3-0. Now as he prepared to face Croatia in the World Cup semi-finals, as the national anthem played, he stood with his chest puffed out singing from the top of his lungs. Just as much as the match to follow, this emphasised the transformation that had taken place within Messi and in the national side he represents. 

For the Semi-Final, Scaloni made another tactical adjustment. Seeing how strong Croatia were in possession and how their centre midfielders could dictate a game, Scaloni started four centre-midfielders against the Croatian three of Kovacic, Brozovic and Modric. Particular importance would be put on limiting the latter’s time on the ball, such was his role in the Croatian side. Despite this Croatia were still able to shade the opening half an hour, showcasing their impressive ability to keep the ball. The game changed in the 31st minute when a scooped through ball from Fernandez put Alvarez in on goal, his contact on the ball was not enough to find the net however goalkeeper Livakovic had taken him out and the referee pointed to the spot.  

Croatia had reached the semis by virtue of winning 2 shootouts, Livakovic had thus far faced 8 penalties, and had only been beaten by 3. However he was given no chance by Messi, his emphatic penalty was absolutely unsavable blasted right into the top corner. This goal made Messi Argentina’s all-time top goal scorer at World Cups, his 11th moving him ahead of Gabriel Batistuta. 

Argentina who had struggled to get into the game now had all the confidence and momentum. 5 minutes after Messi had given them the lead they doubled it. Messi was able to launch a counter attack by just about getting his foot to the ball after Argentina had cleared it from their area and this touch allowed them to spring an attack with Julian Alvarez driving forward with the ball at his feet. He met little resistance until reaching the box when the attempt to tackle him only ricocheted back to him, another failed Croatian clearance allowed the ball to set up nicely for him to strike after bouncing off his chest. The Croatian defenders had not covered themselves in glory but Alvarez had brilliantly profited with his perseverance.

Just shy of the hour mark, Messi gave us a little pre-cursor of what was to come when he received the ball around 40 yards from goal and dribbled to the edge of the box, all the while escaping the attentions of Josko Gvrdiol by holding him off and then playing a one-two with Fernandez to get into the box. Once there he made room for the shot but saw it saved by Livakovic from a narrow angle. 

A little over 10 minutes later and Messi was beating Gvrdiol again, only this time in even more astonishing fashion. Leo takes possession after a throw-in is touched into his path off the thigh of Alvarez, Messi is tight to the touchline but with two touches is away from Gvrdiol and driving into open space in the direction of the penalty area. Messi then slows down allowing the defender to catch up, accelerates again before checking back, all the while always keeping his body between Gvrdiol and the ball. He fakes to turn back inside with a body-swerve which sells the defender and Messi then sets off in the opposite direction towards the byline, he gets there and plays a pass into the unmarked Alvarez for a simple tap-in. 

The 20-year old Gvrdiol had been one of the standout performers of the tournament, but the man 15 years his senior had toyed with him. Messi had taken the ball in a harmless position, just inside the Croatian half and next to the touchline and had laid on a certain goal using just 15 touches of the ball. It was a masterclass in making every single touch count and placing the ball exactly where you needed it to set up your next move, no touch was wasted or less than perfect. 

It made certain Argentina’s progression into Sunday’s final and they saw out the remaining 20-plus minutes in comfort. They allowed Croatia plenty of possession but they could not land a meaningful glove on Argentina, whose attack of Messi and Alvarez had delivered a devastating one-two combination to knock them out. In the end it had been as straightforward as you could ever hope a World Cup Semi-Final to be and Messi was going to get one more chance to lift the trophy he had always dreamed about. 

v.s France 3:3 (4:2 on penalties)- Final

The final was almost certainly going to be less straightforward. Argentina would be facing France after they had defeated Africa’s first ever World Cup Semi-Finalists in Morocco. France would be looking to become the first side to retain the World Cup since Brazil exactly 60 years before and just like Argentina were looking to lift the trophy for a third time. Aswell as the World Cup, the smaller matter of the Golden Boot would be decided with Messi and Mbappe currently tied for 1st with 5 each, and their team’s strikers Alvarez and Giroud also tied on 4. Messi and Mbappe had been the two best players of the World Cup and the question was would Messi show the young pretender to his crown that he was not yet ready to exit his throne, or would Mbappe signal the start of a new era, his era.

Scaloni brought Di Maria back into the starting line-up which raised some eyebrows given the winger had not started since the group stages and had only featured in one knockout game. This decision quickly proved to be an inspired one as Di Maria and co started the game very much on the front foot, playing with an intensity and hunger France simply could not match. They constantly hounded France out of possession, swarming them, first to every ball. 

However they could not transmit their superiority onto the scoreboard in the opening 20 minutes, but the chance came in the 21st minute when trickery from Di Maria took him past Dembele and into the box, whilst assessing his options he felt the slightest of touches from behind and hit the floor. There seemed to be relatively little in it, but the referee felt he’d seen enough contact to award the penalty and VAR did not flag it as a clear or obvious error. It was soft and contentious, but the little flick of Dembele’s foot into the back of Di Maria was judged to be enough. Up stepped Lionel Messi for the most important kick of a football in his entire career. He coolly sent Lloris in the wrong direction and gave his nation the start they desperately wanted. 

The goal did little to wake France from there stupor, instead it was Argentina who played all the football, and their finest bit of football came 13 minutes after taking the lead when Mac Allister flicked the ball into Messi’s path. Just inside his own half with two touches he knocked it around the corner into Alvarez who played it first time for Mac Allister who had continued his run forward, the midfielder knew he had Di Maria for company and picked out an inch perfect pass for the winger to strike first time past Lloris. The counter-attack was the best team goal of the whole tournament, and one of the more memorable World Cup final goals with quick, incisive passing and movement that brutally exposed the disorganisation in the French team with defenders way out of position. 

The 2-0 lead was richly deserved and forced Deschamps into making 2 substitutions before half-time had even been reached, sacrificing Giroud and Dembele. The second half continued in the same vein, Argentina making all the chances, simply battering France and comfortably outplaying them. Things began to subtly shift when Di Maria who had been the man of the match up to that point, a constant thorn in the French side was taken off for full-back Acuna. This seemed to signify to Argentina’s players that they should start to be contented with the lead they already had and begin slowing the game down and trying to see it out. Rather than hungrily going for the third as they had in the opening 18 minutes of the half with Di Maria on the pitch, they now looked to just pass the ball around. This subtle change of tact appeared unlikely to be taken advantage of by France, emphasised by Varane who under no pressure passed the ball straight into touch, nowhere near any teammate. It was a pass that just about epitomised the French performance. 

Their way back into the game appeared out of the blue. A heavy touch forward from Mbappe seemed to allow Otamendi time to clear his lines but he paused for too long and substitute Kolo Muani stole in to get goal-side of him. Otamendi panicked and brought him down once the forward had already strode into the box and from nowhere France had been gifted the chance to half their deficit. Kylian Mbappe gratefully took that chance, despite Martinez guessing the right way the power was too much. 

