Celebrations rented the world as Merciless Messi messed up France’s hopes of lifting World Cup trophy for the second time in a row.
It was going to be a historic achievement had the Les Blues won the scintillating match, against the Argentina’s La Albiceleste, which was decided on penalty shootouts. The last team to win consecutive World Cups was Brazil, in 1958 and ’62. The only other country to lift the World Cup trophy in consecutive World Cups was Italy, in 1934 and ’38.
Argentina started the game advantaged at the midfield and attacks, as Angel De Maria made swashbuckling raids in the left flank that ultimately resulted in a penalty after he was tripped inside the French’s 18-yard box by Ausmane Ndembele. As it would be expected, Messi stepped up for the spot kick and slotted home the opener. Before the first half break, De Maria was found in an advantaged position – after a well crafted Argentines counter attack, engineered by Messi – reached him, which he made no mistake to burry the ball on the blind side of Hugo Lloris, to award the Messi-led side a two goal cushion before the break.
Things looked to be going the Argentina way until Nicholas Ortamendi committed a faul in their box, which gifted the French with a penalty. Kyllan Mbappe stepped up to take the spot kick, which he scored to resuscitate their hopes of retaining the World Cup trophy. In less than three minutes, the French got another goal through Mbappe, to gain a two-goal parity with the Argentines.
The game that was to end on favour of the Argentina in less than twenty minutes before the final whistle, was now forced to go to the extra time. Again, Messi seemed to have one hand on the World Cup trophy when he pulled one to give Argentina a gleamer hope of lifting World Cup trophy since 1986. However, the French side couldn’t let to slip away from their grip as they were awarded a penalty after an Argentine Nahuel Molina handed a ball inside their box. As usual, Mbappe converted the spot kick to again level the scoreline – at 3-3.
The Mbappe goal made sure that the match proceeded to penalty shootouts. It was at this point that Argentina finally won their third World Cup trophy in the history after French only managed to score two spot kicks against Argentina’s four.
