At 8 a.m. on Sunday, Stephen Hargreaves received the worst possible news.

The connection to the internet at The Manchester Pub had failed. The TVs in the pub could not show the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.

“Our internet and cable television provider ended up having a massive outage in downtown Windsor,” said Hargreaves, the special events manager for The Manchester Pub. “We had no way to show the World Cup.”

“But we figured out a way because we always figure out a way.”

Hargreaves used his mobile phone to hotspot a connection.

The Manchester Pub could show the marquee sporting event of the year after all.

Supporters for both teams were at the pub to watch the final.

“With Canada being French and English, they have very close relations,” said Dave Couvillion standing beside his son David. “I love the country.”

Spencer Duby was also cheering for France, but he took his commitment further. He wore a French flag and a French team jersey for the occasion.

“My ancestors are French,” he said, explaining his support for the French team. “They came over from France a long time ago, but that’s what I am.”

Argentina supporters were also at the pub.

“We have some relatives there and we’re supporting them through our family,” said Luigi Congi, who was sitting beside his daughters Sophia and Giulia.

A thrilling final

“I’m hoping for a close match and a really exciting game,” said Couvillion before the match.

That’s what it ended up being.

Argentina took a 2-0 lead into halftime, courtesy of goals from superstar Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.

At halftime, French fans knew they had to fight back.

“They have to give their best to win because it’s not over yet,” said Sophie Sonko, a French exchange student from Lyon. “We still have 45 minutes.”

French superstar Kylian Mbappé scored two goals less than two minutes apart to force extra time. Until then, the forward had little involvement in the match, with Argentina having most of the momentum.

At this point, fans for both teams in The Manchester Pub started chanting their side’s superstars’ last names. Shouts of “Mes-si” and “M-bap-pé” were yelled throughout the remainder of the match, especially after Mbappé’s two second-half goals.

After Messi and Mbappé scored again in the extra 30 minutes, a penalty shootout was required.

All four Argentine players scored their penalties, with French players Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni failing to score.

As a result, Argentina captured their third FIFA World Cup title, finally giving Messi the trophy that eluded him eight years ago when Argentina lost to Germany in the 2014 final in Rio de Janeiro.

After the match, Hargreaves said that he had never seen a World Cup final atmosphere like this one.

“I’ve watched every World Cup final since 1990; this [one] was on another level” he said. “This was incredible.”

“The atmosphere that you get at The Manchester Pub, you don’t get anywhere else.”