Argentina v France: Key moments from an incredible World Cup final
Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick, while Messi scored twice either side of an Angel di Maria goal as the Argentines and the French played out a simply incredible game of football.
Read all of our as-it-happened commentary below.
Click here for all the key match stats
The penalties:
121' That's it. The end of the match.
121' Gonzalo Montiel (Argentina) gives no chance to the keeper and converts the penalty with a sharp low drive into the left side of the net.
121' Goal! Randal Kolo Muani (France) takes just a short run up and buries the penalty into the roof of the net.
121' Goal! Leandro Paredes (Argentina) runs up to the ball, stops and waits for Hugo Lloris to commit before slotting the penalty into the bottom left corner.
121' Aurelien Tchouameni (France) can't convert the spot kick. It goes narrowly wide of the left post.
121' Paulo Dybala (Argentina) steps up to take the penalty and converts it with a low shot into the middle of the goal.
121' Kingsley Coman (France) places the ball on the penalty spot and sends it towards the bottom left corner. His effort isn't powerful enough, allowing Emiliano Martinez to dive and keep the ball out with an excellent save.
121' Emiliano Martinez (Argentina) is given a yellow card.
121' Goal! Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins the battle of wills and sends an unstoppable penalty past Hugo Lloris into the bottom left corner.
121' Goal! Emiliano Martinez gets a hand on the penalty from Kylian Mbappe (France), but can't stop it from flying inside the left post.
121' It is sometimes said that a penalty kick can only be missed by the taker rather than saved by the goalkeeper. Do you think that will be in the minds of the players today?
Extra-time commentary:
120+4' The referee blows for the end of the second period of extra-time.
120+3' Randal Kolo Muani (France) receives a great pass inside the box and misses a golden chance. The goalkeeper pulls off a stunning save.
120+2' Lionel Scaloni decides to make a substitution. Nicolas Tagliafico will be replaced by Paulo Dybala (Argentina).
120+1' Jules Kounde goes off the pitch and Axel Disasi (France) comes on.
120' Kylian Mbappe swings the cross over. Randal Kolo Muani (France) gets his head to it but it goes just wide of the right post.
118' 3 - 3 Goal! That’s a great strike from the spot by Kylian Mbappe (France) into the left of the net, giving goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez no chance!
116' Gonzalo Montiel (Argentina) is punished with the yellow card.
116' The referee blows his whistle, a clear handball by Gonzalo Montiel (Argentina). PENALTY to France!
116' The manager has decided to make a substitution and Alexis Mac Allister walks off the pitch to be replaced by German Pezzella (Argentina).
114' Leandro Paredes (Argentina) makes a really bad tackle on his opponent and is relieved when the referee only shows him a yellow card.
113' The referee stops play so that a substitution can be made and Ibrahima Konate (France) comes onto the pitch for Raphael Varane.
109' 3 - 2 Goal! A rebound wrong foots everyone except Lionel Messi (Argentina), and he slams the ball into the open net from close range. 3:2.
109' Excellent touch by Lautaro Martinez (Argentina)! He latches on to a precise pass deep into the box and produces a low drive towards the right post. The goalkeeper pulls off a beautiful save to deny him.
108' Lionel Messi (Argentina) beats the defender inside the box and lashes a shot towards the bottom right corner, but Hugo Lloris makes a brilliant reflex save to deny him. Goalkeeping at its best!
106' Szymon Marciniak blows for the start of the second period of extra time.
105+2' The referee blows his whistle for the end of the first half in extra-time.
105+1' What a huge chance for Lautaro Martinez (Argentina). He collects a precise pass inside the box and slices a shot that goes a whisker wide of the left post.
105' Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) receives a sweet pass inside the box, but his effort on goal is blocked by the defender.
102' The manager makes a subsitution with Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) coming on for Julian Alvarez.
102' Lionel Scaloni has decided to make a change. Leandro Paredes (Argentina) replaces Rodrigo de Paul.
96' The referee stops play so that a substitution can be made and Youssouf Fofana (France) replaces Adrien Rabiot.
91' Lionel Scaloni has decided to introduce fresh legs, with Gonzalo Montiel (Argentina) replacing Nahuel Molina.
91' Extra time will now be played as the result of this match was not decided in normal time.
Commentary from the full 90 minutes:
90+9' The referee has ended the second half.
90+8' Marcos Acuna (Argentina) commits a foul and is shown a yellow card without any hesitation from the referee.
90+7' Lionel Messi (Argentina) receives a low pass just outside the box and unleashes a fine strike towards the roof of the net. Hugo Lloris pulls off a reflexive save to block his effort. Nice goalkeeping skill, indeed. The referee signals a corner kick to Argentina.
90+5' Having seen unsporting behavior, Szymon Marciniak shows a yellow card to one of the players sitting on the bench. And Olivier Giroud (France) is the recipient.
90+4' Adrien Rabiot (France) runs onto a loose pass inside the box and releases a tremendous shot low towards the middle of the goal. However, Emiliano Martinez anticipates the shot and makes an easy save.
87' Marcus Thuram (France) is yellow-carded for breaking the rules of the game.
87' PENALTY APPEAL after Marcus Thuram (France) goes down under a challenge from the defender. All players chase the referee but he's not interested in the penalty claim. Play continues.