This gave France 10 more minutes of normal time to force an equaliser, in actuality they needed just 1. Messi was caught in possession by substitute Coman who then picked out Rabiot. His flighted ball to Mbappe was headed to Thuram who returned it instantly for the forward to strike on the volley, and strike it he did, hard and low past Martinez. After being outplayed for 79 minutes, in 2 minutes France had wiped away Argentina’s 2-goal cushion and made it all square. 

From that point, it was Argentina hanging in and France the ones searching for the winner, until the 7th added minute of a scheduled 8 when Messi let fly from outside the box with what may have gone down as the most iconic goal in football history, but Lloris was able to palm it up and over the bar. Messi was going to have to go at least another 30 minutes to secure a World Cup title.

The first big chance of extra-time came in the 15th minute and it went Argentina’s way, when Messi found substitute Lautaro Martinez in the box after interchanging with Mac Allister in a brilliant one-two. Martinez wanted time to take a first touch, but he didn’t have it and after taking the touch his shot was charged down. That wasn’t even to be his last chance of the half, Acuna put him through on goal but under the joint pressure of being closed down by Upamecano and Lloris he shot wide of the target. 

3 minutes into the second half of extra-time and a ball from Montiel was controlled into Messi’s path by Lautaro Martinez, the number 10 found Fernandez with one touch who with a single touch of his own gave it back to Lautaro who touched and shot, Lloris got one big, strong hand on it but the ball fell at the feet of Messi mere yards from the goal line, he bundled it over the line and chaos ensued. Argentina’s substitutes swarmed across the pitch to celebrate with Messi and co. right on the other touchline. But with the referee giving the goal, the linesman’s flag shot up for offside seconds after the ball was in. Messi celebrated with jubilant teammates, but concern was still visible on his face, is it definitely a goal? VAR put an end to his uncertainty by confirming Lautaro was onside and the goal stood, and then and only then did Messi fully give way to full delight.

His and Argentina’s joy would still be cut short however when Mbappe’s shot from just outside the box was charged down by the arm of Montiel, very much inside it. The referee pointed to the spot for a third time in the game, and mere minutes away from victory Argentina threatened to be denied again. Mbappe kept his considerable cool and sent Martinez the wrong way, he and France were level once more as the Frenchman became the first man to score a World Cup final hattrick since Geoff Hurst in 1966.

In the 120th minute, a near inch-perfect cross from Mbappe had Kolo Muani straining his neck muscles, given the pace on the ball any contact on it may have been enough to leave Martinez with no chance but he was just short of reaching the ball with his attempted header and Argentina could breathe a big sigh of relief. Not for long. With less than 20 seconds left of the final 3 minutes added on to the end of Extra-Time, a forward ball from Konate was missed by Otamendi as he failed to make any connection with his attempted slide clearance, this miss put Kolo Muani through clear of the defence with just the keeper to beat, the ball set up perfectly to smash on the half-volley and the strike was a good one, but Martinez pulled out perhaps the save of the tournament right when he and his nation needed it most. 

In one of the most exciting minutes in World Cup history, Argentina went right back up the other end and attempted to steal the game for themselves. The head of Lautaro Martinez was picked out from a cross, he had a free header but got it all wrong. Right in front of goal he only needed to hit the target, but he mis-directed his attempt and got it horribly wrong sending it way wide. And that was that, the final chance of an enthralling game. And for just the third time the destination of the World Cup trophy would be decided by a penalty shoot-out. 

France were to go first and Mbappe stepped up for his 3rd penalty in little more than an hour. Remarkably, for a third time he was able to beat Martinez, for the second time Martinez guessed right but the power and placement was too good. After France’s talisman number 10 came Argentina’s to take his second penalty of the night. Messi passed the ball into the net, with the kind of ease that felt out of place in a World Cup final penalty shootout. It shouldn’t be that simple. Coman took France’s second penalty, his kick was missed by the gloves of Martinez, but the ball went between his gloves and firmly into his chest. He had guessed right and kept it out with a tremendous save. Dybala had been brought on for the sole purpose of taking a penalty, and that proved a good decision from Scaloni as his firmly struck penalty went straight down the middle in the space the diving Lloris had vacated. 

Tchouameni took and subsequently missed France’s third penalty, shooting wide of the post. Martinez celebratory shimmy demonstrated the confidence Argentina now felt, they were close. Parades took them yet closer when he made it 3-1. Kolo Muani had to score to keep France in it and he did, blasting it home. This meant the chance fell to Gonzalo Montiel. The substitute could have been the villain of the piece after his handball with minutes of injury time to play saw Argentina lose their lead for a second time. Now he had the chance to be the hero. He sent Lloris the wrong way and Lionel Messi and Argentina were Champions of the World.

Argentina Campeones Del Mundo

Argentina were finally ‘Campeones del Mundo’ for the first time in 36 long years and Messi had equalled the achievements of Mario Kempes and Diego Maradona. Like Kempes he scored two in the final, and like Maradona he had captained his side to glory. Mbappe’s hattrick may have meant that Leo missed out on the Golden Boot, but he did win the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player, in doing so becoming the first player to win the award twice. 

In 4 glorious weeks Messi had answered any criticisms that could ever be levelled at him. He struggled at World Cup’s under the intense pressure and scrutiny they said, referencing him only having 6 World Cup goals in his first 4 tournaments, and being without a goal in the knockout stage. After this World Cup he had 13, more than the great Pele and the joint 4th most in history. He had become the first player ever to score in all 4 knockout stage rounds at the same World Cup, netting 5 times in 4 games. They said he wasn’t a great leader and captain, now he had led his nation to the greatest prize on earth. Even the claim that he wasn’t a great penalty taker was answered, in 3 matches he scored 5 penalties including the shoot-outs, with the highest pressure and on the grandest stage imaginable, he kept his cool 5 times with unflappable penalty kicks.   

Though this wasn’t just the triumph of one man, this was the triumph of a whole team. Scaloni had been the best manager of the World Cup, his tactical tweaks against Netherlands, Croatia and France had all worked brilliantly. Bringing Di Maria back into the side when he had rather struggled in the group stage and the team had played better in the knockout rounds without him was a big call, but this allowed Argentina to stretch the pitch wide and gave Messi more room to operate in the middle, France couldn’t crowd him as they now had another dribbling creator on the flanks. 

Argentina hadn’t started the World Cup with a team good enough to win it, but Scaloni found it. An injury on the eve of the tournament to the important Lo Celso left him trying to find the best way to plug that gap. 19 different players started for Argentina at the finals, and only three outfield players in Otamendi, De Paul and Messi started every game. The turning point came in game three against Poland when the midfield of Fernandez, Mac Allister and De Paul proved Argentina’s most effective combination to date and they got better and better as the tournament progressed, peaking in the final where all three were absolutely outstanding. Also in that Poland game came the decision to drop the mis-firing Lautaro for the young, hungry Julian Alvarez who performed exemplary adding 4 goals to Argentina’s tally.  

