Lionel Messi realises World Cup dream as Argentina win epic final against France on penalties

After 63 matches and a thrilling month of action, Sunday’s breathless finale was the wildest conclusion anyone could have imagined to the first finals held in the Middle East and Arab world.

Messi came to Qatar looking to crown a glittering career by leading Argentina to a third World Cup triumph and managed just that after a staggering 3-3 draw ending in a 4-2 shootout victory against France.

Emiliano Martinez denied Kingsley Coman before Aurelien Tchouameni failed with his effort, with Gonzalo Montiel striking the decider at Lusail Stadium.

Messi converted his effort in the shootout having opened the scoring with a first-half penalty that was quickly complemented by Angel Di Maria’s fine goal against meek France, only for Mbappe to spark them to life.

The 23-year-old scored twice in 97 seconds to take match beyond 90 minutes and became the second player to score a final hat-trick when cancelling out what had looked to be an extra-time winner by Argentina’s captain.

But this was Messi’s final. The 35-year-old’s fifth and final appearance at this stage ended in glory as he captained them to their first World Cup triumph since the late, great Diego Maradona did so in 1986.

It was a blockbuster ending to one of the most controversial World Cups in history.

Lionel Scaloni’s team flew out of the blocks in Lusail and looked up for the fight against jittery France, whose poor start was punished midway through the first half.

Di Maria brilliantly beat Ousmane Dembele and hit the deck as the France forward attempted to halt him leading referee Szymon Marciniak to point to the spot.

Messi stepped up and fired into the bottom right-hand corner as Hugo Lloris went the wrong way and things got worse for France in the 36th minute.

Alexis Mac Allister played onto Messi and darted forwards. The skipper sent a beautiful flick to Julian Alvarez, who put the Brighton midfielder through to send a low first-time cross to the far post for Di Maria to score.

Didier Deschamps responded by bringing on Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani. Dembele and a fuming Olivier Giroud made way as France failed to muster a first half shot.

The final appeared to be petering out, only for Nicolas Otamendi’s overzealous defending to give France a chance from the spot.

Marciniak awarded a penalty for the foul on Kolo Muani and Mbappe beat Martinez with an 80th-minute goal that sparked an astonishing turnaround.

Coman dispossessed Messi at the start of a move than ended with 23-year-old meeting a return ball from Kolo Muani with a fizzing low strike past Martinez.

In extra time, Messi seemed to have won it for Argentina with 108 minutes on the clock.

The skipper turned home from close range after Martinez’s initial effort was saved.

However, Montiel handled Mbappe’s shot and the 23-year-old dusted himself down to send Martinez the wrong way, completing his hat-trick and taking the match to penalties.

The France star and Messi scored the first goals in the shootout, but Coman was denied and Tchouameni missed as Argentina prevailed.