KEIR RADNEDGE in LUSAIL —- Leo Messi has scaled his last, highest peak but only after it all almost went shatteringly wrong before Argentina, twice pulled back when ahead, came through by 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in the 2022 World Cup Final in Qatar.

The duel between the two best teams at the finals and the game’s two finest players in Messi and Kylian Mbappe presented the most extraordinary climax to the first World Cup in the Arab world.

Mbappe, the finals’ seven-goal top scorer, ended with a hat-trick despite finishing on the losing side as France, in astonishing fashion, lost the crown secured four years ago in Moscow.

Yet possibly the greatest World Cup Final of all time was never a contest. until the last 10 minutes of normal time.

Argentina, empowered to the night sky by the chanting, singing and drumming of their ecstatic fans, owned the game from the opening minutes and struck twice in a 13-minute spell midway through the first half to lead 2-0 and stand on the brink of a third triumph after 1978 and 1986.

Messi struck the opening goal from a penalty and helped create the second for Angel Di Maria. It appeared the most one-sided final since France beat Brazil 3-0 in Paris in 1998.

Then France, debilitated by injuries and influenza and going down without much of a fight, hit back from the dead with Mbappe’s two goals out of nowhere in the 80th and 81st minutes, the first a penalty. Argentina regained the lead through Messi in extra time but Mbappe, with another penalty, condemned the final to a third shootout after success for Brazil in 1994 and Italy in 2006.

Mbappe blasted home the first kick but Kingsley Coman’s kick was saved by Emi Martinez and Aurelien Thouameni shot wide. Gonzalo Montiel beat Hugo Lloris with the kick which sent all Argentina into delerium.

The French had had a day less than Argentina to recover from a physically punishing semi-final against Morocco and, after a busy four weeks, and that appeared significant. Mbappe had barely had a kick – until the dramatic comeback .

The World Cup extravaganza had cost Qatar £200bn while FIFA has reaped £7bn. History will judge who emerged with the better deal but in the short time the benefits were all for the fans in general and the Argentinian majority in the capacity 88,966 crowd in particular.

Argentina made the sharper start, assisted by sloppy French passing. Messi was at the beating heart of all the action and the returning Di Maria on the left wing issued an early warning to Jules Kounde of tough times ahead.

No phoney war in this final. Argentina forced the first corner, Di Maria skied the first decent chance over the bar and was then tripped by Dembele for the penalty which broke the deadlock. Polish referee Szymon Marciniak did not need VAR to help him decide to point to the spot and Messi duly shot Argentina ahead.

Argentina were eager to stretch their lead. Driven forward by the vigour of Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez in midfield, they were showing a far superior will to engage in combat.

France were playing as if in a trance, and fell further behind in the 36th minute. Nahuel Molina and Aex Mac Allister broke up a French attack down the left, Messi found Julian Alvarez and he sent the perpetual motion Mac Allister clear. The midfielder’s cross was weighted perfectly for onrushing Di Maria to swipe first time across and beyond Lloris.

This was in only the 36th minute yet France looked down and out already. It was an admission of desperation that coach Didier Deschamps immediately replaced the ineffective Olivier Giroud and Dembele with Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani.

Equalisers

France, within 45 minutes of losing their grip on the World Cup, sought to raise their game after the interval but though the spirit was willing the flesh was weak.

Lloris saved from Alvarez at second attempt then later grabbed securely from a drive by Fernandez. Inbetween Mbappe produced a rare flash of inspiration as he cut in from the left but his shot flew safely too high.

Eventually his endeavour was rewarded. In the 79th minute Kolo Muani was chased down by Otamendi and Mbappe struck his own sixth goal from the penalty spot.

Two more minutes and Francce, incredibly, were level through Mbappe again. Substitute Kingsley Coman robbed Messi – of all people – in midfield and Thuram exchanged passes with Mbappe who volleyed fiercely past Martinez.

Now all the momentum was with France yet in the dying moments of stoppage time it was Messi who forced a brilliant leaping save from Lloris.

Argentina regained a little poise and structure in the first half of extra time. Substitute Gonzalo Montiel had a drive deflected for a corner and another new arrival, Lautaro Martinez, jabbed wide when running through under pressure.

Messi remained inspirational as ever in the second half of extra time. First he forced a diving save from Lloris then he put Argentina back into the lead in the 109th minutue after the goalkeeper had saved bravely from substitute Martinez.

Yet France came from the dead yet again as Mbappe completed his hat-trick from another penalty after his drive had been blocked by the arm of Montiel.

Lautaro Martinez then headed wide of an open goal in the last minute of stoppage time . . . before the drama went to penalties and Argentina were eventually rewarded.

