FIFA WORLD-CUP QATAR 2022(SMI-SPORTS, NOV.20-DEC.18.2022)-The 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup tournament concluded Today Dec. 18, with Argentina outlasting France 3-3, (4-2), in penalty kicks to claim its third world cup crown since 1986, and global super-star Lionel Messi winning the 2022 Golden Ball trophy for best player in the final championship game of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Lusail Stadium.

After a month of 64-games completed in Qatar, the South-American powerhouse  Argentina faced-off  the European defending world cup champions France, in a showdown final match to determine the winner of the World Cup Qatar 2022.

"La Albiceleste " led by its captain and top-striker Lionel Messi defeated " Le Blues" and its top-scorer Kylian Mbappe 4-2, in penalty shots during an epic ending, claiming its third world cup title since 1986 in Mexico, after both teams battled for 120' minute, including the two 15-minute overtime period and the game ending 3-3, in regulation time.

A colossal championship final game between two world-ranked teams who played a high-level football on the pitch from start to finish and it could easily be considered the best World Cup championship final game ever played in the history of FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Argentina went to the attack from the start, controlled the ball in the midfield and
opened the score at 21' minute through a penalty kick when DeMaria was brought down inside the box by France's Ousmane Dembele, and Lionel Messi executed a perfect shot to score his sixth goal in the world cup and put Argentina in front 1-0, over France.

"La Albiceleste " kept the pressure and 14-minutes later increased its lead to 2-0, through Angel DeMaria at 35' minute for his first goal of the tournament.During a counter-attack through the right-side pitch corner, Alvarez sent a long pass to Alexis MaCallister who immediately passed it across the far left-side to Angel DeMaria who in a break-away scored with a left-footed to make it 2-0, for Argentina over France at the half.

With the South-Americans leading 2-0, and 12' minute left in the game, France's top striker Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in a span of 1.5' minute (79:25 & 80:58), recording his sixth and seventh goal in the tournament to even the game 2-2, and send the game in overtime.

In the overtime period, both teams counter-attacked back and forth till Messi found the back of the net to put Argentina ahead once again 3-2, over France
at 108' minute.The play was originated through Lautaro Martinez who just outside the 18' gave it to Lionel Messi to Enzo Fernandez and back to Martinez who shot a canon deflecting-off France's goalkeeper hands back to Messi who kicked the ball over the goal-line for his 7th goal in the World Cup Qatar 2022. 

With two-minutes left in the 2nd-overtime period and La Albiceleste leading 3-2,
France found the equalizer through a penalty kick by Kylian Mbappe at 118' minute for his 8th goal in the tournament to tie the game 3-3, and send the game to penalty shootout to determine the winner.

In the penalty shots, France scored with Mbappe while Messi scored as well to make it 1-1. In the second shot, France's Kingsley Coman missed his shot with Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saving the shot while Argentina's Paulo Dybala scored to make it 2-1, over France. In the 3rd shot Aurelien Tchouameni missed wide while Leandro Paredes scored his for Argentina to make it 3-1, over France. In the 4th shot, Randal Kolo Muani scored for France while Gonzalo Montiel scored his for Argentina to sealed the victory of 4-2, over France.