Lionel Messi led Argentina to a World Cup win on penalties, halting a Kylian Mbappe inspired comeback in what will go down as an all-time classic final.
Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty after Emiliano Martinez saved from Kingsley Coman and Aurelian Tchoumeni fired wide.
It was a clash of two superstars as Messi scored two goals and Mbappe got a hattrick.
Messi and Angel Di Maria had put Argentina ahead and an uncharacteristically poor France did not look capable of coming back.
If France’s sluggish performance was due to a virus, Mbappe was the vaccine. Two goals in two minutes saw the game turn on its head with 10 minutes to go and send the game to extra time.
The additional period was a microcosm of the first 90 minutes. Messi fired Argentina ahead again after Hugo Lloris parried a Lautaro Martinez shot. However, Mbappe once again converted from the spot after a handball.
Both teams had the chance to secure victory before it went to penalties. Martinez saved fantastically from a Randal Kolo Muani shot before the South Americans countered and Lautaro Martinez headed wide.
A thrilling encounter finally ended as Argentina scored all their penalties to deliver them the World Cup.
Messi has finally collected the trophy that meant so much, all the previous heartache has been banished, replaced with the scenes of celebration on the turf of the Lusail stadium.
