World Cup

At the World Cup trophy presentation after Argentina's win over France in the final on Sunday, Lionel Messi was offered a beshth, a traditional Arab cloak, to ...

It’s like a mark of honour, and just kind of a cultural welcoming and a cultural acceptance.” This was a celebration of Messi. Primarily worn in the Gulf, it is a garment that has been worn for centuries during special occasions.

Argentina's talisman and newly-crowned World Cup winner Lionel Messi on Sunday night took to his Instagram page to soak in the moment of the World Cup win ...

We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim. So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don’t fall. Argentina’s talisman and newly-crowned World Cup winner Lionel Messi on Sunday night took to his Instagram page to soak in the moment of the World Cup win in Qatar and express his gratitude to his fans, family and country, saying it was an unbelievable moment for him.

1. "Today I feel like a Qatari, Arab, African, gay, disabled, worker, immigrant..." (Gianni Infantino, November 19). In the midst of the growing ...

We are the Rocky Balboa of the World Cup." The termination of his contract with Manchester United and his confrontation with Portuguese coach Fernando Santos, who relegated him to the bench in the decisive stretch, made it a bitter farewell. Some will be there and some won't, I don't know." Morocco were the big story of the World Cup in Qatar. We were eliminated by the penalty that was converted in extra time and that FIFA says was not a penalty." Undoubtedly the phrase of the World Cup. "We are a team that everyone loves given our talent and quality. He pointed to the progress that had been made in the Arab country thanks to the World Cup, and highlighted the hypocrisy of Europe. Pressure is thinking about what to eat the next day" (Otto Ado, November 27) They eventually eliminated them in a penalty shootout after wasting a two-goal advantage, and We have shown that we deserve to be here." Yes there are those who come to work illegally, and then we criticize Qatar."

Grab a hankie, it's time to look back on a thrilling World Cup. So who made our team of the tournament and did we get the big decisions right?

We suspect Miroslav Klose will be scrubbed from the record books in 2026. Then to step up and dispatch another penalty, won by his good self, against the same goalkeeper Harry Kane had completely crumbled against – and then do it again in the shoot-out – was incredible. The reason Hernandez is nowhere near our XI. In his new role in midfield, he magnificently stitched the play together – one moment making an uncharacteristic recovery tackle, the next creating a golden chance for a team-mate. Amrabat was the perfect shield to the tournament’s best defence, while he also set the tempo for Morocco’s attacks. Everyone is queuing up to put Theo Hernandez in their XIs, but they obviously didn’t watch the England quarter-final. But in truth, there were no outstanding candidates from Qatar. He might not get a January move after Messi rinsed him about 17 times in one memorising dribble in the semi-finals, but Josko Gvardiol was still the outstanding young defender in Qatar. Romero’s no-nonsense style, flying into crunching tackles and even perfectly happy to land a blow on club team-mate Hugo Lloris, was a key pillar of Argentina’s success. It feels like Nicolas Otamendi has been in his late 30s for at least a decade, so it’s surprising to learn he’s actually only 34. Hakimi was brilliant throughout the tournament at right-back, keeping his good friend Mbappe quiet in the semi-finals and marauding forward with menacing glee at every opportunity. So who makes our team of the tournament?

His teammate and French forward Kylian Mbappe also claimed one of the prizes as the global football showpiece ended in the Middle East. 2022 World Cup Award ...

He scored twice, taking his tally to seven in the competition. Another Argentine, Enzo Fernandez, scooped the Best Young Player award on Sunday. He became just the second player after Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Argentina’s Sunday victory won’t have been possible but for the heroics of Emiliano Martinez. He also scored in the shoot-out as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time. The victory also saw the Paris Saint-Germain star scoop one of the individual prizes on the plate in the competition in Qatar.

France forward Kylian Mbappe said his team will bounce back following his side's loss to Argentina in Sunday's 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar.

The game seemed to have been decided by Messi in the 109th minute, but France found their way back again after the referee awarded a penalty to them when Argentina defender handled the ball in the box with Mbappe completing his hat-trick from the spot. France rallied back from a two-goal deficit with Mbappe pulling one back from the spot 10 minutes before full time and equalizing with a spectacular goal 60 seconds later. Argentina edged pass France 4-2 on penalties after 3-3 draw in an electrifying 120 minutes of intense play that saw Mbappe score a hat-trick.

