Argentina vs france

Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on penalty kicks as an epic clash played out during a pulsating 3-3 draw in normal time, as Lionel Messi won his legacy defining World Cup. The GOAT debates are now over. Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time. This final may have been the greatest sporting event of all time. [ MORE: The victory secured Argentina’s third World Cup title in their history and their first since 1986. It is Lionel Messi’s first World Cup title as the 35-year-old was mobbed by his teammates at the final whistle amid tears, relief and unbridled joy. This is what it is all about. And this game delivered one of the greatest sporting finals of all time as for just the third time in history, the World Cup was decided on penalty kicks. WATCH FULL REPLAY Lionel Messi scored the opener and set up the second for Angel di Maria as Argentina were 2-0 up at half time but with 10 minutes of normal time to go Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty and then smashed home another soon after to make it 2-2 and send the game to extra time. Messi put Argentina 3-2 up late in extra time as it looked like he had won it, again, for Argentina. But then Mbappe won another penalty kick and finished it to score a hat trick and make it 3-3 as he became just the second player in history to score a hat trick in the World Cup final. [ LIVE: World Cup 2022 schedule, how to watch, scores, hub ] Both teams had chances to win it in regulation but then Emiliano Martinez was the hero as he sa...

• Argentina win World Cup • Beat France on penalties • Enzo Fernandez named best youngster WHAT HAPPENED? The 21-year-old midfielder has won the Best Young Player of the Tournament award at World Cup 2022. The Benfica starlet played in all seven of Argentina's games in Qatar as La Albiceleste won the World Cup for a third time. THE BIGGER PICTURE: Fernandez beat off competition from players such as Jude Bellingham, Goncalo Ramos and Aurelien Tchouameni to scoop the award after an impressive tournament. The youngster only made his international debut in September but forced his way into the starting XI in Qatar after coming off the bench and WHAT THEY SAID? Argentina captain Lionel Messi was full of praise for Fernandez after the Mexico win. "I know Enzo very well, here from the national team and I also played against him in the Champions League," he told reporters afterwards. "He deserves it, because he’s a spectacular kid and a very important player for us." DID YOU KNOW? Fernandez led all players for touches (118), successful passes (77) and tackles (10) in the final. His 10 tackles were the most of any player in a World Cup final since Gennaro Gattuso in 2006 (15). IN THREE PHOTOS: Getty Getty Getty WHAT NEXT FOR FERNANDEZ? The midfielder will return to Benfica after the World Cup but Editors' Picks • • • • •

Argentina won the shootout 4-2 after a spectacular game which developed into the much-anticipated confrontation between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France opposite number Kylian Mbappe. France's own superstar scored a hat-trick - the first in a Fifa World Cup final since 1966 - but still ended up on the losing side at Lusail Stadium. Messi looked to be securing the one major honour missing from his glittering collection in comfort as Argentina cruised into a two-goal lead. This all changed when an explosive intervention from Mbappe, who scored two goals inside two minutes late on, turned this frantic, magnificent match for the ages on its head. Messi had given Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute following Ousmane Dembele's foul on Angel di Maria. It made him the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of a single tournament. He then contributed a delicate touch within a magnificent counter-attack that ended with Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister setting up Di Maria for the second 13 minutes later. • 'Now hard to argue against Messi being football's greatest' • World Football in Qatar podcast: Argentina rejoices as Messi matches Maradona • 'Breathless, staggering and magnificent' - was final one of best ever? • Messi's World Cup trophy lift provides iconic image Messi lifts the World Cup trophy for Argentina Argentina were untroubled until the closing stages, only for Mbappe t...

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup final against France, beating the defending champion during a penalty kick shootout after the teams reached full time with a 3-3 tie. The game had headed into 30 extra minutes in a 2-2 tie. Argentina scored four of the penalty kicks to France's two. The anticipated match marked Argentina started off strong in Sunday's match, and had gained a 2-0 lead over France by half-time. Both Messi and Angel Di Maria scored goals during the first half of the game, with Messi scoring on a 23rd-minute penalty kick after a foul on Di Maria. Thirteen minutes later, Di Maria scored after finishing off a five-pass team move involving a deft flick from Messi. France's Kylian Mbappé scored his team's first goal in the 71st minute, and quickly followed up with another. Mbappé scored the team's third goal on a penalty kick, becoming only the second player to perform a hat trick — scoring three goals during a single match — in a World Cup final. Despite France's loss, Mbappé was awarded the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goal-scorer. Di Maria, who started for the first time since sustaining a foot injury during Argentina's match against Poland in the final round of group games, took the place of Leandro Paredes in the midfield as the team again rolled out a 4-4-2 formation, with Messi leading as one of two forwards. Mbappé started up front for France alongside Olivier Giroud, who had overcome a minor knee injury. Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot also starte...