Argentina triumphed over France in the World Cup final to become FIFA’s 2022 victor in Qatar.
The victory for the South American nation is a stunning turnaround from its performance last month, when Saudi Arabia shocked the world by defeating it 2-1. The setback was short-lived, however, for the prestigious team, led by soccer legend Lionel Messi, who carried it to its first victory since 1986 and its third overall.
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Argentina got off to a commanding start, scoring two goals before halftime. One of those goals was from Messi, while teammate Angel Di Maria scored in a play that New York Times reporter Rory Smith described as “pure poetry.”
The tide of the game appeared to turn well into the second half, when French star Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in just 90 seconds.
The game went into overtime after two 45-minute halves, with the two teams tied at 2-2.
Messi regained Argentina’s lead in overtime, scoring a goal at the 108-minute mark, only to be matched by Mbappe in the 118th minute. Mbappe became the second player in World Cup history to score a hat trick in a final.
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Argentina finally took the crown after scoring four goals in a penalty shootout against France’s two, with players Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missing their shots.
Argentina’s victory was met with ecstasy on the field and in Argentina. Jubilant fans celebrated the nation’s first World Cup victory since 1986.
