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image source, Getty Images
Messi has become the axis of this selection.
The kid’s dream has come true for Lionel Messi and 45 million albiceleste hearts: Argentina is three-time world champion following beating France on penalties in the Qatar 2022 final.
It is the tenth World Cup that goes to a South American team, following the five won by Brazil, the two by Uruguay and the three that Argentina now collects.
The first goal of the final -which some commentators say has been “best of all time”– was marked by Lionel Messi following taking a penalty following a foul committed in the area by Ángel Di María.
It was him fifth penalty called once morest Argentina in is world Cup and sets a new record for penalties awarded to a team in the same tournament.
image source, Archyde.com
The second goal came following a counterattack between Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Callister, which ended brilliantly Angel di Maria in the 36th minute of the first time.
But in the 80th minute, France was finally able to react and Kylian Mbappé scored the 2-1 penalty.
Just two minutes later, Mbappé scored once more to tie 2-2.
And when the second half of extra time was up, Lionel Messi managed to introduce the ball and score the third for Argentina.
Mbappé would tie 3-3 a few minutes following a penalty.
In the penalty shootout Luck fell on the side of the Argentines.
image source, Average AP
Di María scored the second goal for Argentina.
Argentine domain
The game started with nerves on both sides.
Fouls by France. Erratic attempts by Argentina.
However, the first attempts came from the albiceleste players. At minute seven, Rodrigo de Paul kicked on goal and Varane deflected it very close to the goal protected by Hugo Lloris.
Argentina continued with the serious intention of dominating the game and above all that Griezmann began to take the axis of the game.
image source, Archyde.com
In this way they were able to arrive on several occasions. The clearest through Ángel Di María, following 15 minutes.
After the opening on the scoreboard, France tried to react, but the albiceleste shirt seemed to have multiplied on the field. They didn’t look like eleven players but 22.
And so Di María’s goal arrived. And the thousands of Argentines present at the Lusail stadium erupted with joy.
And the Argentine control was such that, in an unusual event, the French coach made two changes before the end of the first half to see if he might recover at least part of the game.
The second half began almost in the same vein with which the first had ended: Argentina taking over all the spaces and France unable to shake off the control of the albiceleste
Rosario’s connection, between Ángel di María and Lionel Messi, continued to cause problems in the defense of “Les Bleus”.
And France was so outmatched that they even had to replace their best player in this World Cup, Antoine Griezmann, to find some attacking alternative.
The physical issue has been present in the news that came from the French concentration, in which several players would have been affected by a respiratory virus.
But the reaction of France and Mbappé arrived in just two minutes managed to score two goals, one from a penalty and another in a collective play that ended brilliantly.
Regulation time ended and the champion. It would be defined in extra time or on penalties.
The extra time began with Argentina trying to regain control of the match.
However, the physique that he had in excess of before now seemed to be lacking and Argentina had a hard time finding their way back to Lloris’s goal.
Argentina put oxygen in their tank and put Lautaro Martínez and Leandro Martínez on the field.
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