Ben Mazué on the most unforgettable World Cup final, 2022 | OneFootball

Writing in L'Équipe, Ben Mazué maps life by World Cups and calls 2022 the most unforgettable final, even in defeat.

His reel starts in 1990, England 3-2 Cameroon in the quarters, a late swing and penalties, his father enthralled. In 1994, in America, he watched Maradona face Greece as Argentina won 4-0, guided by his father’s letters.

France 98 brought national delirium and adulthood. In 2002 he saw France 0-1 Senegal, Zidane injured, then a week before Brazil a break-up. He met Xavier, who came along, and remembers Rio empty as Ronaldo sealed a 2-0 final.

By 2006 he was a doctor as Zidane took on Spain, Brazil and Italy. 2010 passed France by as Spain’s era began, Les Francofolies, Niger, and a love that committed. In 2014 Portugal went out early, Germany were untouchable, Deschamps began, and he became a father of two.

Russia 2018 felt like a handover, Panini albums with his boys. He chose Kylian, his father chose Pogba for range, touch, intelligence, efficiency and grace.

Qatar 2022 was Kylian’s hat-trick, France only really starting around the 70th minute, and Kolo Muani denied by Martinez’s spread. It was a winter Sunday, Rosalia at Bercy, Paradis double platinum. June 2026 is still forming, maybe his eldest’s brevet, stifling Paris heat, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, the last for CR7 and Messi, or the United States expelled by a Somali referee, but he knows he will remember writing during this World Cup.

Source: L'Équipe