In the end, the invisible hand that wrote this screenplay had no mercy.
Maybe it was just that this crazy Lusail final, which in the meantime had turned completely into an evening of madness, had to end with the greatest possible escalation: penalty shoot-out, after both teams had already gone through heaven and hell, but especially the Argentines, who had given up a 2-0 and 3-2 lead.
Christian Kamp
sports editor.
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But they had better nerves from the point, while all four of their shooters scored, first Lionel Messi, last Goncalo Montiel, the French missed two attempts.
Kingsley Coman was denied by goalkeeper Martinéz, Aurelien Tchouameni shot wide – this world champion also failed to successfully defend a title for the first time since 1962.
"We haven't realized it yet," said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. "You get a blow to the neck, but then you come back, that's what it's all about. We're at the top, that's unique." His player Emiliano Martinez admitted: "We suffered incredibly. Actually, we had it under control. Thank God we still made it."
France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris said: “Unfortunately, we only reacted in this final.
It was almost like a boxing match.
The only thing we have to blame ourselves for is that we completely slept through the first half.” And further: “It's always cruel to be on the wrong side, but we gave our all in this tournament from start to finish. French President Emmanuel Macron comforted the defeated team on Twitter: "Les Bleus made us dream," wrote the head of state.
There was no doubt that Argentina's victory was deserved.
But the players in sky blue and white and above all Messi had to suffer like no one before them before they were able to lift the gold cup for the third time after 1978 and 1986 on Sunday evening in front of almost 89,000 spectators on Qatar's national holiday - it was for Messi in his last World Cup game, the culmination of an incomparable career.
Argentina's superstar announced after the final whistle that he wanted to continue his career in the national jersey for a while: "I would like to experience a few more games as world champion," he told Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports.
“I love football, what I do.
I enjoy being in the national team."
They looked like certain winners after 80 minutes after Messi put them ahead with a penalty in the 23rd minute and Ángel di María made it 2-0 (36').
Until that 80th minute, the French had not fired a single shot at the Argentine goal, but then Kylian Mbappé struck twice, first with a penalty kick (80th), Otamendi had brought down Kolo Muani and then with a shot that was a monument could have gone down in French football history (82').
But it was far from the end of this finale for eternity.
In injury time, Messi put the Argentines back in front with his seventh goal of the tournament (108'), but Mbappé countered again, this time with a penalty after Montiel had blocked his shot with his elbow (118').
Two times Messi, three times Mbappé – it was now completely open who would become king.
