<p>Cristiano Ronaldo will serve his suspension before making his league debut for his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr but he could play against Paris St Germain in a friendly this month, coach Rudi Garcia has said. Ronaldo missed the first of two domestic games for Al Nassr on Friday after being suspended by England's Football Association (FA) for knocking a phone out of a fan's hand following Manchester United's defeat at Everton in April. Garcia confirmed the 37-year-old forward would also miss the league game against Al Shabab and make his debut against Ettifaq on Jan. 22 - unless he plays against Lionel Messi's PSG in a team made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal in Riyadh on Jan. 19.</p>

<p>"It (his debut) won't be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr," Garcia was quoted as saying by L'Equipe. "As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. But we have a championship game three days later.</p>

<p>"In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it's not a big deal... We are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ex-belgium-boss-roberto-martinez-named-portugals-new-head-coach-550796">Ex-Belgium boss Roberto Martinez named Portugal's new head coach</a></p>

<p>Garcia said Ronaldo's arrival in Saudi Arabia was similar to Pele's move to New York Cosmos, shining the spotlight on the little-known Saudi club who have amassed more than 10 million new Instagram followers since his signing last month.</p>

<p>The former Lille and Olympique Lyonnais coach said he hopes Ronaldo rediscovers the enjoyment of playing football after a tumultuous two-month period during which his United contract was terminated and Portugal lost in the World Cup quarter-finals.</p>

<p>"In recent months, between Manchester United, the national team and also at a private level, he has not had easy moments," Garcia said.</p>

<p>"If he finds the pleasure of playing again, it will be a good goal to achieve."</p>


Cristiano Ronaldo will serve his suspension before making his league debut for his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr but he could play against Paris St Germain in a friendly this month, coach Rudi Garcia has said.

Cristiano Ronaldo will serve his suspension before making his league debut for his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr but he could play against Paris St Germain in a friendly this month, coach Rudi Garcia has said. Ronaldo missed the first of two domestic games for Al Nassr on Friday after being suspended by England's Football Association (FA) for knocking a phone out of a fan's hand following Manchester United's defeat at Everton in April. Garcia confirmed the 37-year-old forward would also miss the league game against Al Shabab and make his debut against Ettifaq on Jan. 22 - unless he plays against Lionel Messi's PSG in a team made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal in Riyadh on Jan. 19. "It (his debut) won't be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr," Garcia was quoted as saying by L'Equipe. "As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. But we have a championship game three days later. "In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it's not a big deal... We are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it." ALSO READ: Ex-Belgium boss Roberto Martinez named Portugal's new head coach Garcia said Ronaldo's arrival in Saudi Arabia was similar to Pele's move to New York Cosmos, shining the spotlight on the little-known Saudi club who have amassed more than 10 million new Instagram followers since his signing last month. The former Lille and Olympique Lyonnais coach said he hopes Ronaldo rediscovers the enjoyment of playing football after a tumultuous two-month period during which his United contract was terminated and Portugal lost in the World Cup quarter-finals. "In recent months, between Manchester United, the national team and also at a private level, he has not had easy moments," Garcia said. "If he finds the pleasure of playing again, it will be a good goal to achieve."

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr debut could be against Lionel Messi's PSG, says coach Rudi Garcia

PSG player Lionel Messi was welcomed with a guard of honour on Wednesday after a 17-day hiatus following his World Cup victory with Argentina's national soccer team.

World Cup winner Lionel Messi given guard of honour as he returns to PSG

<p>The Qatar World Cup ended on December 18, 2022. However, many have still not moved on from the epic finale which took place between eventual winners Argentina and defending champions France. It was a memorable affair, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Argentina and France stretched the game to the penalty shootout, after a 3-3 scoreline, where Lionel Messi &amp; Co. edged past the French line-up with a 4-2 margin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After a much-deserved time-off post the historic World Cup triumph, Messi has now joined his Paris Saint Germain (PSG) team. Ahead of his training, the 35-year-old received a guard of honour from his teammates&nbsp;and support staff&nbsp;at the Parc des Princes. In addition, he was presented with a special trophy at the felicitation ceremony. <strong>Here's the video of Messi's return to the PSG camp:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A guard of honour for our World Champion! 👏❤️💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BravoLeo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BravoLeo</a> <a href="https://t.co/OHIkKALbUl">pic.twitter.com/OHIkKALbUl</a></p>
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) <a href="https://twitter.com/PSG_English/status/1610583784109539329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-makes-an-embarrassing-geographical-gaffe-during-al-nassr-unveiling-549210">WATCH | Cristiano Ronaldo makes a geographical gaffe during Al-Nassr unveiling</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking about the PSG camp, the French club suffered their first defeat of the Ligue 1 season to Lens (losing by a 3-1 margin). Messi was absent for the clash as he had requested for a break. The Argentine captain celebrated his country's WC win with his family and friends before reuniting with his PSG mates. He will now be eager to take PSG back to winning ways. Despite their recent defeat, the club remains atop of the league table with 44 points, four more than 2nd-placed Lens.</p>

<p>Messi, who won the Golden Boot Award in the FIFA WC 2022 edition in Qatar, will like to begin the new season on a fresh note and continue to be among the goal-scorers. He ended the FIFA WC with as many as seven goals and three assists.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


The Qatar World Cup ended on December 18, 2022. However, many have still not moved on from the epic finale which took place between eventual winners Argentina and defending champions France.

The Qatar World Cup ended on December 18, 2022. However, many have still not moved on from the epic finale which took place between eventual winners Argentina and defending champions France. It was a memorable affair, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Argentina and France stretched the game to the penalty shootout, after a 3-3 scoreline, where Lionel Messi & Co. edged past the French line-up with a 4-2 margin. After a much-deserved time-off post the historic World Cup triumph, Messi has now joined his Paris Saint Germain (PSG) team. Ahead of his training, the 35-year-old received a guard of honour from his teammates and support staff at the Parc des Princes. In addition, he was presented with a special trophy at the felicitation ceremony. Here's the video of Messi's return to the PSG camp: A guard of honour for our World Champion! 👏❤️💙#BravoLeo pic.twitter.com/OHIkKALbUl — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 4, 2023 × Also read: WATCH | Cristiano Ronaldo makes a geographical gaffe during Al-Nassr unveiling Talking about the PSG camp, the French club suffered their first defeat of the Ligue 1 season to Lens (losing by a 3-1 margin). Messi was absent for the clash as he had requested for a break. The Argentine captain celebrated his country's WC win with his family and friends before reuniting with his PSG mates. He will now be eager to take PSG back to winning ways. Despite their recent defeat, the club remains atop of the league table with 44 points, four more than 2nd-placed Lens. Messi, who won the Golden Boot Award in the FIFA WC 2022 edition in Qatar, will like to begin the new season on a fresh note and continue to be among the goal-scorers. He ended the FIFA WC with as many as seven goals and three assists.

WATCH: Heartwarming! World Cup champion Lionel Messi receives guard of honour from PSG teammates

<p>Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on Thursday (December 29) to make the sporting fraternity poorer. Battling cancer for quite sometime, the Brazilian legend suffered a lot in recent times and while he fought hard, his health had gone down severely during the recently-held Qatar World Cup. Known as the 'King of Soccer', Pele touched millions of hearts with his on-field skills, mesmerising moves, and World Cup heroics for Brazil.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here are some facts about the great Pele:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>1. Pele was named as Edson Arantes do Nascimento by his parents.</p>

<p>2. Pele was born on October 23rd, 1940 and was aged 82 at the time of passing away.</p>

<p>3. As Pele married thrice, he is survived by six children. During his final marriage, he tied the knot with a businesswoman named Marcia Aoki.</p>

<p>4. Pele’s family was very poor and he used to work at a tea stall. He learned football from his father who was a footballer himself. He couldn’t afford a football so he used to play with socks stuffed with newspapers.</p>

<p>5. At age of 17, he played his first game for Brazil against Argentina.</p>

<p>6. The Brazilian legend won FIFA World Cup thrice in 1958, 1962 and 1970. In the 1970 World Cup, he was adjusted the Player of the Tournament.</p>

<p>7. He was voted ‘athlete of the century’ by International Olympics Committee in the year 1999.&nbsp;</p>

<p>8. Pele scored as many as a whopping 1,283 times in 1363 matches, recognised by the Guinness World Record. However, his official goal count by Goal.com is 767 in 831 outings.</p>

<p>After his footballing career, Pele performed many other roles as well. He served as a politician -- Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport -- was a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations.</p>

<p>Pele even acted in movies, soap operas, composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music.</p>

<p>The sporting fraternity has shared condolences and hailed Pele after his passing away from colon cancer. A three-day mourning has been declared in Brazil after his demise; depicting the love and admiration he earned throughout the years.&nbsp;</p>


Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on Thursday (December 29) to make the sporting fraternity poorer. Battling cancer for quite sometime, the Brazilian legend suffered a lot in recent times and while he fought hard, his health had gone down severely during the recently-held Qatar World Cup.

Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on Thursday (December 29) to make the sporting fraternity poorer. Battling cancer for quite sometime, the Brazilian legend suffered a lot in recent times and while he fought hard, his health had gone down severely during the recently-held Qatar World Cup. Known as the 'King of Soccer', Pele touched millions of hearts with his on-field skills, mesmerising moves, and World Cup heroics for Brazil. Here are some facts about the great Pele: 1. Pele was named as Edson Arantes do Nascimento by his parents. 2. Pele was born on October 23rd, 1940 and was aged 82 at the time of passing away. 3. As Pele married thrice, he is survived by six children. During his final marriage, he tied the knot with a businesswoman named Marcia Aoki. 4. Pele’s family was very poor and he used to work at a tea stall. He learned football from his father who was a footballer himself. He couldn’t afford a football so he used to play with socks stuffed with newspapers. 5. At age of 17, he played his first game for Brazil against Argentina. 6. The Brazilian legend won FIFA World Cup thrice in 1958, 1962 and 1970. In the 1970 World Cup, he was adjusted the Player of the Tournament. 7. He was voted ‘athlete of the century’ by International Olympics Committee in the year 1999. 8. Pele scored as many as a whopping 1,283 times in 1363 matches, recognised by the Guinness World Record. However, his official goal count by Goal.com is 767 in 831 outings. After his footballing career, Pele performed many other roles as well. He served as a politician -- Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport -- was a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations. Pele even acted in movies, soap operas, composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music. The sporting fraternity has shared condolences and hailed Pele after his passing away from colon cancer. A three-day mourning has been declared in Brazil after his demise; depicting the love and admiration he earned throughout the years.

Pele's obituary: The Soccer kingdom loses its 'King'

The PSG confirmed that the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi will return to the club in January. The 36-year-old lifted Argentina's third World Cup trophy on December 18th when Argentina played against France. Messi played a crucial part in Argentina's win.

Lionel Messi to return to PSG in January, stays in Argentina after World Cup win

<p>Lionel Messi is having the time of his life. The 35-year-old striker led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup title, after 36 years, during the recently-held Qatar 2022 edition. After losing their tournament opener to Saudi Arabia, Argentina came back in style and won six games in a row to win the World Cup, beating defending champions France in a riveting final, in the penalty shootouts, to lift the trophy after 1986. Messi has, thus, etched his name in the history books with Argentina's triumph and is enjoying his time off, as reportedly he will rejoin his French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) by January 03.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Argentina's historic triumph, in order to commemorate Messi's triumph at Qatar 2022 -- which was his final WC appearance -- the&nbsp;Qatar University plans to convert&nbsp;the Argentine captain's room into a mini-museum.&nbsp;They wrote, "The University of Qatar announces the allocation of the room built by the Argentine national team player Lionel Messi during the Qatar World Cup into a mini museum."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/viral-ziva-dhoni-breaks-the-internet-as-she-flaunts-lionel-messis-signed-argentina-jersey-see-pics-547260">VIRAL: Ziva Dhoni breaks the internet as she flaunts Lionel Messi's signed Argentina jersey - See pics</a></strong></p>

<p>"The room of&nbsp;Argentina&nbsp;national team player&nbsp;Lionel Messi&nbsp;will remain unchanged and will remain available only for visitors and not for residence," Hitmi al Hitmi, director of communications and public relations at Qatar University, told&nbsp;Qatari newspaper Al Sharq. "Messi's belongings and will be a legacy for students and future generations and a witness to the great achievements&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;has reached during the World Cup," he added.</p>

<p>After the WC victory, Messi posted a series of photos on his official Instagram account, not letting go of the trophy and even sleeping with it. The images went viral in no time and broke the internet. Recently, many of Messi's ardent fans have also received signed Argentina jersey from the legendary footballer, including MS Dhoni's daughter Ziva. Thus, Messi's craze has reached new levels post the Qatar WC. He will next be seen playing in PSG's encounter against Angers on January 11 in the Ligue 1.</p>


Lionel Messi is having the time of his life. The 35-year-old striker led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup title, after 36 years, during the recently-held Qatar 2022 edition.

