As Argentina prevailed over France 3-3, winning the penalty kicks shootout 4-2, it’s a great time to point out that both countries have embraced political freedom, as have the two finalists in 2018, 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002, 1998, 1994, 1990, 1986, and 1982 (22 teams).  In fact, you’d have to go back to Argentina’s 1978 win to find an authoritarian country that won the World Cup, despite attempts by unfree countries to prove their superiority in sports.

Democracies and autocratic regimes seem to have it in for each other.  But clashes between both types of countries occur in areas other than war.  Witness the kitchen debate between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev about economic prowess of the Soviets and Americans.  Even today, China, the United States, Japan and the European Union vie for market share.  There’s also the space race between the Cold War superpowers, which could emerge again in today’s environment between the United States, China and others.