Argentina came world champions in perhaps the most dramatic and entertaining final, in Qatar on Sunday. A hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe was not enough for France to defeat Argentina, inspired by Lionel Messi and helped by Emiliano Martinez’s gamesmanship, in the decisive penalty shootout.

After the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, the pressure to deliver Messi a world title before his retirement, and the almost four decades since their last World Cup triumph, it was perhaps no surprise that crowds flocked to receive the triumphant players.

The convoy left at 11:40am from the AFA stadium, and started their journey past attendees, some of whom had waited 24 hours for the occasion

However, soon it became clear that it was impossible to make progress through the oceans of fans, and they decided instead to continue their journey by helicopter.

Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia explained the decision.

“They don’t let us get to greet all the people who were at the Obelisk, the same security agencies that escorted us don’t allow us to move forward,” he wrote.
“A thousand apologies on behalf of all the champion players. A shame.”

Before the journey was stopped, manager Lionel Scaloni and the Argentine players sang from an open top bus, with a strong security presence given the sheer numbers of the public around them.

They had arrived from Qatar at 2.30am that morning and went to the AFA (Argentine Football Association) offices in Ezeiza to rest before the celebrations kicked off.

However with the intensity of the celebrations around them, with reports of some fans attempting to jump onto the bus from a bridge above part of the route, the motorcycle patrols alongside were deemed insufficient to keep the players safe and able to get to the eventual destination.

That led to players instead travelling via air.

The squad landed in Buenos Aires at around 2am and were greeted at the airport by officials and a live band.

Lionel Messi, who won the Golden Ball for best player in Qatar, was one of the first off the plane along with the World Cup trophy.

The team departed on an open-top bus and were met on the streets by thousands of cheering supporters waving flags.

The players will reportedly spend the evening at the Argentina Football Association (AFA) training ground before a parade through Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

“The world champion squad will leave on Tuesday at noon for the Obelisk to celebrate the world title with the fans,” the AFA said on its official Twitter account.

Many fans camped out at the training ground to catch a glimpse of the team as they arrived.

Tuesday has been declared a national holiday in Argentina in celebration of winning a third World Cup title.

It is Argentina’s first World Cup win since Diego Maradona led the team to victory in 1986.

This time it was Messi who inspired Argentina with seven goals and three assists.

“It’s just crazy that it became a reality this way,” said Messi after Argentina beat France on penalties in the final.

“I craved this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this was the one.”

Messi was nearly taken out on the bus journey.

The Paris Saint-Germain player was sitting at the back with a group of players and they all had to quickly duck to avoid an overhead cable.

Argentina seemingly kept the party going on their flight from Qatar.

Striker Lautaro Martinez was seen playing a drum on the plane while others wore sunglasses as the celebrations from the final continued.

The Premier League players in the squad, including Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez, Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, and Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, will not have long in Buenos Aires before heading back to England.

The Premier League resumes with games on December 26.

France were also welcomed back by large crowds on their return to Paris after the final.

Around 50,000 people gathered at the Place de la Concorde and players showed their appreciation by waving from the balcony of a hotel.

TUESDAY’S BIG STORIES

AU REVOIR KARIM

For a man who didn’t play a single minute at the World Cup, Karim Benzema has had a rollercoaster of a month. Injured on the eve of the tournament, he first had to watch his replacement, Olivier Giroud, be hailed as the key to unlocking Kylian Mbappé. Are France better without Benzema, we all asked. Better balanced, better equipped to defend their title. And didn’t we all feel clever, embracing the counter-intuitive like that.

Then we all watched Giroud get dragged off before half-time in the final.

‘What if Benzema had been fit?’ is an interesting question, and one that may nag at French football for some time to come. Certainly, and thinking just about the final, it’s hard to imagine him being as remarkably peripheral as Giroud. Benzema is a more complete footballer, much better placed to drop deep and ask his midfield some questions. Like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ Or, ‘Has anybody seen Antoine Griezmann? Short lad, grey hair. He was supposed to be here.’

And maybe ‘What if Benzema was secretly fit but Deschamps had sent him home?’ is going to get big on the internet, because games as ridiculous as that one produce conspiracies the way dark, damp corners produce mushrooms. Was he even there? Do you remember seeing Benzema on the bench? Or in any of the crowd shots? We don’t. Possibly because our brain was leaking out of our ears, but that’s not the point. France didn’t have a major internal row during the tournament. Perhaps afterwards is a good moment.

Or perhaps not, since it’s a moot point now. Benzema announced his international retirement yesterday. A picture of him in his France kit, captioned “I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I’m proud of it! I have written my story and ours is ending.” Plus, you know, he turned 35 yesterday.

If this is indeed the end of his international career, it’s one of the oddest we can think of. He’s got 97 caps and 37 goals, which puts him 10th and fifth on France’s all-time men’s lists, despite not playing for almost six years; he’s been one of the best strikers in the world in a period when France have won the World Cup, and the only winner’s medal he’s got came from the 2021 Nations League. We don’t have space here to get into the rights and wrongs of his long exile, but it certainly cost him the chance to turn some excellent numbers into some extraordinary ones.

But. But, but, but. We may just be falling prey to another strand of conspiratorial thinking, but this feels like a door being left slightly ajar. We’re guessing there’s no way back for Benzema if Deschamps continues in post, but if the anticipated handover to Zinedine Zidane comes? A fresh start for everyone! Clean slates all round. And what’s 35, these days, between old friends? Giroud is 36, and he was the perfect solution right up until the moment he absolutely wasn’t. At the very least, having not won all those caps when he could have done, there’d be a nice symmetry if Benzema picked up a few more after he was done.

THE HIT PARADE

We love the FIFA rankings. We love them because they are one of the more reliable sources of emergent comedy in the game: whenever anything spectacular happens, the rankings will be along shortly afterwards to make you smile. We imagine a shy, earnest young man, coughing politely, asking you to put down your flare and have a look at this clipboard. It has tables. It has graphs. Acronyms are coming.

So! Ahead of the official publication this week, we’d like to offer our congratulations to Brazil, who are still officially the best team in the world. That ought to cheer Neymar up, right? Right? He’s not answering our calls. Probably too busy celebrating.

The beauty of the rankings is that they function in a manner entirely at odds with the actual sport they purport to measure. International football is a thing of cycles, a churn of relatively low stakes games and then, every couple of years, a sudden rush of the most ludicrously important games that anybody’s ever played. The rankings, meanwhile, take a long view. Brazil are better than Argentina because they have turned in strong results through qualifying and in the early stages of tournaments, and because Argentina are coming up from a lower position. But it’s Argentina that have the Copa América and the World Cup. It’s Argentina that is two days into a four-year party.

There are a few more intuitive outcomes from the World Cup. Morocco are up to 11th, England are spinning their wheels in fifth, Spain have dropped to 10th and Germany are all the way down in 14th. Wales have dropped a whole nine places, and Denmark eight, which in both cases feels about right. And no rankings chat would be complete without a shout for Belgium, who are [drum roll] still the fourth best team in the world. Bobby Martinez, you’re a genius.

IN OTHER NEWS

Three o’clock in the morning in Argentina, and the open-top bus parade has already begun. None of these people have been to bed. None of these people are going to bed.

RETRO CORNER

Of all the various times that Argentina should have won the World Cup, between Maradona in 1986 and Messi in 2022, their misadventure in 2002 may be the oddest of the lot. South American qualification is, traditionally, something between a slog and a nightmare, and yet Argentina steamrollered the whole affair. They played 18 games, won 13 of them, and lost just once, finishing 12 points ahead of Ecuador and 13 ahead of Brazil. They scored 42 goals and conceded just 15. They were brilliant. Here they are beating Colombia. Yes, that is Marcelo Bielsa.

And then they got to the World Cup, lost to England, couldn’t beat Sweden, and didn’t get out of the group. Meanwhile Brazil romped to the trophy. It’s a cruel business.

HAT TIP

But where Marcelo Bielsa failed, Lionel Scaloni succeeded. Here’s Tim Vickery over at ESPN, looking at the other Lionel, the coach that has been improvising, tweaking, and gambling his way through the tournament. After they beat Italy in the Finalissima back in June, everybody knew they had a chance. And everybody knew that Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martínez were going to be absolutely crucial.

