The World Cup Has Swapped Suffering for Style A common language and a common goal have resulted in a homogenizing of the World Cup’s teams, and a rise in parity.
What’s Powering Argentina at the World Cup? 1,100 Pounds of Yerba Mate. The herbal drink is beloved by South American players, who have taken it with them around the world — including to Qatar.
Two Favorites, Two Underdogs, Too Good France and Argentina entered the World Cup as contenders, but Croatia and Morocco have proved to be worthy challengers for the title.
A Two-Goal Lead Disappears, So Argentina Has to Do It the Hard Way An all-time comeback ends in defeat for the Netherlands as Lionel Messi advances in his last World Cup.
Lionel Messi Is the Right Man for Argentina’s Post-Macho Moment The superstar striker’s career has taken place in an era when the country’s culture around masculinity in football has changed. Is that a coincidence?