World Cup 2022: a final with a crazy scenario that delighted football fans
Atmosphere in Dakar during the Argentina-France final of the 2022 World Cup, on December 18.
© AFP / JOHN WESSELS
Text by: RFI Follow
5 mins
It's a game with a crazy scenario that thrilled football fans as far away as Africa.
Dominated for 80 minutes, France managed an incredible comeback, before losing on penalties against Lionel Messi's Argentina, in the final of the 2022 World Cup. Overview of Guinea, Cameroon and in southern Algeria.
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At first, the Guineans were very divided, explains our correspondent in Conakry,
Matthias Raynal
.
Yesterday the country had almost as many supporters on the Argentinian side as on the French side.
At the TV corner, in the open air of the La Camayenne district, Aboubacar, 33, has a smile on his face: “
I support Argentina.
I am really happy.
And then Messi… Messi is the boss, he is the messenger of football!
".
At his side, there is Djibril, 23 years old.
Disappointment can be read on his face.
His heart was “blue white red” last night: “
I am a fan of France.
I am French, 100% French, that's it.
Unfortunately for us, it didn't work out in our favour
."
The next few days are likely to be difficult for him:
Since the end of the match, I had the people who supported Argentina.
I was next, they confused me, they laughed at me.
After the game, I had the crowd towards me.
I wasn't even there, I was a bit hidden, because there, I can't even raise my head
”.
But Djibril can count on many supporters, because in Guinea, according to Aboubacar, "
the major part is France that they support
".
“
You know that I can understand, compared to the supporters of Argentina.
It's that in fact there are a lot of Lionel Messi fanatics
.
And, since yesterday, it is their cries of joy that we hear in the streets of Conakry.
Mass mobilization in Yaoundé
In Cameroon, the inhabitants of Yaoundé mobilized en masse in bars, restaurants and even in fan-zones, to follow the final of the Football World Cup.
Our correspondent in Cameroon,
Joël Wadem
was in one of these bars and the observation is that Cameroonians are also fans of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
It was this explosion of joy that marked the end of the France-Argentina match.
In this bar in the Nkomo district of Yaoundé, during the 120 minutes of play, we witnessed a match between supporters of Lionel Messi against those of Kylian Mbappé.
In the end, it's still the Argentinian Messi who wins the game: “
For me, Argentina is still the best team in the world!
Messi for me is the best player, he wins everything, he is the best of the best
”.
“
Very nice Lionel Messi World Cup.
It is the realization of a great football career
.
“
I am very happy with Argentina's victory.
Me, I am anti-French, because if we are nothing today, it is because of France
, ”still launches this other.
However, despite the defeat, Kylian Mbappé, by scoring the three goals for France, made an impression: “
France is a mini-Africa, with all the Africans of origin who are present in France.
It's a lot of sadness, and more for us, little Kylian Mbappé, who is Cameroonian first
.
“
France has not been unworthy.
They proved again that they have a very nice and good team.
We have a Kylian Mbappé who showed us that football is something extraordinary.
This is unheard of.
To see a child under 25 score three goals in the final phase of a World Cup
,” says this enthusiast.
“
I'm not happy.
Mbappé had to win, even for the second time.
I am very, very, very disappointed.
»
Fervor
In Djanet, in the far south of Algeria, it is also with fervor that football enthusiasts, who are legion in Algeria, followed the World Cup final.
Plus a free place in the armchairs of the bar of the Zériba hotel.
Eyes fixed on the screen, a few women, more men, including one wearing a cheche barely showing half of his face.
Penalty from Messi, the room is agitated.
Di Maria emerges, who scores, the room explodes: “
Di Maria, Di Maria!
It's Deschamps' fault
.
In Djanet, during the 2022 World Cup final. © RFI / Norbert Navarro
“
Why?
“, launches this spectator.
"
Because he didn't defend well
," said another.
“
In four minutes we do 1 everywhere, 2 everywhere.
Don't worry
, ”says a supporter of France.
And indeed, the Blues equalize.
Direction the village of Inabarda for the rest of the match, among the youth of Djanet, captivated by the excitement of the game and the impressive vocal performance of the Algerian television commentator.
End of extra time, shots on goal, until the Argentinian thrust.
“
Argentina!
Argentina!
What memory !
".
Never had the tranquil pearl of the deep south of Algeria vibrated so much, says our special correspondent in Djanet,
Norbert Navarro
.
►Also read
: 2022 World Cup: the joy of Argentinian fans, the silence on the Champs-Élysées
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World Cup 2022
Soccer
France
Argentina
Guinea
Cameroon
Algeria