Opinion – PVC: There has never been a World Cup decision like Argentina and France

The final changes the pattern, and the impression for 120 minutes was that of going back to being 12 years old, when one can rightly say: “I’ve never seen anything like it”.

There wasn’t a decision like the 3-3 between Argentina and France. Not only for the quality of the football, but also for the script, which included Messi, the top scorer in the Cup, taking Mbappé’s comeback, returning to draw and being the top scorer and leader in assists and seeing the Frenchman again ahead, with the penalty goal.

Those who thought that the duel should not be reduced to Messi x Mbappé saw two goals from the best player of the 21st century and three from his likely heir.

It was Allah’s whim that Messi missed the move that resulted in France’s equalizer. When the whole world was ready to bow down to revere the greatest football genius of the 21st century, to bend the torso, as if in a mosque, to say: “Meeeeeesssi!”

So Messi got it wrong.

He lost a dispute in the midfield and the play developed with Muani, reached Mbappé, table with Marcus Thuram and a home goal.

Undeterred, Messi returned to command the title.

Many finals had similar scripts, like Argentina 3 x 2 Germany, in 1986. Maradona also saw his team score two goals ahead and take the tie.

Only, at this moment, he made a snooker pass and left Burruchaga in the face of goalkeeper Schumacher.

This time, the genius missed. Then he fixed it.

Which makes the script almost unheard of, because it wasn’t just about the march of the scoreboard. It’s about Messi going 1-0, becoming the Cup’s top scorer and leader in assists, the Argentines giving a dance, putting the French in the wheel and, when nobody imagined it, Mbappé turning the scoreboard and artillery.

First, a failure by Otamendi, the villain of the 2010 elimination, when he played at right back and was unable to stop Podolski. This time, for starting the penalty.

And then the genius went wrong. And, after the mistake, he made another genius move, taken from the bottom of the lamp, in a kick from outside the area that forced Lloris to palm for a corner.

Still found space for a launch for Julián Álvarez, which could result in the third goal, in normal time.

Then it was overtime and Messi again came up with something brilliant. Standing straight, he left Lautaro Martínez in the face of Lloris. Upamecano, who had missed Argentina’s second goal, saved brilliantly by stopping Lautaro in front of the goal.

Despite the psychological damage caused by the draw, when victory was apparently guaranteed, Argentina improved in extra time. He had the best chances, two with Lautaro. At the beginning of the second stage, Messi kicked weakly and Lloris spread it out, with difficulty.

The legs got in the way. The fatigue was evident, even the crowd slowed down. And Messi took the goal from the bottom of Lionel’s lamp.

Still came Mbappé taking Messi’s artillery again to send the decision to penalties.

Jorge Valdano, 1986 champion, told Clarín that he doesn’t accept anyone who says Messi is the best of all time, but he doesn’t accept anyone who says he isn’t.

Pele is God! But Valdano’s phrase is brilliant.

It’s really incredible that Messi wins the Cup where people bend their torso forward to revere Allah. And he says: “Meeeeeessi!”