On Sunday, Argentina won its third World Cup in spectacular fashion, defeating France 4-2 on penalties following a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the hosts rallied from a 2-0 deficit after 80 minutes. Lionel Messi scored twice in the draw.
It was a great night full of drama and changing fortunes that ended with one of the best finals in the history of the tournament.
Messi’s penalty kick and Angel Di Maria’s great goal in the first half seemed to give Argentina complete control, but Mbappe tied the game with a penalty kick in the 80th minute and a volley a minute later to send the game into extra time.
Messi gave Argentina the lead once more, but Mbappe equalised with another penalty, becoming the second player after Geoff Hurst of England in 1966 to score a hat trick in a World Cup final.
As a result, the game went to a penalty shootout, where Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman’s attempt and Aurelien Tchouameni missed, giving Gonzalo Montiel the opportunity to win, which he gladly did.
It meant that after his record-tying 26th World Cup game, at the fifth and final attempt, the 35-year-old Messi finally got the trophy he and his country had been demanding. After Argentina’s first football god led the country to its stirring second victory in 1986, Diego Maradona was lifted up alongside him.
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Earlier, everything seemed to be moving along without a hitch.
Di Maria, who had only played a few minutes since the group stage, appeared dangerous right away. After Ousmane Dembele was thrown off by a clever turn 23 minutes in, a confused French player tripped him from behind.
After Di Maria took the penalty shot and calmly put the ball low past Hugo Lloris, he was back in the spotlight 36 minutes later when he scored one of the best goals ever scored in a championship game.
Alexis MacAllister received a first-time clearance that Nahuel Molina cushioned, and he immediately sent the ball to Messi. With an excellent turn and layoff near halfway, the captain redirected the attack’s course. Julian Alvarez then clipped the ball back to Mac Allister, who moved forward and expertly slid the ball across the field for Di Maria to catch in his stride and score.
