Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final win still has all the drama

Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph came down to four perfect penalties, two French misses and one long-awaited Lionel Messi coronation at Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

The final against France put Messi opposite Kylian Mbappé, with the defending champions chasing a rare repeat. Had France won, it would have become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to claim back-to-back World Cups.

Instead, Argentina won the shootout 4-2 after a match that had already swung from control to chaos. FIFA listed the crowd at the final at 88,966.

The fever before kickoff

In Argentina and France, anticipation built before the 2022 final. In Rosario, Messi’s hometown, a crane raised a giant Messi shirt, according to CBS News.

Rose Manister, a CBS News producer who covered the tournament, said Argentina’s blue-and-white shirt was impossible to miss in Qatar. “It was everywhere, adults and children alike were wearing it constantly, even on days when Argentina weren't playing,” she said.

Reuters spoke with Argentina fan Luceo Colombera, who said in Spanish that some supporters had sold homes or cars to get to Qatar. The hope, Colombera said, was to see Messi become champion.

French supporter Max Pichaud told Reuters at the time that he was attending his first World Cup and first final, with France playing for the trophy. He said he would support his country “until the end.”

Argentina flew, then Mbappé roared back

Argentina took charge early and led 2-0 at halftime. Messi scored from the penalty spot, and Angel Di Maria also found the net.

France then came surging back through Mbappé. CBS News reported that he scored in the 71st minute, added another soon after and later converted a penalty for his third goal.

That made Mbappé the second player in history to score a hat trick in a World Cup final.

The match went to penalties, where Messi, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes and Gonzalo Montiel all converted for Argentina. For France, only Mbappé and Randal Kolo Muani scored in the shootout.

Messi also received the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. According to CBS News, he is the only player in World Cup history to win that award twice.

Fans soaked up the madness

Manister called Argentina-France “probably the final that everyone in Qatar was hoping for,” and said it was “probably the greatest World Cup final of all time.”

Argentina fan Rogelio Vazquez told Reuters in Spanish that the team could have won more comfortably, but that suffering made the victory sweeter.

French fan Kadine Galoco praised Mbappé’s three goals while acknowledging Messi’s moment. Galoco told Reuters in French that Messi had got the World Cup he wanted, then looked ahead and said the next one was for France.

The day after the final, the area around Lusail Stadium had quieted. Argentina fan Jesica Inamorato told Reuters in Spanish that supporters had danced with fellow Argentines until sunrise.

The famous were watching too

The final drew reaction from major figures outside soccer. LeBron James and former President Barack Obama both referred to Messi as the GOAT in social media posts, according to CBS News.

Former England striker Gary Lineker wrote on social media that watching Messi for nearly two decades had been “an absolute privilege” and congratulated him on lifting football’s top prize.

Ryan Reynolds also posted during the match, writing: “This game is a gorgeous, evil curse. I love it so much make it stop.”

Pelé, who died shortly after the tournament, congratulated the finalists on Instagram. He wrote that football had continued to tell its story in an enthralling way, praising Messi’s first World Cup and Mbappé’s final performance.

The tournament in figures

• Host country: Qatar, according to FIFA.
• Stadiums used: Eight.
• Teams: 32.
• Matches: 64.
• Final attendance: 88,966, according to FIFA.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.