For all the unrivaled numbers on Lionel Messi’s CV – the seven Ballon d’Ors, four Champions League trophies, 10 Spanish league titles, Olympic gold and even his long-awaited 2021 Copa America – he was always missing one
But after 1,003 games and 793 goals, including two more in that 3-3 draw, Messi has the one accolade that ensures football immortality. A World Cup.
And now that he has won the most coveted trophy in world sport, after also scoring in the penalty shootout, it is impossible for anyone to seriously argue that he is not the greatest player of all time.
In fact, the goat emoji was tweeted like never before in the seconds after Argentina’s win.
But even as the whole world was lining up to shower him with praise, Messi’s most special moment after the final whistle was a hug from his mother.
Messi’s mother, Celia, surprised him by running onto the pitch with jubilation and her face when she saw her was touching.
Messi capped off a tournament that will now see Messi ’22 remembered as Maradona ’86 by ensuring Argentina did not fall short in what will be remembered as one of the greatest games in history.
The 35-year-old had given Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the first half before Angel Di Maria made it 2-0.
The Argentines looked to be heading for victory until Kylian Mbappe scored twice in the 80th and 81st minutes to tie the game 2-2.
France looked the most likely team to go on and win it, but Messi put Argentina 3-2 ahead in extra time after tapping in from close range after Lautaro Martínez’s shot was deflected by the keeper French Hugo Lloris.
But there was more drama two minutes from the end of extra time when Montiel conceded a penalty for handball.
Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappé stepped up to score from the spot for a second time to take the game to penalties.
But Argentina were not to be denied and Messi rose to calmly score the first point and they never looked back.
Messi became the first player in history to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the same World Cup.
He was an obvious choice for player of the tournament, adding a second Ballon d’Or to the one he won in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany in the final.
His climactic moment was summed up nicely by Craig Foster in the SBS studio.
“It was a final that befits an extraordinary and deeply unpredictable tournament, but also one that was two titans of the game who would not let up,” Foster said.
“Lionel Messi had this fairytale set-up perfect for him. Step into the giant, giant shoes of Diego Maradona, and nobody else in the history of the game could have even attempted that.
“Seven Ballon d’Or and now you want to try to go up to the sky and shake Diego’s hand? Only this kid could have done it.
“And yet Kylian Mbappe, who will dominate world football for the next 10 years, kept saying no. To score three goals in a World Cup final and be on the losing side is absolutely extraordinary, and that’s because you had this man here (Messiah).
Foster said the result cemented an indissoluble bond between Messi and the Argentine people, which had not always been strong.
“Last year’s Copa America was when he made that next transition and was able to take that (pressure) off his shoulders,” he said.
“He left the national team a few years ago, but this tournament has been really extraordinary to see his growth as a leader of this team. In fact, as the leader of all Argentines in the world…
“Because he left at 12 and they saw him as a Spaniard who played for them, you know, a Barça kid who was brilliant but not quite ‘us’ and Diego was ‘us’…
“(But) this morning (he carried the team) in a really incredible way.”
– with AFP