QATAR: Argentina won their third World Cup in extraordinary style on Sunday, beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the holders recovered from 2-0 down after 80 minutes.
Argentina took a 2-0 lead via Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria, it was Kylian Mbappe, who got France back with a brace inside 97 seconds in the second half. Messi would find the net once again in extra time but France hit back via another goal from Mbappe from the spot.
It was an incredible night of drama and fluctuating fortunes, delivering one of the all-time great finals to cap a wonderful tournament.
The Lusail Stadium hosted what will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, World Cup finals of all time. Argentina was cruising for much of the match until Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty and scored a sensational equaliser to force the game into extra time.
That led to more insane football as chances flew around at both ends. Messi scored late in the second half of extra time to seemingly win it for Argentina, only for them to concede a penalty mere seconds later.
The flawless Mbappe converted that as well, thus becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the final of a World Cup. And yet, he ended up on the losing side, with Argentina winning the penalty shootout.
France coach Didier Deschamps reverted to his preferred lineup after centre-back Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot shook off a virus that had ruled them out of the semi-final against Morocco. Upamecano starts alongside Raphael Varane after the Manchester United defender also recovered from a virus, while Olivier Giroud starts up front flanked by Kylian Mbappe on his left and Ousmane Dembele on his right.
