World Cup Briefing: The End

Plus: For Messi, and Argentina, the (Extra) Wait Is Worth It

Dec. 18, 2022, 8:06 p.m. Eastern time By Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar Some debates never reach a conclusion. Will the fact that Lionel Messi will wake up on Monday morning as a World Cup winner mean that there will, at last, be a consensus on the identity of the greatest player of all time? No, of course not. There will still be plenty of people who make a case for Pelé and Diego Maradona. There will be a rump of loyalists who stake a claim for Cristiano Ronaldo. Then, in time, doubtless there will be those who say the title belongs to Kylian Mbappé. And that's the way it should be. It wouldn't be nearly so much fun if there were an objective answer. Other subjects, though, can drift closer to clarity. Was Argentina's win against France the best World Cup final ever? It is hard to find a convincing case that it was not, certainly from the era of color television. Was the goal that Ángel Di María scored the finest on that stage, the grandest of them all? Since 1970, there have been few equals. Or more extreme still: Was the 2022 World Cup final the greatest game of all time, allowing for context, stakes, entertainment value, drama, narrative tension and superstar cast? That one, perhaps, needs a little more time to percolate. But, as with the debate over the identity of the best player of all time, it is a measure of how special something is for the conversation merely to happen at all. Thanks for reading along with us over the last month or so in Qatar. It has been thrilling, uplifting, unsettling and compelling, all at the same time. There's plenty more to read below, if you're still catching up, or if you've been in a befuddled daze, overcome with emotion. And if you liked that, wait until you hear about the Carabao Cup. For those of you subscribed to my On Soccer newsletter, regular service resumes next Friday. Featured Today Dylan Martinez/Reuters   For Messi, and Argentina, the (Extra) Wait Is Worth It It looked like another title might have slipped through its fingers, but Argentina, and its star, claimed the ultimate trophy. Read this story Standings Today's Results ARGENTINA WINS IN PENALTY SHOOTOUT, 4-2 Argentina 3 (4) France 3 (2) Messi scored twice in one of the most exciting World Cup finals in history. Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick for France, whose furious comeback fell short. See all updates from the match More World Cup Coverage For Mbappé, Three Goals Are a Bitter Consolation Prize Kylian Mbappé twice brought France back to tie Argentina, but his bid to lead his country to consecutive World Cup titles fell short on penalty kicks. Qatar Got the World Cup It Wanted In the end, after a tournament shadowed by controversy since the host rights were awarded, Qatar had the turn in the global spotlight it sought. Argentina Hits the Streets for Long-Awaited Celebration Spontaneous marches broke out across the country after the Argentine national team won its first World Cup title since 1986. See more stories Receive alerts about the latest sports news as it happens with the New York Times app. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for World Cup Briefing from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018