In the early morning of December 19, Beijing time, in the final match of the World Cup in Qatar, Messi scored twice to help Argentina lead the French team twice.
In the end, the Argentine team defeated the defending champion in a penalty shootout and won the World Cup.
(Qatar World Cup) On-the-spot hit: Lionel Messi, crowned tonight
China News Agency, Doha, December 18th, title: Lionel Messi, crowned tonight
China News Agency reporter Xing Chong
The 35-year-old Messi stood on the podium of the Qatar World Cup champion on the evening of the 18th. Surrounded by his teammates, he held the Hercules Cup high.
The emir of Qatar, Tamim, dressed Messi in the Arabian gold-edged tulle coat used by the Qatari royal family.
Under the bright lights of the Lusail Stadium, Messi was crowned the world champion tonight!
After the goal, Messi imitated Riquelme's celebration and paid tribute to his idol.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Tomita
In the fierce battle that just ended, Messi fought to the last second with the Argentine team he led.
In the first half, Messi made a penalty kick to open the scoring for the team. Di Maria, who returned from injury, scored a strong shot and the Argentine team took a two-goal lead early.
However, the tenacious defending champion France scored two goals to equalize the score more than 10 minutes before the end, dragging the game into overtime.
It was Messi again, who gave his team another lead in the 109th minute with a follow-up shot, but France's top star Mbappe leveled the score again with a penalty shortly afterwards.
The game entered a brutal penalty shootout, and Messi's expression gradually became grim.
The mood of the 88,966 spectators at Lusail Stadium was ups and downs.
On the night of the final, more than 50,000 Argentine fans flocked to Qatar, and the air tickets from Buenos Aires to Doha were sold out early.
In front of the big screen outside the Lusail Stadium, in the fan square of Al Beida Park, and on the most charming Corniche in Doha, there are Argentines wearing blue and white jerseys sitting around.
A girl wearing the Argentine flag in the stands couldn't bear to watch the scene in front of her. She turned her face to the back, her eyes were closed tightly, but a tear flowed from the corner of her eyes.
An Argentine journalist began to pray, saying that he did not want to see a repeat of the scene eight years ago.
After three rounds of the group stage, the Argentine team advanced to the top 16 with two wins and one loss with 6 points.
In the 2014 World Cup, Messi led his team to the final for the first time.
The image of the 27-year-old Messi staring blankly at the World Cup after Argentina fell to the Germans in the final match at the Maracana in Rio was repeated over the years.
One step away, so close, yet so far away, has become a pain in the heart of the Argentines.
Messi said before the final that this is his last World Cup match.
No one can deny Messi's unprecedented accomplishments on the court. He has almost swept all honors, and he is only short of this Hercules Cup to be crowned the real king of the ball.
His predecessor Maradona achieved this feat as early as the age of 26, and has since been regarded as the spiritual totem of Argentina.
It has been 36 years since that cup, and Maradona has unfortunately passed away. The Argentines desperately need a new world-recognized champion.
In the stands, fans held up posters of Maradona.
Tonight, or Messi's last chance.
The Argentine was the first Messi to go to the 12-yard line.
Mbappe, who took the lead in hitting, passed him when he exited the field.
Messi then easily scored the ball, but there was not much expression on his face as he exited the field.
In the early morning of December 19th, Beijing time, the Qatar World Cup final came to an end. The Argentine team defeated the French team with a total score of 7:5 (regular time 2:2, overtime 1:1, penalty shootout 4:2), after 36 minutes. Won the World Cup again in 2011, and won the Hercules Cup for the third time in team history.
The picture shows French team player Mbappé taking a penalty.
In his fifth World Cup campaign, Messi's eyes often have this kind of domineering that makes opponents terrified.
In the first four World Cups, he did not score in the knockout rounds, and now he has become the first player in history to score from the group stage to the 1/8 finals, 1/4 finals, semi-finals and finals in a single World Cup. Leave an unsurpassable record.
The entire Argentine team also wants to achieve Messi.
Argentine goalkeeper Martínez, who stood at the other end of the 12-yard line, said that Messi is in very good condition, even better than when he led the team to win the Copa America last year.
The united Argentine team seized the opportunity. In the penalty shootout, two French players missed in front of the goal guarded by Martinez. The Argentine team scored all four penalties and the Argentine team won!
Messi cried with joy, he rushed to the sidelines and hugged his teammates.
The fans cheered loudly, like Messi, with tears in their eyes.
After the awards ceremony, in the Lussel Stadium, people lifted the man who had reached the pinnacle of football on their shoulders. Many cameras took pictures of him, countless eyes looked at him, and the monitors around the world broadcast his ... All football-related moments belong to Messi's moment and also belong to youth.
"Argentina Don't Cry For Me", perhaps many people will think of this classic song again.
This song was originally written to commemorate the former first lady Evita Veron. Mrs. Veron, who has a high reputation in the Argentine folk, once said: "If I die for Argentina, please remember: Argentina, don't die for Argentina." cry for me."
The song has become the elegy of Argentine football after the Argentine team failed to reach the World Cup final twice before.
But tonight, it is not an elegy, but a release of fiery emotions.
They live for football, they are willing to die for football, they fight to the last second in this fierce battle of life and death, they deserve such a victory.
"Of course, Diego (Maradona) is smiling now." The Brazilian football king Pele, who has been reported to have deteriorated several times, expressed his blessings on social platforms.
Pele said Messi deserved to win his first World Cup title.
"Let me see this trophy, it's so beautiful!" Messi said emotionally.
Tonight, the best player of this era and the planet finally won the Hercules Cup and boarded the "greatest" ship that his predecessors Pele and Maradona had been on.
Lionel Messi, crowned world champion tonight.
(Finish)
