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Messi goal: Argentina 1 France 0
Di Maria goal: Argentina 2 France 0
Mbappé goal: Argentina 2 France 1
Mbappé goal: Argentina 2 France 2
Messi goal: Argentina 3 France 2
Mbappé goal: Argentina 3 France 3
Big John Terry getting the Chelsea kit on to celebrate the Champions League vibes...
This storyline will get lost in all the Messi-mania, but Montiel gave away the penalty in extra-time that allowed Mbappé to level before stepping up to take the winning penalty.
You may not like the antics like throwing the ball away from the penalty taker, but once again Emi Martinez has played a crucial role in an Argentinian shootout victory.
If Montiel scores, Argentina win. HE DOES! ARGENTINA HAVE WON IT! MESSI HAS HIS WORLD CUP!
Lloris guesses the wrong way and Argentina have their glory, Lionel Messi has his World Cup crown. That is undoubtedly one of the greatest World Cup finals we have seen, if not the best.
Martinez this time is booked for his antics. Kolo Muani has to score... and he does! Rifled powerfully down the middle, Martinez dives well past it. France are still alive for now.
France 2 Argentina 3
Paredes is up next. GOAL! Lloris won’t be happy with that. He guesses right, gets a hand on it but cannot keep it out. That was a poor penalty, but an even worse attempt at a save.
France 1 Argentina 3
Up steps Tchouameni but he’ll have to wait as Martinez throws the ball away. Unbelievable mind games and he’s not booked for it?! Anyway, back to the penalty... he’s put it wide!! Argentina are in the driver’s seat.
France 1 Argentina 2
Dybala was brought on as a sub just for penalties and he’s scored! Right down the middle. Lloris nearly got a foot on it but it sneaks in.
France 1 Argentina 2
COMAN MISSES! Martinez guesses correctly, diving to his right to keep the penalty out.
France 1 Argentina 1
Here’s Messi. A miss would be oh so cruel... He sends Lloris the wrong way! Rolling it in. The Spurs ‘keeper nearly recovered to change his dive but that’s so smooth from Messi.
France 1 Argentina 1
The penalties will be taken in front of the end with all the Argentina fans behind the goal. France are up first and it is Mbappé vs Martinez for a third time from the spot today...
He’s SCORED! Martinez gets a hand on it but cannot keep it out.
France 1 Argentina 0
Then the Mbappé penalty. He played mind games with Martinez, going the same way he did earlier on in the match to complete his hat-trick.
While we wait for penalties, here are the extra-time goals.
First, the goal-line scramble that had Messi thinking he had won it for Argentina.
Full time in extra-time: Argentina 3 France 3
Wow. Mbappé nearly dances past three defenders to open up what probably will be a match-winning shot but he has his pocket picked at the last moment. That’s the last act, penalties it is.
120+3 mins: SAVE! Lloris’ left boot has saved France, Martinez getting a shot on target after being played in. Never mind, it wouldn’t have counted, the flag is up. SAVE! Down the other end Martinez has pulled off a stunning save to deny Kolo Muani! WIDE! Then Martinez sends his header wide after Messi picked him out. End-to-end stuff, but how has no one scored there?
120 mins: CHANCE! Kolo Muani has nearly won it for France. Mbappé's cross from out wide is a beauty, Kolo Muani is all on his own inside the box but he can’t get enough on it to send the header on target. There will be three extra minutes.
118 mins: HE’S SCORED! France are level again. What is this game? He sends Martinez the wrong way, scoring just the second ever hat-trick in a World Cup final.
PENALTY FRANCE!
117 mins: Mbappé's strike is blocked but it’s given as a handball! Mbappé will have a chance to level it and score his hat-trick...
Argentina take off Mac Allister, bringing on a centre-back Pezzella in his place.
114 mins: Acuna is engaging in elite skulduggery here, keeping the ball in the corner and then winning a challenge to get back into the corner. France ultimately get a goal-kick and take it quickly. Paredes completely takes his man out of it, no interest in getting the ball, and is duly booked.
113 mins: Varane is empty. He chases back to force the ball away from Martinez and he collapses shortly after, completely spent. France quickly send on Konate to replace him.
GOAL ARGENTINA
109 mins: Argentina lead! VAR will be involved but goal line technology has given the goal. Messi has done it! Martinez forces a brilliant save from Lloris but on the follow-up Messi pokes the ball home. Kounde looks to clear it off the line but he can’t keep it from going in. Messi looks to have done it, he has scored what could well be the winner.
107 mins: Messi hits the target but it’s a simple save at the near post for Lloris. Not that he made it look easy, an unconvincing parry making the chance look better than it was.
106 mins: Back underway. 15 minutes left to find a winner before penalties. Lloris has a nervy moment when trying to intercept a ball over the top, coming close to handling outside the box but he does enough to stay out of trouble.