Lionel Messi is having the time of his life. The 35-year-old striker led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup title, after 36 years, during the recently-held Qatar 2022 edition. After losing their tournament opener to Saudi Arabia, Argentina came back in style and won six games in a row to win the World Cup, beating defending champions France in a riveting final, in the penalty shootouts, to lift the trophy after 1986. Messi has, thus, etched his name in the history books with Argentina's triumph and is enjoying his time off, as reportedly he will rejoin his French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) by January 03. After Argentina's historic triumph, in order to commemorate Messi's triumph at Qatar 2022 -- which was his final WC appearance -- the Qatar University plans to convert the Argentine captain's room into a mini-museum. They wrote, "The University of Qatar announces the allocation of the room built by the Argentine national team player Lionel Messi during the Qatar World Cup into a mini museum." Also read: VIRAL: Ziva Dhoni breaks the internet as she flaunts Lionel Messi's signed Argentina jersey - See pics "The room of Argentina national team player Lionel Messi will remain unchanged and will remain available only for visitors and not for residence," Hitmi al Hitmi, director of communications and public relations at Qatar University, told Qatari newspaper Al Sharq. "Messi's belongings and will be a legacy for students and future generations and a witness to the great achievements Messi has reached during the World Cup," he added. After the WC victory, Messi posted a series of photos on his official Instagram account, not letting go of the trophy and even sleeping with it. The images went viral in no time and broke the internet. Recently, many of Messi's ardent fans have also received signed Argentina jersey from the legendary footballer, including MS Dhoni's daughter Ziva. Thus, Messi's craze has reached new levels post the Qatar WC. He will next be seen playing in PSG's encounter against Angers on January 11 in the Ligue 1.

Wait, what? Messi's Qatar hotel room to be converted into a museum after Argentina's World Cup success

<p>The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition. With Argentina winning their first-ever WC title after 1986, Messi also got his hands on the coveted title in what was his swansong from the marquee tournament. Winning the World Cup, Messi has gone ahead of Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T debate and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also lavished huge praise on him, calling him as the 'greatest footbaler in my lifetime'.</p>

<p>"Argentina deserved it and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them, they waited for a long time,” Klopp explained.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-you-let-your-country-down-brentford-fans-mock-harry-kane-during-premier-league-clash-547055">WATCH | 'You let your country down', Brentford fans mock Harry Kane during Premier League clash</a></strong></p>

<p>"The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him," Klopp was quoted as saying by The ECHO. Messi had a memorable run in the Qatar WC, scoring seven goals along with three assists to also end with the Golden Ball Award. He became the first-ever player to win the award twice, having already won it in 2014.</p>

<p>Messi-led Argentina started the World Cup with a shocking loss versus Saudi Arabia. After that, they regrouped in style and went onto win six games in a row to lift the title, beating defending champions France -- at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar -- on December 18 on penalty shootout (4-2) after the two sides were tied at 3-3 following the extra time. After this memorable victory, Messi has earned the Copa America as well as the World Cup title in over 12 months to stamp his authority as one of the greatest of all-time.</p>


The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition.

The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition. With Argentina winning their first-ever WC title after 1986, Messi also got his hands on the coveted title in what was his swansong from the marquee tournament. Winning the World Cup, Messi has gone ahead of Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T debate and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also lavished huge praise on him, calling him as the 'greatest footbaler in my lifetime'. "Argentina deserved it and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them, they waited for a long time,” Klopp explained. Also read: WATCH | 'You let your country down', Brentford fans mock Harry Kane during Premier League clash "The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him," Klopp was quoted as saying by The ECHO. Messi had a memorable run in the Qatar WC, scoring seven goals along with three assists to also end with the Golden Ball Award. He became the first-ever player to win the award twice, having already won it in 2014. Messi-led Argentina started the World Cup with a shocking loss versus Saudi Arabia. After that, they regrouped in style and went onto win six games in a row to lift the title, beating defending champions France -- at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar -- on December 18 on penalty shootout (4-2) after the two sides were tied at 3-3 following the extra time. After this memorable victory, Messi has earned the Copa America as well as the World Cup title in over 12 months to stamp his authority as one of the greatest of all-time.

'Greatest footballer in my lifetime': Ronaldo or Messi? Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shares his pick

Lionel Messi led Argentina to a third World Cup title last week in Qatar and ended the nation's 36-year wait for the biggest trophy in Football. Messi joined the pantheon of greats by finally achieving his childhood dream of winning the FIFA World Cup. Is he now the greatest to have played the game? Priyanka Sharma weighs in on the debate on Gravitas Plus.

Gravitas Plus | Argentina's New Messiah: The World is swept away by Messi-Mania

<p>Recently-crowned World Cup winner Argentina's Lionel Messi has sent a signed jersey to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Pragyan Ojha - the former India spinner shared the image on his Instagram handle. Ojha wrote, #GOAT sends his best wishes &amp; signed match jersey for jay bhai! What a humble personality. Hopefully I will get one for myself…. Soon 🤞🏽</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmgqoKPPmk_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha)</a></p>
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<p>On the signed number 10 jersey, it is written, 'Para Jay Shah, which translates to For Jay Shah.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-auction-who-is-vivrant-sharma-everything-you-need-to-know-about-jk-all-rounder-bought-by-srh-546118">IPL 2023 Auction: Who is Vivrant Sharma? Everything you need to know about J&amp;K all-rounder bought by SRH</a></p>

<p>Earlier, Shah also tweeted and congratulated Argentina on winning the World Cup. He wrote, 'What an incredible game of football! Both teams played extraordinarily well but congratulations to Argentina for winning their 3rd #FIFAWorldCup! A well-deserved victory.'</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What an incredible game of football! Both teams played extraordinarily well but congratulations to Argentina for winning their 3rd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a>! A well-deserved victory. <a href="https://t.co/3J2z7hlxGQ">pic.twitter.com/3J2z7hlxGQ</a></p>
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<p>Messi's Argentina defeated the defending champions France in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Lusail on December 17th. Deemed by many as the greatest final ever, Argentina led&nbsp;during the major part of the match. Even though&nbsp;they were 2-0 up until the end of the 80th minute, they still couldn't win the match&nbsp;inside regular time. With two goals in two minutes from French striker Kylian Mbappe forced the match into the extra time. Over there, Messi scored the 2nd goal of the final whereas Mbappe completed his hattrick through the penalty awarded in the 117th minute.</p>

<p>With the scores now tied, the match went into the penalties where Argentina walked out as winners with the score of 4-2. The win in the final gave Argentina it's third World Cup and Lionel Messi&nbsp;his first silverware.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For his outstanding performances throughout the World Cup, where Messi had seven goals and three assists to his name, he was awarded with the Golden Ball for the second time in his career, having already won it in the 2014 edition.</p>


Recently-crowned World Cup winner Argentina's Lionel Messi has sent a signed jersey to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Pragyan Ojha - the former India spinner shared the image on his Instagram handle.

Recently-crowned World Cup winner Argentina's Lionel Messi has sent a signed jersey to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Pragyan Ojha - the former India spinner shared the image on his Instagram handle. Ojha wrote, #GOAT sends his best wishes & signed match jersey for jay bhai! What a humble personality. Hopefully I will get one for myself…. Soon 🤞🏽 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) × On the signed number 10 jersey, it is written, 'Para Jay Shah, which translates to For Jay Shah. ALSO READ: IPL 2023 Auction: Who is Vivrant Sharma? Everything you need to know about J&K all-rounder bought by SRH Earlier, Shah also tweeted and congratulated Argentina on winning the World Cup. He wrote, 'What an incredible game of football! Both teams played extraordinarily well but congratulations to Argentina for winning their 3rd #FIFAWorldCup! A well-deserved victory.' What an incredible game of football! Both teams played extraordinarily well but congratulations to Argentina for winning their 3rd #FIFAWorldCup! A well-deserved victory. pic.twitter.com/3J2z7hlxGQ — Jay Shah (@JayShah) December 18, 2022 × Messi's Argentina defeated the defending champions France in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Lusail on December 17th. Deemed by many as the greatest final ever, Argentina led during the major part of the match. Even though they were 2-0 up until the end of the 80th minute, they still couldn't win the match inside regular time. With two goals in two minutes from French striker Kylian Mbappe forced the match into the extra time. Over there, Messi scored the 2nd goal of the final whereas Mbappe completed his hattrick through the penalty awarded in the 117th minute. With the scores now tied, the match went into the penalties where Argentina walked out as winners with the score of 4-2. The win in the final gave Argentina it's third World Cup and Lionel Messi his first silverware. For his outstanding performances throughout the World Cup, where Messi had seven goals and three assists to his name, he was awarded with the Golden Ball for the second time in his career, having already won it in the 2014 edition.

Lionel Messi sends signed jersey to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Pragyan Ojha shares photo on Instagram

Football's governing body FIFA has opened investigation into a security and protocol breach at the end of the World Cup final in Qatar. This comes after the celebrity chef Salt Bae was filmed harassing players from the Argentina team including Lionel Messi.

FIFA probes celebrity chef Salt Bae as he broke World Cup protocols

<p>Lionel Messi is all set to extend his contract with French champions Paris Saint-Germain for one more year, according to Le Parisien. Reports have been circulating about potential interests from FC Barcelona and Inter Miami but he is likely to team up once again with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.</p>

<p>Messi created history by guiding Argentina to their first FIFA World Cup title after 36 years and ended the tournament as the winner of the Golden Ball. He scored seven goals in the competition and finished second only behind French youngster Mbappe with eight goals.</p>

<p>The report claimed that the agreement was reached during the World Cup with Messi’s father Jorge leading the discussions with the PSG owners. While Mbappe has already returned to training in Paris, Messi is currently on vacation with his family and will have further conversations with the management once he returns. PSG has been pushing for a contract extension in the last few months.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-likely-replace-rohit-sharma-as-indias-white-ball-captain-report-545394">Pandya likely to replace Rohit as India's white ball captain: Report</a></p>

<p>Messi had a shaky start to his life in France with reports claiming that he was unsettled and looking to return to FC Barcelona. Even the Spanish club amplified their efforts to bring him back with conversations with his representatives. However, it seems that the move did not materialise and another year in PSG will allow him to fight for the Ligue 1 as well as the Champions League title.</p>

<p>The victory at the FIFA World Cup 2022 also boosted his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or title for the eighth time. Earlier, reports claimed that he did not intend to join MLS side Inter Miami at any point but still held meetings with owner David Beckham out of respect.</p>

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Lionel Messi is all set to extend his contract with French champions Paris Saint-Germain for one more year, according to Le Parisien. Reports have been circulating about potential interests from FC Barcelona and Inter Miami but he is likely to team up once again with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Lionel Messi is all set to extend his contract with French champions Paris Saint-Germain for one more year, according to Le Parisien. Reports have been circulating about potential interests from FC Barcelona and Inter Miami but he is likely to team up once again with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Messi created history by guiding Argentina to their first FIFA World Cup title after 36 years and ended the tournament as the winner of the Golden Ball. He scored seven goals in the competition and finished second only behind French youngster Mbappe with eight goals. The report claimed that the agreement was reached during the World Cup with Messi’s father Jorge leading the discussions with the PSG owners. While Mbappe has already returned to training in Paris, Messi is currently on vacation with his family and will have further conversations with the management once he returns. PSG has been pushing for a contract extension in the last few months. Also read | Pandya likely to replace Rohit as India's white ball captain: Report Messi had a shaky start to his life in France with reports claiming that he was unsettled and looking to return to FC Barcelona. Even the Spanish club amplified their efforts to bring him back with conversations with his representatives. However, it seems that the move did not materialise and another year in PSG will allow him to fight for the Ligue 1 as well as the Champions League title. The victory at the FIFA World Cup 2022 also boosted his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or title for the eighth time. Earlier, reports claimed that he did not intend to join MLS side Inter Miami at any point but still held meetings with owner David Beckham out of respect.

Lionel Messi to sign one-year extension with Paris Saint-Germain: Report

According to a report from Le Parisien, Ace footballer Lionel Messi has agreed to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for another year.

Lionel Messi to sign one-year extension with Paris Saint-Germain

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<p>Argentina superstar Lionel Messi is on a record-breaking spree at the moment after winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Having already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever play the sport, Messi reached another landmark when his first celebratory Instagram post after the World Cup triumph became the most-liked social media post of all time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The previous record was held by TikToker Bella Poarch who had posted a video of her lip-syncing to Millie B's ‘M to the B’ and amassed 60.3 million likes. However, as of the last update, Messi's post had beaten Poarch's record by&nbsp;garnering over 67 million likes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed it so many times, I wanted it so much that I still haven't fallen, I can't believe it," read the post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. The merit belongs to this group, which is above individualities, it is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!! GO ARGENTINA!!!!! we are seeing each other very soon," it added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Earlier, Messi had beaten the record of the most-liked Instagram post by beating the photo of an egg that was posted in 2019.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi has been having a party after leading his country to the promised land. On Tuesday, he posted a picture of himself sleeping with the iconic, shiny-golden World Cup trophy in his bed with the caption 'Good Morning!'.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Apart from breaking the internet with his photo, Messi has also broken the followers' record on Instagram. The Argentine maestro became the second person in internet history to reach the 400 million followers mark on the Meta-owned platform behind his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unbelievable-lionel-messi-becomes-second-person-to-reach-400-million-followers-on-instagram-544800" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram</strong></a></p>

<p>Messi played a pivotal part in guiding Argentina to the victory shores. His seven goals and three assists formed the fulcrum around which Argentina turned around their World Cup dream after suffering a shock defeat in the opening match against Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Argentina superstar Lionel Messi is on a record-breaking spree at the moment after winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Having already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever play the sport, Messi reached another landmark when his first celebratory Instagram post after the World Cup triumph became the most-liked social media post of all time.

