We almost had a World Cup Final matchup that would have guaranteed a first-time winner. Instead we have two-time champion Argentina against two-time champion France in yet another Western European-Eastern South American showdown.
France is now in back-to-back finals – the first nation to do so since Brazil in 1998 and 2002. And France is seeking to become the first back-to-back champion since Brazil won in 1958 and 1962.
Let’s take a look at how newspapers from around the world covered the semi-final:
French reaction
Le Dauphine captures the national mood with “Only Happiness”:
L’Equipe says it’s the “Final Flight”:
Le Parisien with a reminder that “We’re Still There!”:
Sud Ouest says that France are “A Little Closer to the Star”:
Moroccan coverage
Al Maghribia, a Moroccan Arabic-language paper, delivers the beautiful headline of “You Honored Us, Our Lions. Raise your Heads, Our Heroes”:
Le Matin, a Moroccan French-language paper, says “Chin up. The Atlas Lions Stop at the Foot of the Final!”:
International coverage
The National, out of the United Arab Emirates, focuses on the Moroccan angle:
The Wall Street Journal, America’s leading financial newspaper, did what many American newspapers did in featuring the semi-final result on its front page:
The New York Daily News also found a little room to mention the final:
Argentina’s Cronica says that the country is “Thirsty for Revenge” after the national team’s loss to France in the 2018 Round of 16:
Staying in Argentina, La Gaceta says that France is “the final hurdle”:
Also in Argentina, El Hincha says that it’s a “Champagne Final”:
Italy’s Corriere dello Sport, in an insult to Juventus legend Ronaldo, says that the matchup is between the “best of their generations”
Italys La Gazzetta dello Sport says that the Messi-Mbappé matchup is “A King’s Game”:
Spain’s Marca says that Mbappé is threatening Messi’s dream:
