Honestly, if you scripted the final of World Cup 2022 for a Hollywood movie, the studio would probably reject it for being too unrealistic. It was absurd. It was chaotic. For about 80 minutes, it looked like a routine coronation for Lionel Messi, and then Kylian Mbappé decided to turn the entire world upside down in the span of ninety-seven seconds.
People still argue about whether it’s the "greatest game ever played." It probably is. When you look at the sheer weight of history on the line—Messi’s legacy vs. France’s attempt to be the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962—the stakes couldn't have been higher.
But what actually happened on that pitch in Qatar? Beyond the memes and the photos of Messi in a Bisht, there’s a technical story of tactical brilliance, massive errors, and a goalkeeper who basically mastered the psychology of fear.
The Tactical Masterclass That (Almost) Didn't Matter
Everyone expected a chess match. Didier Deschamps is known for being pragmatic, almost boringly so. Lionel Scaloni, on the other hand, is the tactical chameleon. He threw a curveball that nobody saw coming: Angel Di Maria on the left wing.
Di Maria hadn't played much in the knockout rounds. Putting him on the left was a stroke of genius. It forced Ousmane Dembélé into defensive positions he hated, eventually leading to the penalty that opened the scoring. Argentina didn't just play better; they bullied France for an hour. France didn't even have a shot on target until the 80th minute. Think about that. The defending world champions were ghosting.
Deschamps made a move that was basically unheard of in a final of World Cup. He hooked Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembélé before halftime. Gone. Just like that. It was a brutal admission that his starting plan had failed miserably. He brought on Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram, shifting to a more chaotic, athletic style that eventually bypassed the Argentinian midfield.
👉 See also: Ohio State Football All White Uniforms: Why the Icy Look Always Sparks a Debate
The Mbappé Explosion
Then came the 80th minute. A penalty for France. Mbappé scores. Okay, game on, but Argentina still looks safe.
Then, less than two minutes later, Marcus Thuram lofts a ball, and Mbappé hits a volley that defies physics. It’s a laser. The sound it made hitting the net was audible over the roar of 88,000 people. In less than two minutes, the narrative of Messi’s perfect ending was incinerated. That’s the thing about the final of World Cup—it doesn't care about your storylines.
The Overlooked Heroes of Lusail
We talk about the stars. We talk about the goals. We rarely talk about Alexis Mac Allister or Rodrigo De Paul. Those two ran until their lungs probably felt like they were on fire. They provided the platform for Messi to "walk" through the game and pick his moments.
Then there is Emiliano "Dibu" Martinez.
The save. You know the one. 123rd minute. Randal Kolo Muani is one-on-one. The entire French bench is already stepping onto the field to celebrate. Martinez stretches his left leg out in a move that looked more like handball goalkeeping than soccer. If that ball goes in, Argentina loses. Messi’s career ends with a silver medal. The "GOAT" debate stays messy forever.
✨ Don't miss: Who Won the Golf Tournament This Weekend: Richard T. Lee and the 2026 Season Kickoff
Penalties and the Mental Game
Penalties are a lottery, right? Wrong.
Geir Jordet, a professor who specializes in the psychology of football, has studied Dibu Martinez’s behavior extensively. In the final of World Cup, Martinez used every "dark art" in the book. He threw the ball away. He talked to the French players. He danced. He made the goal look small.
France’s composure crumbled. Kingsley Coman and Aurélien Tchouaméni missed. Argentina’s shooters, conversely, looked like they were taking practice kicks in their backyard. Gonzalo Montiel, the man who conceded the handball for France's third goal, stepped up for the winner. That kind of mental fortitude is what separates winners from "almosts."
Why This Final Felt Different
Most finals are cagey. 2010 was a foul-fest. 2014 was a 1-0 tactical grind. 1994 was a scoreless draw. The final of World Cup in 2022 gave us six goals, a hat-trick for the losing side, and a penalty shootout.
It also served as the ultimate passing of the torch. Mbappé became the first man since Geoff Hurst in 1966 to score a hat-trick in a final, and he still lost. He proved he is the heir apparent, while Messi proved that even at 35, he could dictate the tempo of the most high-pressure game on Earth.
🔗 Read more: The Truth About the Memphis Grizzlies Record 2025: Why the Standings Don't Tell the Whole Story
There’s also the data aspect. According to FIFA’s post-match technical report, Argentina out-sprinted France in the first half by a massive margin. They simply wanted it more. They won 60% of their duels in that first hour. But France’s late-game surge was fueled by high-intensity transitions. It was a clash of two entirely different philosophies of sport.
The Long-Term Impact on Football
The final of World Cup usually sets the trend for the next four years of coaching. What did we learn here?
- Flexibility is King. Scaloni’s ability to change his system for every opponent was the real reason Argentina won.
- The "10" is not dead. Messi proved that you can still build a team around a creative fulcrum if you have "water carriers" around them.
- Squad Depth Matters. France nearly won because their substitutes were better than Argentina’s starters in the final thirty minutes.
If you look at the 2024 Euros or the current Champions League trends, you see teams moving away from rigid possession and toward this kind of "controlled chaos" that we saw in Lusail.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans and Players
If you want to truly understand what happened in the final of World Cup, don't just watch the highlights. Watch the off-ball movement.
- Watch the "Rest Defense": Look at how Argentina positioned their defenders even when they were attacking. They were terrified of French counter-attacks, and for good reason.
- Study the Substitutions: Rewatch the game from the 40th minute to the 75th. Notice how France's physical profile changed when Giroud and Dembélé left. It became a track meet.
- Analyze the Penalty Psychology: Watch Dibu Martinez's positioning during the shootout. He never stays on his line until the last second. He is constantly moving, forcing the kicker to adjust.
- Understand the Legacy: This match effectively ended the "Greatest of All Time" debate for a huge portion of the global fanbase. It wasn't just a trophy; it was a career validation.
The next time a final of World Cup rolls around, the pressure will be on the 2026 hosts to deliver something even half as dramatic. It’s unlikely. What we saw in Qatar was a once-in-a-century alignment of talent, narrative, and pure, unadulterated sporting madness.
To understand the tactical nuances deeper, check out the official FIFA Technical Study Group reports which break down the physical data and passing networks of the match. For the emotional side, the "Captains of the World" series provides behind-the-scenes footage that shows just how tense that Argentinian dressing room was at halftime.
The match didn't just end a tournament; it redefined what we expect from a sporting spectacle.