81' 2 - 2 Goal! Kylian Mbappe (France) shows good awareness inside the box as he latches on to a brilliant pass and fires a first-time shot into the back of the net. Marcus Thuram assisted in the goal. 2:2.
80' 2 - 1 Goal! Emiliano Martinez gets a hand on the penalty from Kylian Mbappe (France), but can't stop it from flying into the bottom left corner.
79' Foul! Nicolas Otamendi (Argentina) is penalised for pulling back his opponent. PENALTY! One of the players from France is about to take a penalty kick.
72' Here is a change. Theo Hernandez is going off and Didier Deschamps gives the last tactical orders to Eduardo Camavinga (France).
71' It is time for a substitution. Kingsley Coman (France) is on for Antoine Griezmann.
64' The referee allows time for a substitution. Angel Di Maria will be replaced by Marcos Acuna (Argentina).
60' CHANCE! Angel Di Maria finds Lionel Messi (Argentina) with a sweet pass, but he can't find the target as his effort from inside the box goes just wide of the right post!
59' Hugo Lloris pulls off a great save to deny Julian Alvarez (Argentina), who makes himself some space inside the box and unleashes a quick low drive to the bottom left corner.
55' Adrien Rabiot (France) receives a yellow card for a nasty tackle.46' The second half has just started.
45+8' The referee blows his whistle to end the first half and the players are now heading to their respective dressing rooms.
45+7' Enzo Fernandez (Argentina) is booked after bringing down an opponent. Szymon Marciniak had an easy-decision to make.
41' Didier Deschamps has decided to substitute Ousmane Dembele and he is replaced by Randal Kolo Muani (France).
41' Here comes a substitution. Marcus Thuram (France) is brought on as a substitute for Olivier Giroud.
36' 2 - 0 Goal! Alexis Mac Allister finds himself with the ball at his feet in space after a lightning counter attack. He looks and up slides the ball to Angel Di Maria (Argentina), who coolly slots the ball past the keeper from close in. It’s 2:0.
23' 1 - 0 Goal! Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins the battle of wills and sends an unstoppable penalty past Hugo Lloris into the bottom right corner.
21' Szymon Marciniak blows his whistle after Ousmane Dembele (France) kicks an opponent's legs instead of the ball. Argentina are about to take a penalty!
1' Today's match has just started, enjoy the game!
Pre-match:
This will be the fourth final in five with one or both involved and for the first time since Spain did it in 2010, a side that lost a group game will win the tournament.
Argentina’s defeat came in their opener, when they lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia and it understandably led many pundits and fans to predict an early exit for the 1978 and 1986 champions. But inspired by Lionel Messi they improved to record back-to-back 2-0 wins over Mexico and Poland to qualify for the knockouts.
After beating Australia 2-1, they wobbled against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals when they conceded twice late on, eventually prevailing on penalties before outclassing Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final. So comfortable was that win that they were able to take off key players towards the end, including two-goal hero Julián Álvarez. Messi was involved in both goals after opening the scoring from the spot, with that goal marking a record 11th goal for Argentina at the World Cup.
Back in the final eight years after losing 1-0 to Germany in extra-time in 2014, Messi has said this will be his World Cup swansong so he’ll hope for no repeat of their 4-3 defeat against France in the last edition, although neutrals would certainly enjoy it! Argentina lead the overall H2H record (W6, D3, L3) and won the two World Cup games prior to their 2018 meeting in 1978 and 1930, so history leans on Messi’s side.
France, winners in 1998 and 2018, beat surprise package Morocco 2-0 on Wednesday after scoring the earliest World Cup semi-final goal since 1958. They quickly found a way to break down the tournament’s most stubborn defence, while also keeping their first clean sheet of the competition, after hard-fought knockout wins over Poland (3-1) and England (2-1).
Group-stage victories over Denmark (2-1) and Australia (4-1) enabled Les Bleus to rotate their squad before the knockouts, a contributing factor to their 1-0 defeat by Tunisia, which served to highlight just how important the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann are to their chances of retaining their title and emulating Italy (1934-1938) and Brazil (1958-1962).
It’s therefore worrying that their squad has been hit by illness with Adrien Rabiot, Dayot Upamecano and Kingsley Coman unwell in the lead-up to the semi-final, meaning manager Didier Deschamps may have to field some of his other squad players for the final as he bids to become the first manager since Vittorio Pozzo in 1938 to win consecutive World Cups.
Argentina starting XI: Emiliano Martinez - Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico - Angel di Maria, Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister - Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez
France starting XI: Hugo Lloris - Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez - Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann - Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele
Players to watch: Messi and Mbappé (five goals) are leading the charge for the Golden Boot with Álvarez and France’s Olivier Giroud one goal behind. Messi has opened the scoring in four of Argentina’s World Cup 2022 games and scored or assisted in both of his prior appearances against France. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Mbappé has already scored nine World Cup goals, two of them against Argentina in 2018, and if staying fit, will surely one day challenge Miroslav Klose’s record of 16.
Hot stat: Argentina opened the scoring in either the 34th or 35th minute in each of their three knockout games.
World Cup trivia: Brazil are the only team to reach three consecutive World Cup finals – France could match this in 2026.
