10 most powerful images from the FIFA World Cup final as Lionel Messi ends GOAT debate
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, earned a victory over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, December 18, to be crowned champions.
La Albiceleste got their FIFA World Cup run off to a disappointing start, losing to Saudi Arabia in their opener. However, they managed to turn their campaign around and go on to win the trophy in Qatar.
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Argentina and France played out an entertaining match in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday. Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for Les Bleus, while Lionel Messi (twice) and Angel Di Maria netted for the South American champions.
Messi and Co. then sealed the World Cup on penalties after Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France. While the triumph sparked off incredible celebrations in the Argentina camp, Mbappe, despite his heroics, was left dejected.
Here are the 10 most powerful images from the FIFA World Cup final:
#1 Lionel Messi completes football trophy haul
The FIFA World Cup was one trophy that evaded Lionel Messi for most of his career. The 35-year-old, though, set the record straight on Sunday, leading Argentina to glory in Qatar.
#2 So near, yet so far!
Kylian Mbappe almost single-handedly pulled France back into the game against Argentina. He became the first player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final in 56 years and edged past Messi to bag the Golden Boot. However, the trophy he wanted proved to be out of his reach.
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#3 When Diego beamed from the heavens
Argentina's victory over France in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday saw them finally end their 36-year-long wait to get their hands on the trophy. La Albiceleste wished their hero Diego Maradona was there to witness the triumph, but he surely must have been beaming from the heavens.
#4 You shall not pass ft. Emi Martinez
Lionel Messi did most of the heavy lifting for Argentina, but one cannot ignore Emiliano Martinez's role in the team's road to glory. Apart from stopping Coman's penalty in the shootout, he pulled out a world-class save to deny Randal Kolo Muani a winner in the dying seconds of extra time.
#5 So good they named him Angel
Angel Di Maria scored the winner in Argentina's Copa America final against Brazil last year. He stepped up for his nation once again on the big stage, producing a solid performance and netting a goal. For Messi and the Argentineans, he is indeed an angel.
#6 The king and the heir
At 35 years of age, Messi is nearing the end of his journey, while Mbappe, 23, is still in the early stages of his career. The Frenchman already has the world at his feet and could go on to dominate world football in the years to come.
#7 The architect
Lionel Scaloni's time with Argentina as a player was not impressive by any means, having made just seven appearances. He, though, is now the man who led the side to their first World Cup trophy in almost four decades.
#8 The million-dollar shot
Argentina's World Cup journey came down to this moment, with Gonzalo Montiel stepping up to take the team's fourth penalty. The full-back put the disappointment of conceding a late penalty behind him and slotted the ball past Hugo Lloris to win the trophy for his side.
#9 Proof that Leo is human, just like all of us
Lionel Messi has often left fans in awe of his footballing abilities during his career, making us wonder if he is from another planet. However, as he shared a heartwarming moment with his family after the FIFA World Cup final, he proved to us that he is indeed human, just like all of us.
#10 The undisputed GOAT's crowning moment
Qatar ruler Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani draped Lionel Messi in a traditional Arabian robe 'Bisht' before he lifted the World Cup trophy. While many deemed it unnecessary, one could view it as the crowning moment of the undisputed GOAT.