“In tournament football, once the action gets underway, it is like time speeds up — no one remembers warm-up friendlies or qualifying matches. … Without undue panic, [Scaloni] reacted to the shock opening day defeat to Saudi Arabia with a sequence of changes that have been largely wise and successful. A vital one was the decision to replace Lautaro Martinez up front with Julian Alvarez. Messi was going to be more of a sporadic figure than Scaloni had planned, and so the extra mobility of Alvarez was a necessity. The entry of 21-year-old Enzo Fernandez into the midfield was a masterstroke.”

OTHER HAT TIP

A note here for one of the World Cup’s unsung heroes: whoever is in charge of getting guest columnists over at The Athletic. Juanma Lillo was great fun a couple of weeks ago, and now here’s Leeds manager Jesse Marsch explaining his grand unified theory of emotion, trust, and Argentinian excellence.

“Football means so much to the community, giving everyone an opportunity to find something else in life. So yeah, they have talent and of course, Argentina winning the World Cup final yesterday will be framed around Lionel Messi’s brilliance, but what you saw in Qatar was a working-person’s team grinding it out in whatever way they had to, solely focused on the prize. They’re a team that Argentinians will be proud of because of that hard-working, grassroots attitude.”

Although if we’re being honest, the real revelation comes when Marsch reveals how he planned to watch the final. Get some mates over? Have a little viewing party, get the fromage and the Malbec flowing? No. “As it started I was going through video clips of the friendly we at Leeds United had against Real Sociedad on Friday, but by half-time, I’d stopped and put my computer away.”

Come on, man. Come on.

The FIFA president has been emboldened by the perceived success of the heavily-criticised Qatar World Cup, which generated record revenues of £6.2 billion, and sees a three-year cycle as the next logical step in the continued growth of international football.

No change can be implemented until 2030, but the proposal would receive some substantial push back from CONMEBOL and UEFA, who rebutted previous attempts to make the World Cup a biannual event.

The Mail added that FIFA declined to comment on the report.

The previous two-year concept was fronted by Arsene Wenger.

At that time, FIFA ran a survey that asked a sample of 15,000 fans how often would you like to see the FIFA World Cup?’ 45% said every four years, 14% every three years, 30% every two years and 11% every year.

This latest report comes a matter of days after Infantino revealed plans for a 32-team Club World Cup in 2025.

“There will be a Club World Cup with 32 teams to be played every four years,” Infantino said.

“The first edition will take place in 2025 in the summer.

“During that slot in the past, we used to have the Confederations Cup and it will be slightly longer because obviously there are 32 teams.

“But they will be the best teams in the world. They will be invited to participate.

“But all of the details will be developed in due course, and we’ll decide where it will take place as well over the next few weeks or months in consultation with all of the stakeholders.

“The FIFA Council has taken the decision now as a matter of principle to hold that Club World Cup.

“But don’t forget, we were the only football organisation in the world, I think anyway, at the international level not to have organised the competition during the pandemic.

“Everyone else postponed their competitions, then shortened them and played them and we had a Club World Cup planned in 2020 with 24 teams. That was cancelled. It wasn’t replaced or postponed.

“We did that because we wanted to allow for the Copa America, the Euros and we wanted to protect the health and wellbeing of players and not overburden the calendar.”

La Albiceleste led 2-0 and then 3-2 in extra time, but were pegged back before Gonzalo Montiel secured a 4-2 success in the shoot-out after Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni failed from the spot for Les Bleus.

Messi, 35, had suggested this showdown for the trophy would be his World Cup swansong, and he fittingly rose to the occasion when he converted a clinical penalty on 23 minutes to open the scoring. It saw him become the first man ever to score in every round of a single World Cup.

France had been aiming to become the first team in 60 years to retain the trophy, but they were second best for long spells and it was no surprise when Argentina claimed a 2-0 advantage heading into the interval.

Angel Di Maria was recalled to the side for this final and repaid manager Lionel Scaloni’s decision with a vibrant display, earning the penalty for the opener before finishing off a flowing team move on 36 minutes.

The match had been billed as a potential passing of the torch between Messi and his Paris-Saint Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe, but the Frenchman was peripheral for much of the contest until a blur of brilliance turned the game on its head inside 90 seconds.

Mbappe converted an 80th-minute penalty before exchanging a lovely one-two and volleying home a dramatic equaliser just seconds later.

Messi then turned the game again in extra time when he tucked in a rebound before Mbappe kept his nerve from the spot three minutes from the end to set up a penalty shoot-out by becoming only the second man in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

It would ultimately end in despair for the French, though, as Argentina held their nerve from the spot to win their third World title and become the second side to triumph after losing their opening game.

TALKING POINT

The fairytale finale for Messi that (almost) everyone wanted. The seven-time Ballon d’Or recipient has quite literally won it all, but his previous failure to lift the biggest team prize in football was the glaring omission on his CV and the stick by which his detractors in the GOAT debate used to beat him with. That is now all over as he put a rubber-stamp on a World Cup where he led his team with a fiery spirit and some mesmerising performances.

In normal circumstances, his brace would have made all of the headlines, but the obvious successor to his crown as the best of his generation, Mbappe, stole the show with a late charge and a hat-trick that saw him steal the Golden Boot from the Argentine’s clutches with his haul of eight in the tournament.

The final itself will be remembered as a classic and arguably the greatest of all-time with the big build-up for Messi versus Mbappe paying off in spectacular style.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Kylian Mbappe (France). It will no doubt be regarded as Messi’s tournament, and perhaps his final, but the sudden transformation of Mbappe from subdued, sulking superstar into the magical menace that almost single-handedly dragged France to within a whisker of retaining their crown on around 75 minutes, was quite incredible. The France forward literally has the world at his feet and is so unfortunate to net a hat-trick and still end up as a runner-up.

PLAYER RATINGS

ARGENTINA: Martinez 8, Molina 6, Otamendi 6, Romero 7, Tagliafico 7, De Paul 7, Fernandez 7, Mac Allister 8, Di Maria 8, Alvarez 8, Messi 8. Subs: Acuna 6, Montiel 7, Paredes 7, Lautaro Martinez 7, Pezzella n/a, Dybala n/a.

FRANCE: Lloris 6, Kounde 6, Varane 6, Upamecano 6, Hernandez 6, Tchouameni 6, Rabiot 6, Griezmann 5, Dembele 5, Mbappe 9, Giroud 5. Subs: Kolo Muani 8, Thuram 8, Camavinga 7, Coman 7, Fofana 6, Konate 6, Disasi n/a.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

23’ – GOAL! – Argentina 1-0 France. Messi steps up and coolly sends Lloris the wrong way with a clinical spot kick to the right corner.

36’ – GOAL! – Argentina 2-0 France. Di Maria arrives on cue to tuck home Mac Allister’s low ball after Messi and Alvarez had set Argentina away down the right.

59’ – ARGENTINA CHANCE! Alvarez takes a pass on the burst but can’t squeeze a low shot past Lloris at the near post from a narrow angle on the left.

80’ – GOAL! – Argentina 2-1 France. Mbappe gives Les Bleus hope as he squeezes his low penalty beyond the hands of Martinez. The spot kick was awarded after Otamendi pulled back Muani.

81’ – GOAL! – Argentina 2-2 France. Mbappe turns the match on its head as he levels matters when he exchanges a brilliant one-two before volleying a low shot into the far corner.

109’ – GOAL! – Argentina 3-2 France. Messi tucks in the rebound after Lloris parries a fizzing strike from Martinez. France call for offside but Martinez held his run well in the slick build up.

117’ – GOAL! – Argentina 3-3 France. Hat-trick! Mbappe becomes only the second man to ever score a treble in a World Cup final as he lashes another penalty into the corner.

SHOOTOUT – PENALTY SAVED! Coman sees his low kick well saved by Martinez.

SHOOTOUT – PENALTY MISSED! Aurelien Tchouameni drags his spot kick wide amidst mind games from Martinez.

SHOOTOUT – PENALTY SCORED! Gonzalo Montiel sends the keeper the wrong way ARGENTINA WIN 4-2 ON PENS AND ARE THE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

Messi scored twice, and again in the decisive penalty shoot-out, as the World Cup in Qatar was decided on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.

The 35-year-old won the Golden Ball awarded to the player of the tournament after scoring seven goals for his country to help them become world champions for the first time since 1986, and the third time overall.

“I’m not retiring from the national team. I want to continue playing as a champion,” Messi told TyC Sports afterwards.

Messi was under pressure to deliver his country’s World Cup for the first time since the Diego Maradona-inspired side of 1986, and this was his last chance in his fifth appearance at the tournament.

“It’s crazy that it happened this way. I wanted it very much,” Messi added.

