My World Cup diary: final reflections with glory for Argentina in a tournament where minnows triumphed

By Richard Steer2022-12-19T10:28:00

Richard Steer enjoyed a thrilling World Cup final at the conclusion of a tournament that often challenged football’s world order

It all seemed a bit surreal as I sat in the Lusail Stadium, located about 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) north of Doha, watching last night’s World Cup final. I was joined by an estimated worldwide TV audience of over 1.5bn and, while the stadium capacity was 89,000, such was the noise from the elated Argentinia fans that it sounded like most of those global spectators were actually in the ground with me.

For aficionados this has been one of the best final matches on record. The magic of Lionel Messi did not disappoint and the majesty of Kylian Mbappe was on full display, with the tension and excitement palpable throughout. Finals are often an anti-climax, but this one served up more than enough thrills and spills.

Already registered? Login here

To continue enjoying Building.co.uk, sign up for free guest access

Existing subscriber? LOGIN

Stay at the forefront of thought leadership with news and analysis from award-winning journalists. Enjoy company features, CEO interviews, architectural reviews, technical project know-how and the latest innovations.

Limited access to building.co.uk
Breaking industry news as it happens
Breaking, daily and weekly e-newsletters

Get your free guest access SIGN UP TODAY

Subscribe now for unlimited access

Subscribe to Building today and you will benefit from:

Unlimited access to all stories including expert analysis and comment from industry leaders
Our league tables, cost models and economics data
Our online archive of over 10,000 articles
Building magazine digital editions
Building magazine print editions
Printed/digital supplements

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

View our subscription options and join our community