FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi lands World Cup crown in thriller as Mbappe hat-trick not enough

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Doha, Dec 18: Thirty-six years after legendary Diego Maradona lifted the FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Argentina have ended the wait to win the elusive trophy as Lionel Messi defeated France in penalty shoot-outs here at Lusail Stadium on Sunday (December 18).

In one of the best all-time classic World Cup finals which ended in a 3-3 draw at the end of extra time and despite Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick, Argentina won the thrilling game 4-2 in the penalty shoot-outs.

Montiel hits the winning goal for Argentina

Gonzalo Montiel converted the winning spot-kick to clinch a 4-2 shoot-out success for Argentina. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez turned the penalty shoot-out hero for as he saved Kingsley Coman's attempt and saw Aurelien Tchouameni fire wide.

Les Blues fail to defend the title

France, aiming to become only the third side to ever retain the trophy, battled back from two goals down in normal time after Mbappe converted an 81st-minute penalty and scored a delightful volley 97 seconds later.

Messi rubber-stamped his status as the greatest of all time in the greatest World Cup final of all time as he scored three times (twice during the regulation and extra time and later scored a goal in the shoot-outs).

Messi had opened the scoring for Argentina before Angel Di Maria rounded off a stunning counter-attacking move, and the Albiceleste number 10 restored his side's lead in the 108th minute, only for Mbappe to respond again two minutes before the end of extra time.

That teed up penalties, with both Mbappe and Messi converting before Argentina gave their captain a fitting World Cup farewell.

As it happened

A swashbuckling counter-attack conceived deep in their own half found Messi, whose flick was astounding. Alexis Mac Allister's cross reached Angel Di Maria, who found the bottom corner. A stunning counter-attack saved for the biggest stage of all.

Staring their dethroning in the face, France coach Didier Deschamps responded with an unprecedented double substitution before the interval. As his biggest players failed to rise to the occasion as they did four years ago in Russia, Deschamps withdrew the abject Ousmane Dembele and ineffective Olivier Giroud to make way for Bundesliga pair Marcus Thuram, whose father Lilian won the World Cup in 1998, and Randal Kolo Muani.

But there appeared to be nothing Les Bleus could do to stem the flow, let alone contemplate a repeat of earlier glories. The French have scaled the heights at World Cups and European Championships since their watershed night in Paris 24 years ago - but they appeared dazed and confused by Argentina in Lusail.

Then came the fightback. Muani won an 80th-minute penalty which Kylian Mbappe converted, a minute before Mbappe's sensational volley forced extra time, flipping the game on its head and renewing French belief.

Extra time followed and penalties loomed, but neither side were done. Messi scored his second of the final, forcing the ball over the line to make it 3-2 to surely give Argentina victory. But no, this spectacular game of football had yet another twist, as Mbappe fired in his third goal to become only the second player to score a World Cup final hat trick.

A tearful Emiliano Martinez was in tears and said to beIN Sports after the game, "We had the game under control but the team were doomed to suffer. France almost scored a winner too but thank God we are here. The World Cup is something I have been dreaming of. I have no words to express what I'm feeling."

(With inputs from agencies)