“I knew that God was going to give it to me, I had a feeling that it was going to be this way. Now to enjoy it.”

He continued: “Look what this cup is, it’s beautiful. We suffered a lot, but we made it. We can’t wait to be in Argentina to see how crazy it’s going to be.”

Argentina did it the hard way, throwing away a 2-0 half-time lead to concede twice in the second half and force extra-time, before again surre

ut goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman’s effort before Aurelien Tchouameni missed, and Argentina stayed calm to convert all four of their penalties and take the win.

“It was a game where we suffered,” said Martinez.

“Two crappy shots and they levelled. They give them another penalty, they scored. Thank God later I did my thing, what I dreamed of.

“There could not have been a World Cup that I have dreamed of like this. I was calm during the penalties.”

Messi scored a first-half penalty to put Argentina in front and then notched a second in extra-time, but the game came down to a penalty shoot-out after finishing 3-3.

The Argentina captain converted his spot kick, and Emiliano Martinez’s save on Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni’s miss proved decisive as the Albiceleste claimed their first world crown since 1986.

“What we’ve just seen is something incredibly special in terms of sport and football,” former England and Manchester United defender Neville said on ITV.

“Now, we’re going to see a magic moment which is going to be played for another 100 years, which is Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup.”

France were beaten despite the best efforts of their star man, Kylian Mbappe, who became the first player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup since Geoff Hurst in 1966 for England.

“Geoff Hurst had that record in a World Cup final for a long time and Kylian Mbappe has gone and just done it,” Neville said.

“If you’d have said before the game that we would’ve seen an Mbappe hat-trick but Messi lift the trophy – as a neutral, you’d say that would be the perfect end to this World Cup.”

Messi was named the winner of the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament as the 35-year-old finally claimed international football’s biggest trophy in his fifth and final outing.

The PSG star, who was desperate to follow in the footsteps of the great Diego Maradona by leading his country to World Cup glory, scored seven goals and produced three assists in seven games in Qatar.

“Messi seems to have been the one Argentina player who isn’t emotional,” Neville said.

“It looked like France would win in the last half an hour of the match and I felt the pressure for Messi, going back to his own country and the idea of him letting his nation down – which is absolutely ridiculous.

“Absolute madness that so much could depend on a penalty save, but fans back home in Argentina were placing his greatness and his legacy on this one game in terms of where he ranks alongside Maradona.

“It didn’t seem right, but for Messi now he’ll feel so relieved and relaxed. For his career, this is the cherry and icing on the cake.”

Argentina’s World Cup win is their third overall but their first since the Maradona-inspired campaign of 1986.

Lionel Messi realised a lifelong dream by lifting international football’s most coveted trophy after scoring once in normal time, once in extra time and then again in the shoot-out.

However, Kylian Mbappe rose to the occasion of a match many had billed as master v apprentice as the French star scored a superb hat-trick.

Both players were among those recognised when the individual awards were handed out by FIFA at the end of the tournament.

WORLD CUP AWARD WINNERS

Golden Boot – Kylian Mbappe

The France striker pipped Messi to the top scorer prize during the final. He ended the World Cup on eight goals, with the Argentina captain his closest challenger on seven.
Messi therefore claimed the silver boot, while Olivier Giroud took the bronze boot after scoring four times in six games.

Golden Ball – Lionel Messi

Messi claimed the Golden Ball for best player at the World Cup and made history in the process, becoming the first man to win the award twice, having previously done so in 2014.
The Argentine’s haul of seven goals and three assists were crucial in sealing his country’s first title since 1986.

Mbappe took the silver ball, while Croatia playmaker Luka Modric – winner of the Golden Ball in Russia four years ago – was awarded the bronze ball.

Golden Glove – Emiliano Martinez

Martinez proved crucial in the final, making a superb stop late in extra-time before saving a penalty in the shoot-out to help Argentina win the trophy.

The Aston Villa man finished the tournament with three clean sheets to his name, the same number as Morocco’s Bono and England’s Jordan Pickford.

Young Player of the Tournament – Enzo Fernandez

Fernandez started the World Cup on the bench, but after a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia he was drafted in by Lionel Scaloni and quickly made an impact.

The Benfica midfielder scored a stunning goal against Mexico in the group stage and played every minute in the knockout stages.

FIFA Fair Play Award – England

The Three Lions did take one award home – the Fair Play Award.

Gareth Southgate’s men exited the tournament with the fewest bookings, with Harry Maguire’s yellow against France proving to be their only card of the tournament.

Messi scored twice in the final, and conducted the Albiceleste’s sensational display before capping his day with a perfectly-poised penalty in the shoot out.

At full-time, Ferdinand led the ecstatic reactions. He repeatedly said he considered himself “blessed” to have been there in Qatar to witness an all-time great player’s historic moments in international football.

Ferdinand went on to say that he was looking forward to the day that he could tell his grandchildren that he had seen Messi light up the World Cup final, before lifting the trophy.

“I can tell my grandkids I was here for this final,” he said on BBC One. “Not only for Messi to lift the World Cup, but also seeing the next generation in Mbappe. What a way to finish your international career.”
Before extra time, Ferdinand made his wishes plain. He said: “I’m begging one of the superstars to decide this game now.”

After the shoot out, Ferdinand summed up his thoughts as he reflected on Messi still performing at this level despite his veteran status.

He said: “He’s 35 years old. It’s ridiculous!”

Alongside Ferdinand, Alan Shearer was similarly impressed.

The former England and Newcastle striker made an emotional tribute to Messi.

“It was a pleasure to be here to see it,” he said on BBC One. “Thank you to Messi and Mbappe. The way Argentina kept going, the mentality they had to score in terms of the belief. Well done and thank you for entertaining us. It was just unbelievable.”

Messi’s former international team-mate, Pablo Zabaleta, joined in with his personal impression on the expert panel.

He said: “It’s one of those moments. I was just looking at Messi and I know what it means for the players. Well done to France and Mbappe. Thank you to everyone for that great game, we really enjoyed it.”

Zabaleta went on to reflect on his own relationship with Messi, saying: “I’ve been part of that youth team, when Messi came for the first time to play for the national team. He came to represent his country, the passion and the respect.

“He has always shown that for his country and we need to respect that. Everyone is just crying and giving him a big hug because he is one of those players who really, really deserve it so well done.

“For our country, we will see a picture of Maradona and Messi, two of the greatest players of all time with the World Cup trophy. That is something so incredible. We are so lucky.”

First, Deschamps made a rare first-half double substitution – the first-ever in a World Cup Final – as he withdrew forwards Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele in the 41st minute.

At the interval though, Deschamps made his point even more emphatically.

Breaking his usual habit of avoiding the traditional French television half-time interview, Deschamps confronted the cameras of France’s national broadcaster TF1.

He said: “They went right through us in the first half. We expected it, the players were warned but we had neither the attitude nor the response. We are down 2-0. It will take a lot of other things to worry them and come back in the scoreline. They [his players] have to fight. They [Argentina] really played a World Cup final.”

Deschamps was clearly impressed by Argentina’s performance, but equally stunned by his own players’ failure to perform on the biggest stage.

While France stormed back into the match, forcing extra time with two late Kylian Mbappe goals and equalising again after Lionel Messi’s strike in the additional period of play, they fell to defeat in the resultant penalty shoot-out.

In a post-match interview with beIN Sports, Deschamps returned to the subject of his team’s poor start.

He said: “We didn’t turn up for different reasons [in the first 60 minutes]. We have had to face difficult things in the last four days. Illness and then things collectively too.”

The France manager’s reference to illness was perhaps a touch of understatement given the number of his players unable to participate in training in the build-up to the final as a flu bug whipped through the French camp.

He went on to explain that the agonising nature of France’s defeat made it yet harder to accept.

He said: “It gives still more regrets. At 2-0, if we take a third goal, there’s nothing to say. We haven’t done what was needed for nearly an hour. Afterwards, with lots of courage, quality too and energy, we forced them right back into the corner. And then that counts for what? One chance in the 120th minute, a shot into the goalkeeper’s feet. Then, the penalty shoot-out which is always difficult when we are not on the good side [facing the Argentina fans].”

He continued: “In this World Cup we have shown proof of lots of quality, energy. In this match, we came back from nowhere. When we come back from nowhere, when we catch up, when we touch something and it escapes us, it’s even harder to digest. But it’s like that, we have to accept it.”

Inevitably, the subject of Deschamps’ future in a job that he has held since the 2014 World Cup was raised soon after the final penalty.

