GOAT Messi rules the world: Argentina win World Cup on penalties

Lionel Messi and Argentina won the World Cup after a dramatic 120 minutes, with Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick threatening to derail celebrations before the South Americans prevailed on penalties.

Mbappe was going toe to toe with Paris Saint-Germain colleague Messi in Qatar, and but was the veteran who got the early upper hand in his final World Cup appearance. Messi put Argentina ahead from the spot in the first half after Ousmane Dembele’s foul on Angel Di Maria, before Di Maria himself made it two before the break.

France had looked hard to beat throughout the tournament as they sought to go back-to-back after beating Croatia in the 2018 final. With 10 minutes to go it looked done and dusted for Argentina, only for Mbappe to remind them he can never be written off.

France were not their usual selves in the first half after a bout of illness in the squad leading into the game. They didn’t have a single shot on goal in the first hour of the game, and made a double change five minutes before the interval.

Argentina waited for the France onslaught after the break, but it took a long time to arrive. The first French goal came out of nothing, with Mbappe putting away a penalty after Nicolas Otamendi’s foul on Randal Kolo Muani, and the frontman scored his second in Les Bleus’ very next attack.

Argentina survived eight long minutes of stoppage time, with a big save from Emi Martinez along the way, and forced 30 minutes of extra-time in which substitute Lautaro Martinez twice went close. Messi looked to have found the winner, though, mopping up after Hugo Lloris saved from Martinez to send Argentina’s fans wild, only for Mbappe to complete his hat-trick with a second penalty after a Gonzalo Montiel handball.

Eventually it went to penalties, and it went the way of Argentina with Montiel scoring the decisive spot-kick.