Lionel Messi’s wait for World Cup glory is finally over after Argentina beat France in a dramatic penalty shootout on Sunday.
It was a final for the ages, with momentum swinging both ways throughout a pulsating 120 minutes before Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty after the game had finished 3-3 after extra time.
Messi’s penalty and Angel di Maria’s first-half goal looked to have settled the tie in normal time but Mbappé scored two late goals – one from the penalty spot – in as many minutes to draw France level.
Messi, playing in his fifth and final World Cup, scored twice but France’s Kylian Mbappé netted a stunning hattrick – the first in a final since 1966 – as both superstars brilliantly slugged it out on the biggest stage of all. With both side’s feeling the effects of the scintillating finale, Messi looked to have scored a winner in the 108th minute but Mbappé, yet again, replied with an equalizer from the spot to take the game to penalties.
France’s Kingsley Coman saw his spot kick saved by Emiliano Martinez, who was named as the tournament’s best goalkeeper, and Aurelien Tchouameni pulled his effort wide before Montiel secured Argentina’s third World Cup title and a first since 1986.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball and thus became the first player in the history of the tournament to have won the award twice.
Leading 2-0 after 73 minutes, they were forced into extra time after Wout Weghorst’s late double, but instead of collapsing after the Dutch substitute’s equaliser 11 minutes into stoppage time, they rallied back to win the shootout.
Golden Boot Award: Kylian Mbappe
Golden Ball Award: Lionel Messi
FIFA Young Player Award: Enzo Fernandez
Golden Glove Award: Emiliano Martinez.
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