Back on the home shores of England, there will have been a tinge of sorrow as members of Gareth Southgate's England squad watched Lionel Messi and Argentina celebrate their first World Cup triumph in 36 years.
After two goals, a successfully-converted spot-kick in the penalty shootout and an all-round majestic display, the boy from Rosario delayed the inevitable changing of the guard with Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe, even if it is only by a few mere months.
While France were vastly underwhelming for large parts of the finale at the Lusail Stadium, Mbappe burst into life with less than 15 minutes remaining as his 97-second brace restored parity in the most sensational of circumstances in the Middle East. The 23-year-old just about dispatched a penalty past Emi Martinez for his first, before sweetly connecting with a volley after a crisp one-two with compatriot Marcus Thuram for his and France's second.