French president Emmanuel Macron made his position clear.

He said: “Didier Deschamps has shown once again that he is an immense manager. I have asked him to continue. I want him to continue. This match told us that there is never a story written in advance. Everything is possible when we stay united, if we are together, if there is desire and talent.

“At the end we were unlucky, it’s even more annoying. But the team showed heart and unity.”

The ITV pundit made headlines earlier in the tournament after criticising Brazil’s players for dancing in celebration to all four of their first-half goals in a last-16 win over South Korea.

But the former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland midfielder liked what he saw as Scaloni danced on the pitch with his children following Argentina’s penalty shoot-out win over France.

“He’s got them over the line, he’s on the sidelines kicking every ball,” Keane said.

“That emotion that we talk about, it’s vital for this group of players and it got them over the line.

“What brilliant scenes. Dance all you want! They’ll be dancing at the hotel tonight. Dance for the next 10 years! That’s when you dance – when you win it.”

Argentina were 2-0 up at the break after a Lionel Messi penalty, and a Angel Di Maria strike gave them a comfortable advantage.

But Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a few minutes to level the score and force extra time, where Messi and Mbappe both scored again to take it to penalties.

Both of the star players netted their spot kicks in the shoot-out, but Emilano Martinez’s save to deny Kingsley Coman and an Aurelien Tchouameni miss proved decisive as Argentina won their first World Cup since 1986.

The 35-year-old was unsurprisingly named in Lionel Scaloni’s starting line-up for Sunday’s showcase clash with France, where he’s aiming to win his first World Cup title.

It will be Messi’s 26th World Cup appearance, moving him ahead of Germany legend Lothar Matthaus in the all-time rankings.

Matthaus, who won the world crown in 1990, made 25 appearances for his country at international football’s biggest tournament.

Behind him are compatriot Miroslav Klose (24 appearances), Italy’s Paolo Maldini (23) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal (22).

Messi is competing in his fifth World Cup and he has admitted that at the age of 35, it is likely to be his last.

He captained Argentina to the final in Brazil in 2014, but they were beaten 1-0 by Germany in extra-time.

The PSG forward has been in stunning form in Qatar and is the joint-top scorer at the tournament with five goals, alongside France’s Kylian Mbappe.

The World Cup trophy is the only major honour to have eluded Messi in his glittering career.

Victory over France would make Argentina world champions for the first time since the Diego Maradona-inspired 1986 campaign, and the third time overall, the other coming in 1978.

Lionel Messi fired Argentina into the lead in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot for his sixth goal of the World Cup.

But the decision to award the Albiceleste the spot kick sparked debate; Angel Di Maria went down when he was tripped by Ousmane Dembele, but the contact appeared to be minimal.

“It was pathetic,” Neville said on ITV.

“I know he’s a wide player but honestly… you know what Di Maria’s going to do, he’s been doing it for 10 years. It’s embarrassing.

“One, it’s a soft penalty to give away in a World Cup, but also the stupidity when you do that and you get the wrong side, you almost deserve to be found out and Dembele gets found out. He gives Di Maria that opportunity.

“It’s the one that’s been going on for years where you kick the back of one leg and kick your own leg. He’s looking for it, he knows what he’s doing, he’s experienced, but Dembele gets played like a little boy.”

BBC pundit and former England striker Alan Shearer agreed that the decision was correct.

“It’s a penalty for me, you’ve got to look closely to spot it but there’s definitely contact,” Shearer said.

“He’s running at pace, he finds himself in space against Dembele, who had a really poor half and of course was taken off. You should never get turned like that.

“He’s trying desperately to get back in, but Di Maria’s left leg makes the contact, then it causes him to kick himself.

“It’s a penalty. Really good play from Di Maria but terrible from Dembele.”

Dembele was replaced in the 41st minute, along with striker Olivier Giroud, as France manager Didier Deschamps looked for a reaction after Di Maria scored Argentina’s second goal.

Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani came on in their place, but the defending champions went in two goals down at the break.

“It’s very soft. I actually don’t think it’s a penalty but sometimes the defender has to be punished for being so silly,” Roy Keane said on ITV.

Fellow pundit Ian Wright added: “I think that is a penalty because of his clumsiness. I think the initial challenge is just pathetic. At this level you can’t do that.”

For both football in general, and Argentina in particular, this has long been one of the great arguments.

For the pundits in the ITV studio ahead of Sunday’s World Cup Final between France and Messi’s Albiceleste, it was the obvious topic of the day.

Messi famously left Argentina in his early teenage years, moving to Spain and making his name with Barcelona.

When he did make his international debut for Argentina, Messi took some time to show his best form. He was not able to mirror his effervescent club performances in a blue and white striped shirt.

By contrast, Maradona didn’t leave Argentina until the age of 22, having helped Boca Juniors win the Argentine Primera Division. By the age of 26, Maradona had produced perhaps the iconic individual World Cup campaign, leading his country to their second title in 1986.

This gave Maradona an advantage in terms of his perception in his home country. He stayed far longer and won the most important trophy there is, while Messi left as an unknown and took time to find his feet in international football.

The ITV pundit team of Ian Wright, Gary Neville and Roy Keane took to the topic before kick off in Sunday’s final.

Keane admitted that Messi needed victory in Qatar to draw level with Maradona, at least in the eyes of his home country.

But, Keane suggested that Maradona still held an advantage.

He said: “I think they’re drawn to his character. He was a bit of a boy. I love the fact that he wasn’t perfect off the pitch. He was a bit of a character. I think the fans identified with him a little bit more.”

Keane, referring to Maradona’s status as the living embodiment of ‘El Pibe’, an Argentinian concept something akin to “the boy”.

Wright weighed in. He said: “He was like a freedom fighter playing football.”

Keane continued, suggesting that the truth of the debate rested on the outcome of Sunday’s match.

He said: “Obviously, if he can get it over the line, that’ll be the king with his crown.”

Neville joined the fray, throwing in the evolution of the game over time. He pointed out the reduced physicality.

He said: “Maradona used to get butchered as well. Obviously the tackling that was allowed is incredible.”

As the debate moved on to encompass greats of other nations, Wright jumped in again.

He said: “We have to mention [Johan] Cruyff, Eusebio has to get mentioned.”

Neville then took the floor, arguing that the outcome of Sunday’s match should not define one way or the other who is the greatest player.

He said: “It shouldn’t really define whether you think he’s the greatest or not.”

Keane finished the debate succinctly with: “It’s a game of opinions.”

The trophy that most fans probably picture is not actually the original. The Jules Rimet, named after a former FIFA president who was instrumental in creating the tournament in 1929, was the one the late Bobby Moore famously held aloft when England triumphed in 1966. Nike, the Greek goddess, was the figure depicted on the trophy.

In 1970, Brazil claimed their third World Cup triumph thanks to a Pele-inspired super team and, as such, it was decided that they had won the trophy for keeps. With Brazil afforded the privilege of keeping the Jules Rimet trophy in perpetuity, a replacement was needed. The Jules Rimet trophy was sadly stolen from a display case at the Brazilian Football Confederation headquarters in Rio de Janeiro on 19 December 1983 and has never been recovered.

That was where the trophy that is recognised today came in. The ‘FIFA World Cup Trophy’ was commissioned ahead of the 1974 World Cup and unveiled by the world governing body in that year. It depicts two human figures holding up the Earth. It has been used ever since and was last lifted by France as the reigning champions from the 2018 edition of the tournament in Russia.

One thing was for sure: the stage had been set for Messi once more to see if he could deliver the coveted trophy to his country just as Diego Maradona had before him – and he did, eventually. Despite scoring twice and with Argentina looking certain to clinch a famous triumph, it took until after a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, extra time and penalties for him to finally seal the World Cup glory that had been elusive for him for so long.

It was one of the most astonishing World Cup finals of all time, with the ‘desert duel’ between Messi and Mbappe living up to all expectations – and more – as they shared five goals between them, with Argentina and Messi coming out the victors after the drama of penalties.

IS THE WORLD CUP TROPHY REAL, SOLID GOLD?

Officially, the World Cup trophy is described as ‘solid’ gold. It is 36.5cm tall and is made of 6.175kg or 30,875 Carats of 18 karat (75%) gold. It has a base of 13cm in diameter which features two strips of malachite.

As for the stolen Jules Rimet trophy, that was made of gold-plated sterling silver. It was 35cm tall and weighed 3.8kg.

