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It seemed unfair after the pulsating waves, if an imperfect football Sunday produced the greatest championship game theater this tournament has ever seen, that a penalty shoot-out had to decide the winner.
But when Gonzalo Montiel planted his effort in the left corner and grabbed A 4-2 draw after a huge 3-3 drawArgentina did not care about the necessary means. For the first time since 1986, La Albiceleste were world champions and their unblemished striker Lionel Messi could finally add the final glory to his unique career.
It’s just crazy that it came true like this, Messi said. I missed this so much. I had a feeling that this [World Cup] it was.
Messi, 35, scored twice and played a part in the second goal, but the player on course to succeed him as the world’s best, Frances Kylian Mbapp, scored a hat-trick at the Lusail Stadium in front of a crowd of 88,966. He became the first men’s player to do so in a World Cup final since England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966.
Two days until his 24th birthday and 4 years after he helped France win the trophy in Russia Mbapp won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals. Messi finished with seven.
It was an amazing match. France recovered from a two-goal deficit late in regulation, with Messi and Mbapp scoring in the second half of extra time, and Argentina’s Emiliano Martnez making a remarkable save to force a penalty shootout.
The match was absolutely crazy, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
In the shootout, the first in a World Cup final since 2006, Martnez made two saves and his teammates converted all four attempts. Martnez was also a hero in the quarterfinals against Hollandpenalty shootout that resulted from Argentina’s failure to seal a two-goal lead late in regulation time.
Argentina’s previous World Cup victory came in June 1986 at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, a year before Messi was born.
These players played for their nation, the Argentine fans, said Scaloni, who at 44 is the youngest winning coach since 1978. Everyone was pulling in the same direction. It’s the best feeling to play for your country. The players understood what they had to do. We are very happy and very proud. Today we are champions.
For Messi, the championship ended a frustrating journey after four failed bids. It had been eight years since Messi’s first appearance in the World Cup final ended in defeat to Germany. It had been six years since a short term retirement, ignited another Argentina deficit at the Copa Amrica, the South American championship, after which he declared: I have tried very hard to be a champion with Argentina. That hasn’t happened. I can’t do that.
With the World Cup title, Messi finally joins Argentinian icon Diego Maradona as a world champion, prompting criticism that he could not be considered the greatest player of all time because he had not won the sport’s most prestigious award.
Messi’s fortunes began to turn around last year when he won the Copa America for the first time. He entered this tournament saying it would be his last World Cup. However, if he wants to continue playing, he will be with us, Scaloni said.
Argentina entered the World Cup with a 36-game losing streak only to lose their opening group match to unheralded Saudi Arabia. After this setback, Argentina remained unbeaten, leading 2-0 in each match.
France were trying to win back-to-back titles for the first time since Pel and Brazil had won it in 1958 and 62. With three key players lost to injury before the tournament, Les Bleus thought they would be relegated to the second tier of competition and only dream of another. cup. But here they were behind beat England in the quarterfinals and to prevent Morocco knocked off the bid in the semi-finals.
On Sunday, their title hopes were fading when Mbapp scored in the 80th and 81st minutes, about 90 seconds apart.
We managed to come back from the dead, French coach Didier Deschamps said.
Argentina was fresher and hungrier from the start. France could not keep up. Argentina were curious in attack, looking for an opportunity to pierce Frances’ steady resistance and stamp their mark on the match.
“We just didn’t show the same energy as in previous games,” Deschamps said, “and that’s why we weren’t in the game for the first hour or so.”
Mbapp became obsolete. He rarely touched the ball, and it was even rarer when he controlled it in a dangerous position. As 20 minutes passed, the match continued scoreless, but the reigning champion was changing more and more.
Argentina’s breakthrough came in the 23rd minute from Messi’s penalty kick. It was Frances Ousmane Dembli’s simple carelessness and lax defending that led to it. ngel Di Mara cut the ball back so sharply near the end line that Dembl was left in the dust. A nod followed by a tiny Di Maras high heel sent the Argentine winger into a frenzy.
Messi’s conversion rate is below world-class standard, but at the moment he did his job by missing his 12-yard shot to the right when Hugo Lloris did otherwise.
Argentina’s second goal was a classy, refined and thunderous counter-attack executed to perfection, going from one end to the other in seconds and with economical touches on the ball.
In the 36th minute, the game started with Rodrigo De Paul winning the ball and passing Alexis Mac Allister, who got Messi cleverly wide to Julin lvarez in midfield. All the while Mac Allister kept running. lvarez touched the ball in front of Mac Allister, who was diving onto the green.
He spotted Di Mara running free down the other side and when he latched on to Alvarezs pass at the top of the box he curled in a cross that met Di Mara with a one-time effort.
Deschamps and France were in a tight spot. In the 41st minute, he made the highly unusual decision to replace only two players before halftime. Dembl and striker Olivier Giroud (four goals) left.
In the second half, France played with more urgency and risk, but Argentina was up to the task. As the championship seemed to be approaching, the crowd shouted: Mess-i! Mess me!
France was not ready to concede. Argentina’s Nicols Otamendi brought on substitute Randal Kolo Muan and Mbapps’ penalty slipped under Martinez’s glove and France were back in the game.
Everything went Frances’ way. Argentina dominated most of the night and were now in huge trouble.
Adrien Rabiot lifted the ball to Mbapp, who headed it down and replaced Marcus Thuram at the top of the penalty area. Mbapp left Nahuel Molina behind. Thuram swept it back to him. Turning his body, Mbapp got the full force out of a 15-yard volley that beat Martnez from distance into the bottom corner.
Surprisingly, the match was a draw.
We had the game under control, Martnez said, but we were destined to suffer.
Argentina was lucky not to lose in regulation. Mbapp rose above every robbery. Deep in stoppage time, Lloris was called upon to save a 25-yard Messis rocket. For the fourth time out of five World Cup finals, extra time was waiting.
Argentina had three chances at the end of the first 15 minutes, but in each case the French defenders intervened. Messi was not stopped at the start of the next session.
Lloris made an excellent save from Lautaro Martnezs’ corner, but Messi was on hand to push the ball over the goal line in the 108th minute, moments before Jules Kounds cleared. He became the oldest player to score twice in the final.
France were not ready and after Montiel used his hand to block a shot, Mbapp again stepped into the penalty spot in the 118th minute and converted the penalty.
Kolo Muani could have won it in stoppage time, but Emiliano Martnez played brilliantly one on one.
“He really left his mark in this final,” Deschamps said of Mbapp. Unfortunately, he didn’t leave it the way he wanted.
Mbapp will surely enjoy many unforgettable moments on football’s biggest stage. On Sunday, he handed it over to Messi.
So many times I dreamed, Messi said. I wanted it so much. I can not believe it.
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