La Albiceleste won the 2022 World Cup 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 tie in a thrilling final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
Lionel Scaloni’s side raced into a two-goal lead thanks to Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria before holders France drew level in spectacular fashion thanks to two Kylian Mbappe goals. Argentina took the lead in extra time courtesy of Messi’s goal, but his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappe completed his hat trick from the penalty spot to force a penalty shootout.
As a result, Messi, who was playing in his record 25th and final World Cup match, had a fairytale ending as he lifted the trophy for the first time – the only major honour he had lacked in his career.
This was Argentina’s third World Cup win after finishing on the podium in 1978 and 1986. While France, which won the previous World Cup in 2018, was denied the opportunity to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1962.
Argentina’s only change from their semifinal victory over Croatia was the addition of Di Maria over Leonardo Parades. Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot started for France after missing the semifinal against Morocco due to a virus that afflicted the French squad for the past week.
Argentina looked set to run out comfortable winners after Messi opened the scoring with a penalty in the 23rd minute, and teammate and surprise starter Di Maria doubled their lead shortly after.
Les Bleus, which did not have a single shot until 71 minutes, came alive late in the game and were rewarded when substitute Randal Kolo Muani won a penalty with less than 10 minutes remaining, which Mbappe converted.
Mbappe scored again almost immediately after that, as France won the ball back at the halfway line before eventually feeding the PSG stalwart with a floated pass on the edge of the box, which he volleyed into the bottom right corner, sending the game into extra time.
Argentina appeared to have won in extra time when Messi pounced on a parry from Hugo Lloris, but France equalised before time got over as Mbappe completed his hat trick with another penalty following a Gonzalo Montiel handball, sending the game to a shootout.
Mbappe’s eighth goal in Qatar made him only the second man in history to score a hat trick in a World Cup final, and it helped him beat Messi to the tournament’s Golden Boot award.
Mbappe and Messi converted the first two penalties, but Argentina custodian Emiliano Martinez saved the next two French attempts from Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni before Montiel stepped up and converted to give Argentina a 4-2 penalty win.
