Argentina vs France Live Score, FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar: Argentina win on penalties after GOAT World Cup final

Till next time, take care and be well. And remember to say your prayers. Dreams do come true in life. On that note, this is Srivathsa signing off on behalf of everyone here at Sportskeeda. Good night and ta, ta!

So we wrap it up here. Arguably the GOAT World Cup of all-time. And Unarguably the GOAT ending. And a World Cup for the GOAT. It feels surreal and seems too good to be true. What a tournament and what a month of action we have had. A real pleasure to bring you all these live blogs through the course of the tournament. Hope you have enjoyed them as much as I did in bringing it to you.

#CricketWorldCup #FIFAWorldCup #SachinTendulkar #LionelMessi𓃵
Jersey No 10 Jersey No 10
6 world Cups 5 world Cups
2 World Cup finals 2 WC finals
Won last WC Won Last WC pic.twitter.com/SVXdRNA0eq
— Tom_JSP 🦅 (@Srinu_thota_19) December 18, 2022

Lionel Messi and his family 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/Cnlrd8d7cn
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 18, 2022

The moment Lionel Messi knew he'd won the World Cup! 🙌🇦🇷#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/VsiVOzdCo5
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 18, 2022

Sergio Aguero with the World Cup Trophy ❤️❤️❤️

Aguero has been Messi's roommate since they were very young, he was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia and was forced to announce his retirement in December last year. Messi and Argentina didn't forget him 👏 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/mm8r7We2BX
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) December 18, 2022

Now on to some tweets.

STAT courtesy BBC:

Argentina have won more penalty shootouts than any nation in World Cup history, with this their sixth such triumph.

They are the third nation to win a World Cup final shootout, after Brazil in 1994 and Italy in 2006.

I forgot to mention this but Sergio Aguero was the first to celebrate from outside after the last penalty went in. He even was there with the World Cup Trophy. Special scenes.

The former Manchester City striker may have been leading the line for Argentina in this World Cup if he hadn't suffered heart problems last season, that forced him to retire.

STAT courtesy BBC:

Argentina have won the World Cup for a third time (also 1978 and 1986), 36 years since their last triumph in 1986.

Only Italy (44 years from 1938 to 1982) have ever had a longer gap between winning two World Cups.

STAT courtesy The Athletic:

Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni is the first manager of Argentina to win both the World Cup and the Copa America.

The only other managers to achieve that double did so with Brazil: Mario Zagallo (1970 World Cup, 1997 Copa America) and Carlos Alberto Parreira (1994 World Cup, 2004 Copa America).

This STAT package courtesy of The Athletic:

Messi:

Now has 26 career goals in major tournaments for Argentina (13 World Cup, 13 Copa America), the most of any South American player in history across the two competitions, overtaking Ronaldo (25)

Has been directly involved in 21 career goals at the World Cup (13 goals, 8 assists), the outright most of any player for any nation at the tournament on record (since 1966)

Becomes the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final in a single edition of the tournament

Now the outright all-time leader in World Cup appearances with 26

This STAT package courtesy of The Athletic:

Mbappe:

Scored just the second hat-trick in a World Cup final, after England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966

Just the fifth player to score in two separate World Cup finals, after Vava, Pele, Paul Breitner, and Zinedine Zidane

Now has four career goals in World Cup finals, the most by any player

Hits 15 career goals at the World Cup, the youngest to ever reach that mark

So before we leave you, let us end with a few stats and tweets.

Just before Messi was presented the World Cup by the Emir of Qatar and Fifa president, he was robed up in traditional Qatari style and then given the Trophy.

Messi's kids are there and as are the families of the players. The World Cup Trophy is now being lifted up by each Argentinian player. What scenes. Truly the greatest moment of their lives.

And the crowning glory as Messi is presented the World Cup and he joins his team-mates and coaching staff to celebrate. Fireworks go around the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Now Argentina's turn to receive their winners medals.

Time for France's team and coaching staff to receive their runners-up medals.

The Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament goes to Lionel Messi for dragging Argentina to a 3rd World Cup title.

The Golden Boot award for the most goals in the tournament goes to Kylian Mbappe who finished with 8 goals and 2 assists. Scored a World Cup final hat-trick as well.

The best goalkeeper of the tournament award goes to Emi Martinez. He gets the Golden Glove.

Fifa's best young player of the World Cup is the 21-year-old midfielder from Argentina, Enzo Fernandez.

Out come Qatar's Head Of State - Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Fifa president Gianni Infantino walk out to a good reception.