Not to be forgotten for their role in Argentina’s success were the fans who covered each stadium with a sea of blue and white jerseys and were the wonderful soundtrack to Albiceleste glory. Less demand for tickets at this Qatar World Cup saw more tickets than usual land in the hands of regular supporters, the real hardcore and this was one of the best things about a controversial World Cup which came with many downsides. Also not to be forgotten were the heroics of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, he provided the platform in the shootouts for Argentina to go and get the victories with his psychological warfare against opposition takers forcing 4 misses. Argentina scored 7 of the 8 shootout penalties they took, emphasising how every player including the sparingly used Dybala played their part in achieving the ultimate glory.

Rating the 16 Argentina players who started at least 2 games: 

Emiliano Martinez- 10

Made vital late saves against Australia and France, the latter being maybe the most iconic ever World Cup final save. Was the difference maker in Argentina’s two shoot-outs, dominating them with early saves to give his team the momentum.

Nicolas Molina- 7

Started all but the Mexico game and performed solidly, Argentina were rarely troubled down the flanks. Going forward he took his goal against Netherlands with great composure.  

Christian Romero- 8

Like Molina, Romero started every match bar Mexico and for the majority of the tournament he looked extremely solid. 

Nicolas Otamendi- 6

Performed well at times, and did momentarily silenced his critics and doubters. However, it always felt like he had a mistake in him, and if a costly error was going to come from the Argentina defence, he always seemed most likely to be the culprit. This was proven when he foolishly conceded a penalty in the final which made lifting the trophy much harder work for his team.

Lisandro Martinez- 8

Started against Mexico and was then brought back in for the Quarter-Final against Netherlands. Hardly put a foot wrong and made a crucial intervention off the bench against Australia to keep his side in front. A surprise he wasn’t given more minutes as when he did play he looked more solid than the calamity-prone Otamendi.

Marcos Acuña- 7

Like Molina wasn’t troubled often defensively and got into good attacking positions regularly. His end product could be somewhat disappointing, but he always proved a useful foil. 

Nicolás Tagliafico- 7

Started the opening game and was broke back into the side for the semi-final when filling in for the suspended Acuna, he did a solid job and kept his place for the final. 

Rodrigo De Paul- 9

Struggled against Saudi Arabia and especially in the first half vs Mexico, but Scaloni kept faith in him and De Paul rewarded that faith, he got better and better as the tournament progressed. His tireless running was essential to the success of Argentina’s campaign.

Enzo Fernandez- 9

Wasn’t chosen to start until the final group game. However once in the team, Enzo made the position his. He was involved in most things good in Argentina’s play, always neat and tidy but never overly cautious in possession. Deserved winner of the tournament’s best young player award. 

Alexis Mac Allister- 9

Going into the tournament we knew the Brighton midfielder was good, I’m not sure we knew he was this good. Scored the vital goal against Poland to break the deadlock, but his finest moment came in the final where he was one of the best players on the pitch, France just could not get to grips with him.

Leandro Paredes- 7

He started the opening defeat to Saudi Arabia and didn’t start again until the semi-finals against Croatia, where he came in and did a solid job. Converted both his shoot-out penalties including one in the final shootout to give Argentina a commanding 3-1 lead.

Angel Di Maria- 8

Wasn’t at his best in the group stages, however he more than made up for it with his final performance. He deserved his goal which gave Argentina a 2-0 lead, he terrorised Kounde and had the beating of him time and time again.

Papu Gomez- 5

Started the opener against Saudi Arabia and was brought back in for the round of 16 game against Australia. However he was largely anonymous in both games. 

Lionel Messi- 10

Scored one of the best and most important goals when his country needed him most as they toiled vs Mexico. He and his teammates never looked back from there. He was sensational against Australia and inspirational in the final against France. Between that he produced the two best assists of the tournament against Netherlands and Croatia. 7 goals, 3 assists, 5 converted penalties in a row, the 35-year old really could not have done much more.

Julian Alvarez- 9

Got his chance to start against Poland and was never in danger of losing his starting place. His energy, intelligence and lethal finishing were key components in the success of his nation. He led Argentina’s attack at the World Cup in ways much more experienced forwards such as Higuain, Aguero and Lautaro Martinez had been unable to do.

Lautaro Martinez- 5

His bad luck began when he had two goals ruled out for offside in the opener with Saudi Arabia. How different his tournament may have gone if one of them had counted as he finished both brilliantly. After that though, he couldn’t get into the game vs Mexico and lost his place to Alvarez. His one great moment came when he converted the winning penalty in the shoot-out v Netherlands. However he was very wasteful against Australia and again in the final, missing 3 good chances which could have proven costly. 

The Greatest of All Time

With 7 goals and 3 assists, Messi had matched the exact number of goal contributions Pele and Maradona had when they were victorious in 1970 and 1986 respectively. This brought Messi’s total to 21 goal contributions at the World Cup, which is the most of any player since the record books began counting assists in 1966. It took Messi’s goal tally in major international tournaments to 26, which is more than any other player in South American football history, and his 7 here helped win him his second major trophy with Argentina after the Copa America the previous year. 

Messi had long since surpassed Pele and Maradona at club level with an unquestionable collection of goals and honours, both team and individual. His lack of international success was always levelled at him when debating his position among the all-time greats, but now having peaked at international level in his mid-30′s, scoring more in tournaments than he ever has before, Messi has put that argument to bed. Never before had so many people around the world wanted one man to lift one trophy, Messi’s immense contribution to football had many feeling he deserved to win its showpiece event after a magnificent career spanning 17 years. People got their wish and at the 5th time of asking, Lionel Messi achieved a life-long dream formed in boyhood, he had lifted the World Cup for his beloved Argentina.

“Unparalleled. There will of course always be those who argue, always be those who debate. And the debate can rage on, if you like. But as he falls in love with the object in the world that his heart most desired, it is hard to escape the supposition that he has rendered himself today, The Greatest of All Time.”- Peter Drury

[aussiesportscorner]

One could be forgiven for having a strange sense of deja vu for this year’s FIFA world cup. Australia’s group stage opponents, France and Denmark, were also in our group in 2018. The fourth and final member of the 2018 group C, Peru, was the last hurdle for the Socceroos to qualify for the 2022 edition, a game we eventually won on penalties, 5-4. Back then an own goal against France and a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Peru was enough to send us back home from Russia.

9 minutes into our first game of the 2022 FIFA world cup, like in 2018, against France, a country dared to dream, with Craig Goodwin scoring our first goal that was not a penalty at a FIFA world cup since Tim Cahill’s iconic left foot volley against the Netherlands in 2014. However, 18 minutes later France would equalise, and after that, it was all one-way traffic, as France ran out 4-1 winners, a margin 2 goals bigger than our encounter 4 years before.

