By Isaac Akugizibwe

KIU, Main Campus-Argentina beat France 4-2 in penalties to win the 2022 FIFA World cup on the evening of Sunday 18th December 2022 after a thrilling and nerve fledgling 90 minutes and extra time ended with a 3-3 tie.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored twice and contributed to the other goal scored by Angel Di Maria while France's goals were all scored by the sensational Kylian Mbappe who became only the second man in World Cup history to score a hattrick in the final since England's Sir Geoff Hurst in the 1966 World cup final.

Messi opened the scoring with a penalty after a foul on Di Maria before contributing to a wonderful team run that saw Di Maria score to give Argentina a crucial 2-0 lead. The South Americans enjoyed 80 minutes of dominance and we're looking to sealing victory with the 2-0 comfortable lead but Mbappe scored through a penalty after a foul on Kolo Muani before scoring a half-volley in 90 seconds to bring Argentina's party to a hold.

The game was sent into extra time and early in the second half of extra-time in the 108th minute, Argentina's messiah, Messi scored what appeared to be the winning goal but with only three minutes to go, Mbappe and France happened again, sending the match to yet another edge.

Both teams survived late scares before the game went in for penalties. The two opposite stars, Mbappe for France and Messi for Argentina successfully opened the spot kicks before Emiliano Martinez saved from Kingsley Conan and saw Aurelian Tchouameni direct his efforts off target to give Argentina the advantage. They needed to score all their efforts to emerge champions of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

This world cup has been dubbed, Messi's World cup for he has been the engine of Argentina's success. It is also thought to be his last World Cup and for football fans around the world, Messi's triumph means the end of the greatest of all time (GOAT) debate, one that has kept a huge number of people at parallels in the last decade.

Messi has for long been compared to Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo whose camp based on his achievements with different clubs and country to rate him as the greatest footballer and for Messi, many pundits, analysts and fans think, it is only the World cup trophy he needed to get above Ronaldo and will be considered among the greats like Brazil's Pele and country mate Diego Armando Maradona who many people still think will never be surpassed.

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