France and Argentina remained tied at three goals apiece until the end of extra time. Messi led the victorious team with two goals, while French attacker Kylian Mbappe became the first player in 56 years to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Details about Argentina wins the FIFA World Cup defeating France 4-2 on penalties
Argentina won its third FIFA World Cup title on December 18 with a 4-2 penalty shootout triumph against France in the final of the premier football tournament in Lusail, Qatar.
The Argentines, led by 35-year-old Lionel Messi, emerged as the stronger contender in the first half of the contest. The captain scored the first goal in the 23rd minute on a penalty kick. Argentina’s lead was strengthened further when striker Angela Di Maria scored the game’s second goal in the 36th minute.
While Argentina was expected to cruise until the 80th minute, a wrinkle in the story emerged when France’s Kylian Mbappe scored back-to-back goals. The first came from a penalty, while the second came from a strike past the goalie in the 82nd minute.
As the game entered extra time, the two teams were tied at 2-2 until the 108th minute, when Messi sneaked through the French defense to score.
Mbappe, on the other hand, launched another sensational counter-attack to tie the game 3-3 in the 118th minute. In addition, he became the first player in 56 years to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Argentina proved to be the better attackers in penalties, scoring in four of their four efforts, while France could only manage two goals. For the victorious team, Gonzalo Montiel scored the game-winning penalty kick.
The triumph puts an end to Argentina’s 36-year wait to reclaim the World Cup. The team had last won the competition in 1986, thanks to Diego Maradona’s remarkable effort.
Messi, who was seen in his final World Cup appearance, has cemented his place among the all-time greats, alongside Pelé and Maradona.
