Pre-match, Scaloni brought Di María back into the starting XI, despite sticking with 4-4-2. The nature of France’s 4-4-2 defensive shape means that Mbappé doesn’t track back down the left wing & Rabiot can be caught too centrally. It could leave Di María & Molina overloading Theo. Di Maria starting to have more 1v1 threat (especially if Mbappe starts on the left wing) as well as tracking back in deep defense to form a temporary back 5 is needed. France’s 4-4-2 defensive shape is unbalanced. The gap in the right half-space is a structural weakness & often there for the opposition to penetrate as Mbappé nor the left-sided midfielder (caught too central) cut it off. Messi must sense the chance to penetrate, dribble/create danger there. This structural weakness translates to when the ball is in the final third too. When the ball is in wide right areas, the underlap behind Theo is often not tracked adequately and teams have managed to get in behind the France defense in this way. Griezmann occasionally presses high out of France’s 4-4-2 shape, so if Argentina can move the ball quickly to the left flank in the first phase and then back infield into the space left behind Griezmann, Mac Allister (from the left side of midfield) may be able to exploit it. This is the perfect lineup Argentina could’ve put out. Di Maria especially was having the game of his life when he won the penalty, following a clumsy challenge from Dembele from behind. Messi converted, sending Lloris the wrong way. Argentina was really in control after a superb counterattack for Di Maria to coolly finish to cap off his masterclass in the world cup final, before he was replaced by Acuna in the 64th minute of the second half. France, 2-0 down after 35 minutes sent out two substitutions even before halftime. Giroud and Dembele off for Kolo-Muani and Thuram. The right half-space. A structural weakness in France’s defensive shape is often not covered. Where Messi then created from for the 2nd goal. Despite the massive uproar from the Argentines in the second half and the early second-half chances for Argentina, France really kept them in their own half as they started to slowly make things happen in the second half. France went into the first half without a single shot on target. That all changed in the 80th minute after Mbappe was absent for most of the game, converting his pen after Otamendi dragged substitute Kolo Muani down. Mbappe powerfully slotted away despite Martinez getting a hand on it. Only literally a minute later, Mbappe beautifully volleyes home the equalizer to stun Argentina to extra time. Thuram nods it on and Mbappe off balance tucks it home despite Martinez getting a hand on it. 97 seconds that changed turned the game on its head and sent it to extra time. Despite many scares, Argentina faced losing this match, with eight minutes added on to cause us a heart attack, as France pushed for the winner. Argentina came up very few with Messi having the best chance and stinging Hugo Lloris’s glove in the 7th minute of stoppage time. Once 90 minutes was up, Scaloni couldn’t help but wonder how that just happened after seeing his side control the majority of the final. The xG indicated that. It’s the momentum France needed as the two sides head into extra time 2-2! I can’t help but wonder why Argentina didn’t have their wingers tracking all the way once France went to a 3-1-4-2. On the ball, they needed to go to a 3-1-4-2 themselves with one of the fullbacks tucking in. On top of Di Maria strangely being subbed off seemed very strange. Kolo Muani & Thuram stretched the Argentina defense and held the ball up. Coman’s incredible 1v1 dribbling. Those 3 subs have changed the game. They provided the platform for Mbappé to thrive despite being absent for most of the game. Extra time began with a bright start from Argentina, creating chances and keeping their heads up. Soon enough, Argentina subbed on Paredes in the 102 min of the first half of extra time. A great move as Argentina really lost control of this game. France continued the momentum and caused problems for Argentina’s defense. Messi created the best chance as he wriggled his way inside the French box before Upamecano came sliding in. He came clutch again just a minute later to send Martinez’s effort wide to deny the golden chance. The first half of extra time came and went with Argentina having the better chances. Argentina ramped up the pressure in the second half despite Varane and Upamecano’s brilliant defensive work to turn it away. However, it wouldn’t end as Messi scored his second goal in the world cup final to turn home Lautaro Martinez’s saved effort from Lloris. For the first time, we see a world cup final with both teams having the same player score twice. This world cup broke all sorts of records as Argentina took their time with the celebrations. Although it wouldn’t last long as Montiel handed the ball and gave away a penalty for Mbappe to seal home the hat trick to send this game to penalties. Incredible scenes. Kolo Muani came so close to turning home the late winner twice, pulling a world-class save by Emi Martinez in the final seconds, denying a powerful effort. However, Montiel would soon redeem himself in penalties as Coman was denied by a wonderful save and Tchoumenai blasted wide to make Argentina world cup champions! Where would Argentina be without Emiliano Martinez? The greatest football match i have ever seen as Messi lifted the world cup with an amazing light show.
