Doha, Europe Brief News – Argentina won their third World Cup in an extraordinary final after beating France 4-2 on penalties.
Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the holders recovered from 2-0 down.
Argentina had looked to be cruising to a one-sided victory after Messi’s penalty and a brilliant goal by Angel Di Maria in the first half put them in total control but Mbappe converted an 80th-minute penalty and volleyed in an equalizer a minute later to take the game to extra time.
Messi put Argentina ahead again but Mbappe leveled with another penalty, becoming the second man to score a World Cup final hat-trick after England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966.
Now, with a 3-3 (4-2 penalty kick shootout) victory over defending champion France, Messi can call himself a World Cup champion in what was probably his final World Cup match.
It’s Argentina’s third title and those early whispers have been replaced by tears and cheers.
The nearly 89,000 people inside Lusail Stadium were overwhelmingly for Argentina – most wearing the team’s trademark white and sky blue uniform. It was electric. They cheered every touch, every pass and every shot.
It had not been since 1986 when Argentina last won a World Cup carried by Diego Maradona – the man whose shadow has loomed large over Messi.
