The immense hype only intensified in the build-up to the final.
In one corner were Argentina, among the tournament favourites and seemingly competing in Lionel Messi’s last chance to win the World Cup. In the other were defending champions France, who had overcome a difficult start to the tournament and were seeking to become the first team in 60 years to retain the trophy. Adding another layer of intrigue, Messi and Kylian Mbappe were club team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain.
For the first 79 minutes, the final appeared remarkably one-sided. Argentina scored twice in the first half, with Messi converting a penalty won by Angel Di Maria before Di Maria finished a sweeping counter-attack to double their lead.
Then France stormed back from nowhere. Randal Kolo Muani won a penalty after being brought down by Nicolas Otamendi, which Mbappe converted before scoring a magnificent volley from Marcus Thuram’s return pass only 97 seconds later.
That sent the match into extra time, when Messi appeared to have scored the winner by following up Lautaro Martinez’s saved shot in the 108th minute. But France equalised once more in the 118th minute, Mbappe completing his hat-trick with a second penalty after Gonzalo Montiel handled inside the area.
France then had a golden opportunity to win in the final seconds of extra time when Kolo Muani found himself one-on-one with Emiliano Martinez, only for the Argentina goalkeeper to make an extraordinary save with his outstretched left leg.
Martinez was decisive again in the shootout, saving Kingsley Coman’s penalty before Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide. Montiel then converted the winning kick to complete Argentina’s 4-2 shootout victory.
At long last, Messi was a World Cup winner — at the end of what is widely regarded as one of the greatest football matches ever played.
