Qatar's LUSAIL — On sometimes, a game will stray from its usual definition and begin to exhibit certain human traits. It will disprove every presumption, astound and confound, stupefy and arouse, swerve and swerve back almost as if giggling. It will take off into its own life, becoming unusually lively and perhaps even delighted by its own whim.
Then, occasionally, it will pull off a trick the rest of the world can't: It will go ahead and prove instantly deathless, as with this endorphin carnival of a World Cup final between Argentina and France on Sunday night in an outrageous din at Lusail Stadium.
This one is headed in that direction as the roughly one billion viewers start the difficult process of comprehending how Argentina and its 35-year-old worldwide hero, Lionel Messi, edged France and its 23-year-old global idol, Kylian Mbappé, 4-2 on penalties following an unbelievable 3-3 draw. They can try to recall the journey that many of the 67 million French, the 46 million Argentines, and most of the rest of the globe took from 2-0 Argentina after 79 minutes to 3-2 Argentina after 108 minutes to 3-3 Argentina after 120 minutes to the penalty shootout. This entire episode keeps breathing and moving forward.
People can go on and on about a night when one manager, Lionel Scaloni of Argentina, declared that the game was "absolutely wild," while another, Didier Deschamps of France, declared that "We managed to come back from the dead."
As we move closer to June 2026, the United States, Mexico, and Canada will host the beginning of the next men's World Cup. That event will take place in an enormous space after this one took place in a tiny country, but what about the 2022 championship? Messi is not expected to participate in that competition, but France, which boasts a near-dynasty and a plethora of rising stars, is expected to shine. Hey, how about the 2022 championship? How close the French came to winning the World Cup three times in a row in 2026, but also how about that 2022 final?
People from distant places might not even be able to locate the exact location, which will comfort many who hoped it hadn't happened here, with its contentious array of both charms and concerns.Just before the pursuit of distinction was ready to come to an end after five World Cups, the public might discuss how Messi won the trophy and the distinction he sought after. They can discuss how Mbappé elevated his own emerging reputation as someone who makes the ground shake, who became the first man to score three goals in a World Cup final since England's Geoff Hurst in 1966, and whose tying goal in the 81st minute might rate the utmost memory in this barrage of amazement.
Deschamps had previously in the competition remarked, "He can turn a match in just a second," as France overcame a shocking number of injuries to become the first defending champion to appear in the following final since Brazil in 1998. Kylian has certainly made his stamp on this final, Deschamps was saying as the chaotic last seconds came to an end. He was disappointed since he didn't leave it as he would have liked because of this.
That face's disappointment will linger in our memories as well. That look spoke so much about the situation.
Some people, such as those in the Northern Hemisphere, would be amazed by how, in the coveted third minute of extra time, or 120+3, Mbappé appeared eager to carry the entire match himself with an incredible move through the left side of defenders and into the box.
Others, like those in the Southern Hemisphere, may recall that an Argentine substitute named Paulo Dybala pushed the ball away moments before something even bigger than the rest may have occurred.Geek debate may center on Scaloni's decision to start the 34-year-old ngel Di Mara, who troubled the French early on from the left side and resulted in a penalty that Messi scored and converted shortly after. Or perhaps they will discuss the substitutes made by France in the 41st minute, which included the tremendous energy of 24-year-old Randal Kolo Muani and 25-year-old Marcus Thuram. The game included a sliver of justice, as Argentina's Gonzalo Montiel, whose play of the ball with his arm in the 118th minute led to a penalty and a goal from Mbappé that tied the score and delayed a victory 10 minutes after Messi had scored and appeared to have just gotten one, ended up securing that victory with the final penalty kick.
Some people will recall some of the dangers and frights that were expressed throughout the extra time. Some people will recall others.
Those in the crowd will recall how they ran onto the streets of Argentine cities after waiting 36 years to do so. Scaloni stated of having assisted in providing that to Argentineans during a difficult economic period, "Well, this is way too much." Our troubles won't go away, he said, but they will be a little bit happier, and that's terrific.
However, most people on a planet that has long since become obsessed with this sport will recall how Messi, whose name has long been printed on the backs of shirts around the globe, ultimately won the game. They will recall how he turned to face his family and the raucous Argentina supporters in Buenos Aires, who were located 8,300 miles away. They will recall his appearance and how his arduous pursuit of international titles culminated in glory at the Copa América in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022: the former in front of a nearly empty stadium in Rio de Janeiro, and the latter in front of 88,966 spectators in a brand-new stadium that is excellent at retaining its noise. This is the same stadium where Argentina started here last month in great noise from the other side during a stunning 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.
It's a weird planet that wishes happiness to a person who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and can be shown on billboards across all the continents. But after all these years of magic, that's what the world wanted to see on Messi's familiar face, and it's what they got after a game that took on a life of its own.
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