Argentina defeats France in the World Cup final on penalties thanks to Messi
The once-in-a-generation career of Lionel Messi is over. The superstar from Argentina has won the World Cup.
Despite Kylian Mbappé completing the first hat trick in a World Cup final in 56 years, Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw Sunday to win its third title. Messi scored two goals in regulation and another in the shootout.
There is no longer a point of contention. With Diego Maradona, the late Argentine legend with whom Messi was frequently compared, and Pelé, the record-breaking three-time World Cup champion from Brazil, Messi is unquestionably in the pantheon of soccer's all-time greats.
Messi controlled a World Cup for Argentina, matching what Maradona did in 1986. One day, the torch will be handed to Mbappé, whose late goals fueled one of the most thrilling finals in the competition's 92-year history and imitated Geoff Hurst's hat trick for England in 1966, but not right now.
"Come on, Argentina! After participating in a record-setting 26th World Cup game, Messi yelled into a microphone on the pitch during the post-game celebrations.
From the off, Messi was in excellent form. He scored Argentina's opening goal from the penalty spot and assisted Angel Di Maria in making it 2-0 after 36 minutes.
Mbappé, on the other hand, remained unnoticed until forcing overtime with two goals in a 97-second stretch, one of which was a penalty and the other a shot from just inside the box.
Argentina was once again on the verge of winning the tournament when Messi scored his second goal in the 108th minute. However, there was still time for Mbappé to score another penalty and send the enthralling game into a shootout.
After Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez stopped a shot from Kingsley Coman and France's Aurelien Tchouameni missed, Argentina's Gonzalo Montiel converted the game-winning penalty kick.
Martinez proclaimed, "This is my dream."
The continent of Europe's four consecutive World Cup victories came to an end. Brazil won the final South American championship in that year.
also in Asia, when the 2002 event was held in Japan and South Korea.
Argentina previously won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986. The nation of Qatar followed up their triumph from the Copa America last year, its first significant prize since 1993.
It's a thrilling conclusion to Messi's international career, which, despite being 35 years old and still performing well, may still be ongoing. After all, he ended the World Cup with seven goals, one fewer than Mbappé, who finished with eight goals to lead the competition.
The first World Cup to be held in the Middle East and the Arab world, it was also quite the conclusion.
In the eyes of FIFA and the Qatari organizers, a championship match between two major soccer
The world's top two players provided the ideal way to end a tournament marred by controversy ever since the vote in 2010 to award the event to a small Arab emirate was steeped in controversy.
Since then, there has been intense attention on the decision to move the game's usual June-July dates to November-December, as well as on criticism of the treatment of migrant workers and concerns about bringing soccer's largest event to a country where homosexual activities are prohibited.
For the majority of people on Sunday, just one story was in play: Could Messi pull it off?
Even if Messi's colleague at Paris Saint-Germain, 23-year-old Mbappé, did everything in his power to replicate Pelé by winning his first two World Cups, he may still achieve it.
Messi scored the opening goal in the group stage.
and each round of the World Cup's knockout stages.
Messi has been a man on a mission ever since Argentina's unbelievable 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening group game. He has accepted the responsibility of serving as the team captain for his country at his final World Cup, and he has played in the manner of Maradona by fusing his impressive skills with uncommon aggression.
But Maradona never scored in a championship game. Having done so, Messi is now able to forget about the 2014 World Cup final, in which Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 and Messi blew a fantastic opportunity late in the game.
Messi looked down at the golden World Cup trophy that had eluded him that evening at the Maracana Stadium.
After eight years, he will hoist it high in the most significant time of your career.