Argentina won the World Cup on Sunday after beating defending champions France 4-2 on penalties, after a dramatic 3-3 draw after extra time. Confirming Messi is the GOAT.
Argentinian fans have been celebrating through the night after their team won the World Cup in what some commentators have described as one of the best games in the history of the tournament.
The side beat defending champions France 4-2 on penalties after drawing 3-3 after extra time in front of a 88,000-strong crowd in Qatar.
Fans who had travelled to the Middle East cheered as the players were driven by open-top bus through the streets outside Lusail Stadium.
Messi had opened the scoring, 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 its captain a fitting World Cup farewell.
Gonzalo Montiel converted the winning spot-kick to clinch a 4-2 shoot-out success for Argentina at the end of a thriller at Lusail Stadium, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez having saved Kingsley Coman’s attempt and seen Aurelien Tchouameni fire wide.
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.
Lionel Messi on Sunday vowed to continue playing for his country despite finally realising his lifetime ambition of winning the World Cup.
Messi dazzled in Doha as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties at the Lusail Stadium after one of the greatest finals in history finished 3-3, with the diminutive forward scoring twice.
The 35-year-old picked up the Golden Ball for the best player of the World Cup, finishing one goal behind Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
It was a radically different story in Qatar for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has dominated football for a generation alongside Messi.
The 37-year-old, currently clubless, learned with a jolt that despite his pedigree he is no longer an automatic starter for Portugal, a team he has captained for so long.
Ronaldo headed down the tunnel with tears streaming down his face after the team’s shock 1-0 defeat by Morocco in the quarterfinals, knowing his final chance to win the trophy had gone.
But a truly remarkable match saw Messi and Mbappe live up to their billing, with Messi scoring twice and Mbappe becoming the first player since England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966 to net a World Cup final hat-trick.
Well done Argentina – may the party continue well into the week.
My Goat Sports 