It’s been four years now, and I still get chills just thinking about it. You know that feeling when you watch a match so perfect that it almost feels scripted? That’s exactly what the 2022 World Cup final was for me – a real-life story that no one could have written better.

I remember sitting down with my friends, snacks everywhere, expecting the usual cagey final. I mean, how many World Cup finals have we seen where both teams are so scared to lose that they forget to play? But not this one. Not even close.

From the very first whistle, Argentina looked like a team possessed. Lionel Messi was everywhere, pulling strings like a master puppeteer. And when he slotted home that penalty in the 23rd minute, I jumped so high I nearly hit the ceiling. Twenty minutes later, Angel Di Maria finished off one of the most beautiful counter‑attacks I’ve ever witnessed. 2–0 at halftime, and honestly, I thought France were done.

But let’s be real – did any of us actually believe Kylian Mbappé would stay quiet for 90 minutes? The guy is a phenom. For about 70 minutes, France barely created a chance. Then, in the blink of an eye, Mbappé turned into a one‑man wrecking crew. A penalty, a volley that should be illegal, and suddenly it’s 2–2. I can still hear my brother shouting, “He’s done it again!” as Mbappé ripped his shirt off in celebration.

Extra time was pure chaos, wasn’t it? Messi poked in what we all thought was the winner, only for Mbappé to complete his hat‑trick from the spot. A World Cup final hat‑trick – the first since Geoff Hurst in 1966. When that penalty went in, I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Football, man. It’s the most beautiful, cruel game.

And then came the shootout. Mbappé had already buried two penalties past Emi Martinez in open play, so his first kick in the shootout had even more weight. But cool as you like, he sent the Aston Villa keeper the wrong way. That’s when the cameras cut to Messi. The new FIFA documentary Written in the Stars released footage later that gave me goosebumps. Mbappé tried to lock eyes with his PSG teammate as Messi walked to the spot, but Leo didn’t even glance at him. He just strolled past, stared down Hugo Lloris, and rolled the ball home like it was a kickabout in the park. If that doesn’t sum up the man, I don’t know what does.

Looking back now from 2026, that final feels like a hinge moment in football history. Just days after lifting the trophy, Messi netted a stunning free‑kick against Panama and then finally reached his 100th international goal against Curaçao. Since then, he’s taken his magic to Inter Miami, where he just keeps breaking records and turning the MLS into prime‑time viewing. Mbappé? He led France to the Euro 2024 title on home soil, added another Ligue 1 Golden Boot, and now captains his country into the 2026 World Cup as the reigning champion of… well, almost everything.

What fascinates me most is how that one match connected two eras. Messi completed football, securing the one prize that had eluded him. Mbappé, even in defeat, announced himself as the undisputed heir to the throne. Four years later, we’re on the brink of another World Cup, and the echoes of Lusail still shape every conversation. Will we see a rematch? Can Mbappé lift the trophy this time, or will an aging Messi – yes, he’s still going at 39 – conjure one last miracle?

I don’t have the answers. What I do know is that whenever I need to remind myself why I love this sport, I pull up the highlights from 18 December 2022. The drama, the artistry, the sheer willpower – it’s all there. And it will never, ever get old.