Page 2 - Argentina

Messi wins FIFA World Cup 2022, Argentina beats France on penalties

Lionel Messi finally won the biggest prize in soccer as Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbapp scoring the first hat trick in a final in 56 years. Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick as Argentina won after a 3-3 draw.

'A great future': Argentine president thanks soccer team for World Cup win

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez thanked the national soccer team for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar sets scoring record with 172 goals

The six-goal final between France and Argentina set a World Cup record of 172 at this year's tournament. The previous tournament record of 171 goals was set in 1998 and 2014. The 1998 tournament in France was the first edition in the current 64-game, 32-team format. A new record is likely to be set at the 2026 World Cup, which has been expanded to 48 teams playing either 80 or 104 games. On Sunday, Argentina and France drew 3-3 through extra time to set the record. Lionel Messi scored two goals for Argentina and Kylian Mbappe got a hat trick for France the first in a World Cup final since 1966. Argentina won the title, its third, by prevailing 4-2 in a penalty shootout. It was the second straight six-goal final. France defeated Croatia 4-2 four years ago in Russia. The 2.63 goals per game average in Qatar is far below the World Cup record of 5.38 goals per game at the 1954 edition in Switzerland.

'I am not going to retire': Leo Messi after Argentina's World Cup victory

Messi has been monumental in his team's success in the tournament, becoming the only player in World Cup history to score in every knockout game

Argentines erupt in joy after national team beats France to take World Cup

Argentines let loose and streets across the country became places of celebration after an epic World Cup final in which the national team beat France on penalties. It was the country's third World Cup title, and the first since 1986. I'm very happy, we really deserved this. The team suffered quite a bit, but it recovered as time went on, said Josefina Villalba, a 55-year-old nanny who joined hundreds of fans at one of the many public plazas where giant screens were set up to watch the long-awaited match. Millions of Argentines cried, yelled and hugged as they followed the game, which was a roller coaster of emotions. Throughout the match, many watching in a public square in Buenos Aires chanted the name of captain Lionel Messi, often considered the world's greatest soccer player who had long talked about how he yearned for a World Cup victory. I feel an immense happiness in my heart because this is the first World Cup I truly enjoy, Hector Quinteros, a 34-year-old security guard,

Indian fans of Argentina, Messi rejoice in magnificent victory: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Argentina on winning the World Cup and said the final will be remembered as one of the most thrilling football matches. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory, he said. Modi tweeted, "This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming FIFA World Cup Champions! They've played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory!" Argentina won the World Cup by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the final.

Fifa World Cup final: Prize money for winning team, runner-up revealed

Fifa World Cup 2022 final: What is the prize money for the winning team? Check all the details here

Argentines flock to Qatar for their chance to win FIFA World Cup 2022

From a soccer-crazed country known for its world-class players and its repeated economic crises, Argentine fans are making great sacrifices to be in Qatar to see their team try to win the World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Passionate and noisy, the euphoria in Doha has grown to the rhythm of Muchachos the unofficial anthem of the fans and with each victory of Lionel Messi and his team ahead of Sunday's final against defending champion France. In a corner of the Souq Waqif bazaar in the capital, locals and tourists gathered around a young woman clad in the Argentine sky blue-and-white stripped jersey juggling a ball with her feet. In a hand-written banner in English and Arabic, she asks for tickets to the World Cup final at Lusail Stadium. Passersby leave change on a hat placed on the ground. Soccer for me is everything," said 24-year-old Belen Godoy, who has been in Doha for a month and attended nearly every Argentina game by buying resale tickets. I left my family. I spen

FIFA World Cup: In Kolkata, the final is still between Argentina and Brazil

Observers say that exposure to European football leagues, especially the English Premier League, has helped bring some diversity to the fan base in Kolkata more recently

World Cup: Poland's Marciniak to referee France-Argentina final on Sunday

Polish referee Szymon Marciniak will make history as the first man from his country to take charge of a Fifa World Cup final on Sunday

