FIFA World Cup 2022: PM Narendra Modi congratulates Argentina, Lionel Messi for winning the WC

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New Delhi, Dec 18: Argentina and Lionel Messi's dream of lifting the FIFA World Cup finally became a reality as Albicelestes defeated defending champions France in a high-octane FIFA World Cup 2022 Final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Sunday (December 18).

Argentina won the World Cup by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the final, which will be remembered as one of the most thrilling football matches of all time.

Soon after Messi and his team claimed the glory, the world started congratulating the team as well as their inspirational player, who had just one trophy missing from his illustrious cabinet.

Modi hails Messi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined the Twitter-verse to congratulate the Latin American nation on winning the coveted trophy in the most thrilling of fashions.

Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory, PM Modi said. In his tweet, Modi wrote, "This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming FIFA World Cup Champions! They've played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory!"

Cabinet Complete for Messi

Meanwhile, with this win, Messi's once-in-a-generation career is complete. The Argentine football great is finally a World Champion - who came tantalisingly close to lifting the golden ware back in 2014 when Germany thrashed his team in the final in Rio.

Messi scored two goals and then another in a shootout as Argentina got better of France 4-2 on penalties Sunday to claim a third World Cup title.

In a dampener for the French team and its supporters, the Les Blues ended up on the losing side despite Kylian Mbappé scoring the first hat trick in a final in 56 years. Mbappe - who scored a brace in the regulation time inside 100 seconds - brought his team into the game and again scored in the extra time to equalise for his team.

The Paris Saint Germain-star striker stood head and shoulders above the rest of his teammates and snatched the game from the jaws of defeat for his team three times. But his team's strikers missed targets in the penalty shoot-out and finished as runners-up.

Messi Is The GOAT, period

With his sensational effort in a high-pressure WC Final match, Messi settled the debate that he is definitively in the pantheon of football's greatest-ever players.

The PSG striker has put himself alongside Pelé - a record three-time World Cup champion from Brazil - and Diego Maradona, late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared.

With this WC triumph, Messi has achieved what Maradona did in 1986, dominate a World Cup for Argentina. Messi put Argentina ahead from the penalty spot and played a part in Angel Di Maria's goal that made it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Mbappé scored two goals in a 97-second span to take the game to extra time, and then Messi tapped in his second goal in the 109th minute. But there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé to take the thrilling game to a shootout.

Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick after Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France.

(With Agency Inputs)