Argentina beat France in a classic match to claim the world title



Lionel Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup trophy as even Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick in the World Cup final was not enough to stop Argentina from beating France on penalties after an incredible 3-3 draw in Doha.

Messi scored two goals himself, including one in the second half of extra time to lead Argentina to a 3–2 win.

But France received a penalty for Gonzalo Montiel’s handball, and Mbappe completed his hat-trick and brought the game to a shootout. However, Montiel had the last laugh, scoring the winning penalty past Hugo Lloris to give Argentina its first world title in 36 years.

For 35-year-old Argentine captain Messi, it was the culmination of an incredible career as the best player of his generation, and possibly all time. Lifting the World Cup, he matched the achievement of another Argentine genius, Diego Maradona, who led Albicelesta to the World Cup in 1986.

In what turned out to be arguably the best World Cup final ever played, Argentina appeared to be heading 2-0 ahead of the last ten minutes of normal time, with Messi scoring from the penalty spot and Ángel Di Maria scoring a perfect counterattack second.

Mbappe, however, had other ideas: he crashed in from the spot and then landed a brilliant volley to send the game into extra time.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni made the bold decision to play Di Maria from the start, for the first time in the playoffs, and it paid off when he won a penalty and scored a brilliant second goal as the South Americans tore France to shreds in the first half.

Messi, as usual, kept Argentina ticking, throwing passes with aplomb from the start. France was rocked by wave after wave of attacks and in the 23rd minute they finally gave in when Ousmane Dembele fouled Di Maria in his own box.

Messi did not make a mistake from the place, sending Hugo Lloris to the wrong place.

Argentina’s second goal in the 36th minute was just great. Messi’s shot dropped Julián Alvarez down the right flank while Alexis Mac Allister broke through midfield. Mac Allister looked up and beat Di Maria, who passed Lloris.

France were frankly terrible, creating absolutely nothing, and Deschamps decided to make a double substitution, removing Dembélé and Olivier Giroud and bringing in Marcus Thuram and Randal Colo Mouani, who scored with their first touch in the semi-final against Morocco.

But it didn’t matter much at first, as France didn’t score a single shot on goal before the break.

In the second half, France finally managed to strike as Mbappe flared up, but Argentina still looked more dangerous, often threatening to add a third goal at half-time.

Then, with 11 minutes left in normal time, Muani rebounded and Nicolas Otamendi tackled him in the area. Mbappe took a penalty past Amy Martinez, although the Argentine goalkeeper dived in the right direction.

A minute later, the score was evened: Mbappe sent Martinez off with a brilliant volley after a superbly executed one-two with Markus Thuram.

Messi nearly won it after just eight minutes of stoppage time, his bubbly shot saved by Lloris.

And he thought he won it in the 109th minute, as he cut from close range, but Mbappe had other plans, burying his hat-trick from the spot after Gonzalo Montiel’s punch.

Both sides had chances to win, with Muani stopping an incredible save by Martinez and Lautaro Martinez heading from five yards.

So the penalty shoot-out began and both Mbappe and Messi both scored from the penalty spot before Martinez saved a shot from the right of Kingsley Coman.

Paulo Dybala scored for Argentina before Aurélien Chuameni took the penalty.