ARGENTINA BEAT FRANCE ON PENALTIES IN MESSI'S FINAL WORLD CUP GAME

The 2022 World Cup Final went to penalties in a 6-goal thriller. After 120 minutes of football, the score was tied 3-3, Emiliano Martinez's heroics in the shoot-out lead Argentina to win 4-2 on penalties.

Sunday, 18th December 2022. The day when Lionel Messi cemented himself as the greatest player of all time. In what was arguably one of the best ever World Cup Finals, the little maestro starred and got his hands on the one trophy he'd longed for throughout his entire career.

The Little Magician opens the scoring

20 minutes into the final, Angel Di Maria received the ball out on the left wing, he’d had a great start to the match which gave him the confidence to cut past Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman was left for dead and fouled his opponent in the penalty area.

It was a soft challenge that Di Maria made a meal of, but there was contact nonetheless causing Marchiniak to point straight to the penalty spot. Lionel Messi stepped up to take the shot from 12 yards. He nonchalantly rolled the ball into the bottom right corner sending Hugo Lloris the wrong way. 1-0 Argentina, who else to fire them into the lead but Leo Messi?

Di Maria doubles the lead

Argentina’s Angel Di Maria put his country 2-0 after a brilliant team goal. Dayot Upamecano lost the ball in midfield, which allowed Argentina to counter. Messi received the ball and flicked it past his opponents, finding Alexis Mac Allister who burst forward, surging into the penalty area.

He could have taken a shot himself, but the boy from Brighton unselfishly squared the ball to set up Di Maria. Hugo Lloris rushed off his line in attempt to close down the Juventus winger, although the first time strike beats him, finding the far corner of the net. France now had an even steeper mountain to climb.

Mbappe halves the deficit

Kylian Mbappe gave France a glimmer of hope with a goal in the final 10 minutes of normal time. Unable to get on the right side, Nicolas Otamendi fouled Randal Kolo Muani in the box, which left the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

Mbappe had been superb for France up to this point in the tournament, and a goal would give his nation a huge boost. Calm as you like, Mbappe fired the ball into the bottom left corner. Emiliano Martinez got a hand to the strike but it was far too powerful to prevent going in.

France stun Argentina by drawing level

What an insane turn-around. Mbappe scored 2 goals in the space of 97 seconds to level the scoreline. A deflated France have looked nothing like their usual selves the entire game but in a few moments, the whole dynamic of the game had been flipped.

Kingsley Coman won the ball off of Messi on the half way line, before dispatching it out to Mbappe. The PSG striker exchanged passes with Marcus Thuram, working their way through the Argentine defence. The ball eventually returned to Mbappe who acrobatically volleyed the ball across goal whilst off balance. Similar to the penalty, Martinez got a hand to the strike but couldn’t prevent the net from bulging.

Argentina were beyond stunned by this rapid change; as were the fans in the stadium and across the globe.

Martinez squanders two huge chances

Mbappe’s quick fire double meant that the 2022 World Cup Final required an extra 30 minutes of football. In the first half of extra time, Lautaro Martinez had two wonderful opportunities to put Argentina ahead again.

Messi was the genius behind yet another Argneitna counter attack, he slid the ball into Martinez in the 18-yard box; the substitute seemed destined to score but suddenly Upamecano appeared from nowhere to block the Inter Milan strikers shot.

The ball then fell to Enzo Fernandez, he opted to go for the spectacular from 25 yards however his attempt was also blocked by the robust French wall. Moments later, another chance fell to Martinez due to France being caught out by a long ball. Martinez arguably should have lifted the ball over Lloris, although he dragged the ball wide and out for a goal kick.

Messi gets his brace

Minutes after the final half of extra time began, Lionel Messi put Argentina into the lead for the 2nd time in the game. Lionel Scaloni’s side worked the ball down the right wing, Fernandez slid Martinez through; his strike forced a save from Hugo Lloris.

Unfortunately for France, the rebound fell to Messi who only just managed to get the ball over the line, Jules Kounde attempted to stop the shot but it was way over the line.

With the stakes higher than ever, Messi still was able to provide his country with a vital goal.

Mbappe takes the final to penalties

Just as it looked like Messi had won the World Cup, potential future G.O.A.T. seemed to have other ideas. France had a corner, and whilst nothing came of it originally, the ball arrived at the feet of Kylian Mbappe.

The Frenchman went for his usual finessed effort into the far corner, this was blocked by Paredes’ arm. The French screamed for a penalty and it was given; no surprise at all that Mbappe tucked that shot away in the same fashion he did the first.

A World Cup Final hattrick for the first time since 1966 (Geoff Hurst) from Mbappe meant that a penalty shootout would decide the winners of this fixture.

Argentina win on penalties

After an exhilarating 120 minutes of football, nothing could separate to fantastic nations, the 2022 winner was to be decided but spot kicks. France won the coin toss, meaning Mbappe was first up to face Martinez and the thousands of Argentina fans behind the goal.

Mbappe of course found the back of the net, scoring his 3rd penalty of the evening. (1-0)

Messi was up first for Argentina, he rolled his penalty passed Lloris after wrong footing the French captain. (1-1)

Kingsley Coman’s attempt was denied by Golden Glove winner Emi Martinez. A great save and use of mind games to put off his opponent meant the score remained level. (1-1)

Paulo Dybala was substituted on in the 120+1’ minute of the game, just for penalties. He showd everyone why by drilling the ball down the middle, giving his country the advantage. (1-2)

Aurelien Tchouameni was next to face the pressure. Martinez used more gamesmanship to provoke the Real Madrid midfielder. It worked as the 22 year old dragged his penalty way wide of the left post. (1-2)

Paredes’ penalty wasn’t the most convincing, and Lloris did guess the correct way, although it didn’t creep past the goalkeeper to put Argnetina even further ahead. (1-3)

Kolo Muani had to score to keep France in with a chance. The Martinez mind games failed to work on him, as he blasted his penalty past the Aston Villa man. (2-3)

Gonzalo Montiel, the fourth and final penalty taker for Argentina, with the weight of a nation resting on his shoulders. Lloris dived right, Montiel went left – goal! Argentina were world champions. (2-4)

Messi had done it, and in great fashion too. Not only was he part of a World Cup winning squad, but he was the one to inspire such a remarkable victory. It was a game full of twists and turns, but ultimately the belief and willpower got Argentina over the line. A 15 year old debate pretty much ended and a 18 year career capped with the best trophy you could ever hope to get your hands on. Argentina are World champions for the first time in 36 years.

Argentina – Martinez, Tagliafico, Otamendi, Romero, Molina (Montiel 90’), Di Maria (Acuna 64’), Mac Allister, Fernandez, De Paul (Paredes 102’), Alvarez (Martinez 103’), Messi

Scorers – Lionel Messi (23’, 108'), Angel Di Maria (36’)

Bookings - Enzo Fernandez (45+7’), Marcos Acuna (90+8’), Leandro Paredes (114'), Gonzalo Montiel (116'), Emiliano Martinez (P)

France – Lloris, Hernandez (Camavinga), Upamecano, Varane, Kounde, Rabiot (Fofana 96’), Tchouameni, Mbappe, Griezmann (Coman), Dembele (Kolo Muani 41’), Giroud (Thuram 41’)

Bookings – Adrien Rabiot (55’), Marcus Thuram (87’), Olivier Giroud (90+5’)

Scorers - Kylian Mbappe (80’, 81’, 118’)

Referee: Szymon Marchiniak

Attendance: 88,966

POTM: Lionel Messi

Written by Isabelle Newnham