French President Macron watches final after semifinal
Argentine President and Pope unlikely to attend Qatar
On the 13th (local time), Argentine soccer fans celebrated advancing to the 2022 Qatar World Cup final at the Obelisco in Buenos Aires. Photo by AP Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar final, attention is also focused on whether key figures will visit the site. French President Emmanuel Macron, who watched the semifinal match in person, had already expressed his intention to be there to cheer, while Argentine President Alberto Fernandez plans to watch the game from home.
The winner of the Qatar World Cup will be decided in the early hours of the 19th Korea time. Argentina, sharing the last dance of the living legend Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), and France, led by the new emperor Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), will clash for the FIFA Cup.
Attention is also drawn to whether dignitaries from various countries will attend the major matches. First, President Macron of France is expected to appear at Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, where the final will be held.
President Macron had previously visited Qatar to watch the semifinal between France and Morocco. At that time, he even skipped part of the EU-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit held in Brussels to attend the match. After France won the game, he visited the locker room to encourage the players before heading back to Brussels.
Despite objections from those around him, President Macron, who fulfilled his World Cup schedule, encouraged the players in an interview with foreign media, saying, "I am proud of the French team," and "Let's all be fully immersed and have a happy time."
French President Emmanuel Macron is watching the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup semifinal match between France and Morocco held on the 14th (local time) at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
On the other hand, Argentine President Fernandez decided not to attend the final. According to AFP on the 17th (local time), President Fernandez said on his Twitter that day, "Like other citizens, I will enjoy the World Cup final at home." Until then, he had shown a reserved attitude about whether he would watch the match, saying, "Nothing has been decided yet," but he made a clear statement.
President Fernandez said, "As I have done so far, I plan to enjoy this fantastic moment with my people," adding, "Our best players will be on the field, and the glorious fans will be in the stands."
The reason behind his choice, despite his considerable interest in football, is the severe economic crisis facing Argentina. Argentina has been suffering from murderous inflation, with a price increase rate reaching 88% in October. As large-scale anti-government protests have been held daily due to this, President Fernandez urged all government agencies and public officials to refrain from unnecessary overseas trips. On top of this, the current vice president, who ran as President Fernandez's running mate in the last presidential election and was elected, was sentenced to six years in prison on various corruption charges, compounding the bad news.
Pope Francis is also expected not to watch the final between his homeland Argentina and France in person. The Argentine-born pope has reportedly stopped watching TV since July 15, 1990, after making a vow to the Virgin Mary.
However, it is known that the pope keeps track of the results of his favorite football team, San Lorenzo of Buenos Aires, once a week. According to the Italian daily La Repubblica, the pope is likely to cheer for his home country's football team from afar that day and watch key moments on the internet after the match ends.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