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi is on a record-breaking spree at the moment after winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Having already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever play the sport, Messi reached another landmark when his first celebratory Instagram post after the World Cup triumph became the most-liked social media post of all time. The previous record was held by TikToker Bella Poarch who had posted a video of her lip-syncing to Millie B's ‘M to the B’ and amassed 60.3 million likes. However, as of the last update, Messi's post had beaten Poarch's record by garnering over 67 million likes. "WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed it so many times, I wanted it so much that I still haven't fallen, I can't believe it," read the post. "Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. The merit belongs to this group, which is above individualities, it is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!! GO ARGENTINA!!!!! we are seeing each other very soon," it added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) × Earlier, Messi had beaten the record of the most-liked Instagram post by beating the photo of an egg that was posted in 2019. Messi has been having a party after leading his country to the promised land. On Tuesday, he posted a picture of himself sleeping with the iconic, shiny-golden World Cup trophy in his bed with the caption 'Good Morning!'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) × Apart from breaking the internet with his photo, Messi has also broken the followers' record on Instagram. The Argentine maestro became the second person in internet history to reach the 400 million followers mark on the Meta-owned platform behind his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram Messi played a pivotal part in guiding Argentina to the victory shores. His seven goals and three assists formed the fulcrum around which Argentina turned around their World Cup dream after suffering a shock defeat in the opening match against Saudi Arabia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Record-breaking: Messi's World Cup Instagram picture becomes the most-liked social media post ever

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<p>Ahmed al-Salem is a busy man since the culmination of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hundreds of shoppers are attempting to get their hands on the garments made by al-Salem at his family store in Doha's Souq Waqif. The reason is quite straightforward; al-Salem manufactured the black-gold-coloured transparent robe that the Emir of Qatar&nbsp;Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani shrouded Messi in before handing over the World Cup trophy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The robe, called 'bisht' and priced at $2,200 was made by Salem's family company. However, none of them knew if it was going to be used on such a big stage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We did not know who they were for and I was stunned," al-Salem was quoted as saying by AFP. He added that the family handed two delicate handmade cloaks to World Cup officials, one in the size of Messi and the other to fit a relatively taller French captain Hugo Lloris.</p>

<p>According to al-Salem, Argentinians&nbsp;and Lionel Messi fans descended upon his shop in huge numbers, wanting&nbsp;to buy the robe.</p>

<p>"At one stage, there were dozens waiting outside the store. Nearly all were Argentinians."</p>

<p>The robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and is presented to revered individuals on special occasions. Each ‘bisht’ takes a week to complete and has to undergo seven-stage completion process with different tailors weaving their magic in each phase.</p>

<p>The robe is seen as a sign of appreciation and respect in the Gulf region. Messi being asked to don the robe was a way for Qataris to show their respect to the Argentine for his achievements.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/decoded-the-robe-that-messi-was-made-to-wear-during-the-presentation-ceremony-after-the-world-cup-final-544822" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final</strong></a></p>

<p>The moment Messi was presented with the robe, it caught the attention of millions across the world. While several were critical of the garment saying it took the sheen away from the moment, others said it was Qatar attempting to share its culture and heritage with the world, which should be respected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former English player and commentator Gary Lineker commenting on the incident said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ahmed al-Salem is a busy man since the culmination of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hundreds of shoppers are attempting to get their hands on the garments made by al-Salem at his family store in Doha's Souq Waqif.

Ahmed al-Salem is a busy man since the culmination of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hundreds of shoppers are attempting to get their hands on the garments made by al-Salem at his family store in Doha's Souq Waqif. The reason is quite straightforward; al-Salem manufactured the black-gold-coloured transparent robe that the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani shrouded Messi in before handing over the World Cup trophy. The robe, called 'bisht' and priced at $2,200 was made by Salem's family company. However, none of them knew if it was going to be used on such a big stage. "We did not know who they were for and I was stunned," al-Salem was quoted as saying by AFP. He added that the family handed two delicate handmade cloaks to World Cup officials, one in the size of Messi and the other to fit a relatively taller French captain Hugo Lloris. According to al-Salem, Argentinians and Lionel Messi fans descended upon his shop in huge numbers, wanting to buy the robe. "At one stage, there were dozens waiting outside the store. Nearly all were Argentinians." The robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and is presented to revered individuals on special occasions. Each ‘bisht’ takes a week to complete and has to undergo seven-stage completion process with different tailors weaving their magic in each phase. The robe is seen as a sign of appreciation and respect in the Gulf region. Messi being asked to don the robe was a way for Qataris to show their respect to the Argentine for his achievements. Read more: DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final The moment Messi was presented with the robe, it caught the attention of millions across the world. While several were critical of the garment saying it took the sheen away from the moment, others said it was Qatar attempting to share its culture and heritage with the world, which should be respected. Former English player and commentator Gary Lineker commenting on the incident said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

The maker of ‘bisht’ robe presented to Messi swarmed with customers after World Cup spotlight

Lionel Messi of Argentina is the focus of all media attention, as it should be. The "Little Genius" won the World Cup at the fifth attempt, proving that the last dance, if that is what it was, was the best. But without the other Lionel, it would not have happened. The golden rule of football is that the stars shine brightest when the side as a whole is balanced, and rookie coach Lionel Scaloni is in charge of providing Messi with the best, most cohesive team of his lengthy international career.

WION Fineprint | Scaloni: The other Lionel

<p>Adored by millions of fans across the world, Lionel Messi is one of the greatest to have ever played the sport. The Argentine's legacy has transcended to an extent that the rival south American country of Brazil is now inviting him to leave his footprints at the iconic Maracana Stadium to 'eternalise' them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Adriano Santos, president of the Rio de Janeiro State Sports Superintendence, responsible for running the stadium wrote a letter to Messi through the Argentine FA (AFA) and extended the invitation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Messi has already demonstrated his importance on and off the pitch. He is a player who has been at the highest level in the history of football for years," read the letter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“And nothing could be more fitting than for the Maracana to also pay tribute to him. After all, Messi is a genius with the ball."</p>

<p>This is not the first time that Messi has received such a proposal from Brazil. After La Albiceleste won Copa America last year, beating Brazil, the stadium extended the invitation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/record-breaking-messis-world-cup-instagram-picture-becomes-the-most-liked-social-media-post-ever-544979"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Record-breaking: Messi's World Cup Instagram picture becomes the most-liked social media post ever</strong></a></p>

<p>If Messi accepts the offer, he will join the illustrious list of players to have their footprints immortalized at the stadium. Pele, Ronaldo,&nbsp;Garrincha, Rivelino, Elias Figueroa, Eusebio, Dejan Petkovic, Sebastian Abreu and Franz Beckenbauer are the current members of Maracana's Hall of Fame.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi was instrumental in Argentina breaking a 36-year World Cup trophy drought. After Argentina suffered a shock defeat in the first match of the tournament against Saudi Arabia, it was Messi that galvanised his team and managed to extract the best out of them.</p>

<p>During the final, the little magician was one of the best players on the pitch as he found the back of the net twice and managed to successfully convert from the spot during the penalty kicks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the end, Messi finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists, as well as the Golden Ball award, his second at the World Cup finals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Adored by millions of fans across the world, Lionel Messi is one of the greatest to have ever played the sport. The Argentine's legacy has transcended to an extent that the rival south American country of Brazil is now inviting him to leave his footprints at the iconic Maracana Stadium to 'eternalise' them.

Adored by millions of fans across the world, Lionel Messi is one of the greatest to have ever played the sport. The Argentine's legacy has transcended to an extent that the rival south American country of Brazil is now inviting him to leave his footprints at the iconic Maracana Stadium to 'eternalise' them. Adriano Santos, president of the Rio de Janeiro State Sports Superintendence, responsible for running the stadium wrote a letter to Messi through the Argentine FA (AFA) and extended the invitation. "Messi has already demonstrated his importance on and off the pitch. He is a player who has been at the highest level in the history of football for years," read the letter. “And nothing could be more fitting than for the Maracana to also pay tribute to him. After all, Messi is a genius with the ball." This is not the first time that Messi has received such a proposal from Brazil. After La Albiceleste won Copa America last year, beating Brazil, the stadium extended the invitation. Read more: Record-breaking: Messi's World Cup Instagram picture becomes the most-liked social media post ever If Messi accepts the offer, he will join the illustrious list of players to have their footprints immortalized at the stadium. Pele, Ronaldo, Garrincha, Rivelino, Elias Figueroa, Eusebio, Dejan Petkovic, Sebastian Abreu and Franz Beckenbauer are the current members of Maracana's Hall of Fame. Messi was instrumental in Argentina breaking a 36-year World Cup trophy drought. After Argentina suffered a shock defeat in the first match of the tournament against Saudi Arabia, it was Messi that galvanised his team and managed to extract the best out of them. During the final, the little magician was one of the best players on the pitch as he found the back of the net twice and managed to successfully convert from the spot during the penalty kicks. In the end, Messi finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists, as well as the Golden Ball award, his second at the World Cup finals. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Brazil invites Lionel Messi to have his footprints immortalised at the Maracana Stadium

<p>Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Being ahead by 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina lost the plot with Frenchman Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and taking the game to the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The extra time also couldn't separate the two sides with the scoreline being 3-3 before Lionel Messi &amp; Co. kept their calm and emerged on top in the penalty shootout (by a 4-2 margin). With this, Messi's World Cup run ended on an emphatic fashion&nbsp;and the 35-year-old also returned with the Golden Ball Award; being the first to win in twice.</p>

<p>After the win, Messi is on cloud nine and kept the World Cup trophy close to him. In a recent Instagram post, the Argentine captain shared pictures of him sleeping with the coveted trophy. Here's the post, which has become viral and garnered&nbsp;in over&nbsp;4 million likes just minutes after being posted:</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/decoded-the-robe-that-messi-was-made-to-wear-during-the-presentation-ceremony-after-the-world-cup-final-544822">DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final</a></strong></p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmYyND_OYMl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)</a></p>
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<p>After the match, Messi opened up on his international future. While the Qatar final was his last appearance in a World Cup match, the Paris Saint-Germain striker will continue to don the national jersey in the coming years as he wishes to play as a 'champion'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com,&nbsp;"No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion."</p>


Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Being ahead by 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina lost the plot with Frenchman Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and taking the game to the extra time. The extra time also couldn't separate the two sides with the scoreline being 3-3 before Lionel Messi & Co. kept their calm and emerged on top in the penalty shootout (by a 4-2 margin). With this, Messi's World Cup run ended on an emphatic fashion and the 35-year-old also returned with the Golden Ball Award; being the first to win in twice. After the win, Messi is on cloud nine and kept the World Cup trophy close to him. In a recent Instagram post, the Argentine captain shared pictures of him sleeping with the coveted trophy. Here's the post, which has become viral and garnered in over 4 million likes just minutes after being posted: Also read: DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) × After the match, Messi opened up on his international future. While the Qatar final was his last appearance in a World Cup match, the Paris Saint-Germain striker will continue to don the national jersey in the coming years as he wishes to play as a 'champion'. Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion."

VIRAL: Lionel Messi breaks the internet, shares pictures sleeping with FIFA World Cup trophy - Check post

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition was a magnanimous affair which came to a fitting end on Sunday (December 18). With Argentina and defending champions France setting up a clash in the big-ticket finale, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the contest was expected to go down to the wire. The summit clash lived up to expectations with Lionel Messi achieving his dream of lifting his maiden WC trophy in his last appearance in the mega event; bringing curtains to what has been an eventful and exhilarating campaign in Qatar.</p>

<p>Undoubtedly, Qatar 2022 ended as one of the best-organised World Cups. The fate of the mega event was hanging in the balance in the run-up to the tournament, which was held in the Middle East for the first time. Nothing came easy for Qatar -- who were constantly marred with several questions (by human rights activists, media, etc.) with fans also having their doubts regarding the smooth running&nbsp;of the showpiece event. Qatar 2022 battled all odds to emerge on top. From a&nbsp;lot being said and written about the plight&nbsp;of migrant workers, Western media trying to tarnish Qatar's image of pulling off an event of such a magnitude, War-tainted Russia's ban, ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter regretting&nbsp;his decision to award hosting rights to Qatar, the country's rigid stance&nbsp;on the LGBTQ community, the death of journalists, etc. (with even&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request of spreading the message of peace ahead of the finale being much-talked about before FIFA's eventual&nbsp;rejection), many such aspects hit the headlines. Hence, there was a lot at stake. However, the tournament ended in style -- producing some enthralling results, upsets and the emergence of the&nbsp;African, Asian and Arab football teams -- for all involved.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-have-roger-federer-lauds-lionel-messi-with-a-heartfelt-post-after-argentina-win-fifa-world-cup-544521">'You have....' - Roger Federer lauds Lionel Messi with a heartfelt post after Argentina win FIFA World Cup</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Qatar lost some battles en route winning the WAR&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>The migrant workers' plight</strong></p>

<p>Qatar, a country where foreigners account for the majority of the 2.9 million population, faced intense criticism from human rights groups regarding its treatment of migrant workers. It is to be noted that Britain’s Guardian reported, in 2021,&nbsp;that at least 6,500 migrant workers — many of them working on World Cup projects — had succumbed to death in Qatar. In response to such claims, Qatar said that the&nbsp;deaths were directly proportionate to the size of the migrant workforce -- including&nbsp;many non-manual workers. In addition, it stated that every life lost was indeed a tragedy!</p>

