Lionel Messi finally fulfilled his World Cup dream as Argentina won their third crown on penalties in one of the biggest finals in the tournament’s history.
Argentina won the shootout 4-2 after a brilliant performance that turned into a much-anticipated clash between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France counterpart Kylian Mbappe.
France’s own superstar scored a hat-trick – his first in a FIFA World Cup final since 1966 – but still ended up on the losing side at the Lucille Stadium.
Messi looked comfortable to claim a major honor from his impressive collection as Argentina took a two-goal lead.
That all changed when an explosive interception from Mbappe, who scored two goals in the space of two minutes, turned this indelible, spectacular match on its head.
Messi gave Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute after Ousmane Dembele’s foul on Angel Di Maria. This made him the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a single tournament.
He then contributed a delicate touch to a brilliant counter-attack which ended with Brighton’s Alexis McAllister teeing up Di Maria for the second after 13 minutes.
Argentina were untroubled in the closing stages, only for Mbappe to put France from the penalty spot with nine minutes remaining – then restore parity with a superb volley.
Messi put Argentina back in front in extra-time, but Mbappe completed his hat-trick from the spot two minutes after the end of a flurry, chaotic surge spell.
And so it went to penalties, with two great players opening the scoring. But Argentina and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved from Kingsley Coman, before Aurelien Chauminy missed, leaving Gonzalo Montel to win the World Cup.
Messi, the eventual World Cup winner, dropped to his knees in the center circle and was engulfed by his ecstatic Argentina teammates.
A tearful Messi reached climax.
Messi was at the height of his career when Argentina ran out of time in the World Cup final, only for great rival Mbappe to knock him down and threaten to leave him in despair.
Instead, this World Cup – with which Messi’s name will now be forever linked, as well as a final that will rank with the greats – gave the iconic Argentine the result he wanted.
Messi impressed for 80 minutes in his final World Cup game as Argentina dominated a struggling France, scoring a penalty with ease before playing a key role in the second goal which Di Maria finished off. Wally was a team creation of beauty.
And then came Mbappe. And then came France.
Lionel Scaloni’s side had to pick themselves up once again with a double blow from Mbappe, amid an atmosphere of disbelief among the large Argentina fans who were starting to celebrate the victory.
Inevitably it was Messi who gave them hope once again, showing he was happy to do the dirty work by finishing off a meandering move in the box in the second period of extra time – only for Mbappe to reply again. of the.
But Argentina prevailed on penalties and Messi was the center of attention when Montiel sent the decisive penalty past France keeper Hugo Lloris.
Amid wild scenes of celebration, Messi fell to his knees in tears and raised his arms to the sky, before team-mates disappeared down the mountain.
Messi then took to the microphone to address the ecstatic Argentina fans, having reached his holy grail, another piece of evidence to add to the argument that would make him the greatest player in the game.
Mbappe makes history in defeat
Mbappe cemented his status as one of the game’s modern greats with only his second hat-trick in a World Cup final, after Sir Geoff Hurst when England beat West Germany in 1966.
Mbappe was as anonymous as most of his team for the first 80 minutes, underperforming amid an incredibly poor display from France – which they put up despite trying to become the first team to retain the trophy since 60. Brazil had done it the year before, and only the third time after Italy’s wins in 1934 and 1938.
Manager Didier Deschamps also made two substitutions before half-time, replacing Olivier Giroud and Dembele with Marcus Thuram and Randall Kolo Mewani.
And yet it was Mbappe who brought France to life in those thrilling seconds as they went from looking like timid losers to potential winners, then Messi scored his third from the spot after putting Argentina behind. What did
In a spectacular period of extra time during which the two sides exchanged chances, France could have won but Martinez made a superb last-gasp save from Moani’s outstretched boot.
Instead, Mbappe will find no consolation in history as he was embraced by his team-mates and French President Emmanuel Macron at the end of the heartwarming spectacle.
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