Argentina vs France: An unpredictable classic you do not want to miss

On Sunday, La Albiceleste will fight for the title that eluded them in 2014, and Les Bleus will hope to rewrite history

All eyes on Lionel Messi as Argentina brace for Fifa World Cup 2022 final

As Lionel Messi approaches his second and likely last World Cup final, the stakes could hardly be higher. The same goes for Argentina after more than 30 years of disappointment since it last won soccer's ultimate prize. For Messi, victory against France at Lusail Stadium on Sunday is a chance to finally get his hands on the one major trophy that has eluded him in his storied career. In doing so, he would push ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also never won a World Cup, in the long-running rivalry between the two greatest players of their generation. While 37-year-old Ronaldo exited the tournament at the quarterfinals stage, benched by Portugal and in tears in the likely recognition that his last chance had passed, Messi is summoning some of his finest moments in an Argentina shirt to inspire his country's run to the final. "Each time we see him play, he makes us and the players feel something special," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. "There's something about him that peop

Mbappe, France advance to FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beat Morocco 2-0

France and Kylian Mbapp are headed back to the World Cup final for a much-anticipated matchup with Lionel Messi after ending Morocco's historic run at soccer's biggest tournament. France beat Africa's first ever semifinalist 2-0 Wednesday, with Mbapp playing a part in goals by Theo Hernandez in the fifth minute and then substitute Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th. France will head into Sunday's title match against Argentina looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Mbapp has the chance to cement his status as soccer's new superstar when he comes up against the 35-year-old Messi, who has dominated the game with Cristiano Ronaldo for the past 15 years. There will be no team from the Arab world in the final of the first World Cup in the Middle East, a prospect that seemed nigh impossible before the tournament. Yet Morocco did break ground for Africa and generated an outpouring of pride among Arab nations after topping a group containing Croatia

Messi becomes highest goalscorer for Argentina in Fifa World Cup history

Lionel Messi broke Gabriel Batistuta's record to become the highest goalscorer for Argentina in the history of the Fifa World Cup. This was Messi's 11th goal

Alvarez, Messi help Argentina beat Croatia to enter Fifa World Cup final

Julian Alvarez's brace and Lionel Messi's goal help Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 here at Lusail Stadium to enter the final of the Fifa World Cup 2022

Fifa World Cup ARG vs CRO Highlights: Alvarez, Messi get Argentina in final

Fifa World Cup, Argentina vs Croatia Highlights: The Albiceleste beat Vetreni 3-0 in a battle of Messi and Modric. Argentina reached a record sixth World Cup final. Croatia go home without the trophy

Fifa World Cup 2022: A tournament of underdogs and major upsets in Qatar

Fifa World Cup 2022, Qatar: The tournament has seen a lot of upsets, and Morocco has been the best team that has upset many big teams in the world.

Fifa World Cup 2022: Tonight's Messi vs Modric match goes beyond trophies

Messi-led Argentina will clash with Modric-led Croatia at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar in the Fifa World Cup 2022 semi-final today

Fifa World Cup 2022 semi-final: Argentina take on Croatia tonight

Fifa World Cup 2022, Argentina vs Croatia, semi-final preview: It will be a test of Messi and co's attacking prowess against the midfield dominance of Modric and company

Messi, Modric carry Argentina, Croatia into Fifa World Cup semis

Tears are flowing from soccer's biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup. First it was Neymar. Then it was Cristiano Ronaldo. Could Lionel Messi be next? Momentum is building behind Messi's push to cap his career with the biggest prize in the game. The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semifinals, almost in the same way Diego Maradona the man with whom Messi is so often compared led the South American nation to its second and most recent World Cup title in 1986. Now in Argentina's way is Croatia, a country with a population of 4 million which is establishing a reputation as the most stubborn and durable of opponents while also boasting one of soccer's most graceful players in Luka Modric. The teams go head to head at Lusail Stadium also the venue for Sunday's final in a meeting between the last two runners-up at the tournament: Argentina in 2014 and Croatia in 2018. Argentina might have been expected to b