Argentina have won the 2022 World Cup, led by Lionel Messi, who kicked off Los Albicelestes’ first half with a penalty, and then followed it up with a delectable pass that began one of the best counter-attacking goals seen at a World Cup final. And then of course Argentina’s final goal in extra time, and their first goal in the penalty shootout.
As pundit Mark Bosnich said at halftime of the 2022 World Cup final: “who dares wins.” Argentina dared all right. Manager Scaloni’s brave move to start Di Maria (and put him on the left wing) paid dividends after he turned around Dembele, who had been pinned back all game, at the corner flag and then raced into the box to draw a penalty.
Lionel Messi then stepped up, the weight of 45.81 million people on his shoulders, and slotted home the penalty (after looking very nervous), as casually as you might shut your underwear drawer. This put him above Mbappe in this year’s race for the Golden Boot at the World Cup (momentarily, before Mbappe got his hatrick).
This wasn’t even the best thing Messi did. He also shook himself better after getting in a nasty collision while doing defensive work and provided the key pass in one of the better counter-attacking goals we’ve seen all World Cup.
One of the best World Cup final goals?#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/OUzgFrtC9G
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) December 18, 2022
Mbappe then got France back in it with two goals in two minutes late in the second half, taking the game to extra time (with Messi actually losing the ball for France’s second goal). Then, in the second half of extra time, Messi scored. It wasn’t his best goal, but it was a historic moment, and he showed the killer instinct of a striker.
Comments from the commentary team included: “It had to be him” and “With the greatest respect to Cristiano Ronaldo, the greatest player of his generation.”
It wasn’t over there though with Mbappe completing an unbelievable hatrick (for a time he really stole the show) to send the game to penalties at 3-3. In penalties, Mbappe and Messi both scored their teams’ respective first spot kicks, but then France fell apart.
Lionel Messi has now scored 13 goals in 26 matches at the World Cup throughout his career. He has scored seven of those goals at Qatar 2022, two of which came today. Just another day in the life of a GOAT.
Lionel Messi’s first World Cup game pic.twitter.com/xkA2lATYYO
— GOAL (@goal) December 16, 2022
Messi scored his first World Cup goal at the 2006 World Cup in Germany against Serbia and Montenegro in Argentina’s second Group C match, at 18 years and 357 days old. He’s now 35 and a World Cup winner. How time flies.
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