Lusail: 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 Mbappé 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. However, nothing stopped Messi from completing his career with the ultimate prize of all. In an extraordinary night of high drama, France had fought back from 2-0 down and 3-2 down in extra-time to make it 3-3 and take the game to penalties.

Messi converted his penalty in the shootout, and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez saved two attempts. Penalties from Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, and Montiel proved enough for Argentina to win 4-2 in the shootout, with Kingsley Coman, Aurélien Tchouaméni missing for France. 

The World Cup final between Argentina and France went to a penalty shootout on Sunday after it finished 3-3 in extra-time.

The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes but Lionel Messi poked in a goal to put Argentina 3-2 ahead in the 108th minute before Kylian Mbappe completed his hat-trick two minutes before the end of extra-time.

Mbappe struck in dying minutes of extra time to cancel Messi's equaliser. Argentina found the opener in the 23rd minute after Angel Di Maria was brought down inside the box by Dembele. Lionel Messi, who took the spot kick, made no mistake in registering his sixth goal in the tournament. In the 36th minute, Argentina increased the lead through Angel Di Maria from a brilliant counter-attacking football. 

However, France scored one back in the 78th minute after Nicolás Otamendi brought down Kola Muani inside the box. Kylian Mbappe, who took the spot kick, made no mistake and placed the ball into the back of the net. Mbappe levelled the score seconds later for France. However, Messi scored the winner in the 108th minute after Lloris cleared a ball into the pass of the PSG striker to tap the ball into the back of the next. Argentina lifted the World Cup after a drought of 36 years. 

Messi now has 12 World Cup goals — the same as Brazil great Pelé — and is the first player to score in the group stage and every round of the knockout stage in a single edition of the tournament.

France started the first half with a clear plan to limit Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez from finding space in the attack. In the 5th minute, Alexis Mac Allister registered the first shot on target from outside the box. However, the ball goes straight to the hands of Hugo Lloris. Minutes later, Rodrigo De Paul's effort on goal deflected off Varane into the back for a corner. Argentina looked dangerous on the counter-attack, while France looked happy to sit back and look for opportunities to unleash Mbappe on the wings. 

Oliver Giroud nearly opened the scoring in the 19th minute from a header following a freekick from the right side of the box. However, his header went over the bar. However, it was Argentina who went ahead in the 21st minute from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was fouled inside the box. Lionel Messi, who took the spot kick, made no mistake in registering his sixth goal in the tournament. 

Argentina increased the lead in the 36th minute after Upamecano lost the ball in his half, and Messi flicked the ball past his marker to pick out Mac Allister's run. Mac Allister sprinted forward and sent a beautiful ball into the face of the goal for Di Maria to score. 

In the second half, Argentina increased the tempo of their attack to deny France from making any progress through the middle. In the 49th minute, Di Maria picked an unmarked De Paul on the right wing after France lost the ball in the middle of the park. However, De Paul's half-volley on goal was straight at Lloris. 

In the 59th minute, Alvarez nearly scored the third goal of the game after Tagliafico fed the ball to the Manchester City striker on the left. 
However, his strike goes wide and hits the side netting. In the 72nd minute, Mbappe sent the ball wide after finding space in the Argentinian defence and attempted a strike on goal. 

France took the lead in the 80th minute after Kolo Muani was brought down inside the box by Ottamendi. Mbappe, who took the spot kick, made no mistake in nestling the ball in the bottom left corner. Mbappe once stunned Argentina a minute later when Thuram fed the ball for the PSG striker to volley home the equaliser. 

Messi nearly found the equaliser in the 90th minute after he attempted a long ranger from outside the box. However, Lloris was able to push the ball away for safety. 

Mbappé scored two goals in a 97-second span to take the game to extra time, and then Messi tapped in his second goal in the 109th minute. But there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé to take the thrilling game to a shootout.

Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick after Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France.

Europe’s run of four straight World Cup winners came to an end. The last South American champion was Brazil, and that was also in Asia — when Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament in 2002.

Argentina won its previous World Cup titles in 1978 and 1986. In Qatar, the country backed up its victory from last year's Copa America, its first major trophy since 1993. It’s quite the climax to Messi’s international career, which might not yet be over at the age of 35 because he is playing as well as ever.

It was quite the finale, too, for a unique World Cup — the first to be played in the Middle East and the Arab world.