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1of 28 Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side’s first goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Thanassis Stavrakis/AP Show More Show Less
2of 28 France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Natacha Pisarenko/AP Show More Show Less
3of 28 Argentina’s Lionel Messi, right, scores his side’s first goal passing France’s goalkeeper Hugo Lloris during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Thanassis Stavrakis/AP Show More Show Less
4of 28 Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores his side’s opening goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec.18, 2022. Manu Fernandez/AP Show More Show Less
5of 28 France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Natacha Pisarenko/AP Show More Show Less
6of 28 France’s Kylian Mbappe, right, scores his side’s second goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Thanassis Stavrakis/AP Show More Show Less
7of 28 France’s Kylian Mbappe, right, watches Argentina’s Lionel Messi, left, during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Francisco Seco/AP Show More Show Less
8of 28 France’s head coach Didier Deschamps, left, speaks towards the Argentina bench during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Martin Meissner/AP Show More Show Less
9of 28 France’s Kylian Mbappe runs past Argentina’s Lionel Messi as he retrieves the ball after scoring his side’s first goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Martin Meissner/AP Show More Show Less
10of 28 A U.S.A. fan is still subdued after the U.S.A. gave up the lead and tied the Wales in a World Cup match Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. U.S.A. scored the first goal at the 36th minute of the game, and Wales scored an equalizer at the 82nd minute. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
11of 28 U.S.A. fans David Saravia, from left, Luis Saravia and Valenina Hoyos are deflated after Wales’ Gareth Bale scored a equalizer with a penalty kick at the 82nd minute of the World Cup match against the U.S.A. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
12of 28 U.S.A. fan David Saravia is deflated after Wales’ Gareth Bale scored a equalizer with a penalty kick at the 82nd minute of the World Cup match against the U.S.A. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
13of 28 A U.S.A. fan reacts to Wales’ Gareth Bale scoring a equalizer with a penalty kick at the 82nd minute of the World Cup match against the U.S.A. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
14of 28 U.S.A. fans David Saravia, from left, Luis Saravia and Valenina Hoyos react to Wales’ Gareth Bale scoring a equalizer with a penalty kick at the 82nd minute of the World Cup match against the U.S.A. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
15of 28 nU.S.A. fans David Saravia, from left, Luis Saravia and Valenina Hoyos react to Wales’ Gareth Bale scoring a equalizer with a penalty kick at the 82nd minute of the World Cup match against the U.S.A. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
16of 28 U.S.A. fans David Saravia, from left, Luis Saravia and Valenina Hoyos react to Wales getting penalty kick—eventually scoring a equalizer—at the 82nd minute of the World Cup match against the U.S.A. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
17of 28 USA fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
18of 28 USA fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
19of 28 USA fans gather for a toast while watching the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
20of 28 USA fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
21of 28 USA fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
22of 28 USA fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
23of 28 Wales fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
24of 28 USA fan Cody Vaughn, right, celebrates the Timothy Weah goal at the 36th minute of the World Cup match against Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
25of 28 USA fans celebrate the Timothy Weah goal at the 36th minute of the World Cup match against Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
26of 28 USA fan Kevin Valenzuela watches the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
27of 28 USA fan Christian Sanchez watches the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
28of 28 USA fans watch the World Cup match between U.S.A. and Wales Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Pitch 25 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Show More Show Less
LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi’s once-in-a-generation career is complete. The Argentina superstar is finally a World Cup champion.
Messi scored two goals and then another in a shootout as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbappé scoring the first hat trick in a final in 56 years.
Now there’s no debate. Messi is definitively in the pantheon of soccer’s greatest ever players, alongside Pelé — a record three-time World Cup champion from Brazil — and Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared.
Messi has achieved what Maradona did in 1986, dominate a World Cup for Argentina.
Messi put Argentina ahead from the penalty spot and played a part in Angel Di Maria’s goal that made it 2-0 after 36 minutes.
Mbappé scored two goals in a 97-second span to take the game to extra time, and then Messi tapped in his second goal in the 109th minute. But there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé to take the thrilling game to a shootout.
Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick after Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France.
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