Half-time in extra-time: Argentina 2 France 2
France looked the much stronger side in that first period, more possession and an ability to cause problems out wide but those two late chances from Argentina have been the biggest openings of extra-time so far.
105 mins: WIDE! Martinez has another chance to take the lead. This time he’s beaten Upamecano in behind but he’s stuck the chance wide. Actually, on replay, Upamecano got a touch to take the shot wide, another vital block.
105 mins: WHAT A BLOCK! Messi sets up Martinez in the box, it’s fantastic link-up play but Upamecano slides across to block when it looked like the path to goal was clear.
102 mins: Kolo Muani steps inside the defender, goes down, but no foul comes. He then takes his man down while trying to win the ball back in frustration. Argentina use the stoppage to make changes, Paredes and Lautaro Martinez on for Alvarez and De Paul.
100 mins: Fofana’s first major involvement is to skip past his man and win a free-kick when his shirt is pulled. Coman whips the ball in but it is cleared. Coman follows up on the volley but his shot is blocked.
99 mins: Kolo Muani goes on a run towards the box but can’t beat the defender to let the shot off. The ball is worked back up to Mbappé but again, Argentina hold firm.
95 mins: Cagey enough start to extra-time. Argentina look to have calmed down a touch, that is until Acuna headbuts Kounde in the air. He absolutely charged into him there with no eyes for the ball. He’s lucky to not have picked up a second yellow. France make a change, Fofana on for Rabiot.
91 mins: Extra-time is underway, the eighth time a World Cup final has required an extra half an hour. Only two finals have gone to penalties, will this be the third?
Argentina have swapped their right-back, no doubt to deal with Mbappé. Molina is gone, Montiel replaces him.
Then Messi nearly won it at the death. It was a routine save really when you look at it from Lloris, but the timing of the chance in stoppage time makes it an absolutely stunning effort.
Then Mbappé did this. Messi is caught in possession and the way the ball is worked wide is fantastic, but nothing can beat that finish on the volley.
This was the Otamendi foul that gave away the penalty, starting off the comeback. Poor defending really.
Full-time: Argentina 2 France 2
Alvarez breaks down the right, he nearly sets up a chance in space for Messi but the ball just doesn’t sit up for him. France swarm back and clear and that’s the last act of normal time.
90+8 mins: France look to break through Coman. With Mbappé lurking out wide, it looks dangerous and Acuna just takes Coman out. It’s cynical, but he had to do it. Another yellow card.
90+7 mins: SAVE! Messi nearly wins it. He cuts in off his left before releasing a powerful strike. It swerves but Lloris is able to jump up and get a strong hand on it to knock the ball over the bar.
90+6 mins: Kolo Muani and Mbappé combine well down the left to nearly work a one-on-one with Martinez. Argentina scramble well to get back, there are half appeals for a handball as the ball pin-balls around the box but nothing doing.
90+4 mins: SAVE! Coman is fouled on the edge of the area but advantage is played. It proves to be a good decision as Rabiot forces Martinez into a save. He spills it with Kolo Muani lurking for the follow-up but he just about smothers it in time. Meanwhile, Giroud, who was subbed off in the first half, has been booked for saying something to the officials.
90+4 mins: A big block there from Otamendi. Mbappé drives towards the box, finding space for the shot but the deflection takes it over the bar.
90+3 mins: Mbappé's delivery from the set-piece is easily cleared.
90+2 mins: Thuram wins a free-kick in a dangerous position. Argentina are livid. They need to just get to extra-time and regroup at this stage.
Eight additional minutes to be played.
Here is the sensational equaliser from Mbappé.
89 mins: Rabiot has taken a whack on the back of the head in an aerial collision with Alvarez. He looks ok but it will be a lengthy enough stoppage.
87 mins: Oh wow that’s a huge call. Thuram takes a tumble inside the box but the referee has booked him for diving. Turns out to be an incredible decision, Fernandez did just enough to avoid making contact despite lunging in.
Let’s try and catch up with a mental few minutes. First of all, here’s the Mbappé penalty.
MBAPPÉ LEVELS IT
82 mins: HE’S DONE IT! Kylian Mbappé has scored the equaliser. Messi is dispossessed by Coman out wide. He spreads wide and the ball eventually finds Mbappé. His one-two with Kolo Muani sets him up inside the box and he buries it with a beautiful volley. What is happening?
GOAL KYLIAN MBAPPÉ
80 mins: Out of nowhere, France are back in it. Martinez dives the right way but it just sneaks by him. He arguably should have saved it...
PENALTY FRANCE
79 mins: Has Otamendi gifted France a way back? Kolo Muani is hauled down in the box by the former Manchester City man. It’s terrible defending, first of all to let him past and then to bring him down. Up steps Mbappé...
77 mins: De Paul is fouled, yet again. He has taken an absolute beating. This time Camavinga is the guilty party but there is no card.
