FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - December 18, 2022 Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Home ยป WHAT A FINAL! Argentina Win FIFA World Cup, Beating France on Penalties

WHAT A FINAL! Argentina Win FIFA World Cup, Beating France on Penalties

LUSAIL, Qatar (Reuters) – Argentina won their third World Cup in extraordinary style on Sunday, beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the holders recovered from 2-0 down after 80 minutes. By Mitch Phillips It was an incredible […]

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - December 18, 2022 Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

LUSAIL, Qatar (Reuters) – Argentina won their third World Cup in extraordinary style on Sunday, beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the holders recovered from 2-0 down after 80 minutes. By Mitch Phillips

It was an incredible night of drama and fluctuating fortunes, delivering one of the all-time greatest World Cup finals to cap a wonderful tournament. If you missed it, and you’re in South Africa, watch the replay on: https://bit.ly/ShowPro22

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez in action with France’s Aurelien Tchouameni REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi in action with France’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Jules Kounde REUTERS/Lee Smith
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 France’s Kylian Mbappe in action with Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 France’s Marcus Thuram and Raphael Varane in action with Argentina’s Cristian Romero REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Argentina had looked to be cruising to a one-sided victory after Messi’s penalty and a brilliant goal by Angel Di Maria in the first half put them in total control but Mbappe converted an 80th-minute penalty and volleyed in an equaliser a minute later to take the game to extra time.

Messi put Argentina ahead again but Mbappe levelled with another penalty, becoming the second man to score a World Cup final hat-trick after Geoff Hurst for England 1966.

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 countryโ€™s first football God carried them to their emotional second triumph in 1986 following their first in 1978.

NEAT TURN

It had all looked to be going so smoothly earlier.

Di Maria, with just a few minutes under his belt since the group stage, looked dangerous from the start and when he left Ousmane Dembele flailing with a neat turn, the flummoxed Frenchman clumsily tripped him from behind after 23 minutes.

Messi took the penalty, calmly steering the ball low beyond Hugo Lloris and then Di Maria took centre stage again after 36 minutes when he finished off one of the best goals to grace a final.

WATCH one of the world’s BEST World Cup Finals ever – if you missed it, and you’re in South Africa, watch the replay on: https://bit.ly/ShowPro22

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts as France’s Aurelien Tchouameni looks on REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 France’s Kylian Mbappe in action with Argentina’s Cristian Romero REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 France’s Kylian Mbappe scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

Nahuel Molina cushioned a first-time clearance to Alexis Mac Allister, who instantly played the ball to Messi. The captain changed the direction of attack with a great turn and layoff on halfway, Julian Alvarez clipped it back to Mac Allister, who advanced and slid the ball perfectly across the field for Di Maria to take in his stride and slot home.

France had barely had a kick and coach Didier Deschamps took decisive action, hauling off Oliver Giroud and Dembele and throwing on Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani after 41 minutes.

It made little impact until they were given a lifeline in the 80th minute when Nicolas Otamendi tripped Kolo Muani and Mbappe, previously anonymous, expertly converted the penalty.

A minute later he swept in a brilliant equalising volley after combining cleverly with Thuram, stunning the massed Argentine fans watching their team concede two quick-fire goals for the third time in the tournament.

South African expat and new Twitter owner, Elon Musk, was in the stadium in Qatar, tweeting photos, videos and updates from the match. He reported there were “24,400 tweets per second for Franceโ€™s goal, highest ever for World Cup!”

Argentina regained the lead after a counter-attack when the tireless Lautaro Martinez smashed a shot at Hugo Lloris and Messi pounced on the rebound, technology confirming the ball had crossed the line.

The drama was not over, however, as Mbappe hammered a shot against the arm of Montiel to produce another penalty in the 117th minute, which he calmly dispatched.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates alongside Nicolas Otamendi, Lautaro Martinez and teammates after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts during the penalty shootout REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates alongside Nicolas Otamendi, Lautaro Martinez and teammates after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates with Leandro Paredes after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi looks on REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

WATCH one of the world’s BEST World Cup Finals ever – if you missed it, and you’re in South Africa, watch the replay on: https://bit.ly/ShowPro22

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ed Osmond)