Argentina vs France FIFA World Cup highlights: Messi gets his hands on the coveted trophy, ARG are world champions

He is handed the World Cup trophy by the Emir of Qatar and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and also made to wear a sort of a golden black robe. He doesn't care any about that, he cradles the World Cup trophy like a baby, then walks up to his teammates and finally, lifts that trophy. Messi has lifted the World Cup trophy. That monkey is off his back in what he has said is his last World Cup match. That is it from us for this match, that is it from us for this World Cup. There will be more to come of course from this epic of a match. We have been blessed and cursed here. Blessed because we got to see this slugfest, cursed because no football game will possibly match up to this. Ciao!

The champions walk up, collect their medals, give the trophy a kiss and then walk along to join their teammates. They had to dig deep on so many occasions, right from bouncing back from one of the most shocking results in World Cup history, to surviving the most mind-boggling back and forth World Cup final of all time. Customary big cheers for Lionel Messi as his name is announced. 

Argentina form a guard of honour for them before they go and collect their silver medals. Most of them take it off almost as soon as it is hung around their necks. There are some players in that squad who know what it is like to get the other medal on offer tonight but it is not to be for them to experience it again or for their teammates to experience it for the first time. But this nation is part of football royalty. They were ravaged by injuries coming into this World Cup and still reached the final with relative ease. Then they were ravaged by a virus in the immediate days before the final, were down and out for much of the match itself and somehow, somehow they came from 2-0 down, then they came back from 3-2 down. An extraordinary team, an extraordinary group of players and their talisman, a generational talent in Kylian Mbappe. 

He had got this award in 2014 as well remember, but this time he walks up to the podium beaming. He takes that award and then he provides the image that Argentina fans wanted to see for so many years, he kisses the World Cup trophy before posing for the cameras. That was only a teaser, imagine the noise in the stadium when he lifts that trophy. 

He has finished with eight goals. He walks up crestfallen, anything but happy to be collecting that award. There is no smile on his face as he poses for the cameras. There are some whistles that ring out first but then a wave of cheers for the 24-year-old superstar. What a player he is turning out to be and he gave what has to be the greatest performance by any player in a losing cause in the World Cup. 

First the referees get their mementos. And then Enzo Fernandez is awarded the Young Player of the Tournament award. After that comes the Golden Gloves for the goalkeeper of the tournament and that is Emiliano Martinez. 

The players' families run on to the pitch. Messi shares a long hug with his kids. He is at peace at last. This was the one trophy that was missing from a cabinet in which there was every trinket that anybody could ever win in football, apart from the golden gloves awards that goalkeepers get of course. But this one would be more special than any other. Messi, the first player to lead Argentina to the World Cup title after Maradona. The great man is surely smiling from the heavens. He had called Messi his sucessor back when the latter was a young buck bursting on to the scene in Barcelona; Messi has arguably become more than that now. 

The Argentina players have glazed looks in their eyes. Messi can't walk more than four steps before being hugged by someone. Sergio Aguero, the Argentine stalwart who was forced to retire a year ago due to a heart ailment, is out on the pitch. Who can possibly stop him, he will always be part of this team and Messi's roommate. 

They all have tears in their eyes, Argentina have got smiles on their faces, France are thunderstruck. Spare a thought for Kylian Mbappe, he has become the first player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final, four goals if you count the kick taken amidst bone-crushing pressure in the penalty shootout. And yet, at the end of it all, he ends up on the losing side. 

They have won the penalty shootout 4-2. Montiel takes his shirt off, he is burried by his teammates, Messi is on the ground. He has got the World Cup in his hands at last, at long, long, long last. The last time Argentina won the World Cup, Diego Maradona was their captain. Now it is Lionel Messi with the armband. 

France are still in it by the breadth of their hairs. ARG 3-2 FRA

It's sudden death now, ARG 3-1 FRA

He takes hours to take the kick and when he does, he misses. Martinez does a jig. ARG 2-1 FRA

Argentina have the lead now. ARG 2-1 FRA

He has taken Coman's kick, ARG 1-1 FRA

As calm as it gets from the ARG captain, ARG 1-1 FRA

Mbappe walks up, Emiliano Martinez in goal. He scores, ARG 0-1 FRA

But that was not before a final Mbappe shot was deflected away. The referee calls an end to this slugfest after that, we go to penalties. Has there been a better finish than this to any World Cup?

This has to be the most extraorinary football match you must have ever seen. First Martinez with an unbelievable save to deny Kolo-Muani. The Argentina counter, Messi passes it to Lautaro Martinez and his shot is blocked. Oh the humanity!

Argentina have brought on Dybala into this inexplicable madhouse that is this match for Tagliafico with an eye on penalties. 

118 mins: Not Pele, not Maradona, not Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe is the second player ever, the first since Geoff Hurst in 1966, to score a World Cup final hat-trick. 

Nope, this final just doesn't give up! Hand ball inside the box by an Argentine player. It's all a blur now. 

He has scored thousands but the one that would be most valuable to him in his life surely will be the scruffiest of them all. Messi releases Martinez on the right and the latter takes a shot at the near post. Lloris saves, but the rebound falls to Messi, of all people. He turns it in, Upamecano clears it but not before the ball has crossed the line. Is this it? IS THIS IT? 

109 mins: Messi turns it in! It is just over the line and Argentina celebrate again. Is this the last time a team celebrates in this match? 

Is there a goal here?