Argentina, led by football superstar Lionel Messi, won the 2022 World Cup Final on Sunday, beating France in a nail-biting contest.
Gonzalo Montiel's winning penalty shot secured Argentina's victory following a 3-3 draw in the historic match's penalty shootout.
Messi Now Has The Missing Piece in Incredible Career
Despite Kylian Mbappe of France completing the first hat trick in a final in 56 years, Argentina won its first trophy since 1986 thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi and another in the shootout.
NBA's official website reported that the World Cup Final performances of Messi and Mbappe wowed current and past NBA stars, including Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young, LA Lakers' LeBron James, and Argentenian basketball legend Manu Ginobili, who praised the World Cup winner on social media for his performance. And some of them acknowledge Lionel Messi as the sport's GOAT.
WOW!!!!!!!! MBAPPE 🔥🔥🔥🔥
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 18, 2022
WOW!! 🐐 MESSI ! pic.twitter.com/f88UbNXQmP
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) December 18, 2022
This World Cup solidified Messi as the greatest ever
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) December 18, 2022
G.O.A.T. https://t.co/Rd6EQYK01K
— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) December 18, 2022
14.45hs. Argentina Campeón Mundial! Qué emoción!!
— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) December 18, 2022
Lionel Messi and the 80,000 fans celebrated the historic victory as pyrotechnics erupted. The Emir of Qatar had wrapped him in a bisht, a cloak used only by high-ranking officials and sheikhs, covering his Argentina football jersey, as reported by the Inquirer. He raised the World Cup in the air, the culmination of a lifelong ambition.
Despite his extensive list of professional accomplishments-including several honors, trophies, awards, championships, and medals-there was one blemish he was finally able to wipe away on Argentina's memorable World Cup night.
Messi remarked about the victory: "It's anyone's childhood dream." He attributed his successful soccer career to good fortune, which now includes the missing piece of a World Cup title. When the Argentinian superstar athlete finally got a hold of the World Cup trophy, he described it as "gorgeous."
"I wanted her so much. I had a vision that this would be the one... she was getting closer," Lionel Messi said.
All that was important to the 35-year-old on this sliver of grass in the middle of the Qatari desert was winning the World Cup for Argentina, and he did it with a magnificent performance in the final against the reigning champions, France.
Lionel Messi, who was competing in his fifth World Cup, cemented his status as a soccer great by scoring twice. After leading Argentina to a 2-0 lead in the second half that they threw away in the last 10 minutes, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime, and then he scored the decisive penalty in the shootout that Argentina won.
Messi Jerseys Sold Out
Following Argentina's historic victory at the FIFA World Cup, fans of soccer sensation Lionel Messi may find it difficult to get an authentic replica of his shirt.
Sportswear company Adidas said that it is working to accommodate the high order for jerseys and "more stock will be available soon" after Lionel Messi and Argentina team shirts ran out of stock internationally, according to CNN.
Messi's Adidas shirts sold out well in advance of the game. On Adidas's website, generic Argentina jerseys have sold out, but basketball tops and T-shirts are still available.
Amazon results for searches of "Messi Argentina jersey" also reveal that they are unavailable. Some jerseys on the renowned reseller website StockX go for as much as $500. However, Messi jerseys for his European team, Paris Saint-Germain, can be found in plenty on the web.
