Messi wins World Cup, Argentina beats France on penalties (2024)

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LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi, wearing a black Qatari robe over his blue-and-white Argentina shirt, kissed the World Cup, shuffled toward his teammates and hoisted the golden trophy high in the air.

It was an iconic sight that finally — definitively — places the soccer superstar in the pantheon of the game’s greatest players.

Messi’s once-in-a-generation career is complete: He is a World Cup champion.

In probably the wildest final in the tournament’s 92-year history, Argentina won its third World Cup title by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw featuring two goals from the 35-year-old Messi and a hat trick by his heir apparent, France forward Kylian Mbappé.

“It’s just crazy that it became a reality this way,” Messi said. “I craved for this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this (World Cup) was the one.”

Amid the chaos inside Lusail Stadium, Mbappé did all he could to emulate Brazil great Pelé as a champion at his first two World Cups. Even scoring the first hat trick in a final since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966.

It wasn’t enough.

Now there’s no debate. Messi joins Pelé — a record three-time World Cup champion — and Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared, in an exclusive club of the best soccer players of all time.

Who is the greatest? It’s a discussion that will rage forever because there can never be a definitive answer. Messi has put up a good argument, though, and — with the World Cup title on his resume — he is surely above Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player of his generation.

Messi achieved what Maradona did in 1986 and dominated a World Cup for Argentina. He scored seven goals and embraced the responsibility of leading his team out of those dark moments after a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

Playing in the spirit of Maradona, Messi coupled his dazzling skills with rarely seen aggression and led Argentina to the title by becoming the first man in a single edition of the World Cup to score in the group stage and then in every round of the knockout stage.

The torch will one day pass to Mbappé, but not just yet.

“Let’s go, Argentina!” Messi roared into a microphone on the field in the post-match celebrations after playing in a record 26th World Cup match.

Later, he said: “I can’t wait to be in Argentina to witness the insanity of this.”

Messi had a tantalizing glimpse of the 18-carat gold World Cup trophy when walking on the stage to collect the Golden Ball, awarded to the player of the tournament. He even kissed the World Cup and rubbed it repeatedly.

He got his hands on it for good about 10 minutes later, after a ceremonial robe — a bisht — was draped over his shoulders by Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. And, oh, did he enjoy the moment, celebrating with his family and the teammates who put Argentina atop the soccer world for the first time since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. The country’s other title came in 1978 on home soil.

Messi was in scintillating form from the start of the final, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was tripped and later playing a part in a flowing team move that resulted in Di Maria making it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Mbappé, on the other hand, was anonymous until bursting into life by scoring two goals in a 97-second span — one an 80th-minute penalty, the other a volley from just inside the area after a quick exchange of passes — to take the game to extra time at 2-2.

Messi still had plenty of energy and he was on hand to tap in his second goal in the 108th minute, with a France defender clearing the ball just after it had crossed the line. Argentina was on the brink of the title once again, but there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé, after a handball, to take the thrilling game to a shootout.

“We managed to come back from the dead,” said France coach Didier Deschamps, whose team was looking to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962.

Mbappé and Messi took their teams’ first penalties and scored. Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni then missed for France, giving Gonzalo Montiel the opportunity to end it. He converted the penalty to the left and sparked wild celebrations.

“The match was completely insane,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was asked if he had a message for Maradona, who died two years ago.

“If he had been here, he would have enjoyed it so much,” Scaloni said. “He would have been the first person on the field (to celebrate). I wish he’d have been here to enjoy the moment.”

Europe’s run of four straight World Cup winners, dating to 2006, came to an end. The last South American champion was Brazil, and that was also in Asia — when Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament in 2002.

In Qatar, Argentina backed up its victory from last year’s Copa America, its first major trophy since 1993. It’s quite the climax to Messi’s international career, which is not over just yet. He said after the match that he would continue to play with the national team.

It was quite a final for a unique World Cup — the first to be played in the Arab world.

For FIFA and the Qatari organizers, a final between two major soccer nations and the world’s two best players represented a perfect way to cap a tournament laced in controversy ever since the scandal-shrouded vote in 2010 to give the event to a tiny Arab emirate.

The years-long scrutiny since has focused on the switch of dates from the traditional June-July period to November-December, strong criticism of how migrant workers have been treated, and then unease about taking soccer’s biggest event to a nation where hom*osexual acts are illegal.

On Sunday, there was one narrative at play for most people: Could Messi do it?

He could, despite the 23-year-old Mbappé doing all he could to deny his Paris Saint-Germain teammate. Finishing the tournament as the top scorer with eight goals is likely only a crumb of comfort.