<p><strong>Death of journos</strong></p>

<p>Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl were the three journalists who lost their lives during the Qatar WC -- adding much hullabaloo to the already-existing negativity. FIFA Director of Media Relations Bryan Swanson revealed on social media that books are available at each stadium's media centre for colleagues to send condolence messages. However, the damage was long done by then.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharing an image of the three books devoted to the late journalists, Swanson wrote,&nbsp;"We are opening books of condolence in the FIFA media centres at all remaining stadiums following the tragic deaths of Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl during this tournament. Thoughts remain with their families and friends during this difficult time."</p>

<p><strong>LGBTQ stance</strong></p>

<p>It is to be noted that homosexuality in Qatar is illegal and a punishable offence -- where one can be jailed up to three years. Hence, many diehard LGBTQ football fans revealed that they would prefer to watch Qatar 2022 on tv sets at home than risk their lives travelling to the Middle East. To control the matters from going out of hand, a&nbsp;Qatar government official told CNN in a statement, "Everyone is welcome in Qatar,” the statement read, adding: “Our track record has shown that we have warmly welcomed all people regardless of background. There has never been an issue and every event has been delivered safely. Everyone is welcome in Qatar, but we are a conservative country and any public display of affection, regardless of orientation, is frowned upon. We simply ask for people to respect our culture."</p>

<p><strong>Rejecting 'fake claims'</strong></p>

<p>Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee also came forward and rejected accusations when news started circulating that there are fake paid football fans in attendance at the World Cup.&nbsp;In a statement, the Supreme Committee shut all such allegations and termed it&nbsp;“disappointing and unsurprising”.</p>

<p>“Fans from all over the world – many of whom have made Qatar their home – have contributed to the local atmosphere recently, organising fan walks and parades throughout the country, and welcoming the various national teams at their hotels,” it said in a statement. “Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have questioned whether these are ‘real’ fans. We thoroughly reject these assertions, which are both disappointing and unsurprising.”</p>

<p>In addition, Iranian protests over their government's imposition of hijab -- forcing the latter to ease out on few aspects -- and China's protests against their government's Zero-Covid policy (after seeing fans in Qatar, on tv sets, enter stadiums without any COVID protocol whatsoever) also grabbed eyeballs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>The ball does the talking making Qatar 2022 a blockbuster success</strong></p>

<p>Thus, there was plenty on Qatar's plate with none trusting their capabilities. Nonetheless, the ball did the talking on their behalf; resulting in many humdingers before the mother-of-all-clash in the&nbsp;finale. The likes of Saudi Arabia, Japan, Morocco, etc. made a mark which made for a riveting watch. Saudi, ranked 51st in the world, went past eventual winners Argentina, Morocco became the first-ever African nation to reach the last four and Japan toppled past winners such as Germany and Spain.</p>

<p>Among the young rising talents, the likes of&nbsp;Jude Bellingham (England),&nbsp;Cody Gakpo (Netherlands),&nbsp;Goncalo Ramos (Portugal),&nbsp;Julian Alvarez (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), etc. ended as the breakout stars. Meanwhile, notable stars Neymar Jr. Cristiano Ronaldo, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, etc., failed to deliver as per their overall stature. Among some emphatic encounters, Argentina-France, Argentina-Netherlands, Japan-Germany, Croatia-Brazil, Morocco-Portugal, Portugal-Ghana, France-England and many others kept football fanatics awake till late at night across the globe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While a lot can be said and written about rules/laws in the Middle East nation, Qatar can be proud of hosting the WC for the first time with people set to remember the footballing action than the off-field controversies (some of them coming from targetted groups). The going was tough but they sure went past all obstacles to host a memorable event; paving way for many more FIFA WCs to be held in Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-japan-germany-to-argentina-france-final-reliving-top-5-matches-of-fifa-world-cup-2022-544539">From Japan-Germany to Argentina-France final: Reliving top 5 matches of FIFA World Cup 2022</a></strong></p>

<p>On Monday, England cricketer Kevin Pietersen shared a heartfelt note for Qatar. <strong>Here's what he wrote:</strong></p>

<blockquote>
<p><em>A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace &amp; now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout!&nbsp;<br />
Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable!</em></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace &amp; now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout!<br />
Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! 🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/jr2igYVijw">pic.twitter.com/jr2igYVijw</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1604754608877879297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><em>Well, Qatar 2022 was off to a poor start but held its nerves to end it on a glorious high!</em></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition was a magnanimous affair which came to a fitting end on Sunday (December 18). With Argentina and defending champions France setting up a clash in the big-ticket finale, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the contest was expected to go down to the wire.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition was a magnanimous affair which came to a fitting end on Sunday (December 18). With Argentina and defending champions France setting up a clash in the big-ticket finale, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the contest was expected to go down to the wire. The summit clash lived up to expectations with Lionel Messi achieving his dream of lifting his maiden WC trophy in his last appearance in the mega event; bringing curtains to what has been an eventful and exhilarating campaign in Qatar. Undoubtedly, Qatar 2022 ended as one of the best-organised World Cups. The fate of the mega event was hanging in the balance in the run-up to the tournament, which was held in the Middle East for the first time. Nothing came easy for Qatar -- who were constantly marred with several questions (by human rights activists, media, etc.) with fans also having their doubts regarding the smooth running of the showpiece event. Qatar 2022 battled all odds to emerge on top. From a lot being said and written about the plight of migrant workers, Western media trying to tarnish Qatar's image of pulling off an event of such a magnitude, War-tainted Russia's ban, ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter regretting his decision to award hosting rights to Qatar, the country's rigid stance on the LGBTQ community, the death of journalists, etc. (with even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request of spreading the message of peace ahead of the finale being much-talked about before FIFA's eventual rejection), many such aspects hit the headlines. Hence, there was a lot at stake. However, the tournament ended in style -- producing some enthralling results, upsets and the emergence of the African, Asian and Arab football teams -- for all involved. Also read: 'You have....' - Roger Federer lauds Lionel Messi with a heartfelt post after Argentina win FIFA World Cup Qatar lost some battles en route winning the WAR The migrant workers' plight Qatar, a country where foreigners account for the majority of the 2.9 million population, faced intense criticism from human rights groups regarding its treatment of migrant workers. It is to be noted that Britain’s Guardian reported, in 2021, that at least 6,500 migrant workers — many of them working on World Cup projects — had succumbed to death in Qatar. In response to such claims, Qatar said that the deaths were directly proportionate to the size of the migrant workforce -- including many non-manual workers. In addition, it stated that every life lost was indeed a tragedy! Death of journos Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl were the three journalists who lost their lives during the Qatar WC -- adding much hullabaloo to the already-existing negativity. FIFA Director of Media Relations Bryan Swanson revealed on social media that books are available at each stadium's media centre for colleagues to send condolence messages. However, the damage was long done by then. Sharing an image of the three books devoted to the late journalists, Swanson wrote, "We are opening books of condolence in the FIFA media centres at all remaining stadiums following the tragic deaths of Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl during this tournament. Thoughts remain with their families and friends during this difficult time." LGBTQ stance It is to be noted that homosexuality in Qatar is illegal and a punishable offence -- where one can be jailed up to three years. Hence, many diehard LGBTQ football fans revealed that they would prefer to watch Qatar 2022 on tv sets at home than risk their lives travelling to the Middle East. To control the matters from going out of hand, a Qatar government official told CNN in a statement, "Everyone is welcome in Qatar,” the statement read, adding: “Our track record has shown that we have warmly welcomed all people regardless of background. There has never been an issue and every event has been delivered safely. Everyone is welcome in Qatar, but we are a conservative country and any public display of affection, regardless of orientation, is frowned upon. We simply ask for people to respect our culture." Rejecting 'fake claims' Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee also came forward and rejected accusations when news started circulating that there are fake paid football fans in attendance at the World Cup. In a statement, the Supreme Committee shut all such allegations and termed it “disappointing and unsurprising”. “Fans from all over the world – many of whom have made Qatar their home – have contributed to the local atmosphere recently, organising fan walks and parades throughout the country, and welcoming the various national teams at their hotels,” it said in a statement. “Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have questioned whether these are ‘real’ fans. We thoroughly reject these assertions, which are both disappointing and unsurprising.” In addition, Iranian protests over their government's imposition of hijab -- forcing the latter to ease out on few aspects -- and China's protests against their government's Zero-Covid policy (after seeing fans in Qatar, on tv sets, enter stadiums without any COVID protocol whatsoever) also grabbed eyeballs. The ball does the talking making Qatar 2022 a blockbuster success Thus, there was plenty on Qatar's plate with none trusting their capabilities. Nonetheless, the ball did the talking on their behalf; resulting in many humdingers before the mother-of-all-clash in the finale. The likes of Saudi Arabia, Japan, Morocco, etc. made a mark which made for a riveting watch. Saudi, ranked 51st in the world, went past eventual winners Argentina, Morocco became the first-ever African nation to reach the last four and Japan toppled past winners such as Germany and Spain. Among the young rising talents, the likes of Jude Bellingham (England), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Goncalo Ramos (Portugal), Julian Alvarez (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), etc. ended as the breakout stars. Meanwhile, notable stars Neymar Jr. Cristiano Ronaldo, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, etc., failed to deliver as per their overall stature. Among some emphatic encounters, Argentina-France, Argentina-Netherlands, Japan-Germany, Croatia-Brazil, Morocco-Portugal, Portugal-Ghana, France-England and many others kept football fanatics awake till late at night across the globe. While a lot can be said and written about rules/laws in the Middle East nation, Qatar can be proud of hosting the WC for the first time with people set to remember the footballing action than the off-field controversies (some of them coming from targetted groups). The going was tough but they sure went past all obstacles to host a memorable event; paving way for many more FIFA WCs to be held in Asia. Also read: From Japan-Germany to Argentina-France final: Reliving top 5 matches of FIFA World Cup 2022 On Monday, England cricketer Kevin Pietersen shared a heartfelt note for Qatar. Here's what he wrote: A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace & now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout! Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace & now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout! Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/jr2igYVijw — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) December 19, 2022 × Well, Qatar 2022 was off to a poor start but held its nerves to end it on a glorious high! ×

FIFA World Cup: Qatar 2022 may have lost many battles but won the war

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<p>Argentina and its talisman Lionel Messi entrenched themselves in history books after winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Sunday. During the crowning moment, however, when Messi was about to receive the iconic, shiny golden trophy, he was shrouded in a black-gold-coloured transparent robe by the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The moment caught the attention of millions as it played on TV screens across the world. Former English player and commentator Gary Lineker commenting on the incident said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."</p>

<p>After wearing the robe, Messi's blue and white national jersey was not visible with many saying the garment took the sheen away from the moment. However, it wasn't just an ordinary robe that was bestowed upon Messi without any context, it was a traditional Qatari robe called 'Bisht' robe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and presented on special occasions to revered individuals. The robe is seen as a sign of appreciation and respect in the Gulf region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi being asked to don the robe was a way for Qataris to show their respect to the Argentine for his achievements.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unbelievable-lionel-messi-becomes-second-person-to-reach-400-million-followers-on-instagram-544800" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram</strong></a></p>

<p>Messi was instrumental in Argentina reaching the final of the quadrennial event and played an even more significant part in the summit clash by dispatching two goals. After Argentina lost the first match against Saudi Arabia, rather shockingly, it was Messi that promised his fans that he will not let them down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>True to his words, Messi managed to inspire his team to go on a winning streak thereon and demolish opponents along the way. Messi ended the tournament with 7 goals and 3 assists, becoming the proud owner of the Golden Ball award, his second at the World Cup finals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Argentina and its talisman Lionel Messi entrenched themselves in history books after winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Sunday. During the crowning moment, however, when Messi was about to receive the iconic, shiny golden trophy, he was shrouded in a black-gold-coloured transparent robe by the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.

