Honestly, if you scripted a movie with the same plot as the World Cup Final 2022, a producer would probably throw it back at you for being too unrealistic. It was absurd. It was exhausting. By the time Gonzalo Montiel stepped up to take that final penalty at the Lusail Stadium, half the world was watching through their fingers, and the other half had probably forgotten how to breathe. This wasn't just a soccer game; it was a psychological thriller that lasted two hours and change.
Most people remember the trophies and the confetti, but the actual texture of that night in Qatar was much weirder than the highlight reels suggest. Argentina didn’t just win; they dominated, then collapsed, then rose again, then nearly died in the final seconds of extra time.
Leo Messi finally got his moment. But let’s be real—Kylian Mbappé almost stole the entire script.
The First 80 Minutes of Pure Dominance
For nearly the entire match, France wasn’t even in the building. It was ghost-like. Didier Deschamps’ squad looked like they were running through waist-deep mud, which is bizarre considering they were the defending champions. Argentina, led by a rejuvenated Angel Di Maria, basically ran circles around a French midfield that seemed paralyzed.
Di Maria was the tactical masterstroke. Scaloni put him on the left, a move that caught France completely off guard. He won the penalty for the first goal, which Messi tucked away with that eerie calmness he’s cultivated over two decades. Then, Di Maria finished off a team goal so fluid it belonged in a gallery. 2-0.
By the 75th minute, people were already drafting the "End of an Era" tweets for France. Fans in the stadium were singing. It felt over.
Then, the world shifted.
When the World Cup Final 2022 Turned Into Chaos
It happened in 97 seconds. That’s all it took for Kylian Mbappé to turn a foregone conclusion into a street fight.
First, a penalty. Fine. 2-1. Argentina fans got a little nervous, but hey, there were only ten minutes left. But then, almost immediately from the restart, Coman won the ball, Messi lost it (a rarity that night), and Mbappé played a quick one-two before hitting a volley that felt like it had the weight of an entire nation behind it.
📖 Related: How to watch vikings game online free without the usual headache
$2-2$. Just like that.
The energy in the stadium didn't just change; it inverted. Suddenly, the Argentine players looked old. They looked tired. The ghosts of 2014, when they lost to Germany in the final, started hovering over the pitch. This is the part of the World Cup Final 2022 that stats don't show—the pure, unadulterated panic that gripped the blue and white shirts.
The Extra Time Drama Nobody Expected
You’d think after a comeback like that, one team would just fold. Nope.
Extra time was a frantic, messy, beautiful disaster. Messi scored again in the 108th minute. It was a scrappy goal, a rebound that just barely crossed the line. The stadium exploded. Surely, surely that was it. But then Montiel handled the ball in the box. Another penalty. Mbappé, ice-cold, stepped up and completed his hat trick.
$3-3$.
Think about that. A hat trick in a final and you still might lose. That’s the cruelty of the sport.
The Save That Saved a Country
We have to talk about Emiliano "Dibu" Martinez. Because without him, Messi’s story ends in heartbreak. In the 123rd minute—literally the dying breath of the game—Randal Kolo Muani found himself one-on-one with the keeper. If that ball goes in, France wins. The game is over. No penalties, no Messi trophy, no parade in Buenos Aires.
Martinez stretched out his left leg in a move that looked more like a hockey save than a soccer one. It was a miracle of geometry and reflex.
👉 See also: Liechtenstein National Football Team: Why Their Struggles are Different Than You Think
It’s often overlooked in the Messi vs. Mbappé narrative, but that specific save is arguably the most important moment in Argentine sporting history since Maradona’s "Hand of God." It sent the game to penalties, where Martinez’s psychological warfare—throwing the ball away, dancing, staring down the shooters—became the stuff of legend (or infamy, depending on who you ask).
Why the World Cup Final 2022 Changed the GOAT Debate
Before December 18, 2022, the debate over the greatest of all time (the GOAT) always had a "but" attached to Messi.
"But he hasn't won a World Cup."
"But he isn't Maradona."
That night ended the "but."
Messi finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists. He became the first player to score in every single knockout round—the round of 16, the quarters, the semis, and the final. That kind of consistency under that much pressure is statistically insane.
France, meanwhile, proved that they are going to be a problem for the next decade. Mbappé became only the second man to score a hat trick in a final after Geoff Hurst in 1966. He didn't lose that game; his team just ran out of luck in the lottery of penalties.
The Tactical Nuance People Miss
While everyone focuses on the stars, the World Cup Final 2022 was won in the transition. Argentina’s midfield—Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Rodrigo De Paul—outworked France’s engine room for 80 minutes.
Deschamps made the brutal move of subbing off Giroud and Dembele before halftime. You don't see that often. It was a desperate play that eventually paid off when the game became stretched and chaotic, but Argentina's ability to retain possession in tight spaces kept them alive when they should have been dead.
What You Can Learn From That Night
If you're looking for "lessons" from a soccer match, this one is a goldmine for anyone who deals with high-pressure environments.
✨ Don't miss: Cómo entender la tabla de Copa Oro y por qué los puntos no siempre cuentan la historia completa
- Momentum is a lie... until it isn't: Argentina had 100% of the momentum, lost it in 97 seconds, and had to find a way to manufacture it again in extra time. Emotional regulation is everything.
- The "Support Cast" defines the hero: Messi got the headlines, but the work rate of Julian Alvarez and the grit of Otamendi allowed Messi the space to be "The Messi."
- Preparation for the Worst: Dibu Martinez has admitted he studied the French penalty takers for weeks. Luck is just preparation meeting a very stressful opportunity.
Beyond the Pitch: The Cultural Impact
The images of 4 million people on the streets of Buenos Aires a few days later showed what this actually meant. It wasn't just a game for Argentina; it was a release valve for a country going through massive economic hardship.
For the rest of us, it was a reminder of why we watch. In an era where sports can feel overly corporate and predictable, the World Cup Final 2022 was pure, unscripted lightning.
To really understand the legacy of this game, you have to look at how it reframed the players.
- Messi: Transitioned from a "pure talent" to a "leader of men."
- Mbappé: Confirmed he is the undisputed heir to the throne.
- Scaloni: Proved that a "rookie" coach with a clear vision can outmaneuver veterans.
Actionable Takeaways for the Super-Fan
If you want to relive this properly or analyze it further, don't just watch the goals.
Watch the full 120 minutes again. Look at how Argentina’s shape changed after Di Maria was subbed off. Notice how France’s substitutes, Camavinga and Coman, actually changed the physical profile of the game.
If you're a coach or a student of the game, pay attention to:
- Argentina's 4-4-2/4-3-3 hybrid: How they choked the service to Mbappé for the first hour.
- The Penalty Psychology: Watch Dibu Martinez's positioning. He doesn't just stand on the line; he occupies the entire box mentally.
- The Heat Maps: Look at Messi’s movement in extra time versus the first half. He stopped sprinting and started "teleporting" into pockets of space.
The World Cup Final 2022 was the greatest game ever played not because it was perfect, but because it was perfectly flawed. It was a series of mistakes, recoveries, and moments of individual genius that reminded everyone why this is the most popular sport on the planet.