4 hours earlier, a 0-0 draw between Tunisia and Denmark would prove pivotal in our hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.

For our second game of the tournament, against Tunisia, a second loss would surely see us go home, but 23 minutes in, Mitchell Duke scored and this would be enough to see Australia’s first win at a FIFA world cup since defeating Serbia 2-1 in 2010, but unlike that tournament in which Australia missed the knockout stage on goal difference, the Socceroos would still have one more game to play, but our defeat to France made missing on goal difference a very real chance yet again.

The equation would be simple, win and we go through to our first knockout stage since 2006, and the so-called golden generation, a draw would see us relying on a France team resting players to defeat Tunisia, something that would not occur, and a loss would see us losing out on spots in the knockout stage to France and Denmark yet again.

After a scoreless first half, anyone awake at 3am Sydney time would have surely been nervous, our fate was in our hands, and with the hero against the French, Craig Goodwin subbed off shortly after play recommenced, Australia was holding out for somebody, anybody, to put them in front, and with 30 minutes of play to go, their prayers would be answered, playing in his third world cup Matthew Leckie would score his first goal in the tournament with Australia holding onto this lead for the half hour that remained, qualifying for the knockout stage for the first time in 16 years.

But what about The first golden generation, how did they fair? After a come-from-behind win of 3-1 against Japan, and a 2-0 loss to Brazil, a 2-2 draw to Croatia would be enough to see us qualify on 4 points for the knockout phase. But Australia’s 2 wins in the 2022 edition would see us make it with 6 points. As manager Graham Arnold said “I’ve been listening and hearing about that golden generation of 2006. They got 4 points and now we’ve got 6.” Suggesting that his team should go down in history as better than that team, and who am I to argue.

Next on Australia’s radar is Argentina, a team we last played in 2007, and have only defeated once in 7 matches, back in 1988. A team that also boasts one of, if not the best player of this generation Lionel Messi. There’s always a chance that we get past the round of 16 teams, but a scoreline similar to that of a game against France would not be out of the question.

[heywoodsays]

FIFA World Cup 2022: Round of 16 Predictions

It’s been a different kind of World Cup so far — and that’s an understatement. While one always expects some upsets and some thrilling finishes, we’ve had more than our fair share of surprises and drama.

Africa had its best ever group stage with 7 wins. The warm climate of Qatar may be a factor. Two African teams have advanced this year; none advanced in Russia 4 years ago. Europe is less represented in this knockout stage than it was last time around. And while South America sent five teams to the knockout stages at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, only two have survived this time.

Favorites Brazil and Argentina are through, despite losses to Cameroon and Saudi Arabia respectively. Defending champions France also have a blemish on their record, but are through nonetheless. Regular contenders such as Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and England are also through.

But stalwarts like Germany, Belgium, and Uruguay could not manage to make it out of the group stage this year. Mexico failed to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 1978. Dark horse favorites Denmark couldn’t make an impact. Instead, surprise performances by Japan, Korea, and Morocco stole the show.

It’s truly a “world” tournament:

Europe - 8

South America - 2

Africa - 2

Asia - 2

CONCACAF - 1

Oceania - 1 (though they play in the Asian confederation)

Still, based on the matchups, I suspect the quarterfinals will end up looking as they normally do. Here’s how I think things will pan out…

🇳🇱 Netherlands vs. 🇺🇸 USA

History The Dutch and Americans have met five times, but never in a competitive match. Of the five friendlies, the Dutch have won four. But the U.S. won the most recent contest 4-3 in Amsterdam in 2015.

Qatar 2022 Neither of these teams have looked great so far. Despite going undefeated in the group stage, the Dutch have underperformed. They benefited from being in the easiest group and yet struggled against Ecuador. The Americans, on the other hand, fought their way through a group that included England and two other teams comparable to them in the FIFA world rankings. And while they demonstrated grit in their must-win match against Iran, they never quite managed to show enough quality to defeat a top-flight team.

But there are rumors about the flu making its way through the Dutch team. I don’t think this will be one of the more exciting matchups, but I fancy the Oranje to come away with a narrow win. The Netherlands is undefeated in their last 18 matches, winning 13 of them. The U.S. win against Iran is their only victory in their last 6 games. This U.S. team is still young and has very little World Cup experience. Such experience counts for something in the playoff rounds.

Prediction: 🇳🇱 NED 1 🇺🇸 USA 0

🇦🇷 Argentina vs. 🇦🇺 Australia

History These teams last played each other in a friendly 15 years ago. Australia has not defeated Argentina since 1988. In 7 contests, Argentina has 5W, 1D, 1L. This will be their first World Cup Finals meeting.

Qatar 2022 Kudos to the Socceroos for impressive wins over both Tunisia and dark horse favorites Denmark! They even came out strong in their opener against France, before finally bowing to them after a 4–1 thrashing.

I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen again against Argentina. While La Albiceleste revealed weaknesses in their stunning loss to Saudi Arabia, they showed their mettle in wins against Mexico and Poland. (The loss to the Saudis is their only defeat in their last 39 contests, dating back to 2019.) This team is now starting to click again and should be in top form to ward off any challenge from the pesky Aussies.

Prediction: 🇦🇷 ARG 3 🇦🇺 AUS 0

🇫🇷 France vs. 🇵🇱 Poland

History France has the historic edge in this contest, with 8W, 5D, 3L. Their only previous World Cup meeting was a thrilling third-place playoff in 1982 from which Poland emerged victorious, 3-2. But France has been the better team since then.

Qatar 2022 France’s B-team suffered a 1-0 loss to Tunisia, but have otherwise been perhaps the best squad of the tournament so far. Their midfield has been on point, and Mbappé has been shining. There were some questions about this team, given their Round of 16 exit from the Euros, and recent losses to Denmark and Croatia. But France have come to play and appear poised to make a good run at defending their title.

It’s hard to see Robert Lewandowski’s Poland overcoming the depth and skill of this French squad. While the French have shown vulnerabilities in their defense (they have conceded in each game), their offensive prowess is simply too much for Poland. Les Bleus should walk away with this one.

Prediction: 🇫🇷 FRA 2 🇵🇱 POL 0

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs. 🇸🇳 Senegal

History These two nations have never met in international football. But England has an impressive record against African competition — undefeated in all 20 games they’ve played against African nations. By contrast, Senegal have a 6-5-5 record against European teams, most recently losing to the Dutch in the group stage.

Qatar 2022 The Three Lions looks difficult to beat. If Rashford, Kane, and Saya are on their game, and a spritely Foden can make an impact coming off the bench, they should be able to score a healthy amount. But their goalless draw against the USA was a sign that this team could be stifled if faced with an opponent who wants it enough.

