You probably know this story off by heart, but legendary tales hold a special power – you can read or hear them over and over again without ever tiring of them, simply because they continue to thrill you. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ final between France and Argentina falls into that category.
Although the Albiceleste eventually triumphed 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw, the story of the match is as unforgettable as the images of Lionel Messi, draped in a bisht, lifting the trophy in front of jubilant fans. It was a game that further confirmed La Pulga’s status as a legend, but he was not the only one to shine on that memorable evening at the Lusail Stadium.
Despite the crushing devastation of defeat, Kylian Mbappe also moved into a whole new dimension on 18 December 2022. After Argentina had taken a giant step towards their third FIFA World Cup™ title by racing into a 2-0 lead at the break thanks to goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria, the man from Bondy in the eastern outskirts of Paris rallied his troops in the dressing room before heading back out to lead by example in a finale that few had anticipated.
In the 80th minute, the lively Randal Kolo Muani – who had entered the fray late in the first half – won a penalty, which Mbappe converted with aplomb. Barely a minute later, with Argentina now rocking, the then Paris Saint-Germain star completed a deft one-two with Marcus Thuram before volleying home beyond the reach of Emiliano Martinez to haul the French level. It was a goal that was as beautiful as it was memorable. Mbappe had rekindled French hopes, unaware that he would make history less than an hour later.
With the game now deep into extra time and the sides still level, however, Messi completed his own brace and suddenly Les Bleus were back on the ropes. It seemed unlikely that the French would come roaring back again – or that Mbappe would again slip into the role of saviour. And yet, in the 118th minute, after Gonzalo Montiel had handled in the box, France were given a golden chance from the spot. Despite the weight of the world on his shoulders, Mbappe did not falter, coolly slotting home with his right foot to make it 3-3 and further cement his place in tournament folklore.
His hat-trick saw him emulate England’s Geoff Hurst, until then the only player to score three times in a men’s World Cup final in the Three Lions’ 4-2 win over West Germany in 1966. In so doing, Mbappe also moved clear some of the game’s legends to become the all-time top scorer in World Cup finals, with four.
Mbappe had also found the net four years earlier in the Russia 2018 final, scoring the last goal in France’s 4-2 win over Croatia. His unstoppable right-footed strike, at the age of just 19 years and 207 days, saw him become the second-youngest scorer in a World Cup final, behind only Pele (17 years and 249 days).
Although that December 2022 evening in Qatar did not have the fairytale ending that Mbappe had surely dreamt of, he still left in his wake some legendary players such as Brazilian trio Ronaldo, Vava and Pele, Argentina’s Mario Kempes and his fellow Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, scorer of three goals in World Cup finals and still the only other Frenchman to have scored in two different finals.
Incredibly, Mbappe will only be 27 when the World Cup heads to North America next year, no doubt looking to improve on his already impressive record.
