World Cup 2022

Morocco have been a breath of fresh air to this tournament and their fans have been magnificent. To fall at the last hurdle no disgrace against an experienced Croatian team.So close to that Bronze medal,but they can hold their collective heads high.Suspect some top European teams will be looking at members of that squad..

Absolutely delighted that Messi has finally got his hands on the big one. Argentina were streets ahead in the first half and comfortable in the second but I always felt that they would need 3 as I was sure if France got 1 then they would get 2… didn’t expect them to get both with a couple of minutes. Extra time was incredible. Thought it was over at 3-2 but a third pen (all of which were on the soft side for me) and it was all square again and both teams had great chances for a winner.

Pens brought the usual drama but IMO the better side on the day won in the end. Don’t get me wrong, France showed incredible resilience to drag themselves back into it but for 80 of the 120 Argentina were the better side, M’Bappe wasn’t a factor until the first French pen. France were the better side for the last 10 minutes and it was toe to toe in extra time.

All in all a very entertaining tournament.

Fantastic game befitting the occasion. Credit to two fantastic teams for putting on such a display.Unbelievable.Agree on the whole Argentina deserved to win it,though France could have won it before it went to pens.So happy for Messi but spare a thought for Mbappe, hatrick in a final and loses.All in all a terrific tournament with so many shocks.Quatar not everybody's choice of venue.But what a show they provided for us.I applaud them..

Difference for me was Di Maria, when he went off Argentina dropped off a good bit, he was causing havoc against France, esp before Dembele went off, he ripped Dembele and got a pen, then scored the 2nd goal too. You actually saw France being a bit better when Dembele went off just before HT.

The 2 French subs coming on around the 70 min mark injected energy into France too, they were biting into tackles and winning more 50/50's than they had all game, then it became the Mbappe show in a mad couple of mins, which sprung Messi into life too as they both went head to head with the golden boot tussle, 6-5, 6-6, 6-7, 7-7, then Mbappe getting a hattrick to make it 7-8 in his favour.

Once the French scored the game came to life with France then looking the better team, in ET Argentina got back into it again and looked the better team again, before France once again came back with an equaliser. After that it was end to end stuff with France almost clinching it at the death but Penalty shoot out hero Martinez came to the rescue with a cracking save to take it to pens.

Messi lifted the winners medal though with them coming tops in another pen shoot out. Some game after it looking like Argentina were cruising to lifting the trophy. Can't grudge Messi his dream, finally getting his World Cup winners medal.

Agreed, the departure of Di Maria was the first turning point, then the French subs & finally M’Bappe actually getting involved. When they took Di Maria off I said “I hope they don’t regret that decision” - they almost did. But don’t forget the Lloris save on 90 mins from Messi, that kept France in it for ET. It became a fantastic game after appearing to be a comfortable win for 75/80 mins