Argentina star player Lionel Messi has finally crowned the FIFA World Cup title for the first time in his farewell match of the tournament against the defending champions France on Sunday at Lusail Stadium. From both sides having 3 goals each, the final game goes into a penalty shootout, and then Argentina came out victorious 4-2.
This is Argentina’s third World Cup title. Since Diego Maradona’s 1986 World Cup victory in Mexico City, Argentina had waited a long 36 years for the title and Messi has got it in his hands. They had won their first World Cup title in 1978.
The final match turned out to be the best World Cup final ever with both sides never missing a chance to score until the end. Both Argentina and France were looked at 2-2 at the end of the regulation time. In the extra time also, both scored a goal each, which forced the match into a penalty shootout.
Earlier in the game, Argentina earned a penalty when Angel Di Maria was fouled by Ousmane Dembele of France and Messi converted it into a 23rd-minute goal. With the goal, Messi became the first player to score in the Group Stage, Round of 16, Quarter Final, Semi-finals, and Final in the single edition of a World Cup tournament.
Then Di Maria extended the 1-0 lead to a 2-0 lead with his 36th-minute strike that make the side believe themselves as the winning side. Before the break, the South American side was changed into a commanding position.
But in the second half, while being in a 2-0 comfortable lead, Argentina made a mess by giving away a penalty to Kylian Mbappe that opened the scoreboard for France in the 80th minute.
A minute later Mbappe himself volleyed the equalizer to make it to the extra time.
The game turned out to be a dramatic one as Argentina regained the lead in the 108th minute when Messi came into action for a goal. When Lautaro Martinez smashed a shot at Hugo Lloris, Messi ambushed it on the rebound for an amazing goal.
But Mbappe was never tired of the goals he had and completed his hat-trick in the 118th minute. With the spot-kick, Mbappe became the 2nd player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
The match finally headed for a penalty shootout while both are in 3-3.
Mbappe opened the penalty shootout and once again converted his effort to success. Lionel Messi followed the same to make it 1-1.
But unfortunately, France missed the next two attempts of Kingsley Coman and Aurelian Tchouameni with the amazing efforts of Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Argentina has got in hand the next two chances by Paulo Dybala and Leandro Paredes. Even though France’s Randal Kolo Muani scored the next one, Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel got the 4th goal that marked the side to win the World Cup title. Argentina finished the penalty shootout 4-2 by lifting the 36-year-old trophy drought.
From a 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia in the 1st match, Argentina came out to be the champions of the FIFA World Cup 2022 beating the defending champions France on penalties.
Leading the team to victory, Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball for the best player in the tournament. Scoring twice in the final, Messi has got a total of 7 goals in the tournament.
Kylian Mbappe, the 24-year-old wonder has become the great wall against Argentina throughout the final match, turning the game on each level. With 8 goals in his name, Mbappe has got the Golden Boot for the tournament’s top scorer.
Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez has won the Golden Glove award while Enzo Fernandez has won the Best Young Player Award (21 years).
The World Cup ended with a match full of remarkable incidents and so much tension at Lussail Stadium while Lionel Messi lifted the Golden trophy.
