“We will never see anything like this again.”
It has everything. Superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe confront each other. Dramatic comeback. And a tense penalty shootout decider.
Social media was in turmoil, sports stars around the world were overwhelmed and those at Lusail Stadium were seen as a spectacle.
“I can’t imagine it happening – when you see two great teams going head-to-head and nobody backs down,” Ferdinand said on BBC One.
“Two superstars from either team are giving their best, goal after goal…awesome.”
Former England striker Alan Shearer added: “We took our breath away, it was an unbelievable final. I’ve never seen anything like it and I don’t think I’ll see it again. something like that. It’s amazing.”
Argentina Manager Lionel Scaloni said he was “calm” afterwards, but could not hide his excitement.
“The game was absolutely crazy. I know we had a good game, we could have won in the first 90 minutes,” he said.
“I have the most amazing emotions ever. The most important thing is how we achieved this.”
How a great final went
- 23 min – Argentina 1-0 France – Messi takes a penalty
- 36 minutes – Argentina 2-0 France – Angel di Maria doubles the lead for Argentina
- 80 minutes – Argentina 2-1 France – Mbappe responds with a penalty
- 81 minutes – Argentina 2-2 France – Mbappe equalized with a beautiful volley
- 108 min – Argentina 3-2 France – Messi restores Argentina’s lead in extra time
- 118 minutes – Argentina 3-3 France – Mbappe scores a hat-trick to set the penalty shootout
Much of the focus is on Argentina’s Messi and France’s Mbappe before the game even begins as both are evenly matched in the Golden Boot race and are seen as the superstars who will lead their teams to glory. .
But Mbappe barely had a sniff in the first half as Argentina took just four minutes to get the first shot on target thanks to Alexis Mac Allister, and continued to destroy the defending champions.
Messi’s first contribution came in the 23rd minute when he scored from the penalty spot to put Argentina ahead and Angel di Maria doubled the lead 13 minutes later.
France was in disarray, Mbappe was out of the opposition box and had the fewest touches of the ball with any player after half an hour.
Having had enough, coach Didier Deschamps made a double substitution in the 41st minute, with Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele and replacing them with Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram.
At half-time with no shots on target France and Argentina were leading 2-0, reporters around the world finalizing their match reports – the game was definitely over.
But the play hasn’t even begun yet.
France were yet to be in top form when they finally challenged Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for the first time in 67 minutes, but the game changed in a dramatic 97 seconds later…
Muani was tackled in the box by Nicolas Otamendi and Mbappe stepped up to take the penalty past Martinez.
Game on.
Argentina could barely catch their breath and France’s supporters were still celebrating as Mbappe then volleyed in a stunning second to make it 2-2. More time, we begin.
But it was Messi’s night – and he thought he had the final say as he poked a slot over the line, sparking a frenzy of celebration, in the 108th minute.
Mbappe hasn’t made it, though. His hat-trick came in the 118th minute – making him only the second man, after England’s Sir Geoff Hurst in 1966, to score three goals in a World Cup final – and then the penalty shootout. .
Argentina, twice losing their lead in the match, finally got their hands on the trophy for the first time since 1986, after Martinez saved a Kingsley Coman penalty and Aurelien Tchouameni hit the spot. long-range shot.
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