Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has won a World Cup winner’s medal, after Argentina defeated France in today’s final.
The diminutive centre-back did not play in the match, having been named to Lionel Scaloni’s bench as the coach opted for a four-man defense, with no room for Lisandro to appear as a substitute either.
The starting pair of Argentina formed by Nicolás Otamendi and Cristian Romero started, as they have done throughout the tournament.
Also on the field from the opening whistle was former Manchester United player Angel Di Maria, who took on a left-back role despite his poor performances in Qatar up to that point.
However, Scaloni’s faith in the Juventus winger was rewarded in just 22 minutes, when Di María won a penalty after being clumsily tackled from behind by FC Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele.
Lionel Messi coolly converted the penalty, taking his tally for the tournament to six goals, four of which have come from penalties.
Di Maria was at it again later in the first half, when Alexis MacAllistair set him up for an easy finish after a quick transition left the French on their heels.
That put Argentina 2-0 ahead at halftime, and the Albiceleste certainly deserved their advantage.
Meanwhile, France apparently had no idea how to get a foothold in the game, with Didier Deschamps making a curious double substitution several minutes before half-time, with Dembele and Olivier Giroud dragged out.
Reports of a virus circulating in the Les Bleus camp seemed to have been underestimated, and all the Frenchmen in the camp seemed utterly lethargic. They finished the half without having managed to register a shot.
There was no improvement for the French immediately after the break, with Argentina managing the game effectively as they searched for a third goal to end the game.
The huge following of the Argentinians prevailed in the stadium as their fans chanted in gratitude for their team’s total control of the match.
But a ray of hope appeared for France in the form of a penalty after substitute Randal Kolo Muani was brought down by former Manchester City defender Nicolás Otamendi.
Kylian Mbappé converted with a powerful shot and, just two minutes later, scored again with a sumptuous volley to level the score in the 82nd minute of regulation time.
In a frenetic eight minutes of extra time, France nearly took the lead on a couple of occasions, with Mbappe propelling his team to a historic comeback.
Still, Hugo Lloris was needed to prevent a thunderous strike from Messi late on, and the game now turned into the battle between clubmates that many had predicted.
As is often the case, extra time proved to be a slow affair for both teams as they struggled to replicate the intensity of the opening ninety minutes.
Lautaro Martínez had a couple of great chances just before half-time, however, but the Inter Milan striker’s hesitancy allowed for a heavy block from Dayot Upamecano early on, while his strong touch and subsequent poor finishing let him down early on. the second.
But Messi did not hesitate so much in the second half of extra time when he pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to restore Argentina’s lead.
It took VAR intervention to overturn the linesman’s incorrect offside call, but it soon became apparent that Lionel Messi had legitimately scored, moving him one step closer to the elusive World Cup winner’s medal.
But Argentina still had ten minutes to defend their 3-2 lead as France rallied the men to equalise, and eventually a handball into a crowded penalty area from Gonzalo Montiel awarded Kylian Mbappe a second penalty.
3-3. sanctions
Mbappé and Messi took their teams’ first penalties, both scoring. A heroic save by Emiliano Martínez against Kingsley Coman gave Argentina the lead. The Aston Villa goalkeeper managed to deflect Aurelian Tchouameni, whose penalty went wide.
Argentina’s penalty takers were cool and decisive as they won the shootout 5-2, securing the winner’s medals for Albicelete in an incredible World Cup final, arguably the best in living memory.