Argentina and its talisman Lionel Messi entrenched themselves in history books after winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Sunday. During the crowning moment, however, when Messi was about to receive the iconic, shiny golden trophy, he was shrouded in a black-gold-coloured transparent robe by the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. The moment caught the attention of millions as it played on TV screens across the world. Former English player and commentator Gary Lineker commenting on the incident said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt." After wearing the robe, Messi's blue and white national jersey was not visible with many saying the garment took the sheen away from the moment. However, it wasn't just an ordinary robe that was bestowed upon Messi without any context, it was a traditional Qatari robe called 'Bisht' robe. The robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and presented on special occasions to revered individuals. The robe is seen as a sign of appreciation and respect in the Gulf region. Messi being asked to don the robe was a way for Qataris to show their respect to the Argentine for his achievements. Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram Messi was instrumental in Argentina reaching the final of the quadrennial event and played an even more significant part in the summit clash by dispatching two goals. After Argentina lost the first match against Saudi Arabia, rather shockingly, it was Messi that promised his fans that he will not let them down. True to his words, Messi managed to inspire his team to go on a winning streak thereon and demolish opponents along the way. Messi ended the tournament with 7 goals and 3 assists, becoming the proud owner of the Golden Ball award, his second at the World Cup finals. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final

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<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidqIqNf9lIZ5gX" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Argentine superstar Lionel Messi cemented his legacy as one of the greatest of all time on Sunday after his side beat France to win the FIFA World Cup. While Messi achieved the biggest milestone he aspired to achieve, he hit another one albeit in the digital space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi became the second person in internet history to reach the 400 million followers mark on Instagram behind his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine magician managed to gain more than 24 million followers since the World Cup began after his pre-tournament tally stood at 376 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi reached another landmark when his first celebratory post after the World Cup win became the most-liked Instagram post by a sportsperson. The post, so far, has amassed more than 57 million likes and has overtaken Ronaldo's post of him and Messi playing chess for an advertisement campaign.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unbelievable-cristiano-ronaldo-becomes-first-ever-to-clock-500m-followers-on-instagram-536105" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first-ever to clock 500m followers on Instagram</strong></a></p>

<p>"WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed it so many times, I wanted it so much that I still haven't fallen, I can't believe it," read the post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. The merit belongs to this group, which is above individualities, it is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!! GO ARGENTINA!!!!! we are seeing each other very soon," it added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Messi was instrumental in Argentina reaching the final of the quadrennial event and played an even more significant part in the summit clash by dispatching two goals. After Argentina lost the first match against Saudi Arabia, rather shockingly, it was Messi that promised his fans that he will not let them down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>True to his words, Messi managed to inspire his team to go on a winning streak thereon and demolish opponents along the way. Messi ended the tournament with 7 goals and 3 assists, becoming the proud owner of the Golden Ball award, his second at the World Cup finals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Argentine superstar Lionel Messi cemented his legacy as one of the greatest of all time on Sunday after his side beat France to win the FIFA World Cup. While Messi achieved the biggest milestone he aspired to achieve, he hit another one albeit in the digital space.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi cemented his legacy as one of the greatest of all time on Sunday after his side beat France to win the FIFA World Cup. While Messi achieved the biggest milestone he aspired to achieve, he hit another one albeit in the digital space. Messi became the second person in internet history to reach the 400 million followers mark on Instagram behind his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine magician managed to gain more than 24 million followers since the World Cup began after his pre-tournament tally stood at 376 million. Messi reached another landmark when his first celebratory post after the World Cup win became the most-liked Instagram post by a sportsperson. The post, so far, has amassed more than 57 million likes and has overtaken Ronaldo's post of him and Messi playing chess for an advertisement campaign. Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first-ever to clock 500m followers on Instagram "WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed it so many times, I wanted it so much that I still haven't fallen, I can't believe it," read the post. "Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. The merit belongs to this group, which is above individualities, it is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!! GO ARGENTINA!!!!! we are seeing each other very soon," it added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) × Messi was instrumental in Argentina reaching the final of the quadrennial event and played an even more significant part in the summit clash by dispatching two goals. After Argentina lost the first match against Saudi Arabia, rather shockingly, it was Messi that promised his fans that he will not let them down. True to his words, Messi managed to inspire his team to go on a winning streak thereon and demolish opponents along the way. Messi ended the tournament with 7 goals and 3 assists, becoming the proud owner of the Golden Ball award, his second at the World Cup finals. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram

In pics | Celebrations begin in Argentina as World cup heroes land in Buenos Aires

Argentina's World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi returned home from Qatar on Tuesday ahead of a welcome home party in the nation's capital.

WION Sports: World champions Argentina return home to a rapturous welcome

<p>On Sunday (December 18), Argentina and France locked horns in one of the greatest World Cup finals. After a riveting group stage, Round of 16, quarters and semi-finals, the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition's finale saw the defending champions France take on Lionel Messi's Argentina at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar. The momentum shifted from one side to another and the regular and extra time ended with nothing separating the two nations, with the scoreline reading 3-3. In the penalty shootout, Messi &amp; Co. emerged on top, 4-2, to win their first-ever World Cup in 36 years (after 1986) as the Argentine captain's WC run ended in a dream fashion.</p>

<p>Following the epic finale, reactions have been pouring in from all corners. From the likes of Google CEO Sundar Pichai,&nbsp; Sachin Tendulkar, Brazil legend Pele, tennis sensation Andy Murray, Neymar and many others, wishes have been flowing in for the victorious Argentine team. <strong>Here are some of the reactions:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign.<br />
<br />
Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this. <a href="https://t.co/KoXOTl1fSE">pic.twitter.com/KoXOTl1fSE</a></p>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1604539359893409792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We are living in the time of one of the best World Cup Finals ever. I remember watching WC with my mom on a small tv….now the same excitement with my kids!! And thank u <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> for making us all believe in talent, hard work &amp; dreams!!</p>
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk/status/1604544029076557825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of the greatest games ever. Well played Argentina and France. Jogo Bonito. Nobody deserves it more than <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#messi</a>, imho the greatest ever to play the game. What a swansong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a></p>
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1604536052068122624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Duel in the Desert.<br />
Couldn’t ask for a better game. Incredible play by 🇦🇷 &amp; 🇫🇷 !!!! <a href="https://t.co/XUZxjymAx0">pic.twitter.com/XUZxjymAx0</a></p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1604537674878042112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fantastic Final. Fitting end. Congratulations to Argentina and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a></p>
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) <a href="https://twitter.com/anilkumble1074/status/1604537829564243969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Is messi the best athlete of all time? Forget just football. What a man.</p>
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) <a href="https://twitter.com/andy_murray/status/1604537446343266304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="es">Felicidades Hermano 👏🏽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/leomessi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#leomessi</a> <a href="https://t.co/5XClpQf15y">pic.twitter.com/5XClpQf15y</a></p>
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) <a href="https://twitter.com/neymarjr/status/1604552030541996034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-who-won-the-golden-boot-golden-glove-and-golden-ball-awards-544342"><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022: Who won the Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Golden Ball awards?</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking about the match, Argentina had a 2-0 lead till the 80th minute before France -- courtesy of Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes -- brought the 2018 winners back in the game and levelled the score 2-2. Messi found the back of the net in the 108th minute before Mbappe completed a treble to push the contest into the shootouts. In the shootouts, it was Argentina who held their nerves to win 4-2.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the end of the game, Messi -- who had revealed the Qatar final will be his last appearance in the World Cup event -- spoke about his international future and told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." The 35-year-old returned with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the&nbsp;first player to win it twice (he won it in 2014).</p>


On Sunday (December 18), Argentina and France locked horns in one of the greatest World Cup finals. After a riveting group stage, Round of 16, quarters and semi-finals, the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition's finale saw the defending champions France take on Lionel Messi's Argentina at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar.

On Sunday (December 18), Argentina and France locked horns in one of the greatest World Cup finals. After a riveting group stage, Round of 16, quarters and semi-finals, the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition's finale saw the defending champions France take on Lionel Messi's Argentina at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar. The momentum shifted from one side to another and the regular and extra time ended with nothing separating the two nations, with the scoreline reading 3-3. In the penalty shootout, Messi & Co. emerged on top, 4-2, to win their first-ever World Cup in 36 years (after 1986) as the Argentine captain's WC run ended in a dream fashion. Following the epic finale, reactions have been pouring in from all corners. From the likes of Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Sachin Tendulkar, Brazil legend Pele, tennis sensation Andy Murray, Neymar and many others, wishes have been flowing in for the victorious Argentine team. Here are some of the reactions: Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign. Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this. pic.twitter.com/KoXOTl1fSE — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 18, 2022 × We are living in the time of one of the best World Cup Finals ever. I remember watching WC with my mom on a small tv….now the same excitement with my kids!! And thank u #Messi for making us all believe in talent, hard work & dreams!! — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) December 18, 2022 × One of the greatest games ever. Well played Argentina and France. Jogo Bonito. Nobody deserves it more than #messi, imho the greatest ever to play the game. What a swansong. #FIFAWorldCup — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) December 18, 2022 × Duel in the Desert. Couldn’t ask for a better game. Incredible play by 🇦🇷 & 🇫🇷 !!!! pic.twitter.com/XUZxjymAx0 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2022 × Fantastic Final. Fitting end. Congratulations to Argentina and #Messi #FIFAWorldCup — Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) December 18, 2022 × Is messi the best athlete of all time? Forget just football. What a man. — Andy Murray (@andy_murray) December 18, 2022 × Felicidades Hermano 👏🏽 #leomessi pic.twitter.com/5XClpQf15y — Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) December 18, 2022 × View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pelé (@pele) × Also read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Who won the Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Golden Ball awards? Speaking about the match, Argentina had a 2-0 lead till the 80th minute before France -- courtesy of Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes -- brought the 2018 winners back in the game and levelled the score 2-2. Messi found the back of the net in the 108th minute before Mbappe completed a treble to push the contest into the shootouts. In the shootouts, it was Argentina who held their nerves to win 4-2. After the end of the game, Messi -- who had revealed the Qatar final will be his last appearance in the World Cup event -- spoke about his international future and told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." The 35-year-old returned with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the first player to win it twice (he won it in 2014).

From Pele, SRT to Sundar Pichai: Reactions galore as Messi's dream comes true with Argentina winning FIFA WC

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidxLJAtSuf9pFQ" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>In what comes as another jolly news for Argentine fans across the footballing landscape, their superstar Lionel Messi has indicated he has no plans of slowing down and that he wants to play as the world champion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“No, I’m not going to&nbsp;retire from the national team. I want to keep playing as World Cup champions with Argentina shirt," Messi was quoted as saying by various media outlets after the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I wanted to close my career with this, it was the one that was missing so I can no longer ask for anything else. I was able to get the Copa America and now the World Cup that I had fought so hard for. I've got it at the end of my career."</p>

<p>Messi's sentiments were echoed by the national team coach Lionel Scaloni who said the little magician can continue to keep playing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“If he wants to keep playing, he will be with us. He is more than entitled to decide whether he wants to keep playing for Argentina or not or what he wants to do with his career," an emotional Scaloni told media after the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“He is such a huge player for us. It is such a pleasure for us to coach him and his teammates. Everything he transmits to his teammates is unparalleled - something I’ve never seen before.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-who-won-the-golden-boot-golden-glove-and-golden-ball-awards-544342" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Who won the Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Golden Ball awards?</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Messi and his world-class performance on the biggest stage</strong></p>

<p>Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3 at the end of extra time at the Lusail International Stadium.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi scored twice and converted from the spot during the penalty shootout to guide his team to the promised land.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi became the first player to win two Golden Ball awards, having previously bagged the trophy in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Golden Ball award is given to the best player of the tournament, Mbappe came second to him while Croatia's Luka Modric finished third. The Argentine narrowly missed on the Golden Boot award as Mbapped (8) bagged a hattrick in the final to nudge ahead of him (7) by a goal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the WC triumph, Messi has joined the likes of Kempes and Maradona to have won the elusive trophy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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In what comes as another jolly news for Argentine fans across the footballing landscape, their superstar Lionel Messi has indicated he has no plans of slowing down and that he wants to play as the world champion.

In what comes as another jolly news for Argentine fans across the footballing landscape, their superstar Lionel Messi has indicated he has no plans of slowing down and that he wants to play as the world champion. “No, I’m not going to retire from the national team. I want to keep playing as World Cup champions with Argentina shirt," Messi was quoted as saying by various media outlets after the match. "I wanted to close my career with this, it was the one that was missing so I can no longer ask for anything else. I was able to get the Copa America and now the World Cup that I had fought so hard for. I've got it at the end of my career." Messi's sentiments were echoed by the national team coach Lionel Scaloni who said the little magician can continue to keep playing. “If he wants to keep playing, he will be with us. He is more than entitled to decide whether he wants to keep playing for Argentina or not or what he wants to do with his career," an emotional Scaloni told media after the match. “He is such a huge player for us. It is such a pleasure for us to coach him and his teammates. Everything he transmits to his teammates is unparalleled - something I’ve never seen before.” Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Who won the Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Golden Ball awards? Messi and his world-class performance on the biggest stage Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3 at the end of extra time at the Lusail International Stadium. Messi scored twice and converted from the spot during the penalty shootout to guide his team to the promised land. Messi became the first player to win two Golden Ball awards, having previously bagged the trophy in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The Golden Ball award is given to the best player of the tournament, Mbappe came second to him while Croatia's Luka Modric finished third. The Argentine narrowly missed on the Golden Boot award as Mbapped (8) bagged a hattrick in the final to nudge ahead of him (7) by a goal. With the WC triumph, Messi has joined the likes of Kempes and Maradona to have won the elusive trophy. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: 'I’m not...': Lionel Messi drops a BOMB on his future after lifting the mega title

