National-pride

Two decades ago, Lionel Messi said in an interview that he wanted to play a World Cup final against Spain. Twenty years later, that dream is about to become reality. Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the Argentine captain will have the chance to write another golden chapter in his career. After Argentina secured their place in the final with a dramatic 2-1 victory over England, Messi said, “It is a special match.” The star, who provid...

Every four years, something strange happens to the world. Offices empty out in the middle of the afternoon. Strangers in bars scream at screens together like old friends. Streets in cities thousands of miles from the host nation are painted in the colors of teams that most of the locals will never see play in person. For one month, a single sporting event manages to do what no war, treaty, or diplomatic summit ever could: it gets almost the entire human race looking in the same direction at the...