Intro

For weeks, much of the globe has been riveted by the highs and lows of the World Cup in Qatar. On Sunday, the soccer tournament culminated in a win for Argentina and its star, Lionel Messi, against France.

Here’s how the thrill of the game eclipsed the tournament’s tainted beginnings, and what that might reveal about the future.

Guest: Rory Smith, the chief soccer correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• After a tournament shadowed by controversy, Qatar had the turn in the global spotlight it sought.
• This World Cup has blurred the line between the artificial and the authentic, but the people, as usual, defined the tournament.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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