Lionel Messi ended a long wait for a FIFA World Cup title as his Argentina side defeated France 4-2 (3-3) in the titular clash on Sunday.
The Argentina captain was colossal to Argentina’s victory in the final, as he scored two goals and coolly slotted the penalty behind the nets in the shootout to steer the nation to a third FIFA World Cup title in Qatar. The Argentina captain had opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after calmly converting a penalty, while winger Angel Di Maria doubled the lead 13 minutes later.
As Argentina looked set to seal a third World Cup title, Kylian Mbappe wrecked havoc on the French defence with two goals within as many minutes (80′ and 81′) to draw the scoreline level. Mbappe had pulled one back for France with a penalty, and equalized a minute later.
The drama didn’t end at 90 minutes, however, as Messi – once again – gave Argentina the lead in the 108th minute before Mbappe converted the penalty right before the end of 120 minutes to take the scoreline 3-3.
That took the game to a shootout where Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman’s penalty and Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide to give Gonzalo Montiel to chance to win it, which he gleefully took.
It meant that after his record 26th World Cup match, at the fifth and final time of asking, the 35-year-old Messi finally claimed the trophy that he and his nation demanded, lifting him up alongside Diego Maradona after the country’s first football God carried them to their emotional second triumph in 1986 following their first in 1978.