72 mins: CHANCE! Messi sets up Fernandez on the edge of the box but he’s hit it straight at Lloris. He add ample space to pick his spot, but he opted for finesse instead of trying to power it home. Simple save.
71 mins: There’s Mbappé, finally. He skips past two defenders before firing from the edge of the box. His effort flies over the bar, he should have done better. Another double change for France, Griezmann and Hernandez go, Coman and Camavinga on for them.
68 mins: CHANCE! Kolo Muani has a free header from the front post off a Griezmann corner. He should hit the target but instead it hits his shoulder and flies wide. That’s France’s first shot of the match.
67 mins: That’s better from France. Griezmann puts in a dangerous ball across goal, but Thuram can’t get to it on time as it flashes across the box.
65 mins: Argentina want a handball against Kounde. It does hit his arm but he was in the process of getting out of the way of the ball, albeit unsuccessfully. Play continues.
Di Maria’s day is done. He leaves to a stranding ovation, Acuna the man to replace him.
63 mins: Lloris to the rescue! Alvarez plays Mac Allister in behind but the French goalkeeper comes flying up and just about gets to the ball first to clear. This really is brilliant stuff from Argentina.
60 mins: WIDE! Messi goes close. Di Maria runs across a ball across the box, nicely letting it run to Messi. He brilliantly takes it behind the back of the defender before looking to take aim, only for a touch from Rabiot to put him off and force it wide. That challenge could well have kept France in this one.
59 mins: SAVE! Lloris might not have had to make the save there with the ball going wide, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Alvarez caused problems with his run in behind and shot on across his body.
58 mins: De Paul is in the wars. He’s caught late by Mbappé after the Frenchman had lost the ball. A frustrated-looking challenge and to be honest, he’s lucky to not also see yellow.
54 mins: Well, it was quiet until Emi Martinez came miles out of his own box to try and clear, nearly making a hash of it and gifting the ball to a French attacker with no one home in goal. Argentina survive, and they earn a free-kick when De Paul is cut down by Rabiot. That’s a nasty challenge and it’s the game’s first yellow card.
53 mins: The sting has been taken out of the contest. Both sides earn corners in quick succession but they are easily dealt with. Argentina are slowing things down a bit too easily for France’s liking at the moment.
49 mins: SAVE! This second half is just a continuation of the first. France’s play gets broken up in midfield, leading to Di Maria sticking a ball into the box. Fernandez tries an ambitious volley into the ground, his technique and connection is good but it’s straight into the arms of Lloris.
46 mins: Right then, the second half is up and running. Argentina start brightly, Mac Allister and Fernadez combining well down the right. Lloris has to come out of his goal to claim a dangerous looking pass over the top.
The key man two that second goal, Mac Allister, had his Donabate links explored by Gavin Cummiskey earlier on in the tournament.
[ Donabate Mac Allisters provide Ireland with tenuous link to QatarOpens in new window ]
Argentina’s second is a contender for goal of the tournament. They break from deep, Mac Allister playing a first-time ball to Messi. He holds it for a second before feeding Alvarez, his ball finding Mac Allister who continued his run. Another first-time past from the one-time Donabate man found Di Maria whose finish was excellent.
Two touches from Mac Allister in that goal, but two of the best you’ll see.
Here are the goals. First off all Di Maria does Dembele all ends up and wins a penalty when the winger tried to win the ball back, clipping his heels in the process. Messi stood up to slot it into the bottom corner - he is the first player to score in every knockout round of a World Cup.
Half-time: Argentina 2 France 0
Argentina and Messi are 45 minutes away from World Cup glory. The main man himself scored the penalty that started it all off - a contentious decision perhaps, but Argentina’s dominance likely would have still opened things up.
Then Angel Di Maria took a sumptuous Mac Allister assist to cut in off his left and finish off a quality all-round move. He’s arguably been their best player, making Scaloni’s decision to bring him back in down the left a masterstroke.
France are flat and shell-shocked. They have lost the majority of the second balls and have been completely unbable to hold onto possession in midfield. No shots registered at all in the first half and Didier Deschamps responded accordingly, bringing off two forwards - Giroud and Dembele - before half-time.
An inspired decision from Argentina boss Scaloni to bring Di Maria back into the starting XI?
Kylian Mbappé has touched the ball just 10 times, the same amount as Emi Martinez in the Argentinian goal.
45 mins: Kolo Muani is already making an impact, driving at the Argentinian defence and causing problems. Who’s tracking back to pick his pocket and break up the attack? Messi. There will be seven minutes of added time.
Here is Di Maria’s second. Alexis Mac Allister was sensational in setting it up.
41 mins: Wow. You can tell France are desperate as Deschamps has gone nuclear with his substitutions. Dembele, who has been burned time and again down the right, is off. As is Giroud who definitely doesn’tl look 100 per cent fit. Thuram and Kolo Muani enter the fray.
