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LUSAIL, Qatar – Lionel Messi did it.
It took a decade and a half, but he did it. It took years of disappointment, a retirement from the Argentina national team, five World Cups, a ton of frustration, the survival of two wild and furious France comebacks and a nerve-shredding penalty shootout on Sunday.
But history will only remember that on a December night in Qatar, the world’s most popular player finally won soccer’s most important trophy, as his country beat France in one of the most thrilling finals in World Cup history.
Messi scored Argentina’s first, and goalkeeper Emi Martinez was once again the hero, saving Kingsley Coman‘s kick before Aurelien Tchouameni missed and then, finally, Gonzalo Montiel sealed it for the South Americans.
It meant all kinds of things. That Argentina would lift the trophy for the third time, and the first since Diego Maradona spearheaded a memorable 1986 triumph. That Messi would end up with seven goals after hitting the target in every game of the knockout rounds.
It meant a remarkable resurrection following an opening game defeat to Saudi Arabia four weeks ago. It meant, and this should not be overlooked, that Argentina’s title came against probably the toughest opponent that fate could have dealt them, reigning champion France.
[Kylian Mbappé wins World Cup 2022 Golden Boot]
More than anything though, it meant that in his final World Cup match, Messi finally got his hands on the iconic trophy, to put the final touch on a career resume that was already enough to put him among the all-time greats and was missing just one thing – this.
For a long, long time, it looked like it was going to be a much simpler coronation than this.
Messi sent Argentina on its way with a successful penalty midway through the first half, before a superb team goal was finished off by Angel di Maria on 36 minutes. However, with 10 minutes of regulation left France superstar Kylian Mbappe took a script that was not to his liking and decided to rewrite it, scoring twice in the space of 97 seconds to tie it up.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores goal vs. France in 23′
In extra-time, Argentina frequently looked spent, only for Messi to aim for his own dream outcome. On 109 minutes, Lautaro Martinez‘s fierce strike was expertly saved by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, but there was Messi, on hand to knock the ball over the line.
But Mbappe, seemingly intent on turning this into a personal duel, leveled it again, drawing a penalty for handball and then converting it with two minutes remaining in the additional period.
Only for the unique intensity of the penalty spot to decide it. To separate two outstanding teams. To clinch the title. And to give Messi, finally, his ultimate destiny.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores goal vs. France in 108′
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Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
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