Now there can be no arguments. Now there should be no debate.
Now there can be no arguments. Now there should be no debate.
In the most dramatic, nerve-shredding way imaginable, Lionel Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup and with it cemented his place in the pantheon of soccer greats, alongside Diego Maradona and Pelé.
The final was as good as soccer gets. A match for the ages with a fairytale ending.
Messi and Kylian Mbappé, the game’s two superstars went toe-to-toe in arguably the greatest World Cup final in history. Soccer may be a team game, but this was a prize fight between two players who will be remembered as all-time greats.
Mbappé scored a remarkable hattrick, making him just the second man in history to do so in a World Cup final, and won the Golden Ball – awarded to the tournament’s top scorer – but fell agonizingly short in his effort to single-handedly retain the trophy for France.
Aged just 23, Mbappé’s astonishing performance further confirmed his status as the future of the sport. He has now scored four goals in World Cup finals, the most of any player in history, and he is level with Pele on a total of 12 World Cup goals. He has time to surpass all-time World Cup scorer Miroslav Klose on 16.
But for all the history Mbappé created on an intoxicating floodlit night in Doha, this was Messi’s final. The Argentine captain was not ready to hand over the torch just yet.
The 35-year-old was relentlessly brilliant throughout this tournament, playing with a steely grit and determination that stemmed from an innate belief that this trophy was his destiny, a glorious World Cup farewell that was written in the stars.
After Gonzalo Montiel rolled in the winning penalty, Messi sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands. The moment he had always dreamed of was finally here.
His teammates flocked to him, sinking to their knees to embrace their captain; they had wanted to win this as much for him as for themselves.
Together, they stood and went towards their adoring fans to join the celebrations. Around 40,000 Argentine fans were estimated to have traveled to Qatar and were vociferous in their support throughout the tournament.
The players had the Argentine flag draped over their shoulders and tied around their waists, jumping in unison with the wall of white and blue shirts in the Lusail Stadium’s main stand.
They’ve had to be patient and endured their share of heartbreak since last winning the World Cup in 1986, but it was worth the wait.
Messi sprang to life inside three minutes at the Lusail Stadium, picking the ball up in a pocket of space between France’s midfield and defense and instantly pinged a ball wide left into the path of Angel Di Maria.
