Messi echoes Maradona as Argentina win World Cup

On Sunday, Lionel Messi saved his best performance for last, capping off his World Cup career by winning the one major championship he had yet to win.

The best player of his generation, and perhaps all time, ended his career on a high note by winning probably the greatest World Cup final of all time.

The 35-year-old Argentine captain’s final World Cup match, which he has stated will be his fifth and last, was a masterfully planned farewell.

Argentina twice blew winning opportunities at the Lusail Stadium, but Messi was a pillar of composure amidst the chaos. Argentina eventually won the match on penalties after the score was tied 3-3 after extra time.

Before the game began, Argentina’s boisterous fans cheered in honor of the late Diego Maradona as footage of his legendary goal against England at the 1986 World Cup was shown on a large television screen.

That served as Messi’s sole source of motivation as he set out to bring Argentina its first World Cup victory in 36 years.

In that 1986 victory, Maradona had also provided motivation for Argentina, who overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset West Germany 3-2.

Eight years prior, Messi had struck a dejected figure as Argentina lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final at the Maracana Stadium by a score of 1-0 after extra time.

Messi now faces the risk of being the only captain to lose his nation in two World Cup finals, joining German legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

On Sunday, it quickly became clear that Messi had no interest in joining that undesirable group.

Within minutes of the game’s beginning, Messi had settled into a rhythm, demanding possession and controlling play with his trademark flair while consistently finding Angel Di Maria down the left flank.

And after Di Maria was fouled by Ousmane Dembele inside the penalty area on minute 21, Messi stepped up to calmly convert the penalty, giving his team the lead with his 97th goal in international play and his 12th in World Cups.

EXTRA-TIME DRAMA

In the festivities that followed, Messi was buried beneath a sea of Argentine teammates, but he quickly rose to his feet and tormented France.

Messi unleashed a lovely touch to send Julian Alvarez sprinting into space along the right flank following a period of Argentine domination.

Alvarez connected with Alexis MacAllister, who then found Di Maria to make it 2-0.

As a somber France tried to get into the game, it appeared as though the party was getting started early.

With less than 10 minutes left in the game, Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a single minute, completely changing the course of the match.

Messi insisted on being believed. He tested France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris with a rasping strike in extra time as he tried to will Argentina to victory.

The little magician then made another appearance during the second overtime period. Lloris parried Lautaro Martinez’s attempt, and Messi pounced on the rebound to score the game-winning goal for a score of 3-2.

After wild celebrations, France was still undefeated.

Mbappe converted the spot-kick to equal the score at three points after Argentina’s replacement Gonzalo Montiel gave up a late penalty in extra time.

Although Messi notoriously missed a penalty in Argentina’s 2016 Copa America loss to Chile, he instantly eliminated any danger of his faltering in the shootout by putting Argentina’s first shot in the back of the net.

After that, his World Cup fate was in the hands of his teammates. Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper, made an incredible save before Montiel made up for his earlier penalty mistake to secure Argentina’s victory.

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