HOW MUCH IS THE WORLD CUP TROPHY REALLY WORTH?

The amount of gold that makes up most of the World Cup trophy was valued at approximately $161,000 (£131,800) in 2018, but the trophy as a whole has been valued at $20 million (£16.4 million).

This estimate makes the FIFA World Cup Trophy by far the most expensive sporting trophy. Coming in a very distant second is the Woodlawn Vase, presented to the winner of the Preakness Stakes, one of American horse racing’s triple crown.

ARE THE WORLD CUP WINNERS ALLOWED TO KEEP THE TROPHY?

The winners of each edition of the World Cup do receive a bronze replica of the trophy but are not allowed to keep the official one. The bronze replica is at least gold-plated, despite not being solid gold.

Fans can view the World Cup trophy at the FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich, Switzerland from time to time, but it also tours the world for ceremonies and appearances at draws and official events.

The only example of a team keeping the World Cup trophy came back in 1970 when Brazil won their third title because this was a quirky stipulation from the founder of the tournament, Jules Rimet.

Debate has raged for Messi ever since he emerged as a brilliant teenager at Barcelona, who only improved for the best part of two decades.

He has been compared to another legendary Argentine, Maradona, as well as Brazil’s record-breaking Pele.

There has also been near-constant discussion of the relative merits of his contemporaneous modern day peer, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo and Messi’s rivalry has pushed them both on to greatness over the course of their careers, and this seems set to be their final World Cups for their respective countries, Portugal and Argentina.

Messi is two years younger than Ronaldo so may be able to prolong his career beyond the 37-year-old’s, who is linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, and on Sunday his Argentina side faces France in the World Cup final with the chance to win his country’s first Jules Rimet trophy since 1986.

Ardiles, a winner of the trophy in 1978 and a former player and manager for Tottenham, believes that whatever happens in the final, Messi will never be able to usurp Maradona as the greatest of all time.

With less strict refereeing and poorer pitches in Maradona’s time, Ardiles thinks that gives his former team-mate the edge.

“I wouldn’t say ahead of Diego, I will say maybe on level terms,” he said.

“Messi is an absolutely wonderful, wonderful player.

“I have no doubt, by far, that he’s the best player of his generation, and of course he’s one of the very best in the history of football.

“But I would say that he can only go level with Maradona, and I personally would go for Maradona.

“Because when we played football I think it was much more difficult for a skilful player to play, so this is why I will say Maradona.

“He will always be a touch, touch, touch better than Messi.”

Turning to his country’s chances against France, Ardiles cautioned: “The only one worry is Mbappe.

“It doesn’t matter how you mark him, he will always find space and find the ball and it’s the final, so he will be very dangerous.

“I’m expecting him to have a major part in the final but, on the other hand, I expect Lionel Messi to play an even bigger part in the final – so we will win!”

SUNDAY’S BIG STORIES

OH HEY, IT’S A WORLD CUP FINAL

Big day? Big day. Even the Warm-Up, bitter and jaded and thoroughly middle-aged, felt a little shiver this morning. There’s a World Cup final today. Haven’t been able to say that since 2019, when the USA and the Netherlands went at it in Lyon. And for the men it’s been more than four years, which is not appropriate behaviour.

And we don’t mean any disrespect to either Netherlands’ women’s team or Croatia’s men, when we say that this won feels a little more finely balanced. Both the USA and France went into those finals as strong favourites, and the odds were borne out. Indeed – and now we mean no disrespect to France – the last men’s final was a bit, well, silly. Six goals! In a World Cup final! Like something out of the 1950s.

This one though. Obviously it’s not impossible that we’ll get another bizarre multi-goal pile-up – neither defence fills anybody with confidence. But here in the early morning it feels like it’s going to be a tight one. It’s too big not to be a tight one. This game is balanced on a knife edge, which is itself balanced on another knife edge, and that on another. One slip and you’re coleslaw.

To give you a sense of what a France win might mean, we need only to note that the last men’s team to successfully defend the World Cup was Brazil in 1962. And even that great flood of players, anchored around Pelé, had to let England have a go in 1966 and come back refreshed in 1970.

It is difficult to win this thing once. Pelé has won it three times; twenty men have won it twice, most of them Brazilians from 1958 and 1962 or Italians from 1934 and 1938.Ronaldo and Cafu both got medals in 1994 and 2002, albeit Ronaldo didn’t play in the USA, and Daniel Passarella is the only Argentine with a winner’s medal from 1978 and 1986.

There are 10 Frenchmen standing ready to join this exclusive club, a number lessened significantly by injury. And that, perhaps, is what a France win would represent: an assertion not just of a great generation of players but a terrifyingly deep one. Brazil’s line-ups for the ’58 and ’62 finals were only three players different. Compared to 2018, France have more than a half a new squad and will likely start with more than half a new team.

As for Argentina, we’ll get onto the main man in a little bit, but thinking about the team in general: it’s been a while. We can’t recall a tournament since their last win when they haven’t been in the conversation, at least to begin with; but always, somehow, never to end with. They were supposed to be the best team in the world in 2002, and that went miserably. They’ve had one of the best players in the world every year since 2010 – or maybe 2006? why didn’t José Pékerman bring little Leo on? – and that’s gone variously miserably. If years of hurt wasn’t such an English way of looking at the world, we’d suggest that 36 of them is quite a lot.

But then, that’s the nature of the World Cup. Whatever happens will feel big, will come with the heft of history behind it, and will echo on into the history yet to come. A month of football has led to this point, but so has four and a half years of football, and 36 years, and for both teams more than a century. Everything, everything, everything comes together here.

Whether he wins or loses, the internet will be awash with one side of the tedious GOAT debate chirping and crowing, and the other frantically defending their warrior.

For some time now the debate between the greatest (men’s) player to ever play has been centred around four players: Pele, Maradona, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Pele had goals and World Cups.

Maradona had outrageous genius and one World Cup. Both Messi and Ronaldo have goals at levels that we have never seen before. Purists will lament the failure of the modern generation to include either Ferenc Puskas or Alfredo Di Stefano, but alas this is the way the debate has gone.

There is one primary argument made for each of these four players who have been deemed worthy by the general consciousness. But what side of the debate you come down can depend on multiple factors. Some of this comes down to your personality and personal aesthetic preferences when it comes to football. Some comes down to age and the era you fell in love with football, and some can come down to the club and/or country you support.So what are the primary arguments made? For Pele the argument is three World Cups, including being part of the second team to win back-to-back titles. It’s over 1000 professional goals (no matter how dubious that is) and his incredible legacy within the game. For Maradona the argument is an unrivalled genius that put him so far ahead of his peers that it wasn’t even fair. More so than the others, Maradona’s maverick legacy attracts a certain type of person (that is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination). For Ronaldo the argument is two-fold. One, he dominated across three of Europe’s top five leagues, most notably the Premier League, so called “greatest league in the world”. Two, his work-rate propelled him to the top of a game where his talent perhaps did not warrant it. Conversely the argument for Messi is that there has never been a player with as much natural talent in his boots. It’s not just the amount of goals but the assists as well, the creativity that Ronaldo and Pele did not possess.

The real truth of the GOAT debate is that it is an entirely personal decison. It really is as simple as that. Perhaps you think Ronaldinho, George Best, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Eusebio or Johan Cruyff were the best players ever. Heck, maybe you think it’s Freddy Adu or Ravel Morrison. It doesn’t matter. At all.
But if you want to look at it from an objective perspective it’s hard to look past Messi. Yes Ronaldo has more goals. Yes Pele has more World Cups. But what Messi has done in terms of registering assists as well as scoring, as well as dragging some frankly not that impressive Argentina teams to two World Cup finals, as well as a Copa America triumph, is mighty impressive.

But more so than anything it is the consistency. One of the fascinating things about the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry has been how often we compare them next to each other, when not factoring in the age difference. Messi is two and a half years younger than Ronaldo and, as such, has two and a half years worth of games less in the bank. And yet whenever we compare Champions League goals or what have you, we always ignore that Ronaldo has played considerably more matches than Messi.

Messi’s detractors will argue that he has been relatively shielded, playing in a Barcelona team that was built for him and in a league that wouldn’t have “tested him” like the Premier League. Messi’s record against English teams probably speaks for itself there and if you watched La Liga and the Premier League side by side you would probably conclude that the former is better defensively, not the latter. Whether that’s because there is actually better defending or just because La Liga’s head to head rule causes more cautiousness is up for debate. But regardless, that argument doesn’t really stand up.