The teams

Argentina: E Martinez – Molina (Montiel 91), Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico (Dybala 120) – De Paul (Paredes 101), Fernandez, Mac Allister (Pezzella 114) – Messi, Alvarez (L Martinez 101), Di Maria (Acuna 64).

France: Lloris – Kounde (Disasi 120), Varane (Konate 112), Upamecano, T Hernanez (Camavinga 71) – Thouameni, Rabiot (conc. Fofan 94) – Dembele (Kolo Muani 41), Griezmann (Coman 71), Mbappe – Giroud (Thuram 41).

Referee: Marciniak (Pol). Att: 88,966.

The penalties

France first: Mbappe 1-0, Messi 1-1; Coman saved 1-1, Dybale 1-2; Tschouameni wide 1-2, Fernandez 1-3; Kolo Muani 2-3, Montiel 2-4.

The awards

Golden ball (best player): Leo Messi (Argentina)

Golden shoe (top scorer): Kylian Mbappe (France) 8 goals

Golden glove (best goalkeeper): Emilio Martinez (Argentina)

Young player: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)

Fair play: England

The tournament

 Group stage

Gp A: Qatar 0, Ecuador 2; Senegal 0, Netherlands 2 – Qatar 1 Senegal 3; Netherlands 1, Ecuador 1 – Netherlands 2, Qatar 0; Ecuador 1, Senegal 2. Final points: Netherlands 7, Senegal 6, Ecuador 4, Qatar 0.

Gp B: England 6, Iran 2; United States 1, Wales 1 – Wales 0, Iran 2; England 0, United States 0 – Iran 0, US 1; Wales 0, England 3. Final pts: England 7, US 5, Iran 3, Wales 1.

Gp C: Argentina 1, Saudi Arabia 2; Mexico 0, Poland 0 – Poland 2, S Arabia 0; Argentina 2, Mexico 0 – Poland 0, Argentina 2; S Arabia 1, Mexico 2. Final pts: Argentina 6, Poland 4, Mexico 4, S Arabia 3.

Gp D: Denmark 0, Tunisia 0; France 4, Australia 1 — Tunisia 0, Australia 1; France 2, Denmark 1 – Denmark 0, Australia 1; Tunisia 1, France 0. Final pts: France 6, Australia 6, Tunisia 4, Denmark 1.

Gp E: Germany 1, Japan 2; Spain 7, Costa Rica 0 – Japan 0, Costa Rica 1; Spain 1, Germany 1 — Japan 2, Spain 1; Costa Rica 2, Germany 4. Final pts: Japan 6, Spain 4, Germany 4, Costa Rica 3.

Gp F: Morocco 0, Croatia 0; Belgium 1, Canada 0 – Belgium 0, Morocco 2; Croatia 4, Canada 1– Croatia 0, Belgium 0; Canada 1, Morocco 2. Final pts: Morocco 7, Croatia 5, Belgium 4, Canada 0.

Gp G: Switzerland 1, Cameroon 0; Brazil 2, Serbia 0 – Cameroon 3, Serbia 3; Brazil 1, Switzerland 0 — Serbia 2, Switzerland 3; Cameroon 1, Brazil 0. Final pts: Brazil 6, Switzerland 6, Cameroon 4, Serbia 1.

Gp H: Uruguay 0, South Korea 0; Portugal 3, Ghana 2 – S Korea 2, Ghana 3; Portugal 2, Uruguay 0 — Ghana 0, Uruguay 2; S Korea 2, Portugal 1. Final pts: Portugal 6, S Korea 4, Uruguay 4, Ghana 3.

Round of 16

Dec 3: Netherlands 3, United States 1; Argentina 2, Australia 1.

Dec 4: England 3, Senegal 0; France 3, Poland 1.

Dec 5: Japan 1, Croatia 1 aet (1-3 pens); Brazil 4, Korea Republic 1.

Dec 6: Morocco 0, Spain 0 aet (3-0 pens); Portugal 6, Switzerland 1.

Quarter-finals

Dec 9: Croatia 1, Brazil 1 aet (4-2 pens); Netherlands 2, Argentina 2 aet (3-4 pens)

Dec 10: Morocco 1, Portugal 0; England 1, France 2.

Semi-finals

Tue, Dec 13: Argentina 3, Croatia 0 (Lusail).

Wed, Dec 14: France 2, Morocco 0 (Al Bayt).

Third place playoff

Sat, Dec 17: Croatia 2, Morocco 1 (Khalifa Intl Stadium)

The Final

Sun, Dec 18: Argentina 3 France 3 [4-2 on pens] (Lusail).

Top scorers

8 goals – Mbappe (Fra). 7 – Messi (Arg). 4 – Alvarez (Arg), Giroud (Fra). 3 – Gakpo (Net), Morata (Spa), Ramos (Por), Rashford (Eng), Richarlison (Brz), Saka (Eng), Valencia (Ecu).

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