Kylian Mbappé Powers France to Stunning Victory in World Cup FinalKylian Mbappé Powers France to Stunning Victory in World Cup Final In a heart-stopping showdown that will be etched into footballing history, Kylian Mbappé emerged as the talisman for France, guiding Les Bleus to a thrilling 3-3 draw and a penalty shootout victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final. The Lusail Stadium in Qatar witnessed an epic encounter that showcased the brilliance of Mbappé, who became only the second player in World Cup history to score a hat-trick in the final. His goals in the second half and extra time brought France level after Argentina had twice taken the lead. Lionel Messi, Argentina’s captain and talisman, opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Ángel Di María was brought down by Ousmane Dembélé. Di María doubled Argentina’s advantage with a stunning curled effort that left French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris rooted to the spot. As the clock ticked down and France’s World Cup hopes appeared to be slipping away, Mbappé stepped up with a moment of inspiration. He slotted home a penalty in the 80th minute and then equalized with a stunning volley just a minute later. The match went into extra time, and Mbappé struck again in the 118th minute with another clinical finish. However, deep into stoppage time, Messi equaled his hat-trick with a tap-in from close range, forcing the game into a penalty shootout. In the shootout, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Kingsley Coman missed their penalties for France, while Messi, Leandro Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel scored for Argentina. With the score at 3-3 going into the fifth penalty, Randal Kolo Muani held his nerve and slotted the ball past Emiliano Martínez, securing the victory for France. Mbappé, who won the Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals in the tournament, was hailed as the hero of the hour. His lightning pace, clinical finishing, and unwavering determination inspired his teammates and ultimately swayed the game in France’s favor. France’s victory marked their third World Cup triumph, following their successes in 1998 and 2018. They became the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy, and Mbappé solidified his status as one of the greatest players of his generation. The World Cup final will be remembered for its drama, excitement, and the heroics of Kylian Mbappé. France celebrated their hard-fought victory, while Argentina and Messi were left to rue a heartbreaking defeat in a match that will go down in sporting folklore.
