The 2022 World Cup has finally come to an end, and what a final we’ve had to bring the curtain down on the tournament.
Argentina vs France was always going to be a keenly contested encounter, but nobody could have foreseen that this particular final would end up being one of the greatest games in football history.
The Argentines started the match at a blistering pace and were two goals up after just 36 minutes, thanks to Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.
With one hand on the trophy, they kept this lead until the 80th minute.
Cue Kylian Mbappe – who until then had been largely subdued – to come to life with two rapid-fire goals for France to take the game into extra time.
The Messi-Mbappe show continued in extra-time…with Messi briefly restoring the Argentine’s lead in the 108th minute, only for his PSG teammate to equalise 10 minutes later.
In the shootout, though, keeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero for Argentina, saving from Kingsley Coman before Aurelian Tchouameni missed his shot for France.
Gonzalo Montiel then stepped up to convert his spot kick and write Argentina’s name in the history books once again.
Messi’s ‘coronation’
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Victory over France has given Messi the one trophy that has been conspicuously missing from his collection.
It also cements his status as one of the greatest players to play the beautiful game.
Some Argentines may argue that Messi is merely on par with the late, great Diego Maradona…but he has definitely overtaken his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s still without (and likely to remain without) a World Cup trophy.
Messi’s two goals in the final also makes him the first ever player to score in every stage of the World Cup in a single tournament.
The final was also his 26th World Cup appearance, breaking the record set by Germany great Lothar Matthaus.
Consolation for Mbappe
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Mbappe’s hattrick (the first in a World Cup final since 1966) was worthy of winning the match, but unfortunately for him he still ended up on the losing side.
However, he can take comfort in winning the Golden Boot award as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals in total.
This is the most goals by a single player since Ronaldo also scored eight for Brazil back in the 2002 edition.
More importantly, as the 35-year-old Messi enters the twilling of his career, Mbappe has now stamped his mark as a true star for the next generation.
By: Nicholas Darren John
