Lionel Messi’s Argentina clinched the third World Cup in their history after a thrilling final that saw France come back from 0-2 to 2-2, then 3-3 in extra time. Messi, author of a double, finally realized his ultimate dream in a final which was played on penalties.
What a final! What a scenario and what a beautiful world champion Argentina is doing. Yes, she almost lost everything after putting a hand and three fingers on the trophy, but she will have shown more in this final than the French team. The Blues had the merit of reacting to the end, pushing the Argentines to extra time, then to penalties, but the Messi band did not steal this third star. Because the desire, the commitment, the hunger, the strength of the thousands of supporters present at the Lusail stadium in Doha, that of the 45 million Argentines, and the prayers of the hundreds of millions of Messi fans, Argentina had all that in her, this Sunday, December 18.
It was not the team that had lost its first match in this World Cup to Saudi Arabia (1-2), it was not even the one that had outclassed Croatia in the semi-finals (3-0). Against France, Argentina was a formidable team which had only one goal, one mission, to bring back the World Cup 36 years after that won by the band at Diego Maradona.
An anesthetized French team
Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste entered this final against France as if in an invitation to go down in history: sure of his strength, of his destiny. The Argentinians took the game on their own from the first minutes, dominating the French, in commitment, desire, movement. Neither Mac Allister’s first strike nor Di Maria’s outbursts had the merit of waking up a France team which seemed anesthetized in front of the overflowing activity of the Argentines. The logical penalty, obtained by Di Maria, who played Dembélé on the right side, would thus definitively launch Argentina with the opener of Messi (23rd).
The Albiceleste was going to take this meeting by the right end and was not going to let go anytime soon, especially when Antoine Griezmann cannot make the most of his balls, Kylian Mbappé cannot find any space, and Giroud is not found in offensive. Opposite, it is the perpetual movement, the tireless conquest of the ball, the will to hurt as on this counter triggered by Messi, extended by Mac Allister and concludes brilliantly by Angel Di Daria at the far post.
2-0, the Blues doubt and it will last until the 80th minute and the start of a match that will remain in legend.
A hat-trick for Kylian Mbappé, the tournament’s top scorer
The first turning point is arguably that Argentinian switch, when Lionel Scaloni replaces Di Maria, the best Argentinian at the time, for left-back Marcos Acuna to close the game. The second will be the combined return of Kingley Coman and Eduardo Camavinga (71st) in place of Antoine Griezmann and Théo Hernandez. Less than 20 minutes to return and yet the Blues will do it. First thanks to Kolo Muani who tears himself away to cause the fault in the area and obtain a penalty which will be transformed by Mbappé. Then by the French number 10 who equalized six minutes later with a nice volley.
2-2, everyone suspects that extra time will come, but no one imagines that this meeting will again play on the nerves of the supporters of both camps. When Argentina took the advantage for the third time in this part by Lionel Messi (109th), when it also regained color, France seemed to be close to abdicating. But a hand from Gonzalo Montiel in the area will allow Kylian Mbappé to equalize and push the Argentinians on penalties, after seeing Randal Kolo Muani miss the match point (120 + 3). The following ? A save from Emiliano Martinez on Kingsley Coman’s penalty, and a miss from Aurélien Tchouaméni to finally see Argentina crowned for the third time in their history (3-3; pens: 4-2).
Lionel Messi, the tournament’s best player, finally joins Diego Maradona in the hearts of the Argentines. Kylian Mbappé is the competition’s top scorer (8 goals), at 23, and becomes the first player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final, since Englishman Geoffrey Hurst in 1966.