I couldn't be happier for Lionel Messi and his Argentina team.
What a match for a legend who epitomises fantasy football to clinch the one thing he has never won and write his name into history. What a match full stop. We’ve all seen some finals that have been hyped up and failed to deliver.
But this had everything. Messi holding his nerve - for the fourth time in this World Cup - to put Argentina ahead from the spot. Then playing his part in the second with that sublime flick.
Kylian Mbappe hitting back with his own penalty and his own devastating second to leave it looking like France would hold on to their trophy.
Messi looking like he’d landed the knockout blow from close range in extra time - only for Mbappe to score that late penalty. Of course they'd both score in the shoot out. But as France fell apart, Argentina stayed strong to make history.
Honestly, as a Premier League player I was excited before this match anyway. I was right to be - it had me on the edge of my seat. It was as if they were having their own private fight for the Golden Boot!
I’ll put my cards on the table: I’ve always been a Cristiano Ronaldo man because of his consistency, his dedication and his numbers which are insane.
But for Messi - even though he didn’t need this World Cup to cement his legacy - it completes the set. It's the one trophy he has never won and it just felt right to see him lifting it having shouldered so much pressure to deliver for Argentina.
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He’d already led them to the Copa America last year - their first major trophy in 28 years. He’d already been awarded the Ballon d’Or a record seven times and he’d won four Champions League.
But for some people he couldn’t be compared to the likes of the legendary Maradona and Pele until he’d managed to successfully handle the burden of being the driving force behind his country landing the biggest prize in world football.
Well now he can. Now he has the World Cup to consolidate his position in football’s Hall of Fame.
Credit has to go to the Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni who put together a team with the willingness to do the donkey work for Messi so that, at 35, he could focus on what he does best. It’s a tactic that helped them to 36 games unbeaten before this tournament. And yes, they may have lost that first game here against the Saudis - but what a recovery!
Long before this tournament I watched Messi live many years ago when Barcelona always used to play Arsenal in the Champions League.
He was obviously more energetic back then, he could obviously do more when he didn't have the ball. He'd work harder.
Now he works smarter. There were times in the semi-final when he was walking. Don’t get me wrong, if the ball is close to him he’ll close down and press.
But if he can't affect the game he’ll walk and save energy. When the ball comes in, he comes alive it's the same Messi at 21 as he is at 35. When you sit high, you can obviously see so much more. But even he sees passes that I can't see up high.
Normally as a Premier League footballer you come up against very, very talented players so you tend not to get carried away with the hype and the excitement around them.
But I have to say, when ITV gave me my World Cup schedule and I saw Argentina v Poland, I was so excited. To be able to watch Messi live and commentate on him was something else. It’s something you tell your grandkids about.
I’m not convinced it’s his last World Cup either.
I think we'll see him at the next one. But whatever he does, it’s been an honour to be able to watch him and his Argentina team win this one.
