3️⃣ POINTS FROM THE GREATEST WORLD CUP GAME OF ALL TIME

 THREE POINTS FROM THE GREATEST WORLD CUP GAME EVER

WHAT WE LEARNT FROM ARGENTINA 3(4)-3(2) FRANCE IN THE WORLD CUP 2022 FINAL

-Mitansh Kagalwala

Photo Via: Reuters


Right then. First off, it seems cheap to reduce a game such as that to mere words on a screen. But I’m going to do my best (and fail miserably). Here’s what we made of it:

1.       Destiny: From the unbeaten streak before the World Cup and the loss against Saudi Arabia, to the absolute brilliance against Croatia in the semi-final, it always felt like destiny for Lionel Messi’s Argentina. But boy, did they try their hardest to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat from the jaws of victory. It seems fitting though, that Lionel Messi’s moment of ascension to GOAT-without-debate status is the greatest game of World Cup history, arguably one of the greatest games of all time, period.

2.       The Greatest World Cup Game Of All Time: That final was a fitting epitaph to what has been a fantastic World Cup; the best game in World Cup history (except maybe for the French). Argentina started blisteringly, a Lionel Messi penalty and Angel Di Maria strike putting them 2-0 up before half-time, only for France to equalize late via two Kylian Mbappe strikes in 90 seconds. Into extra time, and Lionel Messi touched in after Hugo Lloris parried from a Lautaro Martinez strike, before a wayward hand in the Argentinian penalty area from Gonzalo Montiel gave Kylian Mbappe a hattrick in the World Cup final. A long ball bounced past the Argentinian backline in the final seconds, but Emi Martinez saved Randal Kolo-Muani’s effort brilliantly. Argentina were perfect in the penalty shootout, scoring all four of their penalties, Gonzalo Montiel scoring the winner after Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni both failed to convert. Lionel Messi finally got his moment, robed in a King’s cape to lift the World Cup trophy.

3.       Defiance: Argentina may have won the World Cup, but you just cannot not give credit to the French. They refused to stand down, coming back from the dead twice, and nearly winning it all in the dying moments of extra time. They were asleep until the 70th minute, but once they got going, this final could’ve gone in either direction. Kylian Mbappe was absolutely sensational, his second goal one of the best finishes of the World Cup. Substitutes Eduardo Camavinga and Kingsley Coman were great too, changing the game once they came on. Heart breaking to lose on penalties, but the French did all they possibly could, and we could not have had a better runner-up.  

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