Messi does the inevitable, wins the World Cup for Argentina as Mbappe hat-trick goes in vain

Argentina's Lionel Messi holds up the trophy after winning the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec.18, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

It was a final for the ages. It was titled as the Messi-Mbappe show, and that was exactly what it was.  After an electrifying 120 minutes plus an umpteen amount of extra time, nothing could separate the two teams. Argentina looked liked they dropped the ball, after leading both in regulation time as well as extra-time. But once it went to penalty shoot-out, there was only going to be one winner. Emiliano Martinez did what he did best, saving one penalty and doing enough to ensure Tchouameni hit wide. Montiel, the man who conceded the penalty stepped up to take the decisive penalty and as the ball went past Hugo Loris, Argentina leapt to the heavens. They had finally done. it. Messi had finally done it. For France, it was once again heartbreak after the 2006 penalty loss to Germany.

Mbappe wins the Golden Boot, but Messi bagged the World Cup. It was the battle of the Number 10s, as two titans of the game stepped up and gave it their all. But it was the veteran that stood tall in the end. Nobody expected Argentina to dominate the way they did for the first eighty minutes of the match. Nobody expected them to lose their lead twice in the match. And certainly nobody expected Mbappe to score a hat-trick and still find himself on the losing side. But for all the criticism that Argentina had received over the years for crumbling under pressure, this World Cup has shown that there is none better than them when it comes to penalties, where nerves mattered the most.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, as it happened

Argentina were off the blocks on fire. They hardly let France have the ball as they toyed with the French defense. Messi, Di Maria and Mac Allister were too good for France as they attacked relentlessly. Di Maria was flawless, as he played a talismanic role from the left flank. It was his burst into the box that saw Argentina awarded a penalty - their fifth of the tournament, a record. Messi stood up and it was not to be the day when the little man missed and he calmly sent Hugo Lloris the other way as he netted Argentina's opening goal to send the roof flying in the Lusail stadium. The penalty decision might have been a soft one, but it was one that Argentina thoroughly deserved.

Messi was in play just a few minutes later, as he released Mac Allister along the wing who ran down the French defense before sending a low pass across to a steaming Di Maria who took a touch before whistling the ball past Hugo Lloris to double Argentina's lead.

Argentina started the match with the same attacking menace they did, when they played Poland in that decisive group stage match. But if that was great, what they did against France was out of the world. The Argentines started with a level of ferociousness with the ball, previously unseen at this World Cup. That they they registered seven shots, with three on target and two of them finding the back of the net with France drawing a blank, told the story of the first half. They were superior in all departments, with 88% passing accuracy and 70% tackling accuracy to France's 77% and 38% respectively.

The second half kicked off on the same note as the first, but the game turned on its head with just ten minutes to go when Argentina conceded a penalty, which Mbappe put away. 97 seconds later, Mbappe equalised with a brilliant volley to shatter the Argentine crowd. Argentina were in full control until then. Suddenly they looked out of sorts. Argentina almost stole the match in the dying seconds of the match when Messi sent a bullet towards goal, but Hugo Loris managed to palm it away.

Extra-time was just as dramatic as regulation time. Messi raised the roof once again when he put Argentina in the lead with just 10 minutes to go, but Mbappe yet again equalised, from the penalty spot. Mbappe's hat-trick was the first since 1966 when Sir Geoff Hurst first achieved the feat to land England their first and only World Cup.

Penalty shoot-out

Once the game went into penalties, there wasn't much doubt who would win the World Cup. Argentina had beaten Netherlands in an epic penalty shoot-out and they had Emi Martniez, who had built up quite a reputation for himself as the man to beat from the spot.

Mbappe stepped up to take the first penalty. And like his first shot from earlier in the day, he put scored, despite Martinez getting a hand to it. It was Messi's turn next and he wasn't to be denied as calmly slotted it past Loris. Coman, who was pivotal to France's comeback in the second half stepped up, but could not get past Martinez. Dybala, who was brought on by Scaloni for the sole purpose of the penalties ensured that it was the right decision as he belted the ball down the middle. Tchouameni stepped up next for France, but Martinez did just enough to mess with his mind as the Frenchman shot wide to send the stadium into a frenzy. Paredes scored next despite Hugo Loris going the right way. Kolo Muani scored to give France a glimmer of hope, but it wasn't enough as Montiel split the proverbial roof as his shot found the back of the net.

The FIFA World Cup Awards

Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament) - Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Golden Boot - Kylian Mbappe (France - 7 goals)

Goalkeeper of the Tournament - Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)

Young Player Award - Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)

It was a World Cup full of drama, right from the moment the hosts were announced. But as the pyrotechnics fired away, the 2022 FIFA World Cup final went down as one of the most memorable World Cups ever. It was a World Cup full of twists and turns, but the final was something out of the world. After the opening game loss to Saudi Arabia, many questioned - "Where is Messi?" Well, everyone knows where he is now as he finally nailed his place as the greatest footballer ever.