NEW DELHI: Today is December 18. For some, it is just another day on the way to Christmas and the New Year. For football fans, however, it is a date that will forever live in the sport’s collective memory as the night Lionel Messi completed the game.Under the bright lights of Lusail Stadium in Qatar three years back, Argentina defeated France in a final that felt less like a match and more like destiny unfolding in real time.
For Messi, it was not just a World Cup title; it was the closing chapter of a lifelong pursuit that had defined his career, his country, and an entire generation of football fans.For nearly two decades, Messi’s greatness had been measured against an absence.
A dream eluded for years
He had won everything at club level, from Champions League to multiple Ballon d’Ors, league titles and goal-scoring records that once seemed untouchable. And yet, the World Cup remained the one prize that eluded him, the yardstick by which football immortality is often judged.
Lionel Messi of Argentina’s jersey (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)
In Argentina, where Diego Maradona’s shadow still loomed large, that absence was felt more sharply than anywhere else.Qatar 2022 began with doubt rather than certainty. Argentina’s shocking opening defeat to Saudi Arabia threatened to derail the campaign before it truly began. For a brief moment, old fears resurfaced: was this another World Cup destined to end in heartbreak for Messi? But what followed was a team and a captain refusing to surrender to narrative or pressure.Messi led with calm authority. He scored, he created, he inspired, and, perhaps most importantly, he believed.
One final test: Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappé
From the group stages to the knockout rounds, Argentina grew stronger with each game, feeding off Messi’s composure and clarity. Against Australia, the Netherlands, and Croatia, he was not just a playmaker but the emotional compass of the side, guiding younger teammates through moments of chaos and tension.Then came the final: Argentina versus France, Messi versus Kylian Mbappé, experience versus explosive youth. It was billed as a passing-of-the-torch moment, but Messi was not ready to hand anything over. He scored from the penalty spot to give Argentina the lead and later added a second, arriving in the box with perfect timing to finish off a flowing move. At 2–0, it seemed as though the dream was finally within reach.
Lionel Messi of Argentina is chased by from Kylian Mbappe of France (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Football, however, rarely allows fairy tales to unfold without resistance. In a breathtaking twist, Mbappé struck twice in the space of minutes to drag France back into the contest. Extra time followed, and Messi once again stepped up, poking the ball home to make it 3–2. Still, France refused to yield. Mbappé completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, forcing a shootout that felt almost unbearable in its tension.As penalties loomed, the weight of history hung heavy. Argentina had been here before. It was close, but not close enough. This time, though, the script was different. Emiliano Martínez produced heroics in goal, Argentine penalties were struck with conviction, and when Gonzalo Montiel converted the decisive kick, Messi dropped to his knees, overcome with emotion.
Tears, release and a moment frozen in time
Tears flowed freely.Teammates swarmed him. In that moment, the burden he had carried for so long seemed to lift. The image of Messi, draped in the black bisht as he raised the World Cup trophy, became instantly iconic.For Argentina, the victory healed old wounds. It united generations that had debated Messi’s place in the pantheon and finally allowed him to be celebrated without caveats.
Lionel Messi of Argentina (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
For Messi himself, it was redemption, validation, and closure all at once. He had not just won a World Cup; he had done so as the undisputed leader of the team, delivering when it mattered most.Two years on, the significance of that night has only grown.December 18 is no longer just a date on the football calendar. It is the day Lionel Messi stepped beyond comparison, beyond debate, and into footballing eternity; World Cup in hand, legacy complete.
