Exactly three years since the Qatar 2022 final, we reveal some never-before-seen content of the topsy-turvy tussle that ultimately yielded the Albiceleste’s third star.
- It has been three years since the unforgettable World Cup final between Argentina and France
- Join us on a journey through some of the most eye-catching material from the Qatar 2022 decider
- Magical Mbappe’s frustration, Messi’s elation and much more feature
The thrills, spills, twists and turns served up by Argentina and France in their FIFA World Cup™ final showdown on 18 December 2022 are already the stuff of legend.
In the iconic Lusail Stadium, just outside the Qatari capital of Doha, the two giants of the global game served up a match for the ages. Despite the endless column inches that have been devoted to what proved to be one of the finest deciders of all time, fans are still being treated to footage that has not previously seen the light of day, never-before-heard sound bites and images yet to have made it into the public domain.
Join us as we relive the encounter that saw Argentina’s class of 2022 repeat the feat achieved by their countrymen at the 1978 and 1986 editions of FIFA’s flagship tournament as they garnered global glory for a third time – and watch our exclusive footage in the video at the top of this article.
The 48-team format to be rolled out at next year’s instalment of the planet’s biggest football festival means that the pretenders to the crown who go head-to-head at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 19 July will have already negotiated seven encounters, which is one more than the six matches that Les Bleus and the Albiceleste contested en route to the tournament decider in Qatar.
The forthcoming World Cup will get under way on Tuesday, 9 June, with the pick of the national teams from across the globe set to descend on North America for the first time in 32 years, since the United States played host to the 1994 edition.
However, let’s rewind and take a deep dive into the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, which earned itself pride of place in footballing folklore. The tournament was jam-packed with drama: odds-defying results, memorable matches, unexpected exits and, as if that weren’t enough, a thrilling climax in a final that ended 3-3 after 120 minutes and was decided in a penalty shoot-out.
It was a tournament that also marked the high-water mark for one of the game’s greats as Lionel Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup trophy. He was, unsurprisingly at the heart of much of the drama in the decider, converting nonchalantly from the spot to open the scoring before having a hand in Argentina’s second and then bundling home the third. His all-action display looked every inch that of a man on a mission to achieve his holy grail and plug the burning gap in his glittering CV in the process.
Having finally got his hands on the coveted crown, La Pulga revealed a more intimate version of himself as he paid glowing tributes to his team-mates, coaches and family members. Argentina’s captain fantastic had hugs for all and sundry but tailored his gaze to each of those he embraced, from coach Lionel Scaloni to wing wizard Angel Di Maria, and from his wife Antonela Roccuzzo to goalkeeping gladiator Emiliano Martinez.
Up until the 75th minute, Argentina bossed proceedings in a mesmerising masterclass that left an uncharacteristically laboured France firmly against the ropes. Such was the South Americans’ dominance that Didier Deschamps felt compelled to shuffle his pack as early as the 41st minute, when Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud were sacrificed for Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani.
Scaloni, meanwhile, fielded the same side that had earned Argentina the right to vie for global glory, with the exception of Di Maria on the left flank. The inclusion of the seasoned wideman reaped its rewards, with the French completely nullified as an attacking force down the right on account of the energy expended on containing El Fideo, who gave Jules Kounde plenty to think about, particularly given the scant support that he received from Dembele in front of him. Indeed, Dembele’s rather clumsy challenge, which halted a purposeful Di Maria surge, resulted in the penalty that Messi stroked home as Argentina drew first blood.
“From the very moment we found out we’d be up against France, after they got past Morocco [in the semi-finals], we were in no doubt that we’d go with Di Maria on the left. We didn’t share that information until an hour before kick-off, and I believe that was key because it meant that absolutely nobody gained any sort of advantage. In this day and age, everyone knows everything, and that can prove to be counterproductive,” Scaloni told FIFA in an interview in which he offered the low-down on the three-pronged blueprint deployed in the quest to give Les Bleus a serious dose of the blues.
The first of these elements responded to the fact that, when in possession, France switched to a three-man defence, with the left-back (initially Theo Hernandez and then Eduardo Camavinga) pushing up into midfield and right-back Kounde shuffling over to operate on the right of a central defensive trident. That set-up afforded Argentina space to exploit, allowing Di Maria to come into the equation.
The second aspect of the tactical approach focused on dominating the central channel, in which Antoine Griezmann had ruled the roost throughout the tournament. The man handed that unenviable task was Alexis Mac Allister.
The third and crucial part of the master plan related to containing Kylian Mbappe. How exactly do you go about keeping the most clinical sharpshooter in world football at bay? “What we didn’t want was for Cuti [Cristian Romero] to end up marking Mbappe. We asked Cuti to cover in behind Molina to avoid him being dragged out wide. We preferred Cuti to stay centrally and take care of Giroud and for Rodrigo [De Paul] to pick up Mbappe, or if it came to it, for Enzo [Fernandez] to do that job. But, needless to say, you have to keep close tabs on a player of Mbappe’s ability.”
Di Maria’s lung-bursting run and slide-rule finish, which doubled Argentina’s advantage, capped off a free-flowing passing move that swept the length of the pitch, from right to left, in the blink of an eye.
Argentina appeared to be cruising towards the crown, with the stars aligning for their inspirational skipper, but France clearly hadn’t read the script and were about to throw a healthy helping of drama into the mix. The orchestrator of the defiant French revival was, you guessed it, Mbappe, who restored parity in a blur of brilliance to force extra time.
However, Argentina were not about to surrender their dream, and Messi struck again before the jet-heeled Frenchman tucked away his second penalty of the night to complete a historic hat-trick that meant that the showdown would be decided from the spot.
Mbappe’s three-goal salvo brought his tally in FIFA World Cup deciders to four after his piledriver had helped France to a 4-2 triumph over Croatia at the 2018 edition on Russian soil. The Parisian’s dazzling display against Argentina resulted in him dethroning three-goal heroes Geoff Hurst, Zinedine Zidane and a certain Pele in the World Cup final goal charts.
Desperate kisses bursting with relief were dished out left, right and centre in the post-match celebrations. Tension-relieving hugs loaded with love were handed out at will. There were floods of tears brought on by the conquest of eagerly anticipated success on the global stage.
The passion and anxiety were palpable amongst all concerned – the masses who created a sea of sky blue and white in the stands, the players and the coaching staff. It truly was the final of all finals and must-see entertainment for anyone who loves not only the beautiful game but also gets a kick out of a tantalising tale full of drama and unexpected turns.
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