Argentina vs France 2022 joins list of classic World Cup finals

Argentina and France served up one of the most dramatic World Cup finals in the competition’s history as Lionel Messi added the last remaining prize to his list of honours.

Kylian Mbappe became just the second man to score a hat-trick in the final after England’s Sir Geoff Hurst, yet still finished on the losing side after the South Americans won 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Lusail Stadium.

Here we take a look at some of the previous classic finals.

The very first World Cup final proved an eventful affair as hosts Uruguay took an early lead through Pablo Dorado only to find themselves 2-1 down at the break after Carlos Peucelle and Guillermo Stabile struck. However, second-half goals from Jose Pedro Cea, Victoriano Santos Iriarte and Hector Castro meant the trophy remained in Montevideo.

Reigning champions Italy took a sixth-minute lead in Paris through Gino Colaussi, but were pegged back almost immediately when Pal Titkos scored. Silvio Piola and Colaussi again made it 3-1, but skipper Gyorgy Sarosi ensured a tense final 20 minutes when he reduced the deficit before Piola dashed Hungary’s hopes.

West Germany became world champions for the first time in a contest dubbed ‘The Miracle of Bern’, but one surrounded by accusations of doping. Ferenc Puskas and Zoltan Czibor had the Magical Magyars, fresh from their famous 6-3 demolition of England, 2-0 up within eight minutes, but Max Morlock’s reply and a double from Helmut Rahn saw the Germans win against the odds.

England were seconds from glory at Wembley after goals from Hurst and Martin Peters had overhauled Helmut Haller’s opener when Wolfgang Weber took the tie to extra time. Hurst’s second, controversially awarded by referee Gottfried Dienst after lengthy consultation with Azerbaijani linesman Tofiq Bahramov, put the hosts back in front and his third completed the first hat-trick in the final and clinched the Jules Rimet trophy.

Having seen their hopes of a hat-trick of World Cups ruined four years earlier, Brazil produced one of the most complete final performances when they trounced Italy in style at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Roberto Boninsenga had dragged the Italians back into it after Pele’s early goal, but goals from Gerson and Jairzinho before skipper Carlos Alberto’s stunning strike saw the South Americans home.

Argentina looked to be cruising to victory at the Azteca after goals from Jose Brown and Jorge Valdano put them 2-0 up with 56 minutes gone. The game was back in the melting pot when Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Voller drew the Germans level with 19 minutes remaining, but Jorge Burruchaga’s 84th-minute winner handed Diego Maradona the task of collecting the the biggest prize of all.