The FIFA World Cup finale lived up to expectations, as Argentina pipped defending champions France in a penalty shootout at the FIFA World Cup 2022 Final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar yesterday (18).
The game went right down to the wire, despite Argentina dominating play until the 70th minute. France came back strong in the last 20 minutes to take the game to extra time with two quick goals within two minutes. During extra time, Lionel Messi scored the third goal for Argentina, but France equalsed through Killian Mbappe. In the penalties, Emiliano Martinez stopped one penalty and another was missed by France, while Argentina secured thr first four penalties to lift the trophy.
Lionel Messie achieves the inevitable
Lionel Messi finally achieved his World Cup dream, as Argentina won their third crown via penalties, following one of the greatest finals in the tournament's history at Lusail Stadium.
Argentina won 4-2 in the shootout, after a spectacular game that developed into the much-anticipated confrontation between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France opposite number Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick – the first in a World Cup final since 1966 – but still ended up on the losing side.
Messi looked to be securing the one major honour missing from his glittering collection in comfort, as Argentina cruised into a two-goal lead, only for an explosive intervention from Mbappe to turn a spectacular encounter on its head with two goals inside a minute late on.
Messi had given Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute following Ousmane Dembele's foul on Angel Di Maria. It made him the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final of a single tournament.
He then contributed a delicate touch within a magnificent counter-attack that ended with Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister setting up Di Maria for the second 13 minutes later.
Argentina were untroubled until the closing stages, only for Mbappe to give France a lifeline from the penalty spot with nine minutes left – then restore equality with a magnificent volley moments later.
Messi bundled Argentina back in front in extra time, but Mbappe completed his treble from the spot two minutes from the end of a frantic, chaotic added spell.
And so it went to penalties, with the two greats opening the scoring. But Argentina and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved the shot from Kingsley Coman, before Aurelian Tchouameni missed, leaving Gonzalo Montiel to win the World Cup.
Messi, a FIFA World Cup winner at last, collapsed to his knees in the centre circle and was engulfled by jubilant Argentina teammates.