/sky247-english/media/agency_attachments/u8Dd4hyaH0mQGXmyg0Eo.png)
/sky247-english/media/media_files/oXHoxgPA7CrylmMTcwp1.jpg)
Follow Us/sky247-english/media/post_banners/CFtbh6i8boQBhrl1aCw6.png)
The legendary Argentine center-forward Lionel Messi has finally earned the trophy of FIFA World Cup that was missing from his cabinet. The 34-year-old guided his team to the third World Cup title after a long wait of 36 years since the last one they won in the year 1986.
/sky247-english/media/media_files/L36rCpmHRJkAgRgNCcLd.jpg)
Argentina defeated 2018 champions France by 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out on the night of the final when scores were tied at 3-3 after the entire regulation time of 120 minutes including 30 minutes after the first 90 minutes of the game.
Not only the football fans or footballing fraternity, but the veterans of cricket were also in full awe of the Argentina legend. They took to Twitter to lavish their praises on the legend. The list includes the likes of former Indian greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh alongside former England skipper Michael Vaughan.
Here's how cricketers reacted to the brilliance of Lionel Messi:
Did not see that coming !!! Damn 2 all 😅 game on ! #ArgentinaVsFrance #FIFAWorldCupQatar2022
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) December 18, 2022
Wowwwww pic.twitter.com/b42yTee9sS
— Mohammad Shami (@MdShami11) December 18, 2022
What a sensational final.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 18, 2022
Probably the best.
Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 18, 2022
Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this. pic.twitter.com/KoXOTl1fSE
Messi is the 🐐🔥🔥🔥
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 18, 2022
The GREATEST of all time Leo Messi
— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) December 18, 2022
SIIIIIIUUUUUUU pic.twitter.com/HMgu6Kl085
🐐🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/AKq2Vk1Aax
— Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) December 18, 2022
What an amazing spectacle 👏🏼 best game I’ve ever watched. Best final of all time and probably ever will be! ⚽️ fairytale for #Messi𓃵 wowsers. #FIFAWorldCup
— Megan Schutt (@megan_schutt) December 18, 2022
In the 23rd minute of the match, messi converted the penalty into a goal and registered his name on the scorecard of the match. Following the first goal, the senior winger Angel Di Maria followed the footmarks of his skipper and came up with a stunning field goal in the 36th minute of the match to help Argentina to take an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the match.
But the French star Kylian Mbappe had some other plans on the day and he didn’t look so easy to accept his team trailing in the match. The moment came for the defending champions in the 80th minute of the match when Mbappe converted the penalty into a goal to register a goal to his name in the match. Subsequently, he didn’t stop only here and he came up with another goal in the next minute of the match.
But the Argentine skipper and legendary star Lionel Messi made no mistake in the second half of the extra time. The amazing stunner from Messi moved the lead to 3-2 in favor of Argentina. But the penalty-converted goal from Mbappe equalized the score line by 3-3.
Eventually, Argentina managed to maintain their lead in the penalty shoot-out at the end of the match and won it by 4-2 the match and ended up winning the match against Hugo Lloris & co. to win the World Cup for the third time after a long wait of 36 years.