Who will Malta back now? Fans react to England’s World Cup exit

England are out, but the World Cup isn't over. So, with one of Maltese fans' traditional favourites eliminated, who are they backing in Sunday's final? 

When Times of Malta spoked to people in Ħamrun the morning after the semi-final between England and Argentina, locals could not hide their unfathomable disappointment at the result. 

The  23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams and to be jointly hosted by three countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

But for local fans, the main question now is who will win the trophy this weekend.

Paul Schembri, 76, lamented the semi-final refereeing, pointing out that "the referee was tough". He gave his two cents on the match, saying the referee "was too defensive" before Argentina scored, eventually winning by two goals.

Emanuel Buhagiar said that although he does not usually watch football, he was disheartened by the result.

"It was fitting for them" to win, he said, referring to England, expressing his disappointment. Looking ahead to Sunday, he noted that Lionel Messi is a "gamechanger" and predicted that "whatever happens, Argentina will win."

Other England supporters are having a hard time moving on from the fact that football will not be ‘coming home’. This line comes from "Three Lions," one of England's most well-known football chants.

Mark, 62, a devoted England fan, said he will definitely be supporting Spain on Sunday, calling the Argentine team "disgusting".

Meanwhile, 69-year-old Leo is considering opting out of watching the final entirely now that England are out of the running, admitting he is having second thoughts about whether he will tune in at all.

For those still planning to watch the final, allegiances are split across a variety of personal reasons. Antonio Romania, from Sicily, said he is backing Spain because Spanish and Italian cultures share similar linguistic and traditional roots.

Alan, 43, sided with Portugal, noting he has enjoyed seeing Ronaldo play since this will be his final tournament. Another England fan, Gaetano, will be watching to support Argentina, noting how the team's style has progressed, adding he is certain they will take the trophy.

Meanwhile, Carlo Castillo is supporting Spain, citing his family roots and pointing out that his surname is of Spanish origin.

On the other end of the spectrum, Julian said he will not be supporting any particular team, given that Malta did not qualify for the tournament.

The stakes are high for both potential finalists, as Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup three times in 1978, 1986, and 2022. If Argentina win on Sunday they will become the first team to have consecutive victories in six decades, since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Nicknamed 'La Albiceleste', the Argentine national team has played in 18 FIFA World Cups, missing only three of the 23 tournaments. The team did not participate in 1938, 1950, and 1954 due to disagreements with host countries and political issues, resulting in a 24-year absence from the competition, which also included the 1942 and 1946 cancellations due to the Second World War.

Meanwhile, Spain has won the tournament just once, in 2010. They are nonetheless World Cup regulars, boasting 17 appearances across the 23 editions. Before their 2010 victory, Spain’s best World Cup result was a fourth-place finish in 1950.

This year's tournament also marks the final World Cup for veteran legends Cristiano Ronaldo, playing for Portugal, and Argentina's Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the 'GOAT' (Greatest of All Time) of football, although there has been continuous bickering between fans over who of the two players deserves the accolade.

The tournament has since come a long way from the first FIFA World Cup, which officially kicked off on July 13, 1930, in Montevideo, Uruguay. The hosts won that inaugural edition, defeating Argentina 4-2.

Only 13 teams competed in that first tournament: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Belgium, France, Romania, Yugoslavia, Mexico, and the United States.