Lionel Messi has won the last trophy which evaded him, in peak dramatic fashion. The World Cup is his after four previous attempts, at the age of 35.
Argentina suffered until the very end and given Messi’s past in international football, losing a World Cup final in 2014 and several Copa America finals, the eventual victory will have tasted all the more sweet.
Messi had his moments too, scoring twice in the final, being involved in the other and converting his penalty in the shoot-out. He finished the game awarded the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament and his ten goal contributions were the joint-most with Kylian Mbappe.
None of it will have mattered to Messi when he finally got to lift the trophy after so long. He posted on Instagram after the match, with the following:
CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!!!!! 🌎🏆
So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it, that I still haven’t come down, I can’t believe it……
Thank you so much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We proved once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united, we are able to achieve what we aim for. The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream, that was also the dream of all Argentinians… We did it!!!
LET’S GO ARGENTINA S***!!!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻
We’re seeing you very soon…
The scenes after the victory in Buenos Aires are enough to give anyone goosebumps and Messi will no doubt get his share of that when the team returns to the Argentine capital.
Image via Julian Finney/Getty Images
