Many feared that the final match between Argentina and France would be pragmatic and not the most spectacular. However, Messi, Mbappe and others put on a performance that everyone will be talking about for years to come. The legendary game, the scenario of which could not be written by the best directors in the world.

France have assembled their best squad for the final

Four years ago, France knocked out Argentina in the 1/8 finals at the World Cup in Russia. Then it seemed that the main star of the Argentines, Lionel Messi, had lost his last chance to become a world champion, because he would be 35 at the tournament in Qatar. But Leo turned 35 years old, and for the second time in his career he reached the final of the world championship. But now, instead of Germany, France was in the way of Messi and company.

France, which looked absolutely invincible both four years ago in Russia and now. Yes, Didier Deschamps’ wards lost to Tunisia in Qatar, but it was in a little decisive group stage match. When the French need it, they turn on in such a way that few people think. Perhaps their only problem could be an epidemic of injuries that wiped out many stars both before and during the tournament. In the team, among other things, the virus was still walking, but by the final, Deschamps had assembled the most combative squad. Mbappe, Giroud, Griezmann, Varane, Rabiot, Dembele – they all entered the field at the start.

The same applies to Argentina. Lionel Scaloni experimented a lot during the tournament with the composition, but in the playoffs, it seems, he decided on those who he bet on. Young talent Julián Alvarez came out again in attack, while Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis McAllister had to control everything in midfield. Entered the field at the start and Angel di Maria, who missed several matches at the World Cup due to injury.

Photo: © Dan Mullan / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Argentina attacked and fully deserved a goal

The meeting started with a clear advantage of the Argentines, who literally squeezed the opponent in his half of the field. McAllister shot well from afar, de Paul had a great moment, who hit from the penalty line, but hit the French defender, and the ball ricocheted not so far from the right post of the Lloris gate. Immediately after that, the goalkeeper of the French national team received an unpleasant injury. Lloris collided with an Argentinean player and could not get to his feet for several minutes. Deschamps got flustered, but fortunately for him, Hugo was able to continue playing.

At the 15th minute, Messi also actively joined the game. Leo received the ball close to the penalty area and had several options for developing an attack, but his pass to Alvarez was unsuccessful and disrupted a dangerous moment. A minute later, Messi already gave it to the right place, as a result of which a chamber from the right flank found Di Maria’s leg in the center of the French penalty area. But, unfortunately for the Argentines, Angel had to hit with his right foot, and the ball flew above the gate.

The French, in the first 20 minutes, were remembered only by Giroud’s header after a free-kick, but Olivier struck higher, and also broke the rules. Argentina continued to push. And this time another attack paid off. Di Maria easily beat Dembele on the flank, broke into the penalty area and was frankly knocked down by Ousmane. No one had any doubts about the penalty.

Of course, Messi went to punch a blow from the “point”. Leo did not always score a penalty in important games, so the whole of Argentina stood in anxious anticipation. However, they worried in vain. The captain of the Argentines did not leave a single chance to Lloris and brought his team ahead – 1:0. And at the same time he also came out ahead in the scorers dispute, before the final he and Mbappe had five goals scored.

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Argentina’s second goal and Deschamps’ double substitution

The French found themselves in a situation that was not too typical for them. In the playoffs, they have not yet been in the role of a winning side. Deschamps had to figure out how to deal with the ball control issue of the Argentines, who clearly had the initiative in midfield. Minutes later, the whole of Argentina was in the grip of a nasty clash involving Messi and Theo Hernandez. But Leo still managed to get up and continued the game.

The French still could not do anything with the opponent. They simply were not visible – neither Mbappé, nor Giroud, nor Griezmann. Dembele scored one action, but it led to a penalty against his team. Argentina continued to dominate and logically scored the second goal. Scaloni’s wards came out of defense brilliantly, Messi famously gave the right flank to McAllister, who cut the pass to di Maria. Angel had only not to ruin this brilliant attack, and he coped with this task – 2:0.

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Deschamps took the unexpected step of making a double substitution before the break. Moreover, he changed Giroud and Dembele, releasing Colo-Muani and Thuram instead. At first glance, the decision might seem strange, but both Giroud and Dembele frankly failed the first half. Mbappe also played unsuccessfully, but not a single coach in the world would dare to change him.

