Argentina wins 2022 FIFA World Cup

Lionel Messi’s dream of World Cup glory became a reality in Qatar

Lionel Messi captained Argentina to World Cup glory on a night of high drama as his team overcame defending champions France on penalties after a thrilling game ended 3-3 at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

Argentina roared out of the blocks early to take a two-goal lead in the first half thanks to a penalty from Messi and a strike from Angel Di Maria.

But two late goals from French forward Kylian Mbappe sent the game to extra time, where both Messi and Mbappe scored again.

And in the ensuing penalty shootout, it was Gonzalo Montiel who fired home the winning spot kick to secure Argentina’s first World Cup since 1986 and their third in total.

It was agony for Didier Deschamps’ French team, who had been bidding to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to retain their title.

Early on at the Lusail Stadium, it didn’t appear that penalties would even be a remotely realistic possibility.

Hit by a virus in the build-up to the game, the French team were unusually lackluster in the opening half, failing to register a single shot (or even a touch in the Argentine penalty box) in the opening 45 minutes.

They were punished for their slow start by falling behind to Messi’s penalty in the 23rd minute after Ousmane Dembele was adjudged, perhaps softly, to have brought Di Maria down inside the box.

Argentina’s second was a goal very much befitting the occasion when Di Maria finished off a sublime move to fire past French skipper Hugo Lloris to put his side in the driving seat to deliver their first World Cup win in 36 years. 

France, though, refused to throw in the towel and Mbappe’s late intervention dragged the thrilling spectacle to extra time after he struck twice in the space of two minutes – the first from the penalty spot and the second a sensational half-volley.

In extra time, the two box office stars of the showpiece fixture – first Messi and then Mbappe - each found the net to bring the game to penalties. 

Mbappe’s late intervention ensured that he became the first player to score a World Cup final hat-trick since 1966. 

In the shootout, French star Kingsley Coman had his penalty saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and after Aurelien Tchouameni missed his effort, the duty fell upon Montiel to shoulder the responsibility of the winning penalty for Argentina. 

And as a nation held its breath, Montiel fired to Lloris’ left to break French hearts and send the Argentine support packed into the Lusail Stadium into a frenzy, and ensured that Lionel Messi’s final act in a FIFA World Cup was to hoist the famous trophy above his head.

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