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ba1879a5-6e8f-4a29-8a50-a52362cfbb2f}{143}" paraid="1638122439" >At the age of 23, Kylian Mbappe has a career record that most footballers can only dream of achieving in their entire careers. While the Frenchman had to watch from a distance as his PSG teammate Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup title with Argentina, it did not take away from the fact that Mbappe had a tournament to remember. With 8 goals from just 6 matches, the 23-year-old took his total tally in the competition to 12 – tied with Brazilian legend Pele – and even claimed the Golden Boot on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c89c4939-09b5-4aba-a5bf-ffc5c53b96d9}{164}" paraid="1054858481" >This year’s competition was hailed as the final chance at immortality for the two legends of the modern game – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo struggled to find a place in the Portugal side which crashed out in the quarterfinals, Messi emerged as the main talisman for Argentina once again.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{a8e27d17-1b0e-49df-a35e-e31d3fb514fc}{171}" paraid="661915560" >However, the man matching Messi at every step of the way was Mbappe. The Frenchman is not necessarily the most loved man in the sport – partly due to the several rumours floating about his alleged attitude problem and also the massive fee that he commands for the Ligue 1 champions. &nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c4bf9a2c-00b5-4799-94bd-cc361448c9d4}{56}" paraid="409787831" >In a situation where France’s World Cup campaign was severely hampered by a slew of injuries, the youngster took it upon himself to make life easy for coach Didier Deschamps and his side. When it comes to club football, Mbappe has already established himself as a major force in 2022. He came into the World Cup as the leading scorer in the French league with 12 goals and when it came to the Champions League, he averaged more than one goal a game – a feat rarely seen in the group stages.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{9d3c1885-ef5c-4c5c-8a1a-7c72d127eaa7}{172}" paraid="612347919" >Add to that, the experience of winning the trophy in 2016 and France had a megastar of their own.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{9d3c1885-ef5c-4c5c-8a1a-7c72d127eaa7}{172}" paraid="612347919" >Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wions-fifa-world-cup-2022-best-xi-which-players-made-the-first-team-544527">WION's FIFA World Cup 2022 best XI: Which players made the first team?</a></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{0da7f0d4-7310-4e10-84c4-02f778a53a5b}{85}" paraid="271258259" >It was business as usual in the first group stage match against Australia as Mbappe scored the final goal in the 4-1 rout. In the next match, he turned from accomplice to saviour as he scored the all-important brace to guide the defending champions to the Round of 16 – a feat that proved crucial due to their loss against Tunisia in the final game. Poland was the next obstacle in France’s path and Mbappe showed his&nbsp;class once again. A precise shot following a piercing run into the box resulted in the first goal and about ten minutes later, Mbappe showed the power of his deft touch to score from outside the box.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ce369639-7b1a-4d68-ba20-b9e3d4a8ea83}{153}" paraid="2089645082" >At this point, emotions were running high and most experts predicted Mbappe to easily break Just Fontaine’s record of 9 goals in a single World Cup campaign. However, fate had other plans.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ce369639-7b1a-4d68-ba20-b9e3d4a8ea83}{153}" paraid="2089645082" ><img alt="Mbappe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b4884699-ef39-4bbf-9b80-2b1c651411b1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_334J8Z8.jpg" /></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{6ade5f22-c5be-4648-a103-e0a7a526c960}{241}" paraid="80083020" >A silent performance against England in the quarters and a somewhat inconsistent show against Morocco in the semis meant that he came to the final with 5 goals to his name. Now, it is important to understand that this was no small feat in itself as he was tied with Messi as the top-scorer of the tournament and&nbsp;had one more goal than the 2018 campaign when France became champions.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{34ef0cd0-297b-4843-97a5-cfa58bfcb310}{2}" paraid="636272532" >Sadly, things looked grim&nbsp;for France in the summit clash. Nearly 80 minutes were done in the gap and Argentina were safely cruising to victory. Mbappe was a silent spectator as he struggled to create chances but what happened next will go down in history. A penalty to the defending champions and Mbappe made no mistakes from the spot. Four steps and a confident shot to the right of the goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and France were back in contention. The French crowd had finally found their voice once again and with the momentum behind them, the French team launched an all-out attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{34ef0cd0-297b-4843-97a5-cfa58bfcb310}{2}" paraid="636272532" >Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/check-back-with-me-in-7-years-lionel-messis-fans-2015-prediction-goes-viral-after-argentina-win-fifa-wc-544504">'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC</a></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8a0f945c-5773-4135-ad0d-5fa6cb779d66}{157}" paraid="2059734493" >He received the ball near the halfway line and after a quick link-up play with Marcus Thuram, the ball was chipped toward him at the edge of the penalty box. People say that fortune favours the brave and it was there in full display as the youngster went for an audacious volley and levelled the game for France.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8f3de56e-3f6a-46c9-a0d2-7589b754488b}{226}" paraid="1604784883" >What followed the equaliser were 40 minutes of frantic football. In the second half of the extra time, Messi handed Argentina the lead but Mbappe was not to be denied. Another penalty towards the end of the game and he was there to claim a historic hat-trick. Same corner, same force and same result – Mbappe wrote his name in the history books as the second player to score a hat-trick in the final.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b13b28a6-c541-4b1a-bd1b-52f7dbfbf09d}{110}" paraid="1917555720" >Even in the penalty shootout, he went first for his team. Here was a player who has played 120 minutes in one of the most intense games of his career and had already taken two spot kicks. But he once again stepped up to the occasion and calmly converted his chance. Sadly, fortune finally ran out as two of his teammates missed their chances and a historic performance did not end in a historic victory.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{525ae689-5ffb-4183-a3b4-c2851468afa8}{100}" paraid="1033418480" >However, while the entire world was concentrated on the golden epilogue to Messi’s sparkling career, no one could deny the brand-new chapter that Mbappe had presented to the world. With Ronaldo and Messi both unlikely to play another World Cup, the Frenchman will enter the next edition as an even bigger force and with age of his side, he has certainly staked his claim to become a future legend.&nbsp;</p>


At the age of 23, Kylian Mbappe has a career record that most footballers can only dream of achieving in their entire careers. While the Frenchman had to watch from a distance as his PSG teammate Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup title with Argentina, it did not take away from the fact that Mbappe had a tournament to remember.

At the age of 23, Kylian Mbappe has a career record that most footballers can only dream of achieving in their entire careers. While the Frenchman had to watch from a distance as his PSG teammate Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup title with Argentina, it did not take away from the fact that Mbappe had a tournament to remember. With 8 goals from just 6 matches, the 23-year-old took his total tally in the competition to 12 – tied with Brazilian legend Pele – and even claimed the Golden Boot on Sunday. This year’s competition was hailed as the final chance at immortality for the two legends of the modern game – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo struggled to find a place in the Portugal side which crashed out in the quarterfinals, Messi emerged as the main talisman for Argentina once again. However, the man matching Messi at every step of the way was Mbappe. The Frenchman is not necessarily the most loved man in the sport – partly due to the several rumours floating about his alleged attitude problem and also the massive fee that he commands for the Ligue 1 champions. In a situation where France’s World Cup campaign was severely hampered by a slew of injuries, the youngster took it upon himself to make life easy for coach Didier Deschamps and his side. When it comes to club football, Mbappe has already established himself as a major force in 2022. He came into the World Cup as the leading scorer in the French league with 12 goals and when it came to the Champions League, he averaged more than one goal a game – a feat rarely seen in the group stages. Add to that, the experience of winning the trophy in 2016 and France had a megastar of their own. Also read | WION's FIFA World Cup 2022 best XI: Which players made the first team? It was business as usual in the first group stage match against Australia as Mbappe scored the final goal in the 4-1 rout. In the next match, he turned from accomplice to saviour as he scored the all-important brace to guide the defending champions to the Round of 16 – a feat that proved crucial due to their loss against Tunisia in the final game. Poland was the next obstacle in France’s path and Mbappe showed his class once again. A precise shot following a piercing run into the box resulted in the first goal and about ten minutes later, Mbappe showed the power of his deft touch to score from outside the box. At this point, emotions were running high and most experts predicted Mbappe to easily break Just Fontaine’s record of 9 goals in a single World Cup campaign. However, fate had other plans. A silent performance against England in the quarters and a somewhat inconsistent show against Morocco in the semis meant that he came to the final with 5 goals to his name. Now, it is important to understand that this was no small feat in itself as he was tied with Messi as the top-scorer of the tournament and had one more goal than the 2018 campaign when France became champions. Sadly, things looked grim for France in the summit clash. Nearly 80 minutes were done in the gap and Argentina were safely cruising to victory. Mbappe was a silent spectator as he struggled to create chances but what happened next will go down in history. A penalty to the defending champions and Mbappe made no mistakes from the spot. Four steps and a confident shot to the right of the goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and France were back in contention. The French crowd had finally found their voice once again and with the momentum behind them, the French team launched an all-out attack. Also read | 'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC He received the ball near the halfway line and after a quick link-up play with Marcus Thuram, the ball was chipped toward him at the edge of the penalty box. People say that fortune favours the brave and it was there in full display as the youngster went for an audacious volley and levelled the game for France. What followed the equaliser were 40 minutes of frantic football. In the second half of the extra time, Messi handed Argentina the lead but Mbappe was not to be denied. Another penalty towards the end of the game and he was there to claim a historic hat-trick. Same corner, same force and same result – Mbappe wrote his name in the history books as the second player to score a hat-trick in the final. Even in the penalty shootout, he went first for his team. Here was a player who has played 120 minutes in one of the most intense games of his career and had already taken two spot kicks. But he once again stepped up to the occasion and calmly converted his chance. Sadly, fortune finally ran out as two of his teammates missed their chances and a historic performance did not end in a historic victory. However, while the entire world was concentrated on the golden epilogue to Messi’s sparkling career, no one could deny the brand-new chapter that Mbappe had presented to the world. With Ronaldo and Messi both unlikely to play another World Cup, the Frenchman will enter the next edition as an even bigger force and with age of his side, he has certainly staked his claim to become a future legend.

Yearender 2022: Kylian Mbappe establishes himself as rightful heir to GOAT crown

<p>Lionel Messi-led Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beating the defending champions France in an epic clash at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar on Sunday (December 18). Having reached the final in style, beating the 2018 edition's runners-up Croatia 3-0, Messi &amp; Co. started off with a bang and were leading 2-0 till the 80th minute before France rode on Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes and levelled the scores to push the game to the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the extra time, Argentina was once again ahead by 3-2, with Messi striking for the second time in the contest before Mbappe's hat-trick pushed the game to the penalty shootout where Argentina ended on top (4-2). After&nbsp;the game, wishes have been pouring in from all corners for Argentina captain Messi. He had already revealed, post the Croatia win, that the Qatar final will be his last World Cup appearance and, hence, he ended his run in the mega event on a glorious note. Hence, many legends have joined in to wish the 35-year-old Messi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roger Federer, who retired from tennis early this year, took to his official Instagram handle and wrote, "Fairytale stuff Argentina! Time and time again you @leomessi have redefined greatness. It’s a privilege to watch you. Congrats Leo &amp; Special and historic," along with&nbsp;sharing a photo of Messi's famous World Cup trophy kiss. <strong>Here's the post:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmUeVcQufjw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roger Federer (@rogerfederer)</a></p>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/check-back-with-me-in-7-years-lionel-messis-fans-2015-prediction-goes-viral-after-argentina-win-fifa-wc-544504"><strong>'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC</strong></a></p>

<p>At the presentation ceremony, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball and he ended as the second-highest goal-scorer (7) in the tournament with his PSG teammate and French star Mbappe ending with eight (to win the Golden Boot Award). In addition, he made it clear that his international career has not ended and he will continue to play as a 'champion' post the WC win. Hence, he will like to add more titles to his cabinet after ending his WC run on a high.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Messi forced to cover his Argentina shirt</strong></p>

<p>After the splendid win, captain Messi was forced to cover his Argentina shirt with a black and gold robe while being given the World Cup trophy during the presentation ceremony. As he made his way up to the stage, the veteran was handed a black robe by&nbsp;the Emir of Qatar -- also the owner of Messi's French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).&nbsp;Just then, the BBC commentator Guy Mowbray declared it "the night the true king of football is coronated". The robe, however, meant that's Messi's blue and white national jersey wasn't on full display while receiving the trophy.</p>

<p>After this, the presenter Gary Lineker said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."</p>


Lionel Messi-led Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beating the defending champions France in an epic clash at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar on Sunday (December 18).

Lionel Messi-led Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beating the defending champions France in an epic clash at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar on Sunday (December 18). Having reached the final in style, beating the 2018 edition's runners-up Croatia 3-0, Messi & Co. started off with a bang and were leading 2-0 till the 80th minute before France rode on Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes and levelled the scores to push the game to the extra time. In the extra time, Argentina was once again ahead by 3-2, with Messi striking for the second time in the contest before Mbappe's hat-trick pushed the game to the penalty shootout where Argentina ended on top (4-2). After the game, wishes have been pouring in from all corners for Argentina captain Messi. He had already revealed, post the Croatia win, that the Qatar final will be his last World Cup appearance and, hence, he ended his run in the mega event on a glorious note. Hence, many legends have joined in to wish the 35-year-old Messi. Roger Federer, who retired from tennis early this year, took to his official Instagram handle and wrote, "Fairytale stuff Argentina! Time and time again you @leomessi have redefined greatness. It’s a privilege to watch you. Congrats Leo & Special and historic," along with sharing a photo of Messi's famous World Cup trophy kiss. Here's the post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) × Also read: 'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC At the presentation ceremony, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball and he ended as the second-highest goal-scorer (7) in the tournament with his PSG teammate and French star Mbappe ending with eight (to win the Golden Boot Award). In addition, he made it clear that his international career has not ended and he will continue to play as a 'champion' post the WC win. Hence, he will like to add more titles to his cabinet after ending his WC run on a high. Messi forced to cover his Argentina shirt After the splendid win, captain Messi was forced to cover his Argentina shirt with a black and gold robe while being given the World Cup trophy during the presentation ceremony. As he made his way up to the stage, the veteran was handed a black robe by the Emir of Qatar -- also the owner of Messi's French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Just then, the BBC commentator Guy Mowbray declared it "the night the true king of football is coronated". The robe, however, meant that's Messi's blue and white national jersey wasn't on full display while receiving the trophy. After this, the presenter Gary Lineker said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."

