On Sunday, Argentina beat France in one of the most dramatic, gut-wrenching, nerve-wracking World Cup finals ever played. The match featured two of the world’s best sides and two of its greatest talents. Back stories were everywhere. Argentina’s generational superstar Lionel Messi, winner of everything except a World Cup, would square off against Kylian Mbappe, who at 23 already had a trophy in hand from 2018. Neither the match or its superstars would disappoint. You can enjoy the world cup at home by yourself, but of course it’s far better to gather with your tribe in the middle of the chants and drums and horns. We followed fans of Argentina to two of their favorite gathering spots: the Al-Amir in Addison for the first half, and then a quick drive down the tollway to Club Vivo for the second half, extra time and the penalty kick shootout. In 2026, the world cup moves to this continent, with games in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. Both Dallas and Houston will host matches. The maturing, improving U.S. men’s national team has had the upcoming cup circled for the last 8 years.
There is nothing like the World Cup. With its heady mix of sport and patriotism, it can capture the hearts of an entire nation. Or break them just as quickly. The entire array of human emotion was on display Sunday as the game went back and forth. When Argentina emerged victorious, fans took to Klyde Warren Park, where police shut down a small cross street section to let them go wild.