Senegal is Africa’s highest-ranked team, but with their star striker (Sadio Mané) out for the tournament, their path forward is a little more challenging. I’m not sure the energy from their exciting win over Ecuador will be enough to overpower or withstand one of the best squads England has sent to the World Cup in years.

Prediction: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ENG 3 🇸🇳 SEN 1

🇯🇵 Japan vs. 🇭🇷 Croatia

History Japan and Croatia have squared off three times before, with each team winning once and the other match in a draw. A 1997 match in Japan saw the home side victorious, but a 1998 World Cup meeting in France went to the Europeans. Their 2006 World Cup fixture in Germany ended goalless.

Qatar 2022 The Samurai Blue have been one of the most delightful surprises of this tournament. Their stunning upsets of both Spain and Germany en route to win their challenging group places them as one of the top teams of the tournament. But can their grit and determination be enough to push them past Luka Modrić and a skilled, scrappy Croatia team that were runners-up at the last World Cup?

Get ready for this to be one of the more exciting matches of the Round of 16. Both teams play with an urgency, especially when pushed. As soon as one team takes the lead, they’ll fight to tie it up. I might not usually expect Japan to put more than one into the Croatian net, but they’ve already done that against better teams. Sadly, I think their luck will run out against the more experienced Croatians.

Prediction: 🇯🇵 JPN 1 🇭🇷 CRO 1 (wins on penalties)

🇧🇷 Brazil vs. 🇰🇷 Korea Republic

History Brazil and South Korea have squared off in seven international matches, mostly friendlies. Korea has just one triumph, a 1-0 win in 1999. When the two teams faced off just six months ago, Brazil won 5-1. Neymar netted two in that game.

Qatar 2022 Like France and Portugal, Brazil rested their star players for their final group match and paid the price. But even Brazil’s reserves should have done better. A key issue for the team has been finishing. They need Neymar’s creativity to get their strikers in the best positions. There’s no reason the likes of Richarlison, Gabriel Jesus, Vini Jr., and Raphina shouldn’t be racking up goals.

The Koreans were able to best Portugal’s B-squad to secure their place in the Round of 16, knocking out Uruguay in the process. But other than that, their play has not provided much to suggest that they can beat The Seleção. It seems near impossible to score against Brazil’s top 11. They’ve recorded clean sheets in 22 of their last 32 games. In fact, they didn’t even surrender a shot on goal for the first two group stage matches. If Neymar is healthy, I think we should be prepared to see the Samba Kings break out at last.

Prediction: 🇧🇷 BRA 3 🇰🇷 KOR 0

🇲🇦 Morocco vs. 🇪🇸 Spain

History Spain and Morocco faced off in the group stages at the 2018 World Cup. That match ended in a 2-2 draw, with Spain netting an equalizer in the 90th minute. Their only two other meetings came in World Cup qualifying in 1961. Spain won both.

Qatar 2022 La Roja were the early stars of the tournament after their 7-0 thumping of Costa Rica. But a draw against a lackluster Germany and a loss to Japan have tempered expectations. Morocco, on the other hand, has been one of the most consistent teams at the tournament, even defeating the second-ranked Belgians.

But this is only Morocco’s second trip to the Round of 16, and first since 1986. This Spain team has valuable experience in high-stakes tournaments. They also have exciting young players like Gavi to bring a renewed energy as well. Looking at Spain’s pacing, control, and penchant for possession, it’s hard to see Morocco extending their brilliant run. But I wouldn’t count them out. This one could head to extra time or even penalties.

Prediction: 🇪🇸 ESP 3 🇲🇦 MAR 2

🇵🇹 Portugal vs. 🇨🇭 Switzerland

History One of two all-European battles in the Round of 16, there’s a lot of history between these two teams. The Swiss have a slight edge with 11W, 5D, 9L. The two have seen each other twice this year in the UEFA Nations League, with Portugal winning 4-0 in Lisbon and Switzerland winning 1-0 in Geneva.

Qatar 2022 Portugal joined France and Brazil as the only teams to secure their second-round berths after two games. They made several changes to their lineup against South Korea, ultimately costing them the match. But prior to that, the Portuguese looked strong — fighting off Ghana and controlling play against Uruguay.

Switzerland is much more comfortable with a slow, defensive style of play. They’re a team that ekes out 1-0 and 2-1 victories. (Their 3-2 win against Serbia was their first time scoring more than 2 goals in over a year.) But as Brazil was able to dictate the flow of their game against the Swiss, I suspect Portugal’s offense will do the same. But don’t count the Swiss out. They were still able to hold mighty Brazil to one goal, so Portugal will have their work cut out for them. I think Ronaldo and his team will prevail, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they had to go through extra time or penalties to do so.

Prediction: 🇵🇹 POR 2 🇨🇭 SUI 1

No upsets?

I realize that, in each case, I’ve predicted the favored team will win. While I really do think these are the most likely outcomes given how the teams have played so far and their histories, this is the World Cup, and there’s bound to be a surprise or two (or three). If an upset is to happen, here’s who I think is most likely to do it.

Most likely upsets

USA (16) over Netherlands (8)

Japan (24) over Croatia (12)

Morocco (22) over Spain (7)

Switzerland (15) over Portugal (9)

Senegal (18) over England (6)

Poland (26) over France (4)

Korea Rep (28) over Brazil (1)

Australia (38) over Argentina (3)

[ciyapaofficial]

How Unisex Clothing Supports Gender Equality: The Theme For International Women's Day 2023

Cracking the Code: Innovation for a Gender-Equal Future is the International Women's Day Theme for 2023.

"DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality" is the topic the United Nations has chosen for International Women's Day 2023. This theme fits the priority theme of the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-67). 

The theme says, "Innovation, technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls." International Women's Day 2023 will also check how women and girls are treated unfairly because of this. 

This year's theme is based on the premise that by embracing new technologies and promoting women's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills and knowledge, we can accelerate our progress toward gender equality.

The United Nations estimates that women's lack of access to the online world will cause a loss of $1.5 trillion to the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries by 2025 if the UN does not act. 

If the UN and other concerned authorities take action, IWD will explore the impact of the digital gender gap on inequality for women and girls. The International Women's Day website states that it would provide a platform to help forge positive change for women.

It has chosen the theme "EmbraceEquity," with organizers and events seeking to "challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion." #EmbraceEquity is the hashtag assigned to this year's celebration.

Why Is Gender Equality Needed?

Throughout the past year, women in Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine, and the US have fought for their rights amid war, bloodshed, and legislative changes. All these have aggravated gender gaps in food insecurity, hunger, poverty, and gender-based violence worldwide.

The Taliban's ascendancy in Afghanistan has prevented women and girls from attending higher education, working most occupations outside the home, traveling long distances without a male chaperone, and covering their faces in public.

Iranian police disputed eyewitness accusations that Mahsa Amini was beaten. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was seized by Tehran morality police on September 13, 2022, for allegedly breaching Iran's severe hair-covering laws, provoked demonstrations in Iran.

