The crowd that packed into the Lusail Stadium on Sunday was mainly Argentine fans, with many other neutral supporters, who gave their all for La Albiceleste Hope to see football superstar Lionel Messi finally lift the World Cup trophy.
They were not disappointed.
Sunday’s match in Qatar ended in Messi’s glory and became the pinnacle of his extraordinary career.
Messi opened the scoring with a first-half penalty and became the first player in history to score at every stage of the tournament.
He scored again in the second period of extra time, embracing an Argentina team still reeling from France’s lightning-quick counterattack.
In the penalty shootout, when all the pressure was on the 35-year-old, the exhausted veteran coolly put the ball into the net.
It wasn’t long before the Argentine talisman celebrated with his team-mates and lifted the World Cup trophy, alluding to him throughout his storied career.
His outstanding performance in the final has made Messi a favorite for the Ballon d’Or, which is awarded to the best player of the competition.
It’s hard to imagine a better way to end the World Cup career of a man considered by many to be the greatest of all time.