World Cup 2022 reaction LIVE: Lionel Messi ‘to continue’ as Didier Deschamps ponders France future

Michael Jones
·2-min read

Lionel Messi was finally able to end his search to lift the World Cup trophy, after his Argentina side beat France 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw after extra time.

The game’s most revered No10 also won the Golden Ball award for the second finals running, while Kylian Mbappe pipped him to the Golden Boot after netting all three of Les Bleus’ goals in Lusail.

While France boss Didier Deschamps says he’ll be delaying any decision on his future until the new year, opposite number Lionel Scaloni had nothing but praise for his players after ending the nation’s wait of more than three decades to win their third World Cup.

There were also tributes paid to the iconic Diego Maradona in the post-match celebrations, with the 1986 winner having passed away two years ago.

Follow all the reaction to the final and the World Cup as a whole in our live blog, below: 

World Cup final reaction

‘No reason to do that’: Pablo Zabaleta criticises decision to cover Lionel Messi’s Argentina shirt

07:35 , Jack Rathborn

Pablo Zabaleta criticised the decision to drape a bisht around Lionel Messi during the World Cup trophy presentation on Sunday.

Argentina became three-time world title winners by beating defending champions France on penalties in the final in Qatar, with Messi finally lifting trophy that had long eluded him.

Messi opened the scoring with a first-half penalty, before Angel Di Maria doubled Argentina’s lead before the break. However, Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate scored his own spot-kick in the 80th minute and struck again just 97 seconds later to make it 2-2 and force extra time.

Pablo Zabaleta criticises decision to cover Lionel Messi’s Argentina shirt

‘I want to continue’: Lionel Messi not ready to call time on Argentina career yet

07:26 , Jack Rathborn

World Cup winner Lionel Messi is not ready to call time on his glittering international career just yet.

The 35-year-old led from the front with two goals in a thrilling 3-3 extra-time draw with France in Qatar on Sunday and then scored in the penalty shoot-out as Argentina lifted the trophy for the third time, but the first for him.

Messi had indicated during the build-up to the final that the game would be his last on the world stage, but speaking afterwards he told Argentinian TV station TyC Sports: “Obviously I wanted to cap my career with this and I can’t ask for anything more.

‘I want to continue’: Messi not ready to call time on Argentina career yet

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