Argentina have won their first FIFA World Cup in 36 years following a breathtaking, mesmerising final against France that was eventually decided on penalties.
It was written in the stars, but it didn’t come easy. For a while, it looked like Argentina would cruise to the title after Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria struck first half goals.
However, an incredible 97 seconds of magic by French talisman Kylian Mbappe late in the second half sent the game to extra time.
Messi looked to have won it again when he tapped in his second goal of the night in the 109th minute, only for Mbappe to spoil the party and score from the penalty spot again in the 118th to take the game all the way to penalties.
It was there Argentina, and Messi, finally got their prize.
The little magician, often maligned throughout his career for failing to match Diego Maradona and win the World Cup, has finally done so on his fifth attempt.
Talk over what this victory means for Messi’s legacy will be debated for days and weeks, but the focus for now should be on the two-and-a-half-hour spectacle that showcased the brilliance of the beautiful game.
Argentina started brilliantly, dominating possession and tearing around the field with determination France weren’t able to match. They were rewarded as the clock ticked past 20 minutes when Angel Di Maria cut inside from the left corner and had his ankles tapped by Ousmane Dembele inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot immediately.
Up stepped the man of the moment, Messi, who took a deep breath before sending Hugo Lloris the wrong way and passing the ball into the bottom right corner.
The best way yet to come. France still couldn’t find a foothold in the game, and when another errant pass found an Argentine foot, the South American side quickly showed them how it’s done.
Deep in his own half, right back Nahuel Molina one touch volleyed the ball into the centre of the park to Alexis Mac Allister, who tapped the ball to Messi, who in turn flicked the ball out to Julian Alvarez on the right wing. He looked up, saw a sprinting Mac Allister tearing away from the French defence that was struggling to recover, and played a deftly weighted pass into space for Mac Allister, who passed the ball across the box to a wide-open Di Maria to tap the ball past Lloris and send the crowd into hysterics.
Six players, seven touches, 70 metres, one goal. It was fitting for a World Cup final, the beautiful game in all its glory.
Despite only 40 minutes being played, Didier Deschamps quickly dragged off Olivier Giroud and Dembele as he desperately sought an answer to Argentina’s dominance. When the half time whistle blew, France had yet to even register a shot.
Argentina intense
There’s a cliché often overused that one team simply wants to win more than the other – a phrase absurd when the World Cup trophy is at stake. But Argentina brought an intensity to the final that France simply couldn’t match. The French had been battling illness in their camp all week and struggled to lift their energy on the biggest stage of all.
The result never looked in doubt until Mbappe, who had been anonymous all game, scored from the spot in the 80th minute and then volleyed in an equaliser 90 seconds later.
France were suddenly the dominant side and nearly snuck in a winner in the dying moments of normal time. Argentina looked shellshocked, but recovered their composure in extra time to take the game by the scruff of the neck again.
When Messi scored again, the Albicelestes breathed a collective sigh of relief, until Mbappe again refused to let France lie down.
In the shootout, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was superb, just as he was against the Netherlands. He saved Kingsley Coman’s shot, and put off Aurelien Tchouameni who blasted the ball wide.
Gonzalo Montiel sealed the game and the trophy for Argentina, who lift the coveted prize for the first time since 1986.
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