This was the greatest of all-time. The greatest World Cup final of all-time involving the greatest player of all-time and the player who could one day rival him for that honour. The GOAT debate is at an end. Lionel Messi’s place in the pantheon was already assured but he has, at last, crowned it by finally winning the World Cup in what was his fifth and last attempt.
Kylian Mbappe is already set to follow him as the world’s best and he does not turn 24 until Tuesday. Messi scored twice; Mbappe scored a hat-trick – the first in a World Cup ginal since Sir Geoff Hurst for England in 1966 and only the second ever – but it was not enough as France failed to retain the trophy Mbappe had helped them win four years ago, losing 4-2 in an emotional, highly-charged penalty shoot-out with Gonzalo Montiel striking the decisive kick.
There was gamesmanship from Argentina and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez who was the souped-up hero again as he made an incredible save deep into injury-time and then repelled Kingsley Coman in the shoot-out. With the next French kick, he tossed the ball away from Aurelien Tchouameni who was so unnerved he sent his effort wide. It means France have now lost two World Cup finals in penalty shoot-outs, after being defeated by Italy in 2006.
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