The lights have gone out as the World Cup Trophy is brought out.

We are all set for the presentation ceremony now.

Good to see Mbappe being consoled by France president Emmanuel Macron among others. Then Emi Martinez comes up to offer him a hand. Mbappe is heartbroken and who can blame him.

Currently Messi and Co. are singing "Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar" with their joyous fans.

But it was always Argentina's Trophy to lose after they went ahead 2-0 and totally dominated proceedings. But nerves set in and they allowed France to come back twice from 0-2 and then from 2-3. Once it went to penalties, the skills of Emi Martinez and his mindgames came to the fore and Argentina sneaked through.

But one has to feel for Kylian Mbappe. For 78 minutes France were dead and did nothing. But a penalty turned it around and then within 97 seconds he added a second with a great volley. Then after Messi seemed to have won it in 2nd half extra-time, another penalty came Mbappe's way and he calmly tucked that away to get a hat-trick. Did not make a mistake in the shootout as well. But he has to end up on the losing side. So so hard for him.

Finally Lionel Messi is a World Champion. What a way to crown his career. And he is being hugged, mobbed and lifted by everyone who can get their hands on him.

Bear with me as I will bring you all the scenes from the stadium. I'm as shocked as everyone are after watching the game. Without a doubt the greatest World Cup final ever and of the all-time great World Cup matches.

Tears. Tears of joy and the crowd inside the Lusail Iconic Stadium go wild. Argentina are in tears. Some can't bear to watch.

PENALTY SCORED BY Gonzalo Montiel! France 5 Argentina 7. So cool from the man who gave away the second penalty to France. He side-foots and sends Lloris the wrong way - who dives to his left. The ball goes to his right and Argentina are World Champions again after 1986. Absolute scenes out there.

ARGENTINA WIN! THEY ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!

PENALTY SCORED BY Kolo Muani! France 5 Argentina 6. Fine penalty and straight down the middle. With power. No chance for Emi Martinez who dives to his right.

PENALTY SCORED BY Leandro Paredes! France 4 Argentina 6. Paredes goes to Lloris' right and it's low, the goalie gets a hand to it but too much power and it sneaks in.

PENALTY MISSED BY Aurelien Tchouameni! France 4 Argentina 5. It is advantage Argentina now. The youngster drags his penalty wide of the left-hand post as Emi Martinez dived the right way. That's pressure. Argentina on the brink.

PENALTY SCORED BY Paulo Dybala! France 4 Argentina 5. Dybala goes right down the middle and Lloris almost gets a trailing leg out to keep it out but it sneaks through.

PENALTY SAVED FROM Kingsley Coman! France 4 Argentina 4. Emi Martinez dives to his right to save Coman's penalty. Not in the corner and Emi is pumped after saving that.

PENALTY SCORED BY Lionel Messi! Argentina 4 France 4. Calmly side-footed to the keeper's right as Messi waits for Lloris to make a move, the keeper dives but is late to get there.

PENALTY SCORED BY Kylian Mbappe! Argentina 3 France 4. Emi Martinez dives to his right and gets a hand on it but he can't keep the penalty out. Needed a stronger hand on that.

France will go first.

What a match this is. Phew! Unreal scenes. Unarguably the greatest World Cup final ever. And still we have penalties to go for.

EXTRA TIME ENDS! Argentina 3 France 3. A crazy crazy game this. Just when Argentina think they have won, France come back. And the referee has had a good game. Clear penalty won when Montiel stuck his arm out and that's it. Mbappe stepped up to score his hat-trick. This after Messi had made it 3-2.

WE ARE GOING TO PENALTIES! That Lautaro Martinez miss is the last action of the game almost. What an end that would've been had he scored or even if Kolo Muani had done. That Emi Martinez save could still prove to be pivotal!

This is a crazy crazy game. Kolo Muani is through on goal and thinks he has won it for France but Emi Martinez makes himself big and saves with his leg. That was going in for sure. And Argentina at the other end counter, but Martinez heads it wide, well wide in fact as the right-back found him.

Both teams make a change as penalties approach: Kounde with Disasi for France, while Argentina send on Dybala for Tagliafico.

3 minutes of added time in 2nd half extra-time.

GOAL! Kylian Mbappe in the 117th minute! Argentina 3 France 3. Emi Martinez goes to his left and Mbappe goes the same way as his first penalty. To the keeper's right and it's into the corner. Clinical and a hat-trick. A World Cup final hat-trick. France are not going down without giving it their everything.