Argentina beats France on penalties in World Cup final thriller

Argentina survived the most volatile World Cup final in recent memory, beating France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. Lionel Messi scored twice and Kylian Mbappé answered with a hat trick in a match that became as much about officiating pressure as football.

The final on 18 December 2022 swung through 120 minutes of relentless stress before Argentina closed it out from the spot to claim its third world title. The scoreboard captured the drama, but the arguments that followed focused on the way the match was managed, especially the decisions reviewed through VAR and the repeated stoppages that kept both benches on edge.

One of the clearest flashpoints came when Enzo Fernández of Argentina was shown a yellow card for a bad foul, a moment that fed the sense that every challenge was being judged at maximum intensity. ESPN later devoted an analysis to the VAR decisions from the final, underscoring how deeply the officiating drew scrutiny in a tournament where technology was meant to reduce controversy, not amplify it.

That debate also shaped the public memory of the Messi-Cucurella clash, which continued to attract attention in later video reactions and social-media discussion. In a match already loaded with Messi’s two goals and Mbappé’s late rescue act for France, the argument over contact, punishment and interpretation became part of the final’s competitive texture. The temperature rose with every review, and the psychological weight of each whistle was obvious as the game moved from regulation to extra time and then to penalties.

FIFA later placed Argentina v France among its Greatest Games from the 2022 World Cup, a formal nod to the scale of the contest. It also published a note saying Messi vowed to keep playing for Argentina after the tournament, cutting against the idea that the final was a farewell. What remained beyond the celebration was a championship decided on penalties, but framed by a refereeing controversy that still colors how the match is remembered.