Luay Ahmed
Argentina are World Champions for the third time, after defeating France in a penalty shootout at the Lusail Stadium.
Right from kick off, Argentina looked like the more determined side, flying into tackles and pressing the French whenever they got on the ball. They took their first effort on goal in the 5th minute, when Mac Allister picked up the ball on the left channel and took a powerful right footed strike which Lloris gathered.
Argentina remained on the front foot. In the 7th minute, a powerful strike by DePaul was deflected out for a corner kick by Varane, but Argentina could not capitalise on the resulting corner.
Argentina’s next opportunity came in the 16th minute when a low De Paul cross from the right wing found Di Maria unmarked, but Argentina’s number 11 could not keep his right footed shot under the bar.
The pressure eventually paid off for Argentina, Di Maria dribbled his way into the French penalty area with Dembele finding himself in the unfamiliar right back position. The French winger hastily shoved Di Maria, and the referee pointed to the spot. Messi stepped up and coolly passed the ball into the net to send the Argentine fans into raptures.
Argentina maintained control of the match, and scored a beautiful team goal in the 36th minute. Messi received the ball in his own half and played a brilliant one touch pass to Alvarez, who in turn slide an inch perfect through ball into the path of Mac Allister who was running through on goal. The Brighton and Hove Albion man rolled the ball across the goal to Di Maria who coolly slotted the ball past Lloris to make the score line 2-0.
Deschamps responded with a double substitution in the 40th minute, taking off Giroud and Dembele and replacing them with Thuram and Kolo Muani – two players who would prove pivotal in a legendary second half that will live on in football folklore.
The first 25 minutes of the second half passed with Argentina generally controlling the game as they had for much of the first half, with the exception of a few half chances which to for Kylian Mbappe who couldn’t find keep his efforts on target.
All of that changed in the 78th minute, when Mbappe was brought down by Otamendi as he ran towards the Argentine goal. The PSG man stepped forward and slotted a penalty past Emi Martinez to put France on the comeback trail.
One minute later, Kolo Muani directed a looping ball towards Mbappe, who took an exceptional first time volley to the far post to level the score-line to the shock of the partisan Argentine crowd at the Lusail Stadium.
Normal time ended with the game tied at 2-2.
In extra time, both teams continued pushing forward, not wanting their fate to be determined by a penalty shootout. Lionel Messi took a long range curling effort which was pawed away by Lloris, and Upamecano produced a last gasp tackle to block a goalmouth effort from substitute Lautaro Martinez.
At the start of the second period of extra time, Argentina made the breakthrough. Lionel Messi bundled the ball into the back of the net, and a goal line clearance from the French defence came a second too late as the referee determined that the ball had crossed the line.
As Argentina tried to hold on to their 3-2 lead, Kylian Mbappe took a shot from outside the box which cannoned off the arm of Montiel. The referee pointed to the spot. In the 116th minute, France’s star man stepped up for his second penalty of the game and made no mistake from the spot, tying the score at 3-3.
A penalty shootout ensued, and Coman and Tchouameni missed their spot kicks for France as Argentina scored all of theirs. Montiel, who gave away the penalty to France stepped up to redeem himself, and scored the fourth and winning penalty – to bring the World Cup back to Argentina for the first time in over three decades.