Kylian Mbappe aimed an emotion-filled goal celebration towards his club teammate Lionel Messi during a pulsating World Cup final.
It was a showpiece clash that had been billed around the two Paris Saint-Germain superstars who not only were the major goal threats for their nation but, going into the match, were tied at the top of the competition’s Golden Boot race with five goals apiece.
For most of the encounter it appeared that Argentina were cantering towards their first World Cup title since 1986 as Messi gave them the lead midway through the first half in Lusail, coolly converting from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria went down under minimal contact from Ousmane Dembele.
Argentina were far superior throughout the first half and Di Maria deservedly doubled their lead nine minutes before the break. France were so far off the pace that Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele were substituted before half-time and their first effort on goal did not come until after the hour mark.
With 10 minutes remaining, Mbappe fired France back into the contention by converting from the penalty spot after Nicolas Otamendi dragged down Randal Kolo Muani who was through on goal, and a minute later Mbappe miraculously levelled the score with a stunning finish.
Within fewer than 90 seconds, Argentina had thrown away a two-goal advantage and Mbappe was understandably in a jubilant mood after netting twice. Ahead of Argentina restarting the match at 2-2, Mbappe was jogging back towards the halfway line and could be seen looking at Messi before clenching his fist pointedly in celebration.
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The two superstars continued to be decisive as the game went into extra time as Messi restored Argentina’s lead after Lautaro Martinez’s initial effort was saved by Hugo Lloris, before Mbappe restored parity with another penalty after his shot was blocked by the elbow of Gonzalo Montiel.
Argentina went on to lift the trophy after a penalty shootout in which Messi and Mbappe both scored, and while Mbappe missed out on the title – he became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final since Geoff Hurst in 1966 and pipped Messi to the Golden Boot with eight goals in the tournament.
For Messi, this meant winning the World Cup in his final match in the tournament – having already confirmed he would not be participating in the 2026 version, when he will be aged 39 – while Mbappe missed out on winning his second crown at the age of just 23.
