LUSAIL, Qatar — Lionel Messi finally won the one prize he's been missing, helping Argentina to its first World Cup title in 36 years Sunday in a 4-3 win over France in penalty kicks. The goals came from Messi and Ángel Di María.
Messi, a seven-time world player of the year who has won virtually everything there is to win in international soccer, has nonetheless played much of his career in the shadow of Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to its last world championship in 1986. Sunday's win removes that shadow.
Argentina had to fight its way to the final after losing its opening game to Saudi Arabia, ending a 36-game unbeaten streak. But it shut out Mexico and Poland in its next two matches to win its group, got by the Netherlands on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals, then eliminated Croatia, the runner-up in 2018, to return to the championship game.
