Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties in dramatic circumstances, after an already thrilling match in Qatar.
This was seen as Lionel Messi’s last match at the World Cup for his country, and there is every chance it could be his final appearance for Argentina after being given chance to end his time with them on an unbeatable high.
The 35-year-old had uncharacteristically plodded through last season after the emotional wrench of leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, but after seeing the Spanish team struggle for a couple of years despite his best efforts, he found succour in a 2021 Copa America triumph with his country.
That moment of glory may have reinvigorated his desire to do well in the blue and white stripes.
The relationship between Messi and Argentina has not always been straightforward. While the temperamental Diego Maradona is forever a legend in his country, Messi has sometimes enjoyed an antagonistic stand-off with the fans of the national team. Adored in Barcelona for his consistent genius, it might be that his efforts in the Middle East will now elevate him to a similar level when he finally returns home. This, after all, is the first World Cup to take place since Maradona's death.
There is an obvious, almost cloying symbolism.
This season has been something of improvement in Paris, where he has rattled in goals for fun once again after growing used to life in France, but there was an undeniably different emotion at the World Cup.
His teammates acknowledged that while they were playing for the shirt, they were also playing for Messi. They had reached a final with him before, but not been able to deliver him a World Cup. This time, the players raised their game to meet their talisman, but he dragged them further as he rediscovered his top-level, match-winning brilliance.
Against Croatia in midweek he had dismantled Josko Gvardiol, one of the game's most promising defenders, to take his team to the final.
On Sunday night it appeared that his side had done enough to enjoy the game rather than suffer it. Messi opened the scoring from the spot after a daft foul from Ousmane Dembele, and just after the half hour mark another veteran, Angel Di Maria, made it two.
Such was the poverty of France’s display at that point that the Juventus midfielder burst into tears. Few would have doubted that the trophy was on its way to Argentina, but rarely do finals work out quite so easily.
Before the end of the first half, France were so abject that Didier Deschamps was motivated to take off Olivier Giroud and Dembele. On came on the younger, more impressive Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani. That was one vital intervention, but the game turned again when Di Maria was withdrawn.
It was not an obvious error from Lionel Scaloni to take off the ageing shuttler an hour into the game, but replacing him with Diego Acuna ceded the initiative. As time dragged on, it looked as though France had run out of time, but things changed in just 90 seconds.
With 10 minutes of normal time remaining, Mbappe scored from the spot when Nicolas Otamendi felled Kolo Muani, and then hit a lightning second as the 23-year-old PSG forward hooked in a great volley.
Argentina were rattled but while France pressed for a winner, they held on for extra time.
On 109 minutes, Messi intervened again. A one-two with Lautaro Martinez saw Hugo Lloris beat away the shot from the Inter Milan striker but only into the path of Messi. There was some confusion but the goal was given, and it looked to most that this was the end of an already wildly dramatic conclusion to Qatar, but there was more.
With a few minutes remaining of the match, France were camped in Argentina’s half, funnelling the ball wherever and whenever possible into the box, until Mbappe lashed in a shot that struck Gonzalo Montiel in the arm, and Mbappe nervelessly converted for a second time, earning a remarkable hat-trick.
Penalties. Mbappe stepped up again, drilled in his third penalty of the match past Emiliano Martinez, and then Messi stepped up to convert. Martinez saved Kingsley Coman’s effort, Pablo Dybala nailed his. Martinez then lobbed the ball away for Aurelien Tchouameni, forcing him to collect it, throwing off his concentration.
The Real Madrid midfielder clipped his effort wide, and Leandro Paredes put the Argentines two clear.
Martinez, let off for the first disruption, was then booked by the ref for more mind games, but Kolo Muani scored as he rifled it down the middle. The pressure was on Montiel, but so was the chance to win the World Cup for himself, his teammates, his country and for Messi’s legacy, and he fired in the winner.
Relive all the action on our liveblog below.