Argentina lift World Cup in ‘greatest game you’ll ever see’ as France come from behind twice and Kylian Mbappe nets hat-trick but Lionel Messi finally gets hands on ultimate prize after penalty shootout

While the debate over football's greatest player will rumble on for all eternity, few could argue that we just witnessed the greatest game.

Argentina beat France on penalties to win the 2022 World Cup in what has already been described as the best match in history.

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Imagine scoring a hat-trick in a World Cup final, a fourth in a penalty shootout, coming from behind twice - and still ending up on the losing team?

That was the story for Kylian Mbappe and Les Bleus as Lionel Messi's Albiceleste edged the most dramatic showpiece event in football's history.

In the end, it came down to two unsuccessful penalties from Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni, while Argentina scored all four in the shootout.

But to reduce the game to that would be a huge injustice.

Argentina raced into the lead and France looked all-but beaten after goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria inside 36 minutes.

It was already beginning to look like Messi's procession in the 80th minute - then everything changed.

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Mbappe brought France back into it with a penalty and then scored an unbelievable first-time volley 97 seconds later to turn the game on its head.

Extra-time surely couldn't live up to the 10 minutes that preceded it? Think again.

Once more, the stars appeared to align for Messi, who bundled the ball home with 12 minutes remaining.

After all, the 35-year-old had already become the leading appearance-maker in World Cup history, registered the most goal involvements, and only the trophy itself was left.

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But the story wasn't finished - and the heir to his throne was already writing his own script.

Another penalty from Mbappe made the 23-year-old the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup final history and snatched the Golden Boot from Messi's grasp.

Oh, and both sides could've won it in the last minute of extra-time, with Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez pulling off a stunning save and then emerging as the real match-winner.

Our two protagonists, Messi and Mbappe, scored in the shootout, but it was Martinez who pulled off a crucial save for Argentina, and Gonzalo Montiel who ended the match once and for all.

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If Messi needed to win this game to be cemented as the greatest footballer of all-time, the gods certainly made it a worthy test.

Drama like this would be special in any match. Finals tend to be cagey, so there's that. But this is the biggest prize in all of football.

Sure, there have been exciting football matches before, but never anything this important. In other words, this was bigger than Istanbul in 2005.

Add in the personal stakes for Messi, in what is probably his last-ever World Cup match, the heroics from Mbappe - and England legend Stuart Pearce summed it up perfectly.

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"It's arguably the greatest game of football you'll ever see," Pearce told talkSPORT.

"This game has had every emotional that life can throw at you. The euphoria that you have gained something, then to have it snatched away.

"It has just been amazing and we're just very fortunate to be involved in football."

Host Adrian Durham added: "I feel sorry for people who don't like football. They can't experience the joy we've just witnessed.

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"There are a lot of people of social media saying that after England went out, they weren't interested.

"Just give into the joy of football. Just love it. Love every moment. Because it's a beautiful game and that was a beautiful game.

"A World Cup final when they went at it hammer and tongs. It finished 3-3, went to the drama of penalties, and Messi won it.

"If you can't enjoy that, what's the point? Get yourself into football, or if you already love football, keep feeling the joy.

"That game was absolutely magnificent."