As Argentina defeated France on penalties in a World Cup final to remember on Sunday, Lionel Messi capped off his illustrious career with victory. Argentina won 4-2 after Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick guaranteed the game ended equal after extra time.
Gonzalo Montiel converted the game-winning penalty to give Argentina their third World Cup and save France from winning the championship for the first time in 60 years.
But in a game that ended 3-3 after extra time, Messi and Mbappe both lived up to their reputations, with Messi scoring twice and Mbappe becoming the first player to score three goals in a World Cup final since England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966.
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Midway through the first half, Messi had opened the scoring from the penalty spot, and in the 36th minute, Angel Di Maria doubled Argentina’s advantage after a stunning counterattack.
However, the incredible Mbappe gave the winners new life when he scored twice in the final ten minutes—once from the spot and once in amazing fashion to force overtime.
When Messi converted a rebound in the 109th minute, it appeared as though Argentina had won the match for good. However, Mbappe scored from another penalty kick to tie the score at 3-3 and force a shootout.
Messi and Mbappe both converted their first penalties in the third World Cup final penalty shootout, but Kingsley Coman’s second attempt for France was saved, and importantly, Aurelien Tchouameni missed the mark.
France lost the World Cup final on penalties for the second time in five tournaments, to Italy in 2006, and Argentina won the tournament for the first time since 1986.
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Despite Mbappe’s best efforts, who concluded the tournament as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, one more than his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Messi, this will be remembered as Messi’s tournament. The victory allows Messi, at 35, to finish his great career by imitating Diego Maradona.
A virus had jeopardized France’s bid for history in the days preceding up to the final, and they were lethargic before Argentina took the lead.
When Di Maria was struck by Ousmane Dembele in the penalty area, France was forced to give up a penalty for the fourth time this tournament. Messi stepped up to convert the penalty for the fourth time in Qatar, tying Pele’s record with 12 World Cup goals.
The defending champions did not make the anticipated comeback, as Argentina widened their lead in the 36th minute.
Alexis Mac Allister was let free by Messi and Julian Alvarez when he broke through the middle, and he sent a first-time ball to the back post for Di Maria to score.
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Injury prevented Di Maria from playing much in the knockout stages, but he was back here and looked emotional as he celebrated his goal, a World Cup final classic.
Deschamps replaced Olivier Giroud and the struggling Dembele before the half despite France having not even attempted a shot.
As Mbappe moved towards the center of the attack, Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram entered the game.
In their last World Cup final success 36 years prior, Argentina had infamously blown a two-goal lead before ultimately winning, but there didn’t seem to be much chance of it happening this time around.
However, with 10 minutes remaining, the French were offered a glimmer of hope when Kolo Muani was hauled down by Nicolas Otamendi, earning them a penalty.
Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, stood up as Mbappe slammed the penalty shot into the goal.
France was optimistic, and in another minute they were on equal footing.
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Before finding Thuram and responding to his partner’s knockdown with an incredible volley, Mbappe stole the ball from Messi, who had been robbed of it by Coman earlier.
The French players on the bench sprinted across the field to celebrate with their comrade in what will go down as one of the most dramatic World Cup scenes ever.
Messi scored early in the second extra period after Lautaro Martinez’s effort was stopped, giving Argentina, who lost the 2014 final in overtime, the appearance of victory once more.
However, Mbappe once more rescued France as he successfully converted a penalty after Montiel was fouled.
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Argentina required a superb Martinez stop from Kolo Muani to force penalties, when Montiel’s kick proved to be the game-winner and set off wild jubilation among the home crowd.
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