Before the break, the French managed to move the game closer to the gates of Argentina, but they failed to create any killer moments. In plus, they can only bring a yellow card from the central midfielder of the Argentines Enzo Fernandez, who now had to act much more carefully.

France tried but in vain

In the second half, France tried to take possession of the ball, but in the first minutes after the break, the picture of the game did not change. Argentina still acted much more confidently, and Mbappe broke the rules more often than attacked dangerously. In the 50th minute, de Paul completed the combination well, but Lloris was in place. The Argentine midfielder soon found himself back in the spotlight when Rabiot fouled him roughly and received a well-deserved yellow card.

Photo: © Michael Regan – FIFA / Contributor / FIFA / Gettyimages.com

Toward the middle of the second half, Scaloni’s wards began to play more on the counterattack, but at the same time they still looked sharper than the opponent. Alvarez, Messi and McAllister had a good chance to finish everything, but the French, led by Lloris, held on and kept the intrigue. In the 64th minute, Scaloni replaced di Maria, who was a little tired after a great first half. Just over 20 minutes remained before the coveted title of Messi and the company.

Deschamps meanwhile made another double substitution. Instead of Griezmann and Hernandez, Coman and Camavinga appeared on the field. Thus, only Kylian Mbappe remained from the main line of attack for France. Griezmann, Giroud and Dembele could no longer help their team. And it said a lot about what is happening on the field.

Show mbappe. How he does it?

Nothing boded ill for Argentina, which, along with Messi, went to the long-awaited title that would allow Leo to forever end the debate about his greatness in football. And then Mbappe finally woke up. The Frenchman turned the whole course of the game over in two minutes. First, Kilian converted a penalty for a foul on Colo-Muani, and then equalized the score in the very next attack – 2:2. The French played a “wall” at the entrance to the penalty area, Thuram gave it to Mbappe, who hit the goal of Martinez. Fiction! Nobody expected this.

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Argentina, which dominated the field until the 80th minute, almost gave the victory to the opponent in the next 120 seconds. And it is important to note the work of Deschamps. The substitutions, which seemed strange in the first half, eventually worked 100%, because both Colo-Muani and Thuram played their role in both goals. The French, on a wave of emotions, ran to score the third goal, but the game still went into extra time. I wanted to watch this kind of football endlessly.

Madness in extra time

What was happening strongly resembled the match between Argentina and the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Then the Argentines also confidently led with a score of 2:0, but in the end they managed to concede twice. At the same time, the Scaloni team did not even think of breaking up, although it was quite obvious that at such moments the psychological advantage goes to the opponent. In extra time, the Dutch narrowly escaped defeat and lost already in the penalty shootout.

The Argentines did not stick out in the overtime of the final match either. Lautaro Martinez entered the field very well, who frankly failed this World Cup. But at a crucial moment, the Inter forward created one moment after another. It was he who, in the 109th minute, struck from an acute angle on the gates of Lloris. The French goalkeeper saved the ball, but Messi was the first on the rebound, who again put Argentina ahead – 3:2. And again he caught up with Mbappe in the list of scorers, both had seven goals scored. It’s just some kind of cosmic level, forgive me for this stamp. But there is no other way to describe the game of these forwards.

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If you thought this was the end of it, you are wrong again. Three minutes before the end of extra time, Mbappe earned a penalty and converted it himself – 3:3. Complete madness!

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Interchange. Messi is the world champion!

As a result, the fate of the World Cup was decided in a penalty shootout. Emiliano Martinez vs Hugo Lloris. Leo Messi vs Kylian Mbappe. Latin America vs Europe. Mbappe and Messi converted their shots, but Coman could not beat Martinez. Then Tchuameni managed to shoot past, but the Argentines did not miss and won with a score of 4:2. All. Argentina is the world champion. Messi is the world champion.

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Perhaps, there has not been a more beautiful history in football in recent years. Leo has earned this award throughout his career, and Mbappe will have more than one World Cup to become an equally great footballer. In the meantime, Buenos Aires will be walking, not Paris.