Argentina crowned World Champions; Messi and Co beat France in penalty shootout

DOHA: After a 3-3 tie in which Lionel Messi scored twice, Argentina defeated France 4-2 in a penalty shootout to win their third World Cup. A brilliant hat trick by Kylian Mbappe highlighted the game as the defending champions recovered from 2-0 down after 80 minutes.

One of the greatest finals in history was played out to conclude a fantastic tournament on a night filled with amazing drama and shifting fortunes. It seemed that Argentina was cruising to a one-sided victory after Messi's penalty and a brilliant goal by Angel Di Maria in the first half put them in total control. However, Mbappe had other plans as he converted an 80th-minute penalty and volleyed in an equaliser a minute later to take the game to extra time.

Messi once again scored to give Argentina the lead again. However, Mbappe once again levelled with another penalty, becoming the second man to score a World Cup final hat-trick after Geoff Hurst for England 1966.

That took the game to a shootout where Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman's penalty and Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide to give Gonzalo Montiel to chance to win it, which he gleefully took.

It meant that after his record 26th World Cup match, at the fifth and final time of asking, the 35-year-old Messi finally claimed the trophy that he and his nation demanded, lifting him up alongside Diego Maradona after the country’s first football God carried them to their emotional second triumph in 1986 following their first in 1978.