Since then, Iranians have protested for women's rights and political change. Authorities have called them "riots" and used force. After Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the UN reported war-induced price spikes and shortages.

The US Supreme Court repealed Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, triggering widespread outrage and protests. Mexicans have helped US women seek abortions after a 2021 court ruling decriminalized abortion.

The Gender Equality subject emphasizes the significance of transformative ideas, inclusive technologies, and accessible education in overcoming global prejudice and the marginalization of women. Despite the ability of innovation to alter lives, many barriers to equality remain. 

What Changes Have Been Made In The Recent Years To Improve Women’s Position In Society?

Armenia and Colombia revised parental leave legislation. Spain passed menstrual health leave and abortion regulations. After a 10-year fight, the European Parliament passed a bill in 2022 to increase the number of women on publicly traded company boards by July 2026.

"There are plenty of women eligible for top jobs, and with our new European regulation, we will make sure that they have a real shot," the EU added. The International Olympic Committee reported the most gender-balanced Winter Games, with 45% women, in Beijing in 2022. 

With 36 teams, the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is extended. The US Soccer Federation became the first to pay its men's and women's teams equally before the competition. For almost five years, female athletes made equal pay claims and litigation.

How Can Ciyapa's Unisex T-Shirts Signify Gender Equality?

Unisex t-shirts can signify gender equality because they are designed to be worn by people of any gender identity. Creating clothing that is not restricted to a particular gender, promotes the idea that clothing does not have to be restricted by societal norms.

When people wear unisex t-shirts, they are making a statement that they reject the idea that clothing should be gendered. It helps to break down gender stereotypes and norms that can be limiting and harmful to individuals who do not fit into traditional gender roles.

Also, if we support the idea of unisex clothing, we can move toward a more accepting society where people are not judged based on how they identify or show their gender. It allows for more freedom of expression and can help reduce discrimination and inequality based on gender.

According to the International Women's Day official website, purple, green, and white represent IWD. "The color purple is associated with a sense of dignity and justice. Green signifies hope. White is associated with cleanliness.

See, even these colors do not discriminate. Ciyapa highly supports and executes this International Women's Day 2023 theme. And we promise to deliver more t-shirts promoting this IWD 2023 theme. Visit our store to see our collection!!

Conclusion

Throughout the last decade, there has been incremental progress toward a gender-equal world. We have seen the difference that equal work opportunities, equal healthcare and education, equal decision-making authority, and freedom from violence can make. 

Despite this, there is still a great deal of unfairness and inequality around the globe. To achieve gender equality, we must ensure equitable access to education for women and girls and clear pathways to inclusive workplaces for women in STEM.

We at Ciyapa find new ways to help women and girls reach their full human capital potential and become leaders, business owners, and agents of change. It is to support environmentally sustainable, socially and economically fair development. 

Women's economic empowerment, in conjunction with girls' education, family planning, and reproductive and sexual health, can facilitate the transition to low-carbon economies, help improve resource use and assist in lowering environmental damage.

We support women employees and help them grow potentially. There is still a lot of work to do, so why don't we all work together to speed up the process of gender equality and empowerment today so that tomorrow will be more sustainable?

Original Source :

[tfgadgets]

Gregg Berhalter helped rebuild the USMNT. Will he be the one to lead them at the 2026 World Cup?

When Gregg Berhalter took over as U.S. men’s national team head coach five and a half years ago, the program was still fighting to emerge from the darkest moment in its history. The 2017 loss to Trinidad and Tobago that meant the U.S. failed to qualify for the following year’s World Cup in Russia was more than a wake-up call. It forced leadership at U.S. Soccer to examine every blemish in the…

[soulvedablog]

Best winter reads: Cosy books to curl up with on chilly days

Imagine yourself in a comfy corner of your home, wrapped in a soft blanket, with a captivating book. Amazing, right? This winter, immerse yourself in stories that transport you to distant lands and make the cold fade away.

By Team Soulveda

28 December 2023

Winter has arrived with its chilly days and nights, making indoors more enticing than ever. In fact, the best thing right now would be to nestle in a cosy corner of your home, wrapped in a blanket, lost in the pages of an exciting book, right? It’s the perfect retreat from the wintry outdoors, diving into stories that are sure to whisk you away to distant lands. So come along as we recommend five books to read on such nippy, cosy days.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Step into the wintry landscape of 1920s Alaska in this captivating retelling of a fairy tale. The story revolves around a childless couple who build a snow child that magically comes to life, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. With stunning descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness, this book explores love, loss and the mysteries of life.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

In the Winter Garden, Kristin Hannah weaves a gripping story that alternates between World War II and the present day. Two sisters uncover their mother’s story of survival in a war-torn Russia. The narrative deals with family dynamics, history and the resilience of the human spirit against the backdrop of a biting Russian winter.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

This book will transport you to the chilly wilderness of medieval Russia. It is a magical tale that follows a young girl named Vasilisa, whose gift for seeing mystical creatures becomes crucial in protecting her village from certain dark forces. Rich in folklore and atmosphere, this book is a mesmerising blend of fantasy and historical fiction.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Prepare yourself to enter a world of wonder with this beautiful tale set in a magical circus that only appears at night. As two young illusionists engage in a mysterious competition, the circus becomes the stage for their extraordinary feats. The Night Circus is a beautifully crafted story that is sure to transport you to a world of mysteries.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Enter the elegant Metropol Hotel in Moscow, where Count Alexander Rostov is placed under house arrest amid political turmoil. Through his life within the hotel, Rostov’s story unfolds, exploring resilience and human connections. Most importantly, this cosy read is about finding joy in simple moments even during difficult times.

Each of these books is like a warm embrace on a cold winter day, inviting readers to lose themselves in the story, characters and detailed settings. Whether it’s the historical depth of the tales, the magic or the exploration of human experiences, these books make perfect companions for cosy winter reading sessions. So warm that cup of hot chocolate and settle in!

FAQs

What makes a book ideal for winter reading?

Winter reads often feature immersive settings, heartfelt narratives or magical elements, making them ideal for winter reading.

Are there specific genres best suited for winter cosy reads?

Historical fiction, magical realism and enchanting fantasies are some popular choices for winter reading.

How do winter-themed books enhance the reading experience?

Winter-themed books with snowy landscapes or holiday settings create a great ambience and make for a good read, especially during winter itself.

Can you recommend a winter read suitable for all ages?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis is a classic suitable for readers of all ages.

[beardedmrbean]

The government's summer of scandals is drawing to a close, and the coalition parties are keen to draw a line under the resignations and controversies that dogged the start of this administration.

The centrepiece of this effort is a statement on racism and discrimination expected to be delivered this autumn.

On Tuesday the Swedish People's Party's leader Anna-Maja Henriksson announced at her parliamentary group meeting in Åland that things were moving forward and there was a greater chance of her party staying in government.

