FIFA World Cup 2022 Final, Argentina vs France: Lionel Messi shines as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to win World Cup….

Argentina vs France, FIFA World Cup 2022: After a 3-3 thriller across 120 minutes, Argentina bested France 4-2 on penalties to win their third World Cup, after 36 years.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi lisses the trophy after winning the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Argentina won 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended tied 3-3. (AP)

What dwells in your memory is subjective. It could be moments of joy, it could be great goals and glorious assists, or a tactical novelty; it could be moments of pain, like the tears of a defeated champion footballer, or the devastation of a team that is knocked out; it could be the vibrant colours the fans have brought, the dance and song, chants and boos. For two weeks, as the world struggles to de-addict from the football-induced intoxication, memories will be all you have to clutch on to.

The following is a look at Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s career by numbers:

499 million: Global followers on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram (over 10 times the population of Argentina)

$120 million: Messi’s estimated earnings for the 2022-23 season before taxes and agents’ fees, according to Forbes…

Having won three World Cup trophies for Brazil, football legend Pele has congratulated Argentina captain Lionel Messi for winning his first World Cup. The former Brazilian star, who was hospitalised for health issues earlier this month, showered praise on France forward Kylan Mbappe too for scoring four goals (including one in penalty) in the final and termed Mbappe as the future of football.

“Today football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way. Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved. My dear friend, Mbappe, scoring four goals in a final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle to the future of our sport,” Pele wrote on his Instagram handle.

The ball looped towards Kylian Mbappe, 97 seconds after he had kicked in a penalty goal. He had barely touched the ball in live play until that 81st minute. He hadn’t shown any special feel for the ball, as if he were a mere pawn in Messi’s destiny. Now the ball was dipping towards him. It would have been understandable had he taken a touch, steadied himself, and taken Aim..

With Argentina winning their third world cup title defeating France 4-2 in penalties and captain Lionel Messi winning his first world cup trophy, the celebrations continued in the night in Qatar for the team along with the coach Lionel Scaloni. The world champions celebrated the world cup win with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Javier Zanetti, comedians Luquitas Rodríguez, Germán Beder, Alfredo Montes de Oca and Roberto Galati.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez caused a stir with his celebrations after winning the Golden Glove award.

Having just starred in the penalty shootout, Aston Villa’s goalkeeper held his Golden Glove trophy to his groin on the presentation podium. He raised eyebrows with Qatari officials standing nearby after he placed the trophy, a giant gold hand, to his groin before emphatically waving it up above his head during the post-match celebrations..

Lionel Messi on Sunday insisted that he is not retiring from international football after guiding Argentina to the World Cup glory in Qatar.

“Obviously, I wanted to complete my career with this, (I) can’t ask for more,” Messi said. “Finishing my career this way is impressive. After this, what else? I have a Copa América, a World Cup. Almost at the very end.

“I love soccer, what I do. I enjoy being part of the national team, the group. I want to enjoy a couple of more matches being a world champion.”

In his crowning moment Lionel Messi’s white and light blue iconic Argentine jersey was covered by the robe the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani made him wear just before he was handed the trophy. The bisht is a robe made of camel hair and goat wool worn in the Arab world on special occassions. It is a garment worn by royalty or religious leaders and the moment when Messi lifted the trophy was seen as the icing on the cake for Qatar.

To have the greatest footballer of this generation and one who will go down in history as the greatest ever clicked wearing a robe which partially hid the Argentine jersey could be called a coup of sorts.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino was also by the side of the Emir as the bisht was draped over Messi.

Tens of thousands of people descended on the National Flag Memorial, the symbol of Argentina’s third-largest city, to celebrate Argentina’s victory. People started arriving as soon as Messi lifted the international trophy and were still there well into the evening…

Lionel Messi on Sunday insisted that he is not retiring from international football after guiding Argentina to the World Cup glory in Qatar. “Obviously, I wanted to complete my career with this, (I) can’t ask for more,” Messi said. “Finishing my career this way is impressive. After this, what else? I have a Copa América, a World Cup. Almost at the very end. “I love soccer, what I do. I enjoy being part of the national team, the group. I want to enjoy a couple of more matches being a world champion.”

Emiliano Martinez: Keeper of Argentina’s World Cup dream

The man who brought Argentina their third world title in the penalty shootout is known for turning out the hero in such situations. Emiliano Martinez had done so against the Dutch earlier in the tournament, and he had Messi’s affection and gratitude as reward.

On that night against the Netherlands, as the rest of the Argentina team rushed to Lautaro Martinez after their penalty shootout victory in the quarterfinals, Messi ran towards his right. At one end of the Lusail Stadium, Martinez, who had flown to his left and right to deny Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis in the tie-breaker, lay on the ground. By the time Messi went and picked up Martinez, the custodian was already in tears. A total contrast to how he was after making those two saves at the start of the penalty shootout. The cocky, confident goalkeeper, one who doesn’t shy away from being in the ear of the opposition, was in tears as he hugged Messi.

We had to suffer to win the World Cup say Argentina players

Argentina were made to suffer before landing their first World Cup title in 36 years, having twice squandered a lead, including in extra-time before edging past defending champions France 4-2 on penalties in the final on Sunday. “It was a game where we suffered,” said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who saved one penalty in the shootout on Sunday but had also saved two more spot kicks in their quarter-final against Netherlands.

On a night of high drama and fluctuating fortunes, Argentina squandered a 2-0 lead in regular time before going back in front in extra-time with Lionel Messi’s second goal. But then Kylian Mbappe completed his hat-trick to level 3-3 in the 118th minute with France’s second penalty that forced the shootout.

Lionel Messi dances on top of table

Lionel Messi was on top of the world and the Argentina locker room table when he celebrated Argentina’s 3rd World Cup victory against France at the Lusail stadium on Sunday, a video shared by teammate Nicolás Otamendi showed.

The whole Argentina camp was in a celebratory mood as Messi entered the locker room with the World Cup trophy in hand and proceeded to climb on top of the table while the whole room erupted with joy. The Argentina captain would soon be joined by Lautaro Martinez as they both danced on top of the table with the trophy.

G.O.A.T debate, settled?

As Messi wins the biggest prize that eluded him for his whole career, for many fans, he also settles the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) debate, once and for all. While undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game, the FIFA World Cup trophy-sized hole in his cabinet was often cited as the biggest gap in his career. Not anymore. Like his footballing predecessor, Diego Maradona, Messi has shepherded his football-crazy country to the pinnacle of the world game.

The G.O.A.T debate is football’s most contested conversation, eliciting strong opinions and a lot of disagreement. Often, due to fan loyalties, the debate pushes people to extreme positions, pedestalizing one player while diminishing another. Ultimately, there is no objective metric to compare the “greatness” of players spanning across generations and situations. What is possible to do, however, is to have a conversation that respects footballing context before making an informed opinion.

A Cup full of memories

After 28 days and 63 games — the 64th would roll out this evening — the shutters of the Qatar World Cup would roll down, leaving us with memories of the first-ever edition in the Middle East.

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