Messi has been a man on a mission in the Middle East, determined to erase memories of his only other World Cup final — in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 and Messi squandered a great chance in the second half.

On that night at the Maracana Stadium, Messi stared down at that golden World Cup trophy that escaped him.

Eight years later, he raised it aloft in the biggest moment of a career like no other.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Messi wins World Cup, Argentina beats France on penalties (2024)

FAQs

Did Argentina win the World Cup on penalties? ›

Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to win the 2022 World Cup after a 3-3 draw in a thrilling final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday.

How many penalty kicks did Messi get in the World Cup? ›

He has also become the first male player to score a goal during every stage of the tournament driving Argentina forward. Messi has taken five penalties during the World Cup, converting four of them. Messi continued the game by eking another goal across the line in extra time that put Argentina ahead 3-2.

Did Messi score a penalty against France? ›

By Sanjesh Singh • Published December 18, 2022

Lionel Messi put Argentina up 1-0 over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final on Sunday with a penalty kick in the 23rd minute.

How many penalties did Argentina get in the final? ›

Lugano bemoaned the referee's treatment in favor of the Argentines. "They helped Argentina become champions. Four of the five penalties they were awarded were not penalties," said the 42-year-old former center-back in an interview on Uruguay's Radio Carve.

Why are Argentina so good at penalties? ›

The Argentina national football team has a reputation for being good at penalties because they have historically had some of the world's best penalty takers and goalkeepers. One reason for Argentina's success in penalty shootouts is their emphasis on technical skill and precision in training.

Has Argentina ever lost a penalty shootout? ›

Argentina vs Germany, 2006: Argentina's only defeat in FIFA World Cup shootouts came in 2006 against the shootout experts, Germany in the quarterfinals.

Did Messi lose a penalty in World Cup? ›

He had missed a penalty in the 2018 World Cup against Iceland. He is now tied with Asamoah Gyan for two penalty misses at World Cups.

Who has more goals Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Messi is more than 50 behind Ronaldo when it comes to total career goals (821 vs. 875). But until Saturday the two players had been level on 713 in terms of non-penalty goals. Ronaldo now has 714, including 168 with his left foot.

Did Messi miss World Cup penalty? ›

Argentina captain Lionel Messi on Thursday missed a penalty again in a crucial group match against Poland at Stadium 974 in FIFA World Cup 2022.

Who stopped Messi's penalty? ›

Lionel Messi's penalty kick denied by Wojciech Szczęsny to keep Argentina and Poland scoreless | 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Who saved Messi's penalty? ›

It happened in the 37th minute of the game when a dubious penalty was awarded to the Albiceleste, after a foul by Wojciech Szczesny on the PSG star. Just when it looked like Argentina would take the lead and increase their chances of reaching the next round, Szczesny played the hero and saved Messi's shot.

How many penalties has Messi messed? ›

For those wondering about Messi and his not taking the penalty, his record is not that great. He has missed 31 of his 140 penalties according to Transfermarkt, so 22%.

Who took Argentina last penalty? ›

Lionel Messi's Argentina overcome France in roller-coaster showpiece event concluded by Gonzalo Montiel's spot kick.

Who saved the winning penalty for Argentina? ›

Gonzalo Montiel approached the ball needing to score to clinch the victory, and the 25-year-old defender came through to seal the win. Montiel had the opportunity in large part due to his goalie. Emiliano Martínez came through with a huge save, and France missed a second penalty kick in its first three tries.

Who kicked the winning penalty for Argentina? ›

In the shootout, Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman's effort and Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide. That gave substitute full back Gonzalo Montiel, who gave away the penalty for France's third goal, the chance for the ultimate redemption, which he duly took by calmly sending Hugo Lloris the wrong way.

How many World Cups have been won on penalties? ›

Three times, in 1994, 2006, and 2022, the Men's World Cup title has been decided by a penalty shoot-out. Of the 35 shoot-outs that have taken place in the competition, only two reached the sudden death stage after still being tied at the end of "best of five kicks".

Who scored the winning penalty for Argentina to win the World Cup? ›

Lionel Messi's Argentina overcome France in roller-coaster showpiece event concluded by Gonzalo Montiel's spot kick.

Who kicked the winning penalty goal for Argentina? ›

Ultimately it was substitute Gonzalo Montiel that scored the winning goal to end the dramatic final match of the World Cup. Argentina won the penalty shootout 4-2 after the score remained tied at 2-2 following 90 minutes of play and two periods of extra time.

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