But the statement was not final, and she could not reveal what conditions she had placed on its composition.

That encapsulates the basic problem, as outlined in a Helsingin Sanomat editorial: there remain big differences between the government parties on how racism should be defined.

The Finns Party views it as an act of discrimination committed against an individual on ethnic or religious grounds. That's prohibited in the constitution and therefore not an argument.

Slandering or labelling an ethnic group, on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish. The party wants to change Finland's laws on ethnic agitation to prevent prosecution on those grounds.

Indeed several of the party's leading figures have convictions under those laws, and leader Riikka Purra has said that this will not affect their positions in the party.

Helsingin Sanomat argues that this is an unsustainable position. The Finns Party has to agree with its coalition partners on a common definition of racism, and it cannot keep referring to its own framing of the issue.

If the forthcoming statement on racism doesn't deal with that contradiction, HS says, it may amount to sweeping racism issues under the carpet.

Russian permit shift

Last week it emerged that a Russian citizen linked to war crimes in Ukraine had received a residence permit in Finland. He had done so under a false name, but it raised questions about how Russians are now moving to Finland despite tightened restrictions after the stepped-up aggression against Ukraine started in February 2022.

Ilta-Sanomat has looked at the issue on a broader level, and found a spike in the numbers of Russians granted residence permits in Finland last year.

Last year some 6,000 people moved from Russia to Finland, the highest figure since the fall of the Soviet Union. Some 7,000 residence permits were granted, with some people granted more than one permit after applying under several different categories.

Tensions within Russian society were part of the reason, according to Johannes Hirvelä of the Immigration Service.

"Last year was exceptional," said Hirvelä. "Lots of specialists, entrepreneurs and asylum seekers came from Russia.

Last year 1,100 people sought asylum based on ideological reasons, with this year's figure at around 300 so far.

Most of those applications remain unresolved, as the EU seeks a common line on Russian asylum seekers.

This year some 1,500 applications for residence permits have been made on grounds of family ties, with 1,000 work permit applications and roughly 700 applications based on studying in Finland.

Basketball blow-outs

Finland is competing at the basketball World Cup, but it has not gone well. Finland lost all three group games and were eliminated from the tournament, and now face further matches to determine their position in qualifying for the next Olympics.

Aamulehti's reporter at the tournament in Okinawa writes that their 101-75 loss to Germany on Tuesday was a disappointment.

"Our backbone just broke again," said Ilkka Seppälä, who was Finland's second-top scorer in the game with 12 points. "In a difficult situation, we should trust the team and our own game, not try to fix things individually. That requires experience, we have to learn from this."

Finland's next game is on Thursday, when the tournament to determine rankings 17-32 at the World Cup is due to begin.

[squadron-goals]

Valenciennes, 25 April 1917

Dear Miss Annamarie! So the cup has not passed me by. So now I live here in a castle near Valenciennes in the middle of an old park and draw from the well of my experience to train young fighter pilots. It's a lot of work, because we have about 80 apprentices here now. I take great comfort in the fact that my "headmaster", Hauptmann Zander, whom I already know as a brave comrade-in-arms from his Jagdstaffel 1, is a competent sportsman and also a great guy in other respects; in his civilian capacity, by the way, he is based in Düsseldorf. Soon Höhndorf will come here as a teacher - then we'll fly to the front every now and then. You see: I have come to terms with my situation to some extent. Only the sense of the whole enterprise is not yet quite clear to me. Back then, we just sat down in the single-seater and started shooting - and lo and behold: it worked. Today we have to retrain diligently. I mean: Either someone has what it takes to be a capable fighter pilot, in which case he can do it without "retraining" - or he doesn't have it, in which case the school can't teach him either. But this may be a view that was true at the time when only people of passion turned to the new fighter aviation; with the present mass influx, a sharp and ruthless selection must now take place, and this seems to me the most important part of my tasks. When I have finished my schoolmaster's work in the evening, I listen on the telephone to what Richthofen and his squires have done during the day, and platonically intoxicate myself with their successes. I fly over to Richthofen as often as I can - it is always a pleasure to be with Staffel 11; there is the same spirit and passion there as in the best times with Boelcke. It is great to see Richthofen with his Moritz. That is his intimate, but a four-legged one. He once bought him as a cute little lap dog somewhere in Belgium for 5 marks. Moritz then took part in the World War, inseparable from his master, was also with us in Russia, and in the meantime has become a giant beast that undoubtedly bears a certain resemblance to an Ulm Mastiff. His master, however, firmly claims that Moritz has a purebred pedigree. Richthofen loves his Moritz dearly, and lately he also loves my brother Gerhard because he recently cured him of something. Moritz is not really my cup of tea, but you mustn't let that be noticed if you don't want to offend the good Richthofen. My case is the German Pointer and even more so the Dachshund, this droll humourist and idiosyncratic character. The least I like the St. Bernard, whom I know well enough from Switzerland; when he is transplanted from his element, the mountains, to the lowlands, he becomes a boring, grumpy, asthmatic patron - he always seems to me like some fat, saturated, aloof banker in a club chair. By the way, Gerhard also massaged my arm back into shape. I've always said that a person with something wrong is an ass if he doesn't go straight to a competent vet. I was just interrupted, Richthofen came to me (he had quickly bagged No. 47 on the way) and asked me to take over as his replacement during his upcoming vacation. He is at a loss as to who he should give this to because the two best in his Staffel are currently away: Voss, who already has 24 victories and the Pour le mérite, is on vacation himself, and Schäfer, who shot down 23 opponents in barely two months, has just been taken away from him to lead another squadron. Richthofen can't wait for Voss's return because he needs to go on vacation as soon as possible - they want to get him to safety; It's similar to when Boelcke was sent to Turkey. You can imagine how tempting Richthofen's request is for me. What could be more wonderful than being able to lead this select squadron for a few weeks?! But nothing will probably come of it - they won't let me leave here. Brother Martin writes enthusiastically about his bombing missions in Russia. But I have to sit aside and this time I can only greet you as Your poor schoolmaster

[xtruss]

What Putin Got Right! The Russian President Got Many Things Wrong About Invading Ukraine—But Not Everything.

— Argument: An Expert's Point of View on a Current Event | Foreign Policy | February 15th, 2023 | By Stephen M. Walt

Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin got many things wrong when he decided to invade Ukraine. He exaggerated his army’s military prowess. He underestimated the power of Ukrainian nationalism and the ability of its outmanned armed forces to defend their home soil. He appears to have misjudged Western unity, the speed with which NATO and others would come to Ukraine’s aid, and the willingness and ability of energy-importing countries to impose sanctions on Russia and wean themselves off its energy exports. He may also have overestimated China’s willingness to back him up: Beijing is buying lots of Russian oil and gas, but it is not providing Moscow with vocal diplomatic support or valuable military aid. Put all these errors together, and the result is a decision with negative consequences for Russia that will linger long after Putin has left the stage. No matter how the war turns out, Russia is going to be weaker and less influential than it would have been had he chosen a different path.