Kylian Mbappe starred in the World Cup final with his hat-trick against Argentina, but that outstanding performance was not enough for France to retain ...

- France. There is no doubt that Mbappe and France will return. "We will be back"," Mbappe posted alongside two emojis of the French flag and his hands in prayer. [Argentina](https://www.marca.com/en/football/argentina-national-football-team.html), but that outstanding performance was not enough for [France](https://www.marca.com/en/football/france-national-football-team.html) to retain their World Cup crown. [The phenomenal Mbappe isn't enough for France](https://www.marca.com/en/world-cup/2022/12/18/639f799946163f502a8b458f.html)

France had a disaster for an hour of the World Cup final, but there are reasons to be positive despite defeat. Not least, they have Kylian Mbappe.

[Ousmane Dembele](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/229744/Ousmane-Dembélé), whose foul had given Argentina a penalty for the first goal, and striker [Olivier Giroud](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/88965/Olivier-Giroud), who didn't have much of the ball before coming off and looked frustrated. His eight goals in the tournament are one of the highest for a Golden Boot winner, while he is the only player in history to have scored four goals in World Cup finals and the second to net a hat trick in one -- after [Bracket](https://www.espn.com/soccer/bracket) Going into this game with a lot of ambition and confidence, they seemed surprised by how aggressive and well organised Argentina were. Maybe going forward, Mbappe should play up front as a second striker, where he is the best against the top teams, rather than on the left wing. It shouldn't have taken so long, but the desire, the belief, was back, and that's what the team have to remember going forward. [France](/soccer/team?id=478)'s players experienced the biggest roller coaster of emotions on Sunday against [Argentina](/soccer/team?id=202) and [Lionel Messi](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/45843/Lionel-Messi). There have been some defeats in qualifying campaigns or the Nations League, but not in the same way Argentina controlled things in the first half. But it seems the pressure of the final, the presence of the legendary Messi against them and the noisy support from the Argentine fans caused the team to lose their mojo and forget what had made them so good in Qatar. Aside from the second-string XI losing 1-0 to Tunisia in the final group game, France had been composed, ruthless and efficient throughout. Then finally down in a sea of sorrow and regret after the penalty shootout as Argentina lifted the trophy. Losing a World Cup final is always tough.

Lionel Messi received a multitude of congratulatory messages for the World Cup title, but few were as special as the one from Luis Suarez.

The good news for Suarez is that he will have the opportunity to meet Messi again on the pitch. Suarez and Messi have a good relationship since they were teammates at [Messi's other prize is being praised as the GOAT by colleagues and celebrities](https://www.marca.com/en/world-cup/2022/12/19/63a02ed4e2704e8f778b45cd.html)

Finalists Argentina and France are both well represented in GOAL's Team of the Tournament from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

[perhaps finishing any debate regarding the greatest player of all time.](https://www.goal.com/en/lists/goat-debate-over-winners-losers-messi-argentina-mbappe-france-greatest-world-cup-final-ever/blt3c805d9a1697ff6c) [The mercurial No.10 won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player,](https://www.goal.com/en/news/messi--world-cup-history-argentina-captain-scoops-second-golden-ball/blt3d6564d03172f435) and so he's a lock for GOAL's Team of the Tournament, but who else should join him in the line up? And just like that, the 2022 World Cup is over. With a record number of goals, drama from the start and rounded off by perhaps the greatest final, if not overall game, in the tournament's history, Qatar played host to a show that few will forget in a hurry.

Scenes were incredibly jubilant in Lusail Stadium as the Argentinian players celebrated after having defeated Didier Deschamps' France in the final of the ...

As Messi hugged and kissed fellow players, coaching staff and family members, he was suddenly tugged on the arm by an overly eager fan. Leo was evidently irritated by the chef's opportunistic intrusiveness- it just wasn't the appropriate time to be asking for a selfie. Their attention quickly turned to their families, as Messi and co desperately tried to find loved ones in the crowd to enjoy this once in a lifetime moment with them.