Everyone says it. "Best final ever." But why? It wasn't just about the goals, though there were plenty. It was the tension. Lusail Stadium felt like it was vibrating on December 18, 2022. If you weren't there, you probably still remember where you sat when Kylian Mbappé decided to turn the game into a personal highlight reel in the span of ninety seconds. The 2022 World Cup Final wasn't just a soccer match; it was a scripted drama that no Hollywood writer would dare pitch because it felt too unrealistic.
Lionel Messi finally got his trophy. That's the headline. But the path there was a jagged mess of nerves and narrow escapes.
What Really Happened During the 2022 World Cup Final
For about seventy minutes, Argentina basically owned the pitch. France looked sluggish. It was weird. Some people blamed a virus going around the French camp—the "camel flu"—while others thought Didier Deschamps just got the tactics wrong. Argentina was up 2-0 thanks to a Messi penalty and a beautiful team goal finished by Angel Di Maria. Di Maria was crying on the bench after being subbed off, thinking the job was done.
Then everything broke.
Otamendi made a clumsy challenge. Penalty. Mbappé scores. Okay, 2-1, game on, right? But then, literally moments later, Mbappé hits a volley that defies physics. 2-2. Just like that. The momentum shift was so violent it felt physical.
The Extra Time Chaos
Extra time is usually where players get tired and play it safe. Not here. Messi bundled the ball over the line for a 3-2 lead in the 108th minute. Argentina fans were already celebrating. They were screaming. Then, another handball. Another Mbappé penalty. 3-3.
The save. We have to talk about the save.
In the dying seconds of extra time, Randal Kolo Muani was one-on-one with Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez. If that goes in, France wins. The tournament ends. Messi’s legacy has a permanent "what if" attached to it. But Martínez spread himself like a starfish and made a save with his left leg that people in Buenos Aires will probably build a statue of one day. It was the most important save in the history of the sport. Period.
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Why This Match Redefined Modern Football
The 2022 World Cup Final proved that the gap between "great" and "legendary" is measured in millimeters.
Look at the stats. Mbappé became the first man since Geoff Hurst in 1966 to score a hat-trick in a final. He lost. Think about that. You score three goals in the biggest game on earth and you still go home with a silver medal. It’s brutal.
Argentina’s approach was built on a "win it for Leo" mentality that usually fails because it's too emotional. But Scaloni—the manager nobody really wanted at first—built a structure that actually worked. He used Rodrigo De Paul as a bodyguard for Messi. He let Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez run their lungs out. It was a masterclass in building a team around an aging superstar without making the team dependent on him for every single touch.
The Psychological Warfare of Dibu Martinez
Penalties are a coin toss, or so they say. But Dibu Martínez doesn't believe in coins. He believes in getting inside your head. During the shootout, he was throwing the ball away, talking to the French players, dancing after saves. It was polarizing. Some called it unsporting; others called it genius.
Kingsley Coman saw his shot saved. Aurelien Tchouameni shot wide. You could see the pressure melting the French side while the Argentines looked like they were just having a kickabout in the park. Gonzalo Montiel, a right-back who isn't exactly a household name, stepped up and tucked away the winning penalty like he was doing it in his backyard.
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The Messi vs. Mbappé Narrative
This wasn't just countries. It was the passing of the torch that refused to be passed.
Messi was 35. Mbappé was 23. They were teammates at PSG at the time, which made the whole thing even more awkward. Google searches for "is Messi the GOAT" spiked by over 500% during the match. By the time he lifted the trophy wearing that traditional bisht, the debate was effectively over for most people.
But Mbappé’s performance was a warning. He didn't disappear. He took the game by the throat when his team was dead in the water. That kind of individual dominance is rare.
Tactical Lessons from Lusail
If you’re a coach or just a nerd for the game, there’s a lot to unpack from how Scaloni set up.
- The Di Maria Factor: Starting him on the left instead of the right completely caught France off guard. Jules Koundé didn't know whether to stay or go.
- Midfield Overload: Argentina played with a narrow midfield that forced France to go wide, where they were less effective until the very end.
- Substitutions: Deschamps making two subs before halftime (Giroud and Dembélé out) was a desperate, bold move that almost worked. It showed that even at the highest level, you have to be willing to admit you got it wrong.
Misconceptions About the Match
A lot of people think France played poorly for 90 minutes. That’s not true. They played poorly for 75 minutes. The final 15 minutes of regulation and all of extra time were actually quite even, if not tilted toward France.
Another myth is that Argentina "cruised" to the shootout. They were a nervous wreck. The camera cuts to the Argentine bench showed players who looked like they were watching a horror movie. They weren't calm. They were terrified of repeating the 2014 heartbreak.
How the 2022 World Cup Final Changed the Sport
Money, influence, and the "Middle East experiment."
This was the first World Cup held in the winter (for the Northern Hemisphere) and the first in an Arab nation. There was so much controversy leading up to it regarding human rights and the schedule shift. But the quality of the 2022 World Cup Final acted as a sort of "sportswashing" shield. People stopped talking about the logistics and started talking about the magic.
It also solidified the importance of the "New Guard" in Argentina. Players like Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez became overnight global superstars, leading to massive transfer fees in the following months. Enzo went to Chelsea for a record-breaking sum mainly because of his composure in this specific game.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to truly appreciate what happened, don't just watch the goals. Go back and watch the full 120 minutes. Look at the off-ball movement.
- Watch the Tactical Breakdowns: Search for "Tifo Football Argentina France" on YouTube. They explain the spacing better than any broadcast ever could.
- Analyze the Penalty Shootout: Watch a "Dibu Martínez POV" video. See how he manipulates the space and the strikers. It's a lesson in sports psychology.
- Check the Long-term Impact: Look at how the Argentina national team has evolved since. They didn't just stop after the World Cup; they used that momentum to dominate the Copa América afterward.
The game showed us that soccer is less about "playing well" and more about "surviving the moments." Argentina survived. France almost did. And we got the greatest show on earth.
Experience the match again through the official FIFA "Match 64" documentary or the "Captains of the World" series on Netflix. They give you the locker room perspective that clarifies why the players were acting the way they were. Seeing Messi’s face in the tunnel before the second half tells you more than any stat sheet ever will.
The 2022 World Cup Final remains the gold standard for what international sports can be when the stakes are at their absolute limit. It wasn't perfect, it was chaotic, and that’s exactly why we can't stop talking about it.