FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi etches himself into footballing folklore as Argentina lift title in Qatar after 36 years

December 18th, 2022, Lusail Stadium. Every second seems like a minute. Every minute seems like an hour. And every kick of the ball feels like it could change or rewrite footballing history forever.

In the light blue and white corner, Lionel Messi is trying to etch himself into footballing folklore. In the dark blue corner, Kylian Mbappe is trying to lead his nation to successive World Cup crowns – a feat no team has achieved since the 1950s and 60s.

With so much at stake, the footballing gods thought it wasn’t fair on everyone watching to treat them to just 90 minutes of football. Further chaos ensued in extra time, with both Messi and Mbappe scoring. In the end, though, Argentina did just enough to scrape past Les Blues, becoming only the fourth nation in the world to have won the World Cup three times or more.

The moment when a dream becomes reality 🏆#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022

By virtue of that, Messi had the ending he so dearly craved. Mbappe endured the disappointment he thought he had whisked away through individual brilliance. But most importantly, billions of people around the world had seen probably the greatest advert for the sport, and would have understood why this game means so much to so many.

And it all started in the first half…..

Angel Di Maria caps off a stunning tactical masterclass

France, for much of this World Cup, have played relatively narrow defensively. That has allowed them to retain control and against Messi, who does not occupy the wider channels as regularly as he once did, it seemed a good recipe to contain Argentina. The only problem, however, was that Scaloni was on top of it, and he unleashed Di Maria in a role that he had not performed at the World Cup before the final.

The Juventus winger began on the left flank and caused France all sorts of problems. Jules Kounde, because he likes to tuck in, also afforded Di Maria plenty of space. The Argentine thrived, frequently stretching the game.

The ploy to use Di Maria high on the left also allowed Alexis Mac Allister to play centrally, creating numerical superiority in the middle. His tendency to pop up in midfield helped Argentina recycle possession quickly and mount attacks sustainably.

What it also did was expose France’s press. For most of the first half, they tried a medium press, with Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele and Mbappe pressing in a block of four. The idea could have been to cut off the direct supply line for Messi. But with Di Maria operating high on the left flank, and Mac Allister adding another body in midfield, Argentina quite simply played around them or sought Di Maria, even without involving Messi significantly.

Iconic. pic.twitter.com/4HNm6zuzgD

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022

Once that happened, France found themselves chasing and hurtling back towards their own goal. It also left them helpless to stop quick transitions – something that led to the second goal. Argentina pinched the ball on the right wing and after a couple of neat passes, found themselves bearing down on goal. A pass was then slipped into Di Maria, who ran in from the left and finished off a flowing move.

Argentina monopolised possession, hardly giving France an opportunity to get on the front foot. In fact, France registered zero shots on goal in the first half – something no team had ever done in the World Cup final prior to Sunday. That they made two changes before the break summed up their plight.

Kylian Mbappe owns the big occasion, yet again

Mbappe has long been considered as the next behemoth of the footballing ecosystem (many would argue he already is). And those who were unsure of whether Mbappe deserved that tag, they were silenced by a magnificent display after half-time.

Impossible to forget this performance by Kylian Mbappé ⭐️🇫🇷 #Mbappé

Hat trick in a World Cup final.

Also, one more penalty scored.

12 World Cup goals in two editions.

…fair to remember he’s still 23!

Special. pic.twitter.com/izPVDz0MzS

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 18, 2022

While the opening 45 minutes was about France looking disjointed, and Mbappe looking disinterested, the final quarter of normal time was about Mbappe effecting proceedings considerably. He scored a clutch penalty sumptuously struck a volley past Emiliano Martinez to equalise.

One aspect that was visibly different was how often Mbappe was involved. In the first half, it seemed that France were waiting for counter-attacking situations to unleash his pace. After the break, though, he dropped deep, dragged defenders out of position and then outpaced them.

It directly led to the second goal, and many other instances where his teammates enjoyed more space because defenders were occupied by Mbappe. The PSG forward was also sharper in that he passed the ball and moved into space, as opposed to taking on defenders single-handedly and losing possession.

Mbappe playing centrally also made France’s attacking movements more fluid. Cristian Romero and Nicolas Otamendi were comfortable handling Giroud’s aerial threat, but looked a disaster waiting to happen when Mbappe and Randal Kolo Muani were running at them.

In extra time, Mbappe drifting to the left accorded him a shooting opportunity. The shot then struck an Argentinian arm and Mbappe made absolutely no mistake from the spot.

At 23 years of age, he also became the scorer of a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Not many have done that. Not many are capable of doing it. Not many will ever be able to achieve it.

Sunday, though, belonged to another mercurial No.10……

One more Messi moment ft. Emiliano Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel

Leave all tactics aside. Try to forget how Mbappe single-handedly dragged France past the finish line. And just concentrate on this. Messi is now in a galaxy of his own. Away from all the criticism of not winning a World Cup, and very much prevalent when the discussion about the greatest to ever grace this sport will happen.

But if you feel this was an individual achievement, you could not have been more wrong. Martinez, like he did at the Copa America last year, stepped up when Argentina and Messi needed him to. That save at the end of extra time, and then the lunge to deny Kingsley Coman in the shootout. Montiel also had the nerve to step up, hoodwink the keeper, and send millions of Argentinian fans into absolute delirium.

The third nation to win a #FIFAWorldCup Final on penalties 🔥

Watch the 🤯 penalty shoot-out from #FRAARG 📽️#Qatar2022 #WorldsGreatestShow #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/OwAIjHdqi7

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 18, 2022

This is what their World Cup campaign was about. Yes, there were several of those Messi moments, including in the final when he bagged an invaluable brace. But there were other moments that made this Messi moment possible. Di Maria, Mac Allister, Rodrigo de Paul – each deserve a place in the upper most tier of Argentinian sporting history.

And on the pantheon above that, Messi sits alongside the eternal Diego Armando Maradona – as comfortably the greatest player of his generation to win his country the World Cup title. That boy from Rosario now has the world at his feet, just like he was always meant to.

It is as fairy tale a fairy tale could get. It is as absurd a narrative it could get. If it was not Messi, you would not have believed it. But because it is, you do. And his teammates did too. That is why Argentina are now atop the world.

Far, far away from anyone who questioned if they knew what they were doing at this World Cup. And having bent footballing destiny to their liking for the first time since 1986.