Plus at various points of his career, whether through moving directly to being a central striker or by the subservient roles of players like Karim Benzema, Ronaldo has spent a decent amount of time being the primary goal threat of the team, sometimes to the detriment of the team as that becomes his sole focus.

Do you know when the last time he reached double-digit in assists was? The 2014-15 season for Real Madrid. For Messi? He’s already got 10 this season for PSG. Ignoring his debut 2004-05 season, Messi has just five seasons across his career not hitting double digits in assists. Ignoring Ronaldo’s lone season at Sporting (and really he played enough games for it to count) he has 16 seasons where he didn’t reach double-digit assists, and that’s not including this disastrous season.

So what about goals? Well if we go from Messi’s debut season in 2005-06 (and really that’s a bit harsh as he only played 17 games) it is dead even at 9-9 in terms of looking at who outscored who each season. And for the record, in that 2005-06 season Ronaldo played in 33 Premier League games (24 starts compared to 11 for Messi). Based on what we have seen in the past few months you would imagine Messi will win more of the remaining seasons of their careers than Ronaldo will. If not them all.

And look, we don’t know what is going to happen with the rest of Messi’s career. In theory he will stay at PSG until the summer and then either go back to Barcelona for one more year, or go to Inter Miami in America. Or maybe even have one more year in Paris. Then he may have a fairytale finish back home with Newell’s. At the time of writing it’s very hard to see a club terminating his contract because he became too much to deal with. But still, he isn’t showing many signs of slowing down yet. He should be able to get to Ronaldo’s final good years, maybe even longer.

And what of Maradona and Pele? Well for the former you can certainly make an argument that his peak was as good as Messi’s peak, or even better. But the consistency is not even close, Maradona simply could not do it at the same level for a sustained period of time. For Pele the goals at club level argument quite quickly falls to pieces when you consider he never played outside of Brazil except for his brief New York stint. Plus at a certain point you have to talk about the level of the game at the moment given advances technically and physically. Yes, defenders aren’t allowed to hack you down in quite the same way as Pele’s time or even Maradona’s, but there’s no denying how far the game has come.

And that seems like a good point to make one final point. This is not to say that no player will ever pass Messi as the greatest of all time. There might be a small child somewhere kicking a ball that is going to have a career unlike anything we have ever seen. But they will have to start at a stupidly young age, and keep going for a hell of a long time. In Messi’s ‘age 19 season’ he scored 14 league goals, and he has only failed to score 10 or more league goals once in his career since that point, his first year in Paris.

As mentioned earlier in the article, this ultimately doesn’t matter. It’s highly unlikely that many people (if any) will be swayed by the arguments laid out here. Messi has produced a stunning level of football in his career, but so too have many others across the game’s history. His work thus far, regardless of what happens on Sunday, leaves him atop of the podium in this author’s eyes. Will it be the case for you? That’s for you to decide.

Lionel Messi scored twice in the final to deny France, for whom Kylian Mbappe netted a remarkable hat-trick.

You may now find yourself with some questions about the specifics of the World Cup winners. Well never fear, because we can answer those questions

WHO HAS WON THE MOST WORLD CUPS?

Brazil have won the most World Cups with five victories, more than any other country.

The Selecao won their first title in 1958, where they were led by their all-time top scorer Pele. They beat Sweden 5-2 in the final with Pele scoring twice in a game that has the record for the highest amount of goals in a World Cup final. They would go on to defend their title four years later in 1962.

Their most recent victory came in 2002 where this time they were powered to the final by the goals of Ronaldo. He was ably supported by Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. They beat Germany 2-0 in the final.

WHO HAS WON THE SECOND-MOST WORLD CUPS?

We have two European countries at level pegging here, with Italy and Germany, both of whom have won four World Cups.

Germany won their first in 1954 and their most recent in 2014 whereas Italy won their first all the way back in 1934, and their most recent came in 2006.

WHO WON THE FIRST WORLD CUP?

It may surprise some to learn that it was actually Uruguay who won the first World Cup, back in 1930. They beat Argentina 4-2 in the final.

That was the first of two World Cups for Uruguay, who were an early force in the game, with the second coming in 1950.

WHICH CONTINENT HAS WON THE MOST WORLD CUPS?

Europe has won the most World Cups with 12 victories. They have had five different winners with Italy, Germany, England, France and Spain.

South America is second with ten victories and three different winners: Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

Africa, Asia and North America have all failed as yet to win the World Cup.

HAS ANYONE WON BACK-TO-BACK WORLD CUPS?

France were on track to win back-to-back World Cups, but lost to Argentina at Qatar 2022. Had they won, they would have become the third nation to achieve the feat after Italy in 1934 and 1938 and then Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Ahead of the tournament, Mac Allister and members of his family – his father Carlos and brothers Francis and Kevin – were the focus of the new Warner Bros. Discovery series, World at their Feet.

Mac Allister was an unused substitute in Argentina’s shock 2-1 loss against Saudi Arabia in their opening match of the World Cup. He has since been a mainstay, starting every match as Lionel Scaloni’s side navigated their way to the final.

The 23-year-old looks a lock to start in the World Cup final against France on Sunday, as Argentina aim for a third World Cup win and a first since 1986.

It has been quite the journey for a player who began his career at Argentinos Juniors, before a surprise move to Brighton and Hove Albion in 2019.

Mac Allister’s name may not have been a household one when he arrived in the Premier League, but he is part of a footballing dynasty.

Both of his brothers are footballers in Argentina. Francis plays for Rosario Central, and Kevin turns out for Argentinos Juniors. They are the sons of Carlos Mac Allister, and nephews of Patricio Mac Allister.

Carlos played with distinction for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Racing Club and Ferro Carril Oeste, and also represented Argentina. He has played with some of the greats of the Argentine game.

“I played with some great players,” said Carlos, talking to World at their Feet.

“Like [Diego] Maradona, [Claudio] Caniggia, [Fernando] Redondo, [Gabriel] Batistuta, and [Oscar] Ruggeri – important players in the history of Argentinian football.”

Alexis was born in Santa Rosa, La Pampa, but grew up in Buenos Aires. And he and his two brothers followed in the footsteps of both his father, Carlos, and Maradona by turning out for Argentinos Juniors.

“Argentinos Juniors is like the ‘Argentinian opportunities club’,” added Carlos.

“It is a club where if a boy plays well, they will always give him the opportunity to play in the First Division.”

As well as Maradona, the club also has had Juan Roman Riquelme grace its pitch, and on November 25 2017, in a match against San Lorenzo, the brothers appeared together for their boyhood club – Francis and Alexis started, with Kevin coming on as a substitute. It was a “beautiful” moment, which “the whole family enjoyed immensely” said Alexis.

Just over a year later, Alexis moved to Brighton in the Premier League. He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal, and was then loaned back to the Argentine Primera Division, first to former club Argentinos Juniors and then Boca Juniors.

The acclimatisation to the Premier League was difficult. He told World at their Feet that he “suffered and cried” – adding that he knew, though, he would be able to succeed in the Premier League.

“The first year was tough for me,” said Mac Allister.

“It was a year of many changes. I fulfilled the dream to move to a Premier League team [but] it was not as easy as I had imagined. When I got here I realised, physically perhaps, that I was not at the level I needed to be for the league.

“At times I also suffered and cried, and I missed my family and my friends, but I never gave up and I knew that I had the ability to be able to play here.”

After those early struggles, Mac Allister established himself in the Brighton first team – playing 21 times in the Premier League during the 2020-21 season and earned himself a spot in Argentina’s Olympics squad.

“Being in the Argentinian national team was always my dream,” added Mac Allister. “When the opportunity arrived to participate in the Olympics, I spoke with the club first. Initially, they had no plans to let me go to the Olympics, yet I pressed.

“I pushed because I felt it was very important for me to represent Argentina at the Olympics. That chance doesn’t come around every day.”

Argentina finished third in a group that included Spain, Egypt and Australia. However, it set in motion the process that saw Mac Allister recalled to the senior Argentina squad. He returned to the squad in January 2022 – two-and-a-half years after collecting his first two caps for the senior team. He has since added a further 11 caps.

Cap No. 14 could see him win the World Cup.

In doing so, Mac Allister would help Lionel Messi follow in the footsteps of Maradona, and further the legend of the Mac Allister football dynasty.

Messi scored twice as Argentina won 3-3 AET (4-2 on penalties), despite France roaring back having been 2-0 down with under ten minutes to go.

