You might have been forgiven for thinking that you were still dreaming, even if you woke up at 2am to watch the World Cup Final. It was one for the ages, the greatest Final in decades and a fitting finish to the tournament.
Oh, and there was this little bloke in the blue and white jersey. This will be known as Lionel Messi’s World Cup in the way that 1986 belonged to his idol, Diego Maradona, and naturally, the world’s media focussed on the cementing of one of world sport’s greatest legacies.
“Now he’s the Messi-ah!” sid Craig Foster on the SBS coverage. “He had a huge task to achieve here, to carry this whole country in a way that had been done previously by the great Diego.
“It seemed impossible, and after the first game (which Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia), it was almost an impossibility.
“He picked them up and he led them and then he started making the difference every game and then he scored against Mexico and then he would assist and then he scored a penalty.
“Every single time they needed him, he was there, and Argentines rightly came to trust in him, and in the end, in this game, which is the most epic World Cup final in my experience.”
Speaking on the BBC, ex-Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta spoke about what Messi meant to the nation.
(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
“I’ve been part of that youth team, when Messi came for the first time to play for the national team,” he said. “He came to represent his country, the passion and the respect.
“He has always shown that for his country and we need to respect that. Everyone is just crying and giving him a big hug because he is one of those players who really really deserve it so well done.
“For our country, we will see a picture of Maradona and Messi, two of the greatest players of all time with the World Cup trophy. That is something so incredible. We are so lucky.”
Many invoked the fairytale story of Messi finally picking up the Jules Rimet Trophy in what will likely be his final international match.
“He should be centre of attention,” said former Manchester United star Gary Neville of Messi. “It feels right that Messi has won the World Cup.
“Destiny was there, he’s contributed enormous amounts throughout this tournament and his career. He’s lit up every single game he’s played in, if you’re watching Messi live you are truly blessed.
“Argentina, their passion, fight, spirit, nastiness till the end was absolutely amazing. That’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
(Photo by Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
The game itself was a classic, with pundits lining up to proclaim it as the greatest World Cup Final ever.
“We’ll never see anything like this again,” said Rio Ferdinand on the BBC. “I can’t imagine that happening. Where you see two great teams going toe to toe, no-one takes a back step.The two superstars on either team again slugging it out, goal for goal. Magnificent.
“I can tell my grandkids I was here for this final. Not only for Messi to lift the World Cup, but also seeing the next generation in Mbappe. What a way to finish your international career.'”
Alan Shearer, also on the BBC, added: “We’re breathless up here. It was just an unbelievable final. It was great to be here, pleasure to be here.
“I have never seen anything like it. It was a pleasure to be here. Thank you to Messi and Mbappe. I felt it was written in the stars for the biggest star, and it was. They kept going. The mentality and courage they showed to take the penalties. Well done and thank you for entertaining it.”
Questions were asked about the grandstanding of the hosts, however. Messi was forced to wear a traditional Qatari robe over the classic blue-and-white jersey for the trophy lift, with many confused and angered by the obvious attempt to hijack the crucial moment.
“Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time,” said Gary Lineker, hosting the UK coverage. “It seems a shame, in a way, that they’ve covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt.”
The game was heralded as a classic.
Piers Morgan had a totally normal one after Messi conclusively settled the GOAT debate, with Morgan’s mate Cristiano Ronaldo now several steps back.
After initially tweeting that the French team – who had seen several players fall ill prior to kick off – had been ‘deliberately poisoned’, he added that “The more hysterically over-confident Messi fans grow about his supposedly inevitable triumph today… the more convinced I am he’ll lose.”
And while Australian viewers made do with the soothing tones of Martin Tyler, fans overseas were able to revel in the majestic tones of commentator Peter Drury.
The Spanish commentary had some life to it as well.
And then there’s this classic call from Argentine TV of the team’s second goal.
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