Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is a World Cup winner after Argentina won on penalties against France in the World Cup Final.
There were some fouls in the opening 5 minutes from Rodrigo De Paul twice and Dayot Upamecano, this set the tone for the rest of the game that both sides were going to go for it.
As Argentina dominated the first 20 minutes, De Paul had the closest effort as his shot deflected for a corner. It seemed that France could not get near them.
The one time Les Bleus did get near Argentina they gave a penalty away when Ousmane Dembele clipped Angel Di Maria in the box as La Albiceleste were awarded a penalty.
L I C H A 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ha5D7rgP1Y
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 18, 2022
There was only one man who could step up to the plate to take the penalty and that man was Lionel Messi, who was making his second appearance in a World Cup final, the last being in 2014.
Messi scored the penalty as he became the only player to score in every knockout round iofthe World Cup.
13 minutes later Argentina put together a well worked counterattack with Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister assisting Di Maria to put Lionel Scaloni’s side up by two.
With France in the as of not winning or even look like trying to win back-to-backorder Cups, France manager Didier Deschamps made two changes before halftime when forwards Olivier Giroud and Dembele came off for Randle Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram.
In the 58th minute Julian Alvarez had an attempt at the near post for Argentina which was saved by Hugo Lloris. Deschamps made two more changes bringing Theo Hernandez and Antoine Greizmann off for Eduardo Camavinga and Kingsley Coman.
It's real. It's happened.
Lionel Messi and Argentina are champions of the world 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YhGyfi6Lgn
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 18, 2022
Kolo Muani was brought down by Nicolas Otamendi, Kylian Mbappe stepped up to the plate and buried his penalty in the bottom left corner with Emiliano Martinez getting a hand to it.
When that penalty it there seemed towards a sway of confidence in the game as France all of a sudden looked like they were going to go on and try and win the game.
Just one minute after Mbappe scored the penalty, he finished off a great piece of French play when he volleyed home his second of the game as France were level with Argentina inside 90 seconds.
Pandemonium in the Lusail Stadium as Les Bleus fans went crazy as Mbappe and his teammates were taking the Argentina defence apart. This was the eighth World Cup final where it would go into extra time.
The crowd at Buenos Aires after Argentina’s win 😳
(via @pilludinho)pic.twitter.com/8jvs1ZY465
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 18, 2022
Argentina went close twice with substitute Lautaro Martinez, the Inter Milan striker shot at Lloris who paved the ball into where Messi was as it looked like he’d scored the winner.
Up until a handball from Argentina defender Gonzalo Montiel from a Mbappe shot, referee Szymon Marciniak awarded the penalty with two minutes to go.
The France number 10 went the same way as the game was going to go to penalties. Both Messi and Mbappe scored their penalties in the penalty shootout and with a fantastic performance from Martinez in goal Argentina were one kick away from winning.
Messi & Maradona 🇦🇷 #FIFAWorldCup #Argentina pic.twitter.com/qdkCcdSXXK
— GQ Sports (@GQSports) December 18, 2022
Gonzalo Montiel stepped up and converted his penalty as Argentina were sent into tears and joy as they their 3rd World Cup. It almost seemed Diego Maradona gave Messi his wish from heaven.