As Qatar returns to its sleepier pace after Argentina triumphed in Sunday's final of a controversial, yet often breathtaking football World Cup, the next challenge is already upon the nation
Messi, 35, is in sight of the finish line; Mbappe, 23, has a long way to go
In Kannur, the Argentian victory celebrations of supporters turned violent
The streets of Lionel Messi's hometown of Rosario erupted in celebration after Argentina beat France to win its third World Cup title. We're champions, which is all we wanted, more than anything for (Messi) and for the whole team, Santiago Ferraris, 25, said. Argentina's three goals in the 3-3 draw were scored by Rosario natives, with Messi, who came up from local team Newell's Old Boys, scoring two and Angel Di Maria, who once played in rival local team Rosario Central, one. Rosario, just like the rest of the country, was paralyzed during the nail-biting match that ended in a penalty shootout, which Argentina won 4-2. Tens of thousands of people descended on the National Flag Memorial, the symbol of Argentina's third-largest city, to celebrate Argentina's victory. People started arriving as soon as Messi lifted the international trophy and were still there well into the evening. The local soccer rivalry between Central and Newell's was set aside Sunday as seemingly the entire cit
Lionel Messi finally won the biggest prize in soccer as Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbapp 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.
Argentine President Alberto Fernandez thanked the national soccer team for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
The six-goal final between France and Argentina set a World Cup record of 172 at this year's tournament. The previous tournament record of 171 goals was set in 1998 and 2014. The 1998 tournament in France was the first edition in the current 64-game, 32-team format. A new record is likely to be set at the 2026 World Cup, which has been expanded to 48 teams playing either 80 or 104 games. On Sunday, Argentina and France drew 3-3 through extra time to set the record. Lionel Messi scored two goals for Argentina and Kylian Mbappe got a hat trick for France the first in a World Cup final since 1966. Argentina won the title, its third, by prevailing 4-2 in a penalty shootout. It was the second straight six-goal final. France defeated Croatia 4-2 four years ago in Russia. The 2.63 goals per game average in Qatar is far below the World Cup record of 5.38 goals per game at the 1954 edition in Switzerland.
Messi has been monumental in his team's success in the tournament, becoming the only player in World Cup history to score in every knockout game
Argentines let loose and streets across the country became places of celebration after an epic World Cup final in which the national team beat France on penalties. It was the country's third World Cup title, and the first since 1986. I'm very happy, we really deserved this. The team suffered quite a bit, but it recovered as time went on, said Josefina Villalba, a 55-year-old nanny who joined hundreds of fans at one of the many public plazas where giant screens were set up to watch the long-awaited match. Millions of Argentines cried, yelled and hugged as they followed the game, which was a roller coaster of emotions. Throughout the match, many watching in a public square in Buenos Aires chanted the name of captain Lionel Messi, often considered the world's greatest soccer player who had long talked about how he yearned for a World Cup victory. I feel an immense happiness in my heart because this is the first World Cup I truly enjoy, Hector Quinteros, a 34-year-old security guard,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Argentina on winning the World Cup and said the final will be remembered as one of the most thrilling football matches. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory, he said. Modi tweeted, "This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming FIFA World Cup Champions! They've played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory!" Argentina won the World Cup by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the final.
Fifa World Cup 2022 final: What is the prize money for the winning team? Check all the details here
From a soccer-crazed country known for its world-class players and its repeated economic crises, Argentine fans are making great sacrifices to be in Qatar to see their team try to win the World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Passionate and noisy, the euphoria in Doha has grown to the rhythm of Muchachos the unofficial anthem of the fans and with each victory of Lionel Messi and his team ahead of Sunday's final against defending champion France. In a corner of the Souq Waqif bazaar in the capital, locals and tourists gathered around a young woman clad in the Argentine sky blue-and-white stripped jersey juggling a ball with her feet. In a hand-written banner in English and Arabic, she asks for tickets to the World Cup final at Lusail Stadium. Passersby leave change on a hat placed on the ground. Soccer for me is everything," said 24-year-old Belen Godoy, who has been in Doha for a month and attended nearly every Argentina game by buying resale tickets. I left my family. I spen
Observers say that exposure to European football leagues, especially the English Premier League, has helped bring some diversity to the fan base in Kolkata more recently
Polish referee Szymon Marciniak will make history as the first man from his country to take charge of a Fifa World Cup final on Sunday
On Sunday, La Albiceleste will fight for the title that eluded them in 2014, and Les Bleus will hope to rewrite history
As Lionel Messi approaches his second and likely last World Cup final, the stakes could hardly be higher. The same goes for Argentina after more than 30 years of disappointment since it last won soccer's ultimate prize. For Messi, victory against France at Lusail Stadium on Sunday is a chance to finally get his hands on the one major trophy that has eluded him in his storied career. In doing so, he would push ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also never won a World Cup, in the long-running rivalry between the two greatest players of their generation. While 37-year-old Ronaldo exited the tournament at the quarterfinals stage, benched by Portugal and in tears in the likely recognition that his last chance had passed, Messi is summoning some of his finest moments in an Argentina shirt to inspire his country's run to the final. "Each time we see him play, he makes us and the players feel something special," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. "There's something about him that peop
France and Kylian Mbapp are headed back to the World Cup final for a much-anticipated matchup with Lionel Messi after ending Morocco's historic run at soccer's biggest tournament. France beat Africa's first ever semifinalist 2-0 Wednesday, with Mbapp playing a part in goals by Theo Hernandez in the fifth minute and then substitute Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th. France will head into Sunday's title match against Argentina looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Mbapp has the chance to cement his status as soccer's new superstar when he comes up against the 35-year-old Messi, who has dominated the game with Cristiano Ronaldo for the past 15 years. There will be no team from the Arab world in the final of the first World Cup in the Middle East, a prospect that seemed nigh impossible before the tournament. Yet Morocco did break ground for Africa and generated an outpouring of pride among Arab nations after topping a group containing Croatia
Lionel Messi broke Gabriel Batistuta's record to become the highest goalscorer for Argentina in the history of the Fifa World Cup. This was Messi's 11th goal
Julian Alvarez's brace and Lionel Messi's goal help Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 here at Lusail Stadium to enter the final of the Fifa World Cup 2022
Fifa World Cup, Argentina vs Croatia Highlights: The Albiceleste beat Vetreni 3-0 in a battle of Messi and Modric. Argentina reached a record sixth World Cup final. Croatia go home without the trophy