France is just one victory away from becoming the third team in history to win back-to-back World Cup titles after Italy and Brazil.
However, in the Qatar World Cup final that ended this morning, the "Gallic Rooster", who was only one step away from defending his title, finally fell before the penalty spot.
The French team once saw the hope of reversing the game, but unfortunately it fell short.
3:3 in overtime and 4:2 in penalty shootout, the French team lost to Argentina led by Messi and missed the opportunity to rewrite history.
In fact, after the return of Rabiot and Upamecano, the French team played with all the main players.
However, throughout the first half, the defending champion did not find the rhythm of the game at all.
To the end of the half, the French team did not even have a shot.
On the other side of the field, Messi and Di Maria scored goals one after another.
Facing the score of 0:2, the passive defending champion encountered the biggest difficulty since the opening of this cup.
The picture shows French player Mbappe (middle) running back to the center circle after scoring a goal
At a critical juncture, coach Didier Deschamps' on-the-spot scheduling was not uncommon. He rarely used up two substitutions in the 42nd minute of the first half and decisively adjusted the striker configuration.
Giroud and Ousmane Dembele were replaced, while Mouani and Marcus Thuram came off the bench.
After the adjustment, the French team recovered in the second half.
In the 79th minute, Otamendi fouled in the penalty area, and Mbappe scored a goal through a penalty kick; in the 82nd minute, the French team played a wonderful match, and Mbappe volleyed the goal with Thuram's assist.
After the equalizer, the morale of the French team was greatly boosted, and the offensive was wave after wave.
The Argentine team, which conceded two goals in a row in a short period of time, was a little at a loss and their formation was chaotic.
The French team, which reversed the situation, got consecutive shooting opportunities, but failed to take advantage of the situation to win the game.
Mbappe celebrates his goal
After entering extra time, Messi's goal helped Argentina go beyond again, but the tenacious French team equalized again before the end.
According to statistics, Mbappe became the second player to perform a "hat-trick" in the World Cup final since England's Hurst in 1966.
With a score of 3:3, the final entered a penalty shootout.
Before this game, the Argentine team had won five of six World Cup penalty shootouts, the team with the most wins in history.
On the other hand, the French team has only two wins in four games, and penalty kicks do not seem to be their area of expertise.
In the last two World Cup knockout matches, the French team solved the problem within 90 minutes.
They are relatively unfamiliar with overtime and penalty shootouts.
Experience determines the final result.
As the team's first penalty shooter, Mbappe and Messi both scored steadily.
However, Coman and Joan Armeni, who played in the French team subsequently, missed penalties one after another and handed over the Hercules Cup.
The picture shows the French team player Mbappe scoring moment
The "Pampas Eagle" tasted the championship again after 36 years, and the French team's dream of defending the title came to naught.
With his "hat-trick" in the final, Mbappe finally won the World Cup Golden Boot with 7 goals.
Unfortunately, his three goals failed to change the team's defeat.
Four years ago, Mbappe's emergence brought the French team the championship; today, four years later, he almost helped the team complete the counterattack.
Although the French team finally hated, Mbappé once again showed his irreplaceable role.
Under heavy pressure, the 24-year-old walked to the penalty spot three times in this final and hit all of them.
The picture shows Mbappe winning the Golden Boot.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
When receiving the Golden Boot, Mbappe looked lonely, which was obviously not the result he wanted.
But judging from the age structure of the French team, they will remain extremely competitive in 2026.
Experience setbacks and grow.
After the superstars of the previous generation are getting old, Mbappe, who has created countless records, is still on the way up the mountain.
(Finish)