Lionel Messi scored twice while Kylian Mbappe hit a hat-trick in a breath-takingly beautiful 3-3 draw in Lusail that was decided on penalties
Quite simply the greatest game in World Cup history. Maybe the greatest game ever played. Argentina's shootout victory over France encapsulated everything we love about this sport.
Indeed, it felt fitting that Sergio Aguero was down there on the pitch celebrating with all of his former Argentina team-mates because this was 'Drink it in', 'Non ci credo!', 'Football, bloody hell' and 'Dennis Bergkamp!' all rolled into one.
It had everything you'd want from a final. And more. Even things you didn't dare imagine you might see before kick-off. It didn't just live up to its billing, it surpassed it. Spectacularly.
Lionel Messi scored twice and Kylian Mbappe hit a hat-trick in an insane 3-3 draw, but it wasn't just about the biggest names. This glorious spectacle was testament to the talent and character of every single player that set foot on the field in Lusail.
There was a demonstration in the art of wing play for an hour from Angel Di Maria, a goalkeeping masterclass from Emiliano Martinez, and then some inspired substitutions from the two coaches, Didier Deschamps and Lionel Scaloni.
And that wasn't the half of it.
GOAL runs through the winners and losers from a match that will never, ever be forgotten…
GettyWINNER: Angel Di Maria
Messi wasn't the only player in the Argentina squad with a compelling World Cup story arc stretching back to the agony of the 2014 finals in Brazil.
Angel Di Maria, remember, had suffered more than most, literally, having seen his campaign ended at the quarter-final stage by injury.
It was also feared that he'd miss this final too, having seen just eight minutes of game time in the knockout stages. Indeed, he spent the entirety of the semi-final win over Croatia sitting on the bench.
His inclusion in the starting line-up, then, caused anxiety among the Argentine press pack. They feared he might not be match fit, they suspected Scaloni would have been better served by employing a 3-5-2 formation.
They need not have worried. Di Maria was ready, willing and able to provoke panic every single time he picked up possession.
He did a number on Ousmane Dembele to win Argentina's penalty, finished off a stunning counter-attack to make it 2-0 and even threw in a nutmeg on Aurelien Tchouameni for good measure.
Messi will understandably dominate the headlines, but he'll be the first to acknowledge the role Di Maria played in winning him a Copa America and a World Cup.
Indeed, one wonders had the veteran been fit enough to finish the game, would France have even made it to extra time?…
AdvertisementGettyLOSER: The GOAT debate
It's finally over, right? Even Piers Morgan and the rest of the Cristiano Ronaldo's supporters will surely now admit that Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time?…
Probably not, actually, but who cares anymore? Messi certainly won't. If he ever did. His place at the pinnacle of his profession is now beyond dispute.
It has been for some time, of course, but there were always those annoying allegations that he'd never done it for Argentina.
Well, in the space of 18 months, he's lifted the Copa America and the World Cup, and been the best player in both.
Not only that, he's been involved in 21 World Cup goals in 26 appearances – both of those figures are records.
He's also the only man to have scored in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the same tournament. What's more, he was man of the match in every single game in the knockout stage.
He's 35, for crying out loud! This is super-human. This is Muhammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle. This is Michael Jordan in Game 6. This is Tiger Woods at Augusta. This is Rafael Nadal in Melbourne…
There is simply nothing left for Messi to achieve. Nothing left to say about him. He's now immortal. He's now the GOAT.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Lionel Scaloni
Lionel Scaloni found it difficult to put into words what making the final meant to him. Imagine what he's feeling now.
At 44 years of age, he's just become the youngest manager to win the World Cup since his compatriot Cesar Luis Menotti (39), and he's done it a year after leading Argentina to the Copa America – the nation's first major international trophy at senior level for 28 years.
Having Messi helps, but let's not forget how many coaches tried and failed to get the best out of the little genius. And during his peak years too.
What Scaloni has done, then, is truly remarkable. He inherited a group of players left devastated by their last-16 elimination by France at Russia 2018. On Sunday, he got the better of Didier Deschamps in an epic encounter through a combination of tactics and sheer force of will.
Penalties are obviously a lottery but Scaloni, just as he did against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, revived his side with some crucial substitutions (particularly the introduction of Leandro Paredes) that saw the momentum shift back in Argentina's favour.
The camaraderie he has instilled in this side is truly remarkable. He has achieved that all-to-rare feat of creating a club spirit in an international set-up.
He was by no means a popular appointment four years ago; now, though, he's the second-most popular Lionel in Argentina!
Getty ImagesLOSER: Ousmane Dembele
Gary Neville obviously disagrees, but it's hard not to feel at least some sympathy for Ousmane Dembele.
He arrived in Qatar brimming with belief thanks to a welcome renaissance at Barcelona. It was even thought that he might prove to be one of the players of the tournament, given most opposition sides would likely focus on the threat posed by France's other flying winger…
Dembele, though, underwhelmed throughout, managing just two assists in seven outings. The final proved particularly painful. Illness or injury may have played a part, but Dembele was dreadful.
He touched the ball just 17 times, entered the Argentine third just once and gifted Messi the opener from the penalty spot after clumsily bundling over Di Maria in the area, after being fooled by his fellow winger on the touchline.
His substitution on the 41st minute was manager Didier Deschamps showing him some mercy.
Dembele is still only 25, of course. There is still time for him to realise his undoubted world-class potential, but it may take him more time to recover from the mental scars from this tournament than the numerous injuries he suffered over the years.