But if we are honest with ourselves—and being ruthlessly honest is essential in wartime—we should acknowledge that Russia’s president got some things right, too. None of them justify his decision to start the war or the way Russia has waged it; they merely identify aspects of the conflict where his judgments have been borne out thus far. To ignore these elements is to make the same mistakes that he did: that of underestimating one’s opponent and misreading key elements of the situation.

What Did He Get Right?

The Biden administration hoped that the threat of “unprecedented sanctions” would deter Putin from invading and then hoped that imposing these sanctions would strangle his war machine, trigger popular discontent, and force him to reverse course. Putin went to war convinced that Russia could ride out any sanctions we might impose, and he’s been proved right up till now. There is still sufficient appetite for Russian raw materials (including energy) to keep its economy going with only a slight decline in GDP. The long-term consequences may be more severe, but he was right to assume that sanctions alone would not determine the outcome of the conflict for quite a while.

Second, Putin correctly judged that the Russian people would tolerate high costs and that military setbacks were not going to lead to his ouster. He may have begun the war hoping it would be quick and cheap, but his decision to keep going after the initial setbacks—and eventually to mobilize reserves and fight on—reflected his belief that the bulk of the Russian people would go along with his decision and that he could suppress any opposition that did emerge. The mobilization of additional troops may have been shambolic by our standards, but Russia has been able to keep large forces in the field despite enormous losses and without jeopardizing Putin’s hold on power. That could change, of course, but so far, he’s been proved right on this issue, too.

Third, Putin understood that other states would follow their own interests and that he would not be universally condemned for his actions. Europe, the United States, and some others have reacted sharply and strongly, but key members of the global south and some other prominent countries (such as Saudi Arabia and Israel) have not. The war hasn’t helped Russia’s global image (as lopsided votes condemning the war in the U.N. General Assembly have shown), but more tangible opposition has been limited to a subset of the world’s nations.

Most important of all: Putin understood that Ukraine’s fate was more important to Russia than it was to the West. Please note: It is by no means more important to Russia than it is to Ukrainians, who are making enormous sacrifices to defend their country. But Putin has the advantage over Ukraine’s principal supporters when it comes to being willing to bear costs and run risks. He has an advantage not because Western leaders are weak, pusillanimous, or craven, but because the political alignment of a large country right next door to Russia was always bound to matter more to Moscow than it was going to matter to people farther away, and especially to individuals living in a wealthy and secure country on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

This fundamental asymmetry of interest and motivation is why the United States, Germany, and much of the rest of NATO have calibrated their responses so carefully, and why U.S. President Joe Biden ruled out sending U.S. troops from the get-go. He understood (correctly) that Putin might think Ukraine’s fate was worth sending several hundred thousand troops to fight and possibly die, but Americans didn’t and wouldn’t feel the same way about sending their sons and daughters to oppose them. It might be worth sending billions of dollars of aid to help Ukrainians defend their country, but that objective was not important enough for the United States to put its own troops in harm’s way or to run a significant risk of a nuclear war. Given this asymmetry of motivation, we are trying to stop Russia without U.S. troops getting directly involved. Whether this approach will work is still unknown.

This situation also explains why Ukrainians—and their loudest supporters in the West—have gone to enormous lengths to link their country’s fate to lots of unrelated issues. If you listen to them, Russian control over Crimea or any portion of the Donbas would be a fatal blow to the “rules-based international order,” an invitation to China to seize Taiwan, a boon to autocrats everywhere, a catastrophic failure of democracy, and a sign that nuclear blackmail is easy and that Putin could use it to march his army all the way to the English Channel. Hard-liners in the West make arguments like this to make Ukraine’s fate appear as important to us as it is to Russia, but such scare tactics don’t stand up to even casual scrutiny. The future course of the 21st century is not going to be determined by whether Kyiv or Moscow ends up controlling the territories they are currently fighting over, but rather by which countries control key technologies, by climate change, and by political developments in many other places.

Recognizing this asymmetry also explains why nuclear threats have only limited utility and why fears of nuclear blackmail are misplaced. As Thomas Schelling wrote many years ago, because a nuclear exchange is such a fearsome prospect, bargaining under the shadow of nuclear weapons becomes a “competition in risk taking.” Nobody wants to use even one nuclear weapon, but the side that cares more about a particular issue will be willing to run greater risks, especially if vital interests are at stake. For this reason, we cannot entirely dismiss the possibility that Russia would use a nuclear weapon if it were about to suffer a catastrophic defeat, and this realization places limits on how far we should be willing to push it. Again, not because Western leaders are weak-willed or craven, but because they are sensible and prudent.

Does this mean we are succumbing to “nuclear blackmail”? Could Putin use such threats to win additional concessions elsewhere? The answer is no, because the asymmetry of motivation favors us the further he tries to go. If Russia tried to coerce others into making concessions on issues where their vital interests were engaged, its demands would fall on deaf ears. Imagine Putin calling Biden and saying that he might launch a nuclear strike if the United States refused to cede Alaska back to Russia. Biden would laugh and tell him to call back when he was sober. A rival’s coercive nuclear threats have little or no credibility when the balance of resolve favors us, and it is worth remembering that neither the United States nor the Soviet Union ever engaged in successful nuclear blackmail during the long Cold War—even against non-nuclear states—despite the enormous arsenals at their disposal.

There is one way in which this situation may be changing, however, and it is not a comforting thought. The more aid, weaponry, intelligence, and diplomatic support that the United States and NATO provide to Ukraine, the more their reputations become tied to the outcome. This is one reason why President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainians keep demanding more and more sophisticated forms of support; it is in their interest to get the West tied as closely as possible to their fate. I don’t blame them for this in the slightest, by the way; it’s what I would do if I were in their shoes.

Although reputational consequences are often exaggerated, such concerns can keep wars going even when vital material interests are not at stake. In 1969, Henry Kissinger understood Vietnam was of little strategic value to the United States and that there was no plausible path to victory there. But he insisted that “the commitment of 500,000 Americans has settled the issue of the importance of Vietnam. For what is involved now is confidence in American promises.” Based on that belief, he and President Richard Nixon continued U.S. involvement in the war for another four years, in a futile search of “peace with honor.” The same lesson may apply to sending Abrams tanks or F-16s to Ukraine: The more arms we commit, the more committed we become. Unfortunately, when both sides start thinking that their vital interests require inflicting a decisive defeat on the opponent, ending wars gets harder and escalation becomes more likely.

To repeat: None of the above suggests that Putin was right to start the war or that NATO is wrong to help Ukraine. But Putin hasn’t been wrong about everything, and recognizing what he got right should shape how Ukraine and its supporters proceed in the months ahead.

— Stephen M. Walt is a columnist at Foreign Policy and the Robert and Renée Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University.