The fans of the Argentina and France national teams in Israel are already counting down the hours until 17:00 today, when the players of the national teams will show up at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar for the final match of the World Cup. "Me and all my friends are passionate about Argentina," says Matan Jacobson, 28, from Rishon Lezion, owner of the company "Digitech Practical Education". "I'm not Argentinian, but some of my friends have roots there. It's even hard for me to describe to you the feelings that went through our bodies last week when Messi gave his goals. I'm sure that in the final he'll give his blood on the field, there's just no other way. It's to take The World Cup".
How many years have you been a fan of Argentina?
"All my life I've been a fan of this team, I've seen all the World Cups. As I said, I'm also passionate about Messi. The day he arrived in Israel with the Argentina team for the game in Bloomfield, we were the first in Israel to buy tickets. Ever since I can remember I've been a fan of Argentina. Right now The expectation is to take the World Cup and for Shamsi to end his career with a victory."
Argentina national team (Photo: Reuters) Where will you watch the final?
"We're going to watch the game painted in blue and white. We're still debating whether to go to the fan club or have an event on one of the rooftops. For us, it's really an event: we leave work early, everyone dresses up, everyone is invited. My bet is clear. It's Defental Messi, Defental Argentina Messi will surely score, and Argentina will beat France 2:1 or 3:1 in 90 minutes. We will not go to penalties. France is a very strong team, the team that threatens Argentina the most. In the semi-finals, we crossed our fingers for Morocco. Our hearts are with Argentina. The most Messi deserves to win, and I'm sure he will win the World Cup."
I didn't close an eye
"For many, many years, since Maradona scored the goal with his hand and since Messi started playing, I have been a fan of the Argentina national team," says Sammy Ventura, 83, a pensioner from the Poleg Estate sheltered housing. "I watch all the games of the Argentina team, follow the players who play every day in other teams around the world. I don't miss a single game. I saw the semi-finals in the lecture hall in the sheltered housing. They brought us refreshments, beer. There were rivalries between the people, but everything was in a good and friendly spirit ".
Avi Tsadaka (Photo: Private) Are you excited for the final?
"I am very excited, for me it is something, it conquers everyone. It stops the world. Even though I am an Argentina fan, unfortunately I have a feeling that France will win. They are two great teams, but unfortunately I think the percentages are 60:40 in favor of France" .
"I am a Barcelona fan. In 2005, a player named Lionel Messi came up to the Barcelona seniors. Today, everyone already knows him. Since then, me and all my friends started to like Messi, and that means the Argentina national team," says Avi Tsadaka, 31, an expert in social media marketing, from Bat sea. "In the last decade we flew abroad five times especially to see Messi play in the Argentina national team. We really became Argentina fans because of him. We are crazy fans of Argentina. For the semi-finals, about 50 guys gathered at someone's house in Holon. There was a projector, we really did a production. After Argentina reached the final, I just didn't close an eye. I didn't sleep at night, I didn't fall asleep from the madness."
How do you feel about the finals?
"It is impossible to describe the excitement and anticipation. We are going to put on the same production again, once again in the same house. The neighbors are already ready, some like it, some don't. Some of the partners like it, some don't. But there is nothing to be done, everyone is aware of the importance of It".
Messi will lift the trophy?
"This time it happens, this time Argentina will win. It will be 1:0 in favor of Argentina. France is the best team, but this time Argentina will win. Not always who is the best also wins the games."
On the other side of the barricade, French fans in Israel are eagerly awaiting their team's victory. "I was born in France," says Warren Habbo, 31, an analyst, from Ramat Gan. "At the age of one, I immigrated to Israel. My father's whole family lives in France. Father married an Israeli and came to live in Israel. From a young age, I watch all the games of France in various tournaments – World Cup, Euro, friendlies. In every tournament, I buy a France shirt through friends or Through various websites, and of course also going to a bar where they watch games. I grew up watching this team because of my father. My father attended quite a few matches of the French team, I watch them on the screen. I plan to watch the final in a bar in Tel Aviv."
Warren Habbo (photo: Private) Do you get excited during the games?
"Depends on what stage. If it's in the group stage, there's a slight excitement. In the semi-final stage, I was very excited."
How did you feel about the riots in European cities after France's victory over Morocco in the semi-finals?
"The truth is, I'm not excited anymore. For years, from that point of view, it's gotten worse there. On the one hand it hurts, on the other hand it's the reality. When my father goes to France, he says he doesn't recognize her anymore."
How do you feel about the final?
"The excitement is at its peak. I bet on 2:1 in favor of France."
Michel Haddad, 62, owner of a real estate company from Tel Aviv, is also an ardent fan of the French national team. "There are three important things in France," he clarifies, "the national team and the two rival teams: Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain. I am a Marseille fan even before the French national team. Now we are united for the national team."
Hadad was born in Tunisia and came to France at the age of one. At the age of 22 he immigrated to Israel. "Since the age of 10 I have been a fan of Marseille and also of the French national team," he says.
"The first World Cup I saw was in 1970. At that stage the French national team was not yet as dominant as it is today. French football began to wake up with the footballer Michel Platini. I mainly remember the 1982 World Cup in which France was great and lost a dramatic game in the semi-finals against Germany. In 1984 the French national team She won the Euro final with the great Platini."
Although he left France many years ago, Hadad remains loyal to Marseille and the French national team. "I watch all the games on TV," he says. "For example, during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, I would wake up at night to watch the French national team's matches that were in the middle of the night."
Where did you see the last semi-final?
"At home, with my daughter. She came to watch the game with me. My wife is Moroccan, so there was a little tension at home (laughs). The riots in France after the game are of course very unfortunate. I appreciate that I will watch the final at home with the children and grandchildren. We will make it a family celebration." .
Michelle Hadad (Photo: Private) Can you already guess the result?
"I'm debating between the match ending 2:2 and then there will be penalties or it ending 3:1 in favor of France. But the most important thing for me is that Mbappe, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille's rival, doesn't score. For me it's very complicated." .
What do you think about the Argentina team?
"This is not a bad team. Everyone says that Messi deserves to win, so that he will be equal to Pele and Maradona. I think he is a wonderful player, but that he will be left with a bitter taste in his mouth at the end. Even if he loses, it will not change his legacy."
difficult and interesting
"I'm for France one hundred percent. We're the best team in the world, we don't care at all," says Alon Zaribi, 22, a student from Tel Aviv. "I was born in Paris, at the age of 15 I came to Israel. From the age of zero I was connected to soccer and I used to watch the matches of the French national team. I would not miss a single match of the national team. I had the opportunity to see them several times in the stadium as well. I saw the semi-finals in a cafe in the port of Tel Aviv. Half were there In favor of France, half in favor of Morocco. When we won, I was the happiest in the world. We were stronger than the other team. But now it's going to be an even more difficult and interesting game."
Alon Zaribi (Photo: Private) Which team is going to win the World Cup?
"It's hard to bet. Argentina is also very good. I can't say what will happen, but I'm sick of Messi. For me, he's the best player in the world. I'm having a hard time with this issue, but it'll be fine."
