Gulf Frame
World Cup in extraordinary style at Lusail Stadium Sunday, beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Earlier, Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw. It was an incredible night of drama and fluctuating fortunes, delivering one of the all-time great finals to cap a wonderful tournament. Qatar Amir and FIFA President Gianni Infantino handed over the gold medals to the players of the Argentina national team. Also, His Highness the Amir, French President Emmanuel Macron and Infantino handed over silver medals to the players of the French national team. Maybe dreams do come true. Maybe stories can have their fairytale endings. Maybe it was written that Argentina would be two goals up against the world champions and then pegged back in 97 seconds at the end of normal time, and then think they had won it all over again. That they would come through a World Cup final for the ages – 2-2 in normal time, 3-3 in extra-time – on penalties, that Messi would after all not be denied. Not by Kylian Mbappe’s heroic hat-trick, not by France, not apparently by cruel fate either. Messi and a mammoth effort from his team, beaten by Saudi Arabia in the opener, delivered it. Delivered it in the most dramatic of fashions. But, in the end, the 2022 World Cup delivered to Messi his ultimate coronation.
