The big story of the World Cup 2022 final was all about two Paris Saint-Germain team-mates. It had been bubbling up for a couple of weeks and by the time Argentina’s Lionel Messi met France’s Kylian Mbappe in the final on Sunday, the anticipation was at a fever pitch.
In the end, the showcase final was an epic, providing enough World Cup 2022 highlights to fill a feature film and the drama was truly incredible. It has since been billed as the greatest final of all time and in no way is that hyperbole. La Albiceleste totally dominated the match until the 80th minute and were deservedly 2-0 up, the first scored by Messi from the penalty spot. But a harsh penalty, conceded by Nicolas Otamendi, opened the door for France and Mbappe halved the deficit.
Within two minutes France were level and Mbappe’s second strike was a candidate for goal of the tournament. The France striker won the Golden Boot, finishing with eight goals but his 81st-minute leveller was breathtaking as he watched a chipped ball forward onto his foot and volleyed it low into the bottom corner of the net in a flash, giving Emiliano Martinez no chance.
The tide had turned, and it ebbed and flowed throughout the 30 minutes extra time, and when Messi scored his second of the match with just ten minutes remaining Argentina thought they’d won it again…but this was an incredible contest and, almost inevitably, France hit back again with another last gasp penalty. Mbappe had become the first player to score a World Cup final hat-trick since England’s Geoff Hurst did in 1966, but it was Messi who was celebrating after the Albiceleste won the penalty shootout.
Of course, both Messi and Mbappe converted their shootout spot-kicks.
The latest betting odds have PSG nailed on to win the 2022/23 title and, with these two players in the side there is little wonder; but they are not the only World Cup stars from the Parc des Princes.
Achraf Hakimi – Morocco
The Atlas Lions lost their third place play-off but they left Qatar with a whole new legion of fans from around the world and PSG wingback Achraf Hakimi was one of Morocco’s standout players. Alongside Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, Hakimi was one of his nation’s most creative players in a side brilliantly organised and with incredible determination.
His contribution to a back four which, until the semi-final, had only conceded one goal, and that an own goal, was immense as the defensive unit kept clean sheets against Belgium, Spain and Portugal. With eight goals already in his 61 appearances for the Atlas Lions, Hakimi is destined to become one of his country’s greatest players of all time.
Neymar – Brazil
The third of PSG’s trio of striking Galacticos looked like he had fired Brazil into the semi-finals with a brilliant solo goal against Croatia but a late equaliser took the match to penalties and the Selecao went out.
Neymar had a frustrating tournament, missing a group game through injury and scoring just twice. The World Cup 2022 betting odds had Brazil as the pre-tournament favourites to win the World Cup but, after Argentina managed to beat Croatia comfortably, Neymar was just a spectator.
So too was PSG centre-back Marquinhos who had a superb game against Croatia until the last few minutes. He was involved in all the late drama as Bruno Petkovic’s 117th-minute leveller took a nick off his leg to deflect past goalkeeper Alisson. To make matters worse Marquinhos need to convert his penalty shootout kick to keep Brazil in the competition…but he hit the post.
PSG had enough players in the World Cup to put an impressive eleven out, but the majority booked their flights home before the semi-finals. Danilo Pereira, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Renato Sanches all starred for Portugal but were victims of the Atlas Lions, and so too were Spain, who had Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler in their ranks; but both missed penalties in the shootout after Sarabia crashed a volley against a post in the last minute.
And veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas has probably represented Costa Rica at his last World Cup finals. He shipped seven in his team’s group-stage defeat to Spain, with clubmate Soler on the score sheet.
PSG return to league action next week with a home match against Strasbourg and they start with a five-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table. Here at SBOTOP we’ll be taking a look at the opening round in France very soon, and it will be hard, no impossible to ignore the Parisien world stars!
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