Four years ago, tens of thousands of football fans packed the Lusail Stadium in Qatar to watch Argentina play France, a match featuring Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. World Cup last time.
France, defending champions, would become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. But the game ended in penalty kicks, Argentina scored four of France's two.
Before the 2022 final
Anticipation is building across Argentina and France ahead of the final match in 2022. In Rosario, Argentina, Messi's hometown, a crane lifted up Messi's giant shirt. The green and white striped jersey was everywhere in Qatar, said CBS news anchor Rose Manister, who was covering the 2022 World Cup.
“It was everywhere, adults and children were wearing it all the time, even on days when Argentina was not playing,” he said.
Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
Argentina fan, Luceo Colombera, was surprised by how many fans turned out for Qatar in the final.
“Some people from Argentina, I know they sold their houses, their cars to be here,” Colombera told Reuters in Spanish. “That's amazing, I think, and the dream of many people here is that Messi can be a champion.”
Max Picchaud attended the final from Paris.
“I'm very happy because it's the first time I'm going to the finals of the World Cup. The first World Cup I'm going to is France, it's my country, so I'll support them until the end,” he told Reuters at the time. “We will definitely win because we play with the hearts of the fans.
What happened during the game
Argentina started the match strongly, leading 2-0 at the break. Messi scored from the penalty spot, and Angel Di Maria scored. Di Maria scored again in the second half.
But then in the 71st minute of the game, Mbappé scored a goal. He scored again quickly, then scored his team's third goal with a penalty. Mbappé became only the second player to score a hat trick – three goals in one game – in a World Cup final.
Dan Mullan/Getty Images 
The game finally ended in penalty kicks, Messi from Argentina, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes and Gonzalo Montiel scored a goal. Only Mbappé and Randal Kolo Muani scored for France.
Messi was awarded the Ballon d'Or, the award given to the best player in the tournament. He is the only player in the history of the World Cup to receive the Golden Ball twice.
The fans react to Argentina's win
The match between Argentina and France “was probably the final that everyone in Qatar was waiting for,” Manister said.
“And the final was probably the biggest World Cup final ever,” he said.
Argentina fan Rogelio Vazquez celebrates after his team's penalty shootout win.
“We could have won comfortably, but we had to suffer as usual,” he told Reuters in Spanish. “But the more you suffer, the more you enjoy. So, let's go, Argentina.”
French fan Kadine Galoco congratulated Mbappé on his three goals.
“But Messi got the World Cup he wanted,” Galoco told Reuters in French. “I don't want to say I'm happy for him, but a great trip for him. And good luck in France, don't give up, the next one is ours.”
Luis ROBAYO / AFP via Getty Images 
More than 80,000 people attended the final at Lusail Stadium, according to FIFA. But the place was quiet the day after the final, with one fan telling Reuters it was like a ghost town.
“But yes, who cares. Yesterday was amazing. We watched the sunrise dancing with our people. You can tell with my words what a great time we had,” Jesica Inamorato, another fan from Argentina, told Reuters in Spanish.
How big names are reacting
Messi was praised by fans including LeBron James and former President Barack Obama who both called Messi a goat.
Athletes, including former striker Gary Lineker and Serena Williams, got on the scale.
“It has been an absolute privilege to watch Lionel Messi for almost 2 years. A moment after a beautiful, exciting football,” Lioneker wrote in a social media post. “You are a gift from the football gods. I am very happy that you have received the biggest prize in our game. Gracias y felicidades, campeón.”
Ryan Reynolds was also among those watching the final match of the 2022 World Cup.
“This game is a good, bad curse. I love it too much to give it up,” Reynolds said at the time.
Brazilian soccer legend, Pelé, who died shortly after the World Cup, also congratulated the teams.
“Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an interesting way,” he said in an Instagram post. “Messi winning the first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved. My dear friend, Mbappé, scored four goals in the final. What a gift it was to watch this exhibition of the future of our game.”
World Cup 2022 by the numbers
According to FIFA, the 2022 World Cup featured:
- One host country, Qatar
- Eight fields
- 32 teams
- 64 games
- 88,966 fans in the final
