Football’s greatest player gets his fairytale ending

There were tears from Messi, the gravity of a dream so long held at last coming true finally hitting home, writes Ben Burrows

Lionel Messi emphatically delivered (EPA)

Football doesn’t always do fairytales. Just ask Harry Kane or Kevin De Bruyne or Cristiano Ronaldo or any of the star players who didn’t get the ending they wanted at the World Cup. But for the greatest of all, the story played out even sweeter than surely he could ever have planned.

In what he said would be his last match on the biggest stage in the sport, Lionel Messi emphatically delivered and finally, at the fifth and final time of asking, won the one trophy he wanted more than any other.

After 16 years of trying and failing, the player many believe to be the best to have ever played sat atop the world at last, the World Cup finally and mercifully in his hands for the first time. He thought he had won it much earlier, his whole country did.

With just 10 minutes of a hitherto routine final with France left, Argentina were on the brink of glory after a Messi goal from the penalty spot and another after a brilliant team move finished by Angel Di Maria had them 2-0 up.

Then came Kylian Mbappe to turn the match on its head. His first came from 12 yards before a second, volleyed in sweetly past Emiliano Martinez, just 97 seconds later levelled the game and sent it to extra time.

Messi thought he had won it again, bundling home from close range with mere minutes left of the extra 30, but again, as he had done before, his PSG teammate responded, firing in a second penalty kick to seal his hat-trick and force a shootout.

The two scored again to open it before Martinez saved from Kingsley Coman. Aurelien Tchouameni’s miss then handed the advantage firmly to Argentina and Gonzalo Montiel rammed it home, sealing the win and sparking wild scenes of celebration.

There were tears from Messi, the gravity of a dream so long held at last coming true finally hitting home. It was no more than he deserved after a brilliant tournament where he helped inspire his team to rally against adversity right from the defeat to Saudi Arabia to open it all the way to the final.

It was the fairytale end and an all too fitting one. The greatest player got his greatest moment after the greatest final.

Yours,

Ben Burrows

Sports editor