France superstar Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot award after bagging a hat trick in a World Cup final to take his goal tally to eight, past Lionel Messi (7) who briefly held the trophy during the match.
Meanwhile, Messi became the first player to win two Golden Ball awards, having previously bagged the trophy in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The Golden Ball award is given to the best player of the tournament, Mbappe came second to him while Croatia’s Luka Modric finished third.
Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez took the Golden Glove for the World Cup’s best goalkeeper. The Aston Villa keeper emerged as the hero for the men in blue-and-white stripes once again by saving two penalties.
He had pulled off a similar heist against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Martinez’s compatriot Enzo Fernandez, 21, was named the best young player.
One of the best WC finals
It was a game for the ages. A match fitting for the occasion and the result, one that the romantics of the game will cherish for a lifetime.
Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3 at the end of extra time at the Lusail International Stadium in front of a majority Argentine crowd that never once let its voice down.
The game was in the pocket of Argentina till the 80th minute courtesy of goals from Messia and Angel Di Maria. However, Mbappe unleashed himself in the dying stages of the regulation time and bagged two goals in the space of 97 seconds.
In the extra time, it was Messi and Mbappe once again that scored the decisive goals to take the game to extra time.
After Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchoumaeni failed to slot their penalties, Argentina emerged as the champions. It was the third time La Albiceleste had triumphed at the world stage, having previously won the trophy in 1978 and 1986.
(With inputs from agencies)
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