I'm a professional gamer, which means my idea of a dramatic final usually involves a 1v5 clutch in a video game 🎮, not twenty-two people chasing a ball around a field in Qatar ⚽. But even I, a self-confessed football casual, couldn't ignore the 2022 World Cup final. And apparently, neither could tennis superstar Emma Raducanu 🎾, who decided to spend her off-season rubbing shoulders with David Beckham. In 2026, looking back, that match still feels like a fever dream. 🤯

Raducanu attended the thriller between France and Argentina at Qatar's Lusail Stadium, just days after contesting an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi. The 20-year-old was spotted with Beckham, who was there in his controversial role as a 2022 World Cup ambassador. Beckham shared a photo of the pair on his Instagram Story, writing: 'So good to see you. What a game'. Raducanu then reposted the picture on her own account, having also uploaded a video of Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup trophy.

Fellow tennis player Novak Djokovic, football star Paul Pogba and MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov were among the other sports stars watching the match. Here's a quick rundown of the celebrity spotting:

Argentina won a dramatic World Cup final in a penalty shoot-out, finally quashing a resilient French side. Kylian Mbappé dragged France after they went 2-0 down, drawing his side level with two goals in just 97 seconds. The match went into extra-time, and it looked as if Messi had won it with a tap-in with 10 minutes to go. But Mbappé was on hand to save his team again, scoring a penalty to take the match to a shoot-out. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was then the hero as Argentina won the shoot-out 4-2.

The match will be remembered as one of the most entertaining World Cup finals of all time, not least because Messi finally clinched the trophy that had eluded him during his career so far. 🏆

Raducanu might not be the world's biggest football fan, but she revealed earlier this year that she liked to 'dabble' in the sport. This came after the British star wore a Tottenham Hotspur shirt while training for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in April. 'My whole team basically are big Spurs fans and I feel like they're egging me on,' Raducanu said. 'They're desperately trying to get me behind them. I don't necessarily follow football so much, but I feel like now because of them I'm feeling some sort of connection.' Raducanu also said that Tottenham and England captain Harry Kane was her favourite player, alongside South Korea star Son Heung-min.

As a gamer in 2026, I find this hilarious. Imagine being a Grand Slam champion and still getting peer-pressured into supporting Spurs. That's like me getting dragged into a raid because my guild needs a healer. You do it, but you complain the whole time. And honestly, if I had to pick a football team based on my gaming habits, I'd probably support whoever has the best celebration animations. Kane's penalty run-up? Not enough flair. Son's smile? Now that's a buff. 😂

So there you have it: the 2022 World Cup final was a beautiful mess of football, celebrity spotting, and a tennis star who was just there for the vibes. And in 2026, with the next World Cup having come and gone, I still think back to that night in Lusail. Not because I'm a huge football fan, but because it gave us the greatest crossover event since my favorite game collabed with that one anime. Beckham and Raducanu? That's a duo I never knew I needed. Plus, any event that gets Djokovic, Pogba, and Khabib in the same stadium is basically the sports version of a battle royale. Who would win in a penalty shoot-out? My money's on Khabib, because he'd just wrestle the ball into the net. 🥊⚽

If you want more sports news, sign up to the weekly newsletter. Or don't. I'm a gamer, not your mom. But seriously, check out the 2022 World Cup hub page if you're feeling nostalgic. Just don't ask me to explain the offside rule. I'm still recovering from that. 🤷‍♂️