Like the rest of us, Lionel Messi was blown away by Kylian Mbappé’s World Cup final performance.
The PSG teammates clashed in the 2022 final at Lusail Stadium, with Argentina defeating France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw over 120 minutes.
Despite his country’s defeat, Mbappé made history as just the second men’s player to ever score a hat trick in a World Cup final. The treble saw Mbappé clinch the Golden Boot at the tournament with eight goals over seven games.
“It really was a breathtaking final. It was crazy how the match went,” Messi said. “Kylian scored three incredible goals, in a final! Not being able to be champion after that was crazy.
“But he’s already won it too, and he knows what it’s like to be world champion. So yes, it was a great final for the football world. And now it’s true that it’s nice to be able to play in the same team with him, and I hope we can do great things here in Paris.”
As Messi mentioned, Mbappé had already played and scored in a World Cup final before the 2022 showpiece. In 2018, the superstar forward lifted the trophy in Russia after a 4-2 win over Croatia.
By his standards, Messi’s debut season with PSG was far below expectations. But this season Messi has returned to form, saying that he needed time to adjust to a new team and new country in the 2021-22 campaign.
“Yes, it’s true that I feel very well,” he said. “The first year, I needed a little time to adapt to Paris for different reasons, but I started this season really differently, with a lot of desire.
“I feel more comfortable with the club, with the city, with everything that Paris means. And the truth is that I am really enjoying this season. I think my whole life has been like that.
“About dedication, work, effort and wanting more every day. I’ve arrived at a new club and I want to win the title with Paris, to be able to achieve the big goals we set ourselves at the beginning of the season.”
[lawrence-related id=15016,14742,14633]