Football legend, Lionel Messi, has finally fulfilled his ambition of lifting the FIFA World Cup.
The superstar joined the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Pele and Diego Maradona after helping Argentina to a 4-2 penalty win following a dramatic 3-3 full-time draw against a Kylian Mbappe-inspired France.
Aged 35, and confirming before the match that it will be his last football match for Argentina, Messi emotionally lifted the trophy on Sunday evening, December 18 amid rapturous cheers by the crowd in Qatar.
In the 23rd minute of the eventful game, Argentina captain, Lionel Messi scored a penalty putting France on the back foot.
After another impressive spell of good football by Argentina, a 36th-minute strike from Angel Di Maria left the South Americans in a commanding position at the break.
With the goal still at 2-0 with over 20 minutes of the second half played, France hit back in the second half as Kylian Mbappe converted an 80th-minute penalty and equalised with an acrobatic volley just 90 seconds later.
Argentina scored again through Lionel Messi in extra time before Mbappe equalized again just before the end of the second half of extra time making the score 3-3 after extra time.
Moving on to penalties, Argentina came out tops with a 4-2 win after France missed two of their penalties.
This is the first time that Argentina is lifting the world cup trophy in 36 years since the Diego Maradona-inspired victory at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Celebrating the win and his team on his Instagram page, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi wrote, “CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!!!! So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don’t fall. I can’t believe it.
“Thank you so much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim.
“The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians.
“We did it!!! LET’S GO ARGENTINA DAMN!!!!. We’re seeing each other soon.”
In total, Messi has now won, one FIFA World Cup, 10 La Liga champions, eight Supercopa de Espana, seven Copa Del Rey, four Champions League, three FIFA Club World Cup, three UEFA Super Cup, one Ligue 1 champion, one Trophe des Champion, one Copa America, one Olympic gold, one Finalissima, seven Ballon d’Or (the most by any player), three-times UEFA best player in Europe, two-times best FIFA men’s player, among others.
