A crazy game.
The whole world vibrated this Sunday in front of the coronation of Argentina acquired at the end of the suspense (3-3, 4-2 pens) against a brave French team.
The day after this incredible final, the international press returned as it should to the match and especially to the performances of the two monsters of this 2022 World Cup: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
The first of the two, sevenfold Golden Ball, completes his work at the top of the pantheon of football.
Lionel Messi "has planted his flag at the top of Everest", greets The Times.
By scoring two goals, and being voted best player of the tournament, the guide of the Argentine team "now ranks among the greatest of all sports", according to the British daily.
In Italy, the Gazzetta dello Sport headlines "The foot of God", convinced that Messi is "a hyphen with Maradona".
The reason ?
"Messi is a genius in an ordinary body, or rather in a body that has nothing athletic about it."
But "in football, this physique can be enough if you have the head of an artist and the foot of God", adds the Italian newspaper, under a photo of a Messi who exults with joy.
The prima pagina della Gazzetta di oggi:
📷 IL PIEDE DI DIO
The notizie 📷 https://t.co/G5BflE37Nz pic.twitter.com/dPCA6l8oPX
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) December 19, 2022
In Spain, we also celebrate the first star of the former star of FC Barcelona.
According to Marca, the number 10 of the Albiceleste signed "a maradonian performance".
El Pais, another Spanish daily explains that "The 10 reaches glory" after "a life of frustration and mutual incomprehension between him and his country, with two farewells from the national team".
For the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, "Lionel Messi creates an eternal work" by winning "the first title of world champion in a white and blue cathedral".
Even in Brazil, Albiceleste's great rival, the victory of the Argentine "brothers" and the coronation of Messi, "the best" who "greatly deserved to lift the cup", were sportingly mentioned, according to the daily O Globo.
"The 2022 World Cup puts an end to the Messi x CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo) debate and the Argentinian is the best player of the last 50 years", headlines the Brazilian news site Uol, without however daring to compare the star to "King" Pelé .
In Argentina, we necessarily celebrated the title of world champion of the whole selection, but "the Pulga" is very clearly highlighted.
“Eternal glory to Messi”, as the Argentinian sports daily Olé points out.
LA TAPA QUE SOÑAMOS HACER TODA LA VIDA ❤️
¡ARGENTINA CAMPEÓN DE MUNDO!
🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/7U9M29JeVl
— Diario Olé (@DiarioOle) December 19, 2022
Mbappé "for the history books"
The international press has not forgotten the other hero of the evening either, Kylian Mbappé, author of a historic hat-trick in the final (the first for more than 60 years) and top scorer in the competition.
La Gazzetta dello sport salutes the little genius of French football, "a phenomenon unlike anyone" while the Süddeutsche Zeitung pays tribute to the Frenchman and his "individual performance for the history books of football".
Kylian Mbappé gelingt im WM-Finale eine Einzelleistung für die Fußball-Geschichtsbücher.
Und auch wenn am Ende Lionel Messi jubelt, beweist der Franzose, dass ihm die Zukunft gehört.
#SZPlus https://t.co/fYXFCXBopK
— Süddeutsche Zeitung (@SZ) December 18, 2022
In Argentina, the sports daily Olé reminds him that the Albiceleste title has even more value with the performance of the Frenchman: “We are world champions despite Mbappé.
Clarin, another Argentinian newspaper evokes “a final in apotheosis.
Dramatic.
Unforgettable.
It may be incomparable.
With Mbappé in diabolical mode, scoring three goals to save France from a beating”.
However, as the New York Times regrets, “Kylian Mbappé's quest to be considered the best has just been delayed.
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