Lionel Messi survived a stunning comeback from Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe - who became the first player since Geoff Hurst to score a hat trick in the final - to lead Argentina to World Cup glory in a dramatic Qatar 2022 final with a penalty shoot-out win.
On a remarkable, roller-coaster night in the Lusail Stadium in Qatar the South Americans were two goals up and looked to be cruising after Messi netted from the penalty spot with his sixth of the tournament before Angel Di Maria bagged a second with France, hit by a virus before the game, lacklustre. Didier Deschamps made a double change before the break with Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele taken off.
But Mbappe scored twice within 95 seconds as the game entered the final 10 minutes to turn the final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on its head and take it to extra time. But Messi scored in the 19th minute of added time for what looked like being the winner only for Mbappe score a second from the spot and force spot kicks but Argentina held their nerve to win on spot kicks with Aston Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez the hero in a 4-2 shoot-out victory with France missing twice. Messi and Mbappe both scored from 12 yards with the opening kicks but Gonzalo Montiel struck the winner.
Messi made up for his final heartache of eight years ago and strengthened his case for going down as the greatest footballer of all time on a record breaking day when he became the all-time appearance holder in the tournament and follows in the footsteps of legendary countryman Diego Maradona.
For many, Messi had to win the World Cup to cement his status as the best player in the history of the game and he cleared that final hurdle in what is almost certainly his last appearance at the tournament, adding to his Copa America title he won with his country last year, as Argentina won the trophy for the third time.
The 172-times capped Barcelona great won the Champions League - the biggest prize in club football - four times with the Spanish giants and has added the most prestigious trophy in international football to his glittering CV. And it came on his 26th World Cup appearance as he overtook German legend Lothar Matthaus for the most number of games played and surpassed Paolo Maldini’s record of 2217 minutes.
Defending champions France, who had a bug which swept through the camp ahead of the final, were lacklustre in the final up until Mbappe sparked them into life. It was billed as the battle between Messi and Parc des Princes pal Mbappe and both lived up to their pre-match hype but France failed to become the first nation since Brazil 60 years ago to retain the World Cup.
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