'You have....' - Roger Federer lauds Lionel Messi with a heartfelt post after Argentina win FIFA World Cup

<p>On Sunday (December 18), Argentina defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, to lift their first-ever WC title after 1986. Lionel Messi &amp; Co. dominated proceedings till the 80th minute, leading 2-0, before Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes brought his side back and stretched it to the extra time, which ended in a 3-3 scoreline taking the game to the penalty shootout. In the penalties, Argentina prevailed on top, by 4-2, to return home with the elusive title.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the game, Messi's fan's 2015 Twitter post has gone viral. In a tweet, the fan said, "December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years." The post caught everyone's attention prior to the FIFA WC finale but went viral in no time post Argentina's famous win over the defending champions France. <strong>Here's the tweet:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years.</p>
— José Miguel Polanco (@josepolanco10) <a href="https://twitter.com/josepolanco10/status/579016398694805504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<p>It is to be noted that the post has become a huge hit on the social media platform Twitter, garnering&nbsp;in excess of 58,000 retweets and more than 1,50,000 likes.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-aligned-for-the-stars-heres-eerie-similarities-between-srts-2011-odi-wc-messis-fifa-wc-run-544485">All aligned for the 'stars'! Here's EERIE similarities between SRT's 2011 ODI WC &amp; Messi's FIFA WC run</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking about the 35-year-old Messi, he&nbsp;ended his World Cup run on an emphatic fashion. Having already revealed that the Qatar final will be his last-ever World Cup appearance, the Argentina captain couldn't have asked for a better end as his two goals kept the national side ahead in the contest and he also found the back of the net in the penalty shooutouts. The Argentina legend ended with the Golden Ball Award and became the first-ever to win it twice (having already won in the 2014 edition). Having lost the opportunity to win the FIFA WC in 2014, when Germany defeated Argentina in the final, Messi has moved past the past struggles to end his fifth and final WC appearance with the coveted title.&nbsp;</p>


On Sunday (December 18), Argentina defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, to lift their first-ever WC title after 1986. Lionel Messi & Co.

On Sunday (December 18), Argentina defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, to lift their first-ever WC title after 1986. Lionel Messi & Co. dominated proceedings till the 80th minute, leading 2-0, before Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes brought his side back and stretched it to the extra time, which ended in a 3-3 scoreline taking the game to the penalty shootout. In the penalties, Argentina prevailed on top, by 4-2, to return home with the elusive title. After the game, Messi's fan's 2015 Twitter post has gone viral. In a tweet, the fan said, "December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years." The post caught everyone's attention prior to the FIFA WC finale but went viral in no time post Argentina's famous win over the defending champions France. Here's the tweet: December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years. — José Miguel Polanco (@josepolanco10) March 20, 2015 × It is to be noted that the post has become a huge hit on the social media platform Twitter, garnering in excess of 58,000 retweets and more than 1,50,000 likes. Also read: All aligned for the 'stars'! Here's EERIE similarities between SRT's 2011 ODI WC & Messi's FIFA WC run Talking about the 35-year-old Messi, he ended his World Cup run on an emphatic fashion. Having already revealed that the Qatar final will be his last-ever World Cup appearance, the Argentina captain couldn't have asked for a better end as his two goals kept the national side ahead in the contest and he also found the back of the net in the penalty shooutouts. The Argentina legend ended with the Golden Ball Award and became the first-ever to win it twice (having already won in the 2014 edition). Having lost the opportunity to win the FIFA WC in 2014, when Germany defeated Argentina in the final, Messi has moved past the past struggles to end his fifth and final WC appearance with the coveted title.

'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition lived up to expectations. The riveting group stage was followed by the Round of 16, hard-fought quarters, semi-finals before the final was one for the ages, involding Argentina and France. The two heavyweights locked horns, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Lionel Messi-led Argentina line-up ended their 36-year-drought to win the FIFA World Cup trophy in a nail-biting finale. After leading the French line-up 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina conceded two goals in succession before the match remained poised, at 3-3, after end of extra time. In the penalty shootout, Argentina edged past the defending champions, by a 4-2 margin, to end on a high.</p>

<p>Post the end of the FIFA WC, in Qatar, some eerie similarities have been brought forward between Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar's 2011 ODI World Cup run and Messi's overall journey in the recently-concluded event in the Middle East. <strong>Here are some glaring similarities:</strong></p>

<p><strong>1:</strong> Both donned Jersey No. 10</p>

<p><strong>2.</strong> Both Tendulkar and Messi had lost the World Cup final eight years back. SRT-starrer India had lost the 2003 ODI WC final whereas Argentina came second, versus Germany, in the 2014 final of the FIFA WC.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-earns-the-most-between-lionel-messi-or-kylian-mbappe-at-psg-find-out-544475">Who earns the most between Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe at PSG? Find out</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>3.&nbsp;</strong>Interestingly, Messi and Tendulkar were the Player-of-the-Match in the semi-finals of their respective victorious WC campaigns. SRT won it in India-Pakistan tie in 2011 whereas Messi returned with the award in the semi-final versus Croatia for solitary goal and splendid assist to Julian Alvarez.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>4.&nbsp;</strong>Both ended their last WC winning the coveted title. While Tendulkar won it in his sixth WC, Messi got to the feat in his fifth attempt.</p>

<p>After taking Argentina to the mega title, Messi spoke about his international future, having already cleared the air that this was his last WC. Post his side's historic win, he told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." In addition, the 35-year-old returned with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the&nbsp;first player to win it twice (having earlier&nbsp;won in 2014).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Tendulkar took to his official Twitter handle and wrote, "Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign. Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this."</p>

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The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition lived up to expectations. The riveting group stage was followed by the Round of 16, hard-fought quarters, semi-finals before the final was one for the ages, involding Argentina and France.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition lived up to expectations. The riveting group stage was followed by the Round of 16, hard-fought quarters, semi-finals before the final was one for the ages, involding Argentina and France. The two heavyweights locked horns, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Lionel Messi-led Argentina line-up ended their 36-year-drought to win the FIFA World Cup trophy in a nail-biting finale. After leading the French line-up 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina conceded two goals in succession before the match remained poised, at 3-3, after end of extra time. In the penalty shootout, Argentina edged past the defending champions, by a 4-2 margin, to end on a high. Post the end of the FIFA WC, in Qatar, some eerie similarities have been brought forward between Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar's 2011 ODI World Cup run and Messi's overall journey in the recently-concluded event in the Middle East. Here are some glaring similarities: 1: Both donned Jersey No. 10 2. Both Tendulkar and Messi had lost the World Cup final eight years back. SRT-starrer India had lost the 2003 ODI WC final whereas Argentina came second, versus Germany, in the 2014 final of the FIFA WC. Also read: Who earns the most between Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe at PSG? Find out 3. Interestingly, Messi and Tendulkar were the Player-of-the-Match in the semi-finals of their respective victorious WC campaigns. SRT won it in India-Pakistan tie in 2011 whereas Messi returned with the award in the semi-final versus Croatia for solitary goal and splendid assist to Julian Alvarez. 4. Both ended their last WC winning the coveted title. While Tendulkar won it in his sixth WC, Messi got to the feat in his fifth attempt. After taking Argentina to the mega title, Messi spoke about his international future, having already cleared the air that this was his last WC. Post his side's historic win, he told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." In addition, the 35-year-old returned with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the first player to win it twice (having earlier won in 2014). Meanwhile, Tendulkar took to his official Twitter handle and wrote, "Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign. Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this." ×

All aligned for the 'stars'! Here's EERIE similarities between SRT's 2011 ODI WC & Messi's FIFA WC run

<p>Lionel Messi's dream of lifting the World Cup was fulfilled on Sunday evening (December 18) with Argentina beating France in a stunning FIFA WC final at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar. Defending champions France took on Messi's Argentina and produced a final for the ages. While Messi and Angel Di Maria's goals took Argentina to a 2-0 lead, Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes ended the regulation time at 2-2. The extra time once again saw Messi &amp; Co. taking a 3-2 lead, in the 108th minute, before Mbappe struck once again and found the back of the net in the 118th minute to level the scores, 3-3, and take the game to the penalty shootout.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the shootouts, Argentina emerged on top, 4-2, courtesy of&nbsp;&nbsp;Emiliano Martínez's saves, and won its first-ever World Cup title since 1986. Messi also ended the debate for the Greatest of All Time, often being pitted alongside arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, by getting his hand on the WC trophy. After the pulsating affair, in front of a jam-packed stadium including many big names from various fields, Messi celebrated in style and his table-dance clip has gone viral in a jiffy. The 35-year-old entertained one and all with his moves in the Argentina dressing room. <strong>Here's the video:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LIONEL MESSI JUMPING ON THE TABLE IN THE DRESSING ROOM 😂<br />
<br />
(via <a href="https://twitter.com/Notamendi30?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Notamendi30</a>) <a href="https://t.co/WUTq3AmjKs">pic.twitter.com/WUTq3AmjKs</a></p>
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1604566690968264705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-im-not-gonna-retire-announces-lionel-messi-after-wc-victory-544375">FIFA World Cup 2022: 'I’m not...': Lionel Messi drops a BOMB on his future after lifting the mega title</a></strong></p>

<p>After the game, Messi also spoke about his international future. Post his side's semi-final win, he revealed that the Qatar final will be his last World Cup appearance. While his last game in the mega event has lived up to expectations, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker made it clear that he isn't going anywhere and will continue to play at the international level as a 'champion'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com,&nbsp;"No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." In addition, the veteran&nbsp;ended with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the&nbsp;first ever to win the title twice (earlier he won it in 2014).</p>


Lionel Messi's dream of lifting the World Cup was fulfilled on Sunday evening (December 18) with Argentina beating France in a stunning FIFA WC final at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar.

Lionel Messi's dream of lifting the World Cup was fulfilled on Sunday evening (December 18) with Argentina beating France in a stunning FIFA WC final at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar. Defending champions France took on Messi's Argentina and produced a final for the ages. While Messi and Angel Di Maria's goals took Argentina to a 2-0 lead, Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes ended the regulation time at 2-2. The extra time once again saw Messi & Co. taking a 3-2 lead, in the 108th minute, before Mbappe struck once again and found the back of the net in the 118th minute to level the scores, 3-3, and take the game to the penalty shootout. In the shootouts, Argentina emerged on top, 4-2, courtesy of Emiliano Martínez's saves, and won its first-ever World Cup title since 1986. Messi also ended the debate for the Greatest of All Time, often being pitted alongside arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, by getting his hand on the WC trophy. After the pulsating affair, in front of a jam-packed stadium including many big names from various fields, Messi celebrated in style and his table-dance clip has gone viral in a jiffy. The 35-year-old entertained one and all with his moves in the Argentina dressing room. Here's the video: LIONEL MESSI JUMPING ON THE TABLE IN THE DRESSING ROOM 😂 (via @Notamendi30) pic.twitter.com/WUTq3AmjKs — ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 18, 2022 × Also read: FIFA World Cup 2022: 'I’m not...': Lionel Messi drops a BOMB on his future after lifting the mega title After the game, Messi also spoke about his international future. Post his side's semi-final win, he revealed that the Qatar final will be his last World Cup appearance. While his last game in the mega event has lived up to expectations, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker made it clear that he isn't going anywhere and will continue to play at the international level as a 'champion'. Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." In addition, the veteran ended with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the first ever to win the title twice (earlier he won it in 2014).

UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral - Watch

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<p>It was Lionel Messi's last dance on the World Cup stage, in perhaps one of the most thrilling finals ever. It was&nbsp;a grand finale to the tournament coinciding with the Argentine star’s last World Cup. And if the start against Saudi Arabia was as anticlimactic as they come, the end was just as romantic, thrilling and visceral as it could have been.</p>

<p>Argentina beat France 4-2&nbsp;on penalties after the match ended&nbsp;3-3&nbsp;at the end of extra time&nbsp;at the Lusail International Stadium in front of a majority Argentine crowd that never once let its voice down.</p>

<p>A spectacular save from Martinez to deny Aurélien Tchouaméni and a miss from Kingsley Coman allowed Argentina to clinch the WC trophy after going through a plethora of emotions through the course of the match.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two goals from Argentina's talisman Messi and one from Angel Di Maria were not enough for Argentina to get ahead as Mbappe smashed a first World Cup hat-trick to take the game to penalties.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A bundle of narratives were weaved prior to the match, none as bigger and often asked as Messi or Mbappe? The answer, though, should have been a no-brainer from the get-go. It was merely the passing of the baton from one generation to another. Both players complete in their own styles and capable to take their team to victory shores fought hard and shone bright but it was Messi that came out on top.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Argentina nearly win it</strong></p>

<p>France were pinned back within the first 10 minutes as a powerful goal-inbound shot from de Paul in the eighth minute hit a French defender and crashed across the byline.&nbsp; Prior to it, a thumping effort from Alexis Mac Allister hit straight to Lloris was pouched by the Tottenham keeper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Argentina with their buccaneering attitude kept coming back and managed to earn the well-deserved advantage in the 23rd minute via a Messi penalty.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The penalty was earned by none other than Angel Di Maria who had Dembele on tenterhooks since the beginning of the game. With France tucked in a compact shape, the winger was forced to do the defensive work but came up short against the Argentine.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lusail witnesses the <a href="https://twitter.com/Oficial7DiMaria?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oficial7DiMaria</a> MANIA 💥<br />
<br />
The man for the BIG OCCASION with a splendid finish ⭐<br />
<br />
Keep watching the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> Final ➡ LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a> 📺📲<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARGFRA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARGFRA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArgentinaVsFrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArgentinaVsFrance</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qatar2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Qatar2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConJioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConJioCinema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConSports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConSports18</a> <a href="https://t.co/1S9SNBnsjq">pic.twitter.com/1S9SNBnsjq</a></p>
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema/status/1604511426386677760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-argentina-lead-through-messi-and-di-marias-strike-in-the-final-of-fifa-wc-2022-544309" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Argentina lead through Messi and Di Maria's strike in the final of FIFA WC 2022</strong></a></p>

<p>After the goal, one would have thought that Deschamps' men would pick up the pace and counter-attack. However, it was Argentina that dictated the play and through sustained pressure managed to double the lead in the 36th minute.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A swift move started by Messi with an outside-of-the-boot touch in the right-side half-space to Alvarez who guided it to Mac Allister. The Brighton player charged across the turf and calmly placed the ball at the feet of Di Maria who had no trouble in finding the back of the net from that distance.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lusail witnesses the <a href="https://twitter.com/Oficial7DiMaria?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oficial7DiMaria</a> MANIA 💥<br />
<br />
The man for the BIG OCCASION with a splendid finish ⭐<br />
<br />
Keep watching the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> Final ➡ LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a> 📺📲<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARGFRA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARGFRA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArgentinaVsFrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArgentinaVsFrance</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qatar2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Qatar2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConJioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConJioCinema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConSports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConSports18</a> <a href="https://t.co/1S9SNBnsjq">pic.twitter.com/1S9SNBnsjq</a></p>
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema/status/1604511426386677760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>France make a comeback</strong></p>

<p>After the two goals, Deschamps was forced to make quick substitutions around the 40-minute mark as Giroud and Dembele were hooked and replaced by Marcus Thuram and last-match goalscorer Randal Kolo Muani.</p>

<p>With Argentina firmly in the driving seat, Scaloni opted for defensive changes in the second half as Di Maria was replaced by Acuna. And that turned the game on its head. France jumped to life in the 80th minute when Kolo Muani drove at full tilt in the opposition box and got Otamendi to foul him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mbappe converted&nbsp;from the spot and nearly 97 seconds later, rifled a half-volley past Martinez to bring France right back into the competition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The game ended level after 90 minutes and the first quarter of extra time went without much development. However, in the second half of the extra time, Messi produced another moment of brilliance to beat Lloris and bring Argentina to the cusp.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just when it looked like France were dead and buried, Mbappe, the 23-year-old youngster brought another special trick from his drawer and managed to stun the full-house Argentine crowd.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Scaloni's tactical masterclass</strong></p>

<p>The French camp had a tumultuous 48 hours leading into the World Cup final. A serious bout of illness and minor injuries meant that several players were having a race against time to get fit for, arguably, the biggest game of their careers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Deschamps decided to make two changes to the lineup from the one that played against Croatia. Defender Dayot Upamecaon and midfielder Adrien Rabiot replaced Ibrahima Konate and Youssouf Fofana.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As for Argentina, Scalnoi brought his big match player Ángel Di María in place of Leandro Parades as the only change. With Ousmane Demble not tracking back and Tchoumaeni expected to be loitering high up the pitch, Scaloni's plan was to overload the left side with Mac Allister and Di Maria teaming up.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ploy worked like a charm as Di Maria, along with Messi remained one of the most influential players on the field for the men in blue-and-white stripes.</p>

<p><strong>A fairytale comes to draw</strong></p>

<p>The WC triumph by Messi and his men is all the more memorable because it comes in the backdrop of the start they had to endure. Argentina were flattened by Saudi Arabia in the opening league game and many believed that it was the end of the road for Messi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It’s a very hard blow for everyone, we didn’t expect to start like this. Things happen for a reason. We should prepare for what’s coming; we have to win, and it depends on us," said Messi after the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, after the Argentine victory, the World Cup has come to its fitting culmination after the grand spectacle began 26 days ago. It may have passed in a blink of an eye but has given fans across the world, memories, to be cherished for a lifetime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fairytales are often conjured in this game and fans had none but one&nbsp;they wanted to come true more than anything. Lionel Messi, the trailblazer of the sport lifting the shining golden WC trophy. It came true on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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It was Lionel Messi's last dance on the World Cup stage, in perhaps one of the most thrilling finals ever. It was a grand finale to the tournament coinciding with the Argentine star’s last World Cup.

It was Lionel Messi's last dance on the World Cup stage, in perhaps one of the most thrilling finals ever. It was a grand finale to the tournament coinciding with the Argentine star’s last World Cup. And if the start against Saudi Arabia was as anticlimactic as they come, the end was just as romantic, thrilling and visceral as it could have been. Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3 at the end of extra time at the Lusail International Stadium in front of a majority Argentine crowd that never once let its voice down. A spectacular save from Martinez to deny Aurélien Tchouaméni and a miss from Kingsley Coman allowed Argentina to clinch the WC trophy after going through a plethora of emotions through the course of the match. Two goals from Argentina's talisman Messi and one from Angel Di Maria were not enough for Argentina to get ahead as Mbappe smashed a first World Cup hat-trick to take the game to penalties. A bundle of narratives were weaved prior to the match, none as bigger and often asked as Messi or Mbappe? The answer, though, should have been a no-brainer from the get-go. It was merely the passing of the baton from one generation to another. Both players complete in their own styles and capable to take their team to victory shores fought hard and shone bright but it was Messi that came out on top. Argentina nearly win it France were pinned back within the first 10 minutes as a powerful goal-inbound shot from de Paul in the eighth minute hit a French defender and crashed across the byline. Prior to it, a thumping effort from Alexis Mac Allister hit straight to Lloris was pouched by the Tottenham keeper. Argentina with their buccaneering attitude kept coming back and managed to earn the well-deserved advantage in the 23rd minute via a Messi penalty. The penalty was earned by none other than Angel Di Maria who had Dembele on tenterhooks since the beginning of the game. With France tucked in a compact shape, the winger was forced to do the defensive work but came up short against the Argentine. Lusail witnesses the @Oficial7DiMaria MANIA 💥 The man for the BIG OCCASION with a splendid finish ⭐ Keep watching the #FIFAWorldCup Final ➡ LIVE on #JioCinema & #Sports18 📺📲#ARGFRA #ArgentinaVsFrance #Qatar2022 #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/1S9SNBnsjq — JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 18, 2022 × WATCH | Argentina lead through Messi and Di Maria's strike in the final of FIFA WC 2022 After the goal, one would have thought that Deschamps' men would pick up the pace and counter-attack. However, it was Argentina that dictated the play and through sustained pressure managed to double the lead in the 36th minute. A swift move started by Messi with an outside-of-the-boot touch in the right-side half-space to Alvarez who guided it to Mac Allister. The Brighton player charged across the turf and calmly placed the ball at the feet of Di Maria who had no trouble in finding the back of the net from that distance. Lusail witnesses the @Oficial7DiMaria MANIA 💥 The man for the BIG OCCASION with a splendid finish ⭐ Keep watching the #FIFAWorldCup Final ➡ LIVE on #JioCinema & #Sports18 📺📲#ARGFRA #ArgentinaVsFrance #Qatar2022 #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/1S9SNBnsjq — JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 18, 2022 × France make a comeback After the two goals, Deschamps was forced to make quick substitutions around the 40-minute mark as Giroud and Dembele were hooked and replaced by Marcus Thuram and last-match goalscorer Randal Kolo Muani. With Argentina firmly in the driving seat, Scaloni opted for defensive changes in the second half as Di Maria was replaced by Acuna. And that turned the game on its head. France jumped to life in the 80th minute when Kolo Muani drove at full tilt in the opposition box and got Otamendi to foul him. Mbappe converted from the spot and nearly 97 seconds later, rifled a half-volley past Martinez to bring France right back into the competition. The game ended level after 90 minutes and the first quarter of extra time went without much development. However, in the second half of the extra time, Messi produced another moment of brilliance to beat Lloris and bring Argentina to the cusp. Just when it looked like France were dead and buried, Mbappe, the 23-year-old youngster brought another special trick from his drawer and managed to stun the full-house Argentine crowd. Scaloni's tactical masterclass The French camp had a tumultuous 48 hours leading into the World Cup final. A serious bout of illness and minor injuries meant that several players were having a race against time to get fit for, arguably, the biggest game of their careers. Deschamps decided to make two changes to the lineup from the one that played against Croatia. Defender Dayot Upamecaon and midfielder Adrien Rabiot replaced Ibrahima Konate and Youssouf Fofana. As for Argentina, Scalnoi brought his big match player Ángel Di María in place of Leandro Parades as the only change. With Ousmane Demble not tracking back and Tchoumaeni expected to be loitering high up the pitch, Scaloni's plan was to overload the left side with Mac Allister and Di Maria teaming up. The ploy worked like a charm as Di Maria, along with Messi remained one of the most influential players on the field for the men in blue-and-white stripes. A fairytale comes to draw The WC triumph by Messi and his men is all the more memorable because it comes in the backdrop of the start they had to endure. Argentina were flattened by Saudi Arabia in the opening league game and many believed that it was the end of the road for Messi. “It’s a very hard blow for everyone, we didn’t expect to start like this. Things happen for a reason. We should prepare for what’s coming; we have to win, and it depends on us," said Messi after the game. However, after the Argentine victory, the World Cup has come to its fitting culmination after the grand spectacle began 26 days ago. It may have passed in a blink of an eye but has given fans across the world, memories, to be cherished for a lifetime. Fairytales are often conjured in this game and fans had none but one they wanted to come true more than anything. Lionel Messi, the trailblazer of the sport lifting the shining golden WC trophy. It came true on Sunday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final

<p>Paris Saint-German (PSG) forwards Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe were battling it out for the coveted World Cup trophy in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday night. While Argentina's Lionel Messi was crowned the world champion for the first time in his career,&nbsp;2018 WC&nbsp;winner Kylian Mbappe was awarded the Golden Boot for scoring most goals for France (8) in this edition.</p>

<p>Both being&nbsp;incredible strikers have a huge market value. But how much do they earn? Does&nbsp;a&nbsp;seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi earns more than 23-year-old Mbappe at PSG,&nbsp;or does someone else pockets more than them at the club?</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unmissable-argentina-captain-lionel-messis-table-dance-with-fifa-world-cup-trophy-goes-viral-watch-544444">UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral - Watch</a></p>

<p>French striker Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco&nbsp;in 2018 at a fee worth nearly&nbsp;$180mn which made him the most expensive player to be transferred in the same league. A year earlier, Brazilian forward Neymar joined the Paris-based club from FC Barcelona in a world record&nbsp;fee of $222mn, that even to date stands for&nbsp;the most expensive transfer ever. Meanwhile, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi also moved to PSG in 2021 after spending 21 years at Camp Nou, where he won everything that was there to win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With this&nbsp;trio playing together, the market value of them alongside the club sky rocketed. While Messi is the most decorated&nbsp;of all three in terms of popularity and accolades won, he still isn't the highest-paid footballer at PSG.</p>

<p>Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. takes the top spot with an estimated earning of&nbsp;€4.083mn per month while&nbsp;Messi is second on the list with&nbsp;a monthly salary cap&nbsp;of €3.375mn.&nbsp;Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, comes&nbsp;third with around a salary of €2.220mn per month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now since the Qatar World Cup is over, all eyes will fall on the club football. In League 1, PSG is currently leading the chart&nbsp;with 41 points from 15 games.</p>


Paris Saint-German (PSG) forwards Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe were battling it out for the coveted World Cup trophy in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday night. While Argentina's Lionel Messi was crowned the world champion for the first time in his career, 2018 WC winner Kylian Mbappe was awarded the Golden Boot for scoring most goals for France (8) in this edition.

Paris Saint-German (PSG) forwards Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe were battling it out for the coveted World Cup trophy in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday night. While Argentina's Lionel Messi was crowned the world champion for the first time in his career, 2018 WC winner Kylian Mbappe was awarded the Golden Boot for scoring most goals for France (8) in this edition. Both being incredible strikers have a huge market value. But how much do they earn? Does a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi earns more than 23-year-old Mbappe at PSG, or does someone else pockets more than them at the club? ALSO READ: UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral - Watch French striker Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2018 at a fee worth nearly $180mn which made him the most expensive player to be transferred in the same league. A year earlier, Brazilian forward Neymar joined the Paris-based club from FC Barcelona in a world record fee of $222mn, that even to date stands for the most expensive transfer ever. Meanwhile, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi also moved to PSG in 2021 after spending 21 years at Camp Nou, where he won everything that was there to win. With this trio playing together, the market value of them alongside the club sky rocketed. While Messi is the most decorated of all three in terms of popularity and accolades won, he still isn't the highest-paid footballer at PSG. Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. takes the top spot with an estimated earning of €4.083mn per month while Messi is second on the list with a monthly salary cap of €3.375mn. Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, comes third with around a salary of €2.220mn per month. Now since the Qatar World Cup is over, all eyes will fall on the club football. In League 1, PSG is currently leading the chart with 41 points from 15 games.

Who earns the most between Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe at PSG? Find out

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