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The 2022 FIFA World Cup final was built up as the Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappe show. The two superstars were battling it out for the golden ball and golden boot awards as well. While one superstar, at 35, was looking to cement his legacy as the greatest ever, the French superstar was the apparent heir and looking for entry into the galaxy of greats. And they did not disappoint.
"Lionel Messi has shaken hands with paradise", said legendary commentator Peter Drury after Messi won the one trophy that has eluded him throughout his career. With the World Cup win in Qatar, the 35-year-old has conquered his final peak.
While the debate as to who is the greatest of all time will continue to rage on, there is no doubt that Messi, who is one of football's greatest sons, is now also its most loved one.
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Final for the ages
The 2022 FIFA World Cup final may go down as one of, if not, the greatest final in the sport's history. The superstars turned up when it mattered the most, with the Argentine scoring two and Mbappe scoring a hat-trick, the first ever in a final since Geoff Hurst in 1966.
Messi was one step away from immortalising his legacy as Argentina reached the final in 2014 but failed at the final hurdle against Germany in extra-time. This time, however, there was no slip up as he led his country to the world title, winning the golden ball along the way.
Messi: The heir to Maradona's throne
It had been 36 years since Argentina won their last World Cup when Diego Maradona carried his country to their second World Cup title in Mexico in 1986.
There was always a sense that the numerous trophies and accolades Messi won during his years in Barcelona mattered little to the people of Argentina. But after the final on Sunday, his story has been completed and his legacy secured.
At first, he was seen as more Catalonian than Argentinian, but over the years, Messi has carried the national team to ever-greater heights and won over hearts. Today, he is their golden boy, the perfect heir to Maradona.
Lionel Messi: The leader
Argentina were on a 36-game undefeated streak heading into the World Cup. But their journey in Qatar began on the worst possible note as Argentina succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.
After the defeat, many people doubted this Argentina squad's chances of lifting the trophy. But Messi asked the fans to show faith and not lose hope. Since then, practically every match for Argentina has been a knockout tie.
Messi scored seven goals (including one in every knockout round) and provided three assists over the course of the tournament and bagged his second golden ball award. If there was one factor that could not be discounted in this squad, it is their unity and how every single player wanted to win it for Messi.
Lionel Scaloni deserves his flowers
It was a shock to many when Scaloni was hired as the manager for Argentina after their disappointing performance in the 2018 World Cup. With little prior experience, he was ridiculed by even the great Maradona.
It was a job nobody wanted, but Scaloni has led this team to 3 titles: Copa America 2021, the Finalissima, and World Cup 2022. Following the debacle against Saudi Arabia, Scaloni showed everyone he was willing to adapt. The team needed fresher and younger blood.
Change in formations depending on their opponents and starting Di Maria on the left in the final proved to be masterstrokes. It was Scaloni's tactics that led Argentina and Messi to the World Cup triumph.
Angel Di Maria is the man for big occasions
If Argentina are in a final, Di Maria needs to start. He may have not been fully fit as it was his first start in the knockout stages, but his record speaks for itself. Ahead of the game, Di Maria was so confident that he messaged his wife that he would score a goal and they would be world champions.
Di Maria scored the lone goal in Argentina's 1-0 win over Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final, he scored one goal again in a 3-0 win over European champions Italy in the Finalissima, and he scored Argentina's second goal in the World Cup final. It was a timely comeback for the veteran forward and he delivered.
Kylian Mbappe made it a final for the ages
There are no doubts that Kylian Mbappe is on the path to greatness. He was looking to become the youngest player since Pele to win back-to-back World Cups.
Till the 78th minute, neither France nor Mbappe showed any fight, and it looked like it was just a matter of time before Argentina lifted the trophy. But Mbappe decided to tear up that script with two goals in the span of 97 seconds, the second goal being a ferocious volley.
While Messi gave Argentina the lead in extra-time, Mbappe sealed his hat-trick with another penalty and went on to win the golden boot. The Frenchman could not have done any more and one feels for the young forward. But with time on his side, he will surely be back on football's biggest stage.