On their route to the trophy, Messi was the man to help Argentina take the lead in their 3-0 semi-final win over Croatia, firing home an emphatic penalty to break the deadlock. The game’s final goal was the best, though, with Messi tormenting Josko Gvardiol before squaring for Julian Alvarez to tap in. It was just the latest divine intervention from the legendary forward.

And in the final it did not take long for Messi to get on the scoresheet in the final against France from the penalty spot after a dubious spot-kick was awarded to Argentina early in the first half. And then he scored his second in extra-time to put his side 3-2 ahead. They were pegged back again at the last, but prevailed thanks to Emi Martinez’s penalty heroics.
HAS MESSI WON A WORLD CUP BEFORE FOR ARGENTINA?

Prior to Qatar, Messi was yet to win a World Cup for Argentina, but he has now put that right. The closest he had come was back in 2014 when his side lost in the final against Germany in what was a repeat of the 1990 final featuring Maradona. On that occasion, of course, Maradona and Argentina also came up short.

After the 2014 final in Brazil, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament after being the joint-third highest goal scorer, with four goals and an assist, while he also created the most chances of any individual player. That will have been of scant consolation given it was such a gut-wrenching defeat for him and his team-mates after so much expectation.

IS THIS HIS LAST WORLD CUP FOR ARGENTINA?

Yes. Messi revealed after Argentina’s win over Croatia that the final in Doha will be the last game of his World Cup career, admitting he couldn’t see himself making it to the 2026 edition in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

“There are a lot of years from this year to the next one. I don’t think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant,” Messi said.

For legendary rival Cristiano Ronaldo, whose Portugal side lost in the quarter-finals, the same is likely to be true. For Ronaldo, this tournament has already proved to be a bitter disappointment after he was dropped ahead of Portugal’s last-16 match, with Morocco then sending them packing in the quarter-finals. Messi will be hoping for a sweeter conclusion to his stay in Qatar.

HOW MANY WORLD CUPS DID MARADONA WIN?

Messi will, of course, always be compared in some respects to fellow Argentina legend Maradona, who earned 91 caps for his country and scored 34 goals. Maradona played in four World Cups, including the victorious campaign in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. At that tournament, Maradona captained Argentina in inspired fashion and led them to victory over West Germany in the final. He also claimed the Golden Ball as the undisputed best player at the tournament.

But that was the only World Cup triumph of Maradona’s career as he came up short when widely fancied to go all the way at the 1990 edition in Italy. On that occasion, Argentina lost 1-0 to West Germany, the only goal being a controversial penalty scored by Andreas Brehme in the 85th minute in Rome.

Later, Maradona unexpectedly became the coach of Argentina in November 2008 and oversaw a less-than-successful campaign at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa before departing from his post at the end of the tournament.

WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN TO MESSI’S HEROICS DURING THE TOURNAMENT?

Gary Neville on ITV was among those singing Messi’s praises after his stunning semi-final display against Croatia, especially his assist for the third goal, Alvarez’s second.
“What mesmerises me is [Josko] Gvardiol is 13, 14 stone, he’s ragdolling him,” Neville said.

“Twelve years ago he [Messi] was going past people and you’re not coming back, now he’s doing it in different ways.

“It does feel like a mission, the way he’s playing.

“The rest of his team-mates are putting in a massive shift for him, and that’s what he needs.”

And after he performed similarly impressively in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands, former England internationals Gary Lineker and Rio Ferdinand waxed lyrical about Messi after his sublime pass to put Argentina 1-0 ahead.

Messi somehow found a wonderful reverse pass to send through full-back Molina, who took a touch and fired home. Watching the replays at half-time in the BBC studio the panel was in awe of Messi’s pass.

“He [Lionel Messi] has been making a difference at the top level for the last 15 years,” said Ferdinand.

“When games need to be defined he is the one who takes on the responsibility. He is a phenomenal footballer. Whenever he gets the ball the whole stadium stands up.”

Lineker added: “I’ve always said it is like he watches the game from above whilst actually playing it.”

Sitting alongside them in the studio was former Manchester City and Argentina full-back Pablo Zabaleta. He explained that at this stage in his illustrious career, Messi is a different player, but no less dangerous.

“When I said I was confident before the game it was because we have Lionel Messi on the field. He is the only one that can really make things happen. His pass was unreal.

“Messi is 35 and coming to the end of his career but he is playing like a playmaker – that also makes him special because he doesn’t have the pace to come and get the ball and dribble past players. He is so clever and good with his vision. He has that quality to come and get the ball.”

Defender Nicolas Tagliafico has said: “He’s always been like this. He is the one who gives us that special advantage when we are on the pitch.

“We know we have Messi and it is a great source of motivation and hope because we all know that we can contribute and give our best. We are really happy to have Messi as our captain.

“With everyone’s support we are all working together to achieve our dreams, and it is the most beautiful thing to do it with Messi by our side.”

The Real Madrid forward had been expected to miss the whole tournament after returning to Spain following a thigh injury that he suffered the day before the tournament began.

The 34-year-old was expected to be out for three weeks, meaning there was almost no chance that he would be match fit for the final, with no certainty Didier Deschamps’ side would reach the showpiece after suffering a number of injuries, including Paul Pogba, Christopher Nkunku, Presnel Kimpembe, N’Golo Kante and Lucas Hernandez.

Benzema also anticipated that he would not be able to compete, saying: “So reason tells me to give my place to someone who can help our squad have a great World Cup.”

Despite the gloomy prognosis, France did not call up a replacement, with Randal Kolo Muani already a late addition for the team’s forward line.

However, the Ballon d’Or winner is now back in training for his club side and Mundo Deportivo reports that he could be brought back ahead of the weekend’s game against Argentina.

The paper claims that Real Madrid are happy to let the striker go back to Qatar and the decision now rests with Deschamps, who has used a number of attacking players as his side have emerged as one of the best sides of the 2022 tournament, despite many setbacks with injuries to key players in the weeks before the competition got underway.

After beating Morocco, Deschamps did not confirm any plans, saying: “I’d prefer to move on to the next question.”

In the absence of Benzema, Olivier Giroud has led the line for France, with the 36-year-old AC Milan forward becoming France’s all-time top goalscorer during the competition, though he could potentially be replaced by his fellow veteran attacker if he proves his fitness.

As well as Muani and Giroud, Antoine Griezmann has offered support from a deeper role than he traditionally plays, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele also playing in attack, along with Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram.

“The best version of Messi – when he was 23, 24 or 25 – Mbappe doesn’t lace his boots,” said Shelbourne manager Duff.

Duff was speaking alongside Shay Given and Liam Brady on RTE. Asked to clarify his statement by presenter Joanne Cantwell, Duff added:

“The best version of Messi, Mbappe still doesn’t touch Messi – that is how good Messi was. That is what I am saying.”

Cantwell followed up by asking: “You’re saying that a current Mbappe doesn’t come near Messi at his peak?”

Duff replied: “Messi is the best ever.”

Mbappe has long been touted as Messi’s heir apparent, and they will face off against one another in Sunday’s showpiece final.

The 23-year-old made a blistering start to the World Cup, registering five goals in his opening four matches at the tournament. However, he has not scored in his side’s quarter-final or semi-final against England or Morocco.

Messi scored in Argentina’s opening day defeat to Saudi Arabia and has gone on to add another four goals to enter the final as joint leading scorer at the 2022 World Cup alongside Mbappe.

Mbappe has already won the World Cup – in 2018 – when he scored four goals. Messi will also be contesting his second World Cup final after an extra-time defeat to Germany in 2014.

The 35-year-old Messi has played 25 World Cup matches and scored 11 goals while Mbappe has nine in his 13 appearances at the quadrennial event.

The Polish official has taken charge of two games so far in Qatar, coincidently taking charge of games including both finalists.

He reffed France’s 2-1 group stage victory over Denmark and was the man in the middle for Argentina’s last 16 win over Australia, which also ended 2-1.

Marciniak will be joined by fellow Poland officials Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz as assistant referees.

The 41-year-old, appointed by legendary referee Pierluigi Collina, is the first Poland native to be given the honour of officiating the World Cup final.

Earlier this year he became the first Polish referee to take charge of a major European semi-final when he took the reins for Liverpool’s last-four triumph over Villarreal in the Champions League.

He also reffed four group stage games and two in the last 16, before handling Chelsea’s 3-2 quarter-final win over Real Madrid in a busy 2021/22 Champions League campaign.

