Football took center stage at the United Nations on Monday, 13 July, as President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock and Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Ahmed Rostom, both used the 2026 FIFA World Cup to make their points during high-level UN Development Programme (UNDP) meetings. Speaking to delegates, Baerbock compared global development efforts to the drama of football’s biggest tournament, alluding to Egypt’s match against Argentina. “The recent World Cup taught us a very clear lesson: never give up at the 80th minute,” she said. “How many matches seemed lost, only for the score to flip in the 90th minute, or even a minute later, turning into a victory? One goal at the right moment can change everything.” When it was his turn to speak, Rostom also picked up the football theme. “As the General Assembly President noted, World Cup lessons confirm that every minute counts,” he said. “Let us maintain momentum until the 79th minute and beyond, while strictly adhering to the rules of the game and fair competition.” Many took the comments as a nod to Egypt’s dramatic World Cup clash with Argentina in 2026. Egypt…
