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#FootballFever | Messi wins World Cup, Argentina beat France on penalties

Published:Sunday | December 18, 2022 | 12:32 PM
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring during the World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, December 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi finally won the biggest prize in football as Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbappé scoring the first hat trick in a final in 56 years.

Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick as Argentina won after a 3-3 draw.

Messi put Argentina ahead from the penalty spot and played a part in Angel Di Maria's goal that made it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Mbappé scored two goals in a 97-second span to take the game to extra time, and then Messi tapped in his second goal in the 109th minute.

But there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé to take the thrilling game to a shootout.

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