Lionel Messi led Argentina to overcome a French rally from Kylian Mbappe’s hat trick for Argentina’s third World Cup victory in a penalty shoot-out following a 3–3 draw in extra time, on Dec. 18 in front of 88,966 fans at Lusail Stadium in Lusail City, Qatar.
Argentina won its first World Cup since Diego Maradona’s 1986 victory in dramatic fashion, dominating the first half, controlling the midfield, and shutting out France from any shots, maintaining 60 percent of the possession while scoring two goals on six total shots.
Messi was awarded the Golden Ball (player of the tournament), bolstering the argument that he is the greatest player in the sport’s history by winning his first World Cup—in his fifth appearance. Messi had been heavily criticized for Argentina’s lack of success during Messi’s tenure.
Messi, 35, was tied with fellow Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappe for the most goals coming into the Final.
The Golden Boot award for the top goal-scorer of the tournament would be awarded to Mbappe with three goals on the day for a total of eight in the tournament.
Argentina’s 34-year-old DiMaria was most valuable in the first half, making a stunning move around Ousmane Dembele in the box, and was rewarded with a penalty kick as Dembele pushed DiMaria from behind.
Messi would convert the penalty kick, 1–0, in the 23rd minute to the right corner, waiting for Hugo Lloris to dive to the left.
“I think both teams never gave up in that final,” said Lloris. “Twice we came back...but it’s football. When its doesn’t go [your way,] you have to accept [it] and think about yourself...and come back stronger.”
Messi became the first player in history to score in every round of a World Cup including the Finals.
Argentina would increase its lead to 2–0 with a counterattack concluding with Messi making a wall pass outside to McAllister, who assisted DiMaria’s goal with a first-time shot to the bottom-right.
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina’s manager, positioned Alexis Mac Allister to negate France’s primary playmaker, Antoine Griezmann, thus limiting the attacking opportunities of Mbappe until his first shot in the 71st minute.
French manager Didier Deschamps made substitutions in the 42nd minute, bringing in Marcus Thuram for Olivier Giroud, and Randal Kolo Muani for Dembele.
Mbappe got France back in the match in the 79th minute, converting on a penalty to the lower-left corner, powering past the fingertips of a diving Emiliano Martinez—a result of Nicolas Otamendi taking down Kolo Muani on a break-away.
Mbappe equalized the match a minute later with a spectacular shot from a volley from the left-center of the box to the lower-right corner of the goal, powering past the left palm of Martinez.
France continued to pressure Argentina through the remainder of the match, forcing Martinez to make his first save in the 90+4th minute from Adrien Rabiot.
Lloris saved Messi’s blast from the top of the box in the 90+6th minute; regulation would conclude with end-to-end attacks from both teams.
France made desperate defensive saves at the end of the first half of extra time when Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel’s shot was blocked by a diving Dayot Upamecano in the 105th minute—immediately followed by Lautaro Martinez’s missed shot wide left.
Messi gave Argentina its 3–2 lead with a goal in the 108th minute from meticulous passing, barely avoiding an off-side.
Raphael Varane was completely exhausted, falling to the ground following a defensive clearing of the ball in the 112th minute, and was substituted for Ibrahima Konate—both teams would expend all possible substitutions by game’s end.
Mbappe again equalized the match 3–3 with a hat-trick in the 117th minute from another penalty kick as his shot was blocked inside the top of the box by the right elbow of Montiel—surpassing Brazil’s Ronaldo and Pele, and Messi, with eight goals for the most in a World Cup tournament.
France had a golden opportunity in the 122nd minute as Randal Kolo Muani had a break-away shot that was blocked by Martinez.
In the penalty shoot-out, Mbappe again succeeded scoring to the left, followed by Messi beating Lloris for the second time.
Martinez saved France’s second penalty kick from Kingsley Coman diving to the left, followed by Aurelien Tchouameni missing to the left—Kolo Muani was France’s other successful penalty-taker.
Argentina sealed the victory with four total penalties made—others made by Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, and Montiel.
The defending champions, France, was impacted by a virus in the camp since before the semi-finals, as well as missing their Ballon'Dor winner Karim Benzema alongside Antoine Conte and Paul Pogba.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
