The following article originally appeared in the Hindustan Times on December 16, 2022. An excerpt is below.
Football is a team sport, but the exploits of individuals are often fondly recalled decades later in the popular consciousness. Mention Pele or Maradona, Eusebio or Cruyff and you’re far more likely to elicit a response from the casual fan than by recalling the West German team of 1990. At first glance, this week’s World Cup final poses an enticing contrast between an Argentina associated with the individual brilliance of Lionel Messi against a French squad defined by its collective competence. [Read More]