GOAL ANGEL DI MARIA
36 mins: This is turning into a demolition job and France are in a lot of trouble. Argentina break beautifully, Mac Allister and Messi linking to send Alvarez through out wide. Mac Allister gets the return ball on the edge of the box before sending it across to Di Maria in space. His finish is excellent, over Lloris and into the bottom corner. Wow.
Here is the earlier penalty given away by Dembele. Messi of course stood up to send it into the bottom corner.
31 mins: France can’t get anything going at all. Their attack looks listless and easy to defend. They’re not getting on the ball in midfield, meaning their front three has no supply of ball whatsoever.
28 mins: A clash between Messi and Hernandez at the edge of the Argentinian box leaves both needing treatment. After a few minutes, they are both able to continue.
That goal makes Lionel Messi the first man to score in the last-16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of a World Cup.
GOAL LIONEL MESSI
23 mins: He’s done it. Messi nonchalantly strides up to the penalty and sends Lloris the wrong way, tucking his effort into the bottom corner. A soft penalty, but the goal is Argentina’s just reward for their dominant start.
21 mins: PENALTY ARGENTINA! Dembele has caught Di Maria in the box and the referee points to the spot. It was nifty work from Di Maria to skin Dembele on the outside before running into the box. There’s minimal contact as Dembele tries to win the ball back from behind but down goes Di Maria. A difficult one for VAR to turn down I think... yep, penalty stands.
19 mins: De Paul takes Hernandez down right on the edge of the area. It was a slip that caused him to collide with the French right-back but Griezmann has a chance to put a dangerous ball into the area... Giroud comes over the top to sky a header over the bar, but he’s pinged for jumping over his marker.
17 mins: Argentina really should have hit the target there. Hernandez gives the ball away, allowing De Paul to break and pull the ball back across the box. It bobbles up and past Messi but finds Di Maria cutting inside only for his first-time effort with his weaker right foot to blaze over the bar.
14 mins: Mbappé gets on the ball for the first time. He looks sharp, playing a one-two with Rabiot inside the box but Martinez comes out of his goal to smother the ball well.
11 mins: A break in play here as Lloris gets treatment after colliding with Spurs teammate Romero. Lloris eventually is ok to continue but he has a word with the referee, thinking some skulduggery was at play.
8 mins: Chance! It’s brilliant build-up from Argentina down the left. Di Maria’s cross finds its way to Rodrygo who takes the shot, only for Varane to deflect it behind for a corner.
5 mins: Another save for Lloris! Alvarez lays it off for Mac Allister close to the box. He lets fly, finding a good connection but it’s straight at Lloris. Argentina have definitely started the brighter of the two sides.
3 mins: CHANCE! Alvarez forces Lloris into a save from close range after a delicate chip in behind from Messi. It wouldn’t have counted - the flag belatedly goes up on Alvarez.
1 min: They’re underway in the Lusail Stadium. France start with the ball but quickly launch it long and out of play, much to the delight of this majority Argentinian crowd.
The players are out and the anthems are done. I have to say, that Argentinian anthem was one of the loudest I have ever head.
For all the talk of Mr Messi, arguably the world’s best ever player, Gavin Cummiskey has profiled Kylian Mbappé - the world’s best player right now. How do we know Mbappé has become a true cultural phenomenon? He’s now on a par with the greatest sports stars in America in their cultural zeitgeist.
[ Mbappé poised to take it to the next levelOpens in new window ]
As for Argentina, there’s only one change from the side that defeated Croatia and it’s a big one. Angel di Maria - who, in all likelihood, is also playing in his last World Cup match at the age of 34 - is in for Paredes out wide.
Here are the teams. Two changes for France, Upamecano and Rabiot are both fit again and return in place of Fofana and Konate who lined out against Morocco.
This World Cup will always be a stain on the history of football. The juxtaposition of such a brilliant tournament and the suffering of the migrants who made it happen is the legacy of Qatar 2022.
— Kevin Kilbane
Here is columnist Kevin Kilbane’s verdict on today’s final. The perfect final but in the worst place possible.
At last he has emulated Maradona by playing his best football when it matters most to Argentina. He has proved that he can actually inspire a “normal” team and show his genius even when he is not surrounded by other geniuses to make him look good
— Ken Early
Ken Early looks at criticism of Lionel Messi in the past when playing for Argentina. In short, he opines that this World Cup has put an end to the idea that Messi is only good when surrounded by fellow superstars.
Hello all and welcome to the big one. It’s the World Cup final: Argentina vs France, Messi vs Mbappé - PSG teammates collide in Qatar, the country which has pumped so much money into that club.
It’s arguably the most interesting final possible out of all the teams and we’ll start building up to the 3pm kick-off before live commentary gets underway.