English referee Anthony Taylor – who remains in Qatar – hoped he would be given the nod as a potential candidate.

Fellow English ref and Premier League colleague Michael Oliver was not in the running and had already been sent home by FIFA.

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand believes Lionel Messi and his team-mates will be relishing the thought of playing the current holders.

Theo Hernandez was the first opposition player to score against Morocco in Qatar when he broke the deadlock in the fifth minute of the semi-final, with Randal Muani coming off the bench in the second half to double the lead with his first touch.

Despite France becoming the first side to reach successive World Cup finals since Brazil in 2002, Ferdinand suggested that Argentina will be “licking their lips” at the prospect of taking on the current holders on December 18.

“As good as France are, I think Messi and his team will be sitting there licking their lips a little bit, fancying themselves in certain areas,” Ferdinand told the BBC after the match.

“That left-hand side area for France, when France are ran at, at times they panic, and when you’ve got [Julian] Alvarez and Messi dancing, wriggling around, it’s going to be really [difficult].”

Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba sided with his old rival and felt that France’s left side could be seen as a weak link.

“We said it before the game, if they put the intensity, if they keep moving and trying to exploit this left side of the French team, they will be dangerous,” Drogba said.
“And that’s exactly what happened. Most of the danger came from the left side.”

Alan Shearer took Ferdinand and Drogba’s views on board but claimed France’s “experience” helped to get them over the line, which could also be the case on Sunday.

“I go back to what we say of how experienced that French team are,” Shearer argued. “They’ve been there and they know how to get over the line.”

Messi will come head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe when France and Argentina face off on Sunday at Lusail Stadium for a shot at football’s most prestigious prize.

The pair lead the Golden Boot race with five goals apiece, and Mbappe will seek to edge his PSG colleague in the goalscoring rankings in the hope that he can secure his second World Cup medal at the age of 23.

Messi, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, is searching for his first World Cup title as his international career winds down.

Neutrals will hope for a similar clash to the last time the two sides met at the World Cup in 2018.

France edged the last-16 tie 4-3 thanks to a brace from a 19-year-old Mbappe.

Messi, looking to win the World Cup for the first time in his fifth and likely final appearance at the tournament, fired home a first-half penalty to become Argentina’s all-time top scorer in the competition with 11 goals.

Alvarez ran half the length of the pitch to double the Albiceleste’s lead, before Messi went on a dazzling dribble after the break to set up Alvarez for a tap-in.

Messi equalled Diego Maradona’s record of eight World Cup assists for Argentina, while this was his 25th World Cup appearance – matching the record of Germany legend Lothar Matthaus.

The 35-year-old will now captain his country against France or Morocco in Sunday’s final as Argentina look to become world champions for the first time since the Maradona-inspired campaign of 1986, and the third time overall.

A cagey start to the game burst into life when a long ball from halfway caught out the Croatia defence and Alvarez collided with Croatia keeper Dominik Livakovic, allowing Messi the chance to step up and rifle a spot kick into the roof of the net.

The strike saw the PSG star draw level with France’s Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race with five goals, and exceeded his own previous best tally for a single World Cup campaign.

It also brought a previously sluggish contest to life and Argentina found a second just five minutes later when they broke from a Croatia corner and Alvarez went on a solo run from inside his own half, surging through challenges and bundling past defenders before volleying home from six yards.

Buoyed by a jubilant Argentinean support at the Lusail Stadium, the South Americans almost made it three on the brink of half-time when Alexis Mac Allister’s glancing header from a corner was superbly palmed away by Livakovic.

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic threw on attackers to try and find a way back into the game, but they were toothless in the final third and struggled to test Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

In contrast, Messi produced a moment of sublime attacking artistry for Argentina’s third. He darted in from the right wing, paused when one-on-one with Josko Gvardiol, spun past the towering defender to skip into the box, and squared a ball to Alvarez six yards out for a tap-in.

It was an astonishing moment of skill from one of the greatest players to play the game, and and ended any resistance left in the Croatian side.

TALKING POINT – MESSI MAKES MORE HISTORY

Just when you think there are no more records for Messi to break or match, he comes up with new ones.

Against Croatia, Messi became Argentina’s all-time top scorer with 11 goals, moving ahead of Gabriel Batistuta, while his 25th World Cup appearance saw him draw level with overall record holder Matthaus of Germany, and his eighth assist equalled Maradona for his country.

Messi was almost anonymous for the opening 20 minutes, and there were even concerns about his fitness after he was seen rubbing and stretching his hamstring.

But this virtuoso performance only heightens the sense that his moment has come, that his illustrious career will be crowned with the biggest prize in international football. Messi is now just one game away from footballing immortality.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – JULIAN ALVAREZ

In a match where Croatia’s ultra-organised defence threatened to frustrate the Argentina frontline in the opening 20 minutes, Alvarez’s pace, dribbling and directness proved to be the perfect solution.

It was the Manchester City man who led the charge to burst in behind the defensive line and win the penalty from which Messi broke the deadlock.

After that, he bagged two of his own, the first a remarkable solo effort and the second the fruit of being in the right place at the right time to take advantage of some Messi magic.

Alvarez now has four goals at the World Cup, the most from an Argentina player under the age of 22 since Gonzalo Higuain in 2010. He also became the youngest player to bag a brace in a semi-final or final since a certain Pele in 1958.

PLAYER RATINGS

Argentina: Martinez 8, Molina 7, Romero 7, Otamendi 7, Tagliafico 7, De Paul 7, Paredes 7, Fernandez 7, Mac Allister 7, Messi 9, Alvarez 9
Subs: Lisandro Martinez 6, Palacios 6, Dybala 6, Foyth N/A, Correa N/A

Croatia: Livakovic 6, Juranovic 6, Lovren 5, Gvardiol 5, Sosa 6, Modric 7, Brozovic 6, Kovacic 7, Pasalic 6, Kramaric 5, Perisic 7
Subs: Orsic 6, Vlasic 6, Petkovic 6, Livaja 6, Majer 6

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

33’ PENALTY TO ARGENTINA!
Out of nowhere, the Croatian defence is breached! Alvarez is sent one-on-one with Livakovic and chips a finish past the keeper before being flattened. Lovren cleared the shot off the line, but it’s a penalty. Messi grabs the ball…

34’ MESSI SCORES! 1-0 ARGENTINA!
Messi makes no mistake against the penalty expert Livakovic! He thrashes his spot-kick into the top of the net. That goal makes him Argentina’s all-time top scorer at the World Cup with 11 goals.

39’ GOAL! ALVAREZ PUTS ARGENTINA 2-0 UP!
Incredible! Argentina break from a Croatia corner and Alvarez goes on a remarkable run from inside his own half, surging through challenges and bundling past defenders before volleying home from six yards!

69’ GOAL! 3-0 ARGENTINA!
Sensational from Messi, who darts in from the right wing, pauses, spins past Gvardiol to get into the box and then squares a ball to Alvarez for a tap-in. Fantastic goal!

Messi was at the heart of Argentina’s emphatic 3-0 semi-final victory over Croatia on Wednesday night, scoring a penalty as he looks to challenge Kylian Mbappe for the tournament’s Golden Boot award, as well as winning the competition with his country.

The 35-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward has been much improved after his underwhelming debut season in Ligue 1 last year, and has played his most consistent and dangerous football for his country in Qatar.

“He is Argentina’s top star, he is the one who has decided the games so far,” Badstuber, who reached the semi-finals of the World Cup with Germany in 2010, told Eurosport.

“When it’s dangerous up front, he’s always involved. He plays the last pass, he scores the goals, he creates the chances.

“Messi is the man who stands out for Argentina. He senses the chance, he’s hot for the trophy, the team and the whole nation are behind him.”

Asked whether Messi would settle any remaining debate over whether he is the greatest player in history, Badstuber said: “I would say yes.

“That drives him on even more. If he should hold this trophy in his hands, it will be difficult not to consider him the greatest.”

Messi has been linked with a new contract at PSG and has also been mooted for a return to former club Barcelona, as well as a high-profile and money-spinning switch to MLS with David Beckham’s Inter Miami setup.

For now he seems to have held off a challenge from Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the tournament when Portugal were defeated by Morocco, and whose time in Europe might be up, as speculation suggests he will agree a massive two-year contract to move to Saudi Arabia, though Ronaldo has denied any agreements have been finalised.

Argentina’s victory puts them in the final for Sunday where they will meet the winner of France